City of Sinners

Chapter 42

“What are we now going to do?” Agos, the once Owl now a Vulture member, has asked.

The seemingly dead sky complimented the fear that we were feeling inside our chests. We could not think straightly, of what we shall do, not unless we know what kind of game is waiting for us. I’m pretty sure it would be terrible.

The Vultures had guarded each other as a group. Since we were a gang who treated each other a family—well, family filled with goons and scrawny men. We have held each other’s arms, as per instructed by Gaston. He had the feeling that the cluster of spirits would bring a strong wind, a storm, and would stir them into their composures. That is why he had to make sure that everyone would stay intact. Having the gang separated to each other once again is something that he doesn’t want to happen again. He had trauma.

“Remember what I said: No matter what happens, never break off from each other’s grip. I have a strong feeling that if we do, we’ll be dead.”

That thing he said sure is terrifying. With that, I made sure that I won’t lose my strong grip to Valour and Agos’ hands.

“Hey,” Valour called onto me, worried. “Are you really okay? Can you manage it? I’m afraid for you.”

He was worried for me because I still could not speak, and my body was still weak due to the after-effect of the strong potion I drank just to have a consistent fight with those long-tongued Sinners. In fact, I could not speak yet. But even though I still need some more time in order to recover, this thing: this ghosts and storm that is coming, is what made me thinking that I could not just stay in a piggyback-ride on Valour’s back. I never wanted to become a heavy weight that is needed to be carried by others. Oh, by the way, that’s both figurative and literal. Besides, I had a little manageable strength.

The storm of spirits were finally above us. In the sky, the weeping voices of those spirits serves as the tremendous howling if it would be compared to the real storm—perhaps even in typhoon or cyclones. Either way, the spins and twirls of the storm spirits has brought a strong wind. Its pressure was strong and tremendous. It can easily drag us off our feet, but we have done our best to stay calm and to hold our feet on the ground. I don’t f*****g know how we are doing it, but I am just sure that I have contributed only a little to this fortified don’t-let-dragged-by-the-wind strategy we’re doing. I’m don’t have my usual strength yet, and I can sense how Valour and Agos were holding me tightly, not letting me go if ever I was the first one to be dragged away.

I kept my eyes closed as we struggled to this hurricane of spirits. Until from simple snap of time, the storm’s pressure disappeared. I frantically opened my eyes to check what has happened.

I gasped when I saw that the spirits stopped circling and running chaos in the surrounding. It seemed that they have gone tired and chaotic. Or maybe it’s different than that. Maybe the reason why they have stopped was because they were about to do something. Whatever it was, then, it would surely be a haunting one. s**t, I am not prepared for this.

Despite the stopping of the Spirit’s chaos, their weepings hasn’t stopped yet. They were floating around us, crying and mourning over their current situations.

“Help.”

“I reflected my sins, please forgive m oh father God!”

“Forgive me.”

“Please help us!”

“Lust is the sin for those who can’t control the calls of their flesh,”

Those pale, seemingly transparent and smoky creatures has been calling, their faces were haunted and unrecognizable.

“Guys,” I called on to the Vultures. Apparently, they were still stuck in a terrified and pressured expressions, as if the chaos of the storming spirits hasn’t ended yet. Their eyes were still closed.

“Vultures,” I called again. However, they were not responding. That gave me a terrible freezing sensation attacking through my spine. Sweats came off of my neck and forehead. My still-weak body turned alarmed and released a lot of adrenaline rush.

I looked at Valor to see what he was doing. Just like the others, his face was frozen into that pressured and afraid expression. I looked at Agos as well, and he had the same expressions frozen in him just like the others.

“What is happening?” I whispered to my self, fear controlling my voice.

“What is the call of your flesh?” Suddenly, one of the spirits asked in a ghostly voice.

Then the call of other spirits followed. “What is the call of your flesh?” They repeatedly asked.

I was to be honest, annoyed by it. I am confused on what those spirits are trying to say. Call of the flesh? Minos, that King who is a half-human, half-serpent, has once mentioned those words as well. But what does that thing means?

I bet, to answer my question, this beautiful woman in front of me has appeared. She is pale—complementing the color of the dead sky. Even though her body was more shaped than the other spirits, I can still see some parts of her that is translucent. She is indeed a spirit. But, whatever she was, I felt envious of her long, curly hair, her small face, her perfectly carved eyes, nose, and lips, and … even though I am not into dress, felt envious of the elaborate dress she was wearing. If I were to name her, I would probably call her Francesca.

Without any introduction or any deep words, she asked me; “What is your lust?”

She looked straightly at me. I have no intention to look back and stare, but there was this something that was making me—maybe forcing me?—to stare at her. She was charming me. Until when my stare was finally fixed at her, her eyes glowed in blue. A dead blue. I squinted my eyes because of the uncomfortable light. When I opened back my eyesight, I was stunned when I realized that I was now in a different place.

It was a room. A quite room. I tried moving my body, but then my arms could not. Earlier, my arms cannot move because it was being held tightly by Valour and Agos. Now … it was restricted because those caring hands has turned into a cold, tightly made shackles. It was attached at the metal frames of the bed.

What is this?

“What is the call of your flesh?”

“What is your lust?” those voices echoed in the whole room.

As if to answer that question, someone has wrapped around my belly. A fine man’s arms. One of his hands went up, and groped one of the thing on my chest. My breast. Mysteriously, I moaned—as if saying that I badly liked the way the arm is doing. My body felt hot. My insides stirred.

“What is the call of your flesh?”

“What is your lust?”

The arms moved, and then pinned me more on the bed. My arms were spread because of the shackles wrapping my wrist, and now, even my legs were spread and restricted. Yet, why do I feel liking the sensation? This terrifying, hot and uncomfortable sensation.

Above me, Valour was looking at my lips lustfully.

“What is the call of your flesh?”

“What is your lust?”