Mirrored Shadows

Lela's idea

(Present day)

 The guards pushed the prisoners through a grey, somber backyard, because the front one was reserved for noble guests. Rocks and deep mud made some of them trip over, or get stuck.

One of the guards banged on the door and they opened. He pushed the prisoners inside. They found themselves in a long hallway of dark stone. The stench of sweat and mold left a bitter taste in mouth.

- Sit here and don't move. - the guardsman pointed at a bench. - The first one to make a sound will get a spear through their head.

   He went down the hallway, while another one remained to watch over them. It was dark and cold. The guard that went away came back shortly, followed by a man who held a torch. He had short horns with dull tips, which was a mark of a low level demon. A mischievous grin shaped his mustache into a long, messy line.

- Here they are, captain Corfold. - said the guardsman.

  The captain moved the torch closer to the prisoners and illuminated their faces.

- Look at these hags. - he laughed, pointing at the twins. - Faces like these should not come in pair.

  The guards burst into laughter. Corfold moved the torch to Monika.

- Ooh! And here we have a pretty one! It's not every day we host beautiful criminals.

  She turned her face to the other side, but the captain grabbed her by the chin and forced it back to him. She could see herself in his glassy, grey eyes.

- You are lucky, little bird. I like you a lot.

  Monika gnashed her teeth.

- If that's what being lucky means, I'd rather have the spear.

 His mustache jumped with a smirk.

- And she knows how to answer! Don't worry, little bird, you'll get a spear too. Maybe tonight, when I visit your cell.

  He grabbed his crotch and laughed again. Monika's cheeks turned red from anger.

- Captain's into delicate animals. - teased one of the guards.

  Corfold slapped him on the head.

- We all know your type Benedict: ugly and shedding. Now, what's your name, little bird?

  Monika wasn't sure if she should give away her real name. But then again, don't they have their files? They had Stella's. Would lying be wise?

- Monika. - she said.

  Anxiety grew in her chest like an ember waiting to rekindle, as the captain flipped the files, searching for her name.

- Ah, yes, you are on the list. I'd sell my ass to a bull to know what you did to end up in this part of the prison.

  ''This part of the prison?'', she thought to herself. That made her come to a conclusion that not every human caught by demons ends up in this place. She must've been taken here for a different reason.

   Corfold gave an order to the guards to take the prisoners away. He blew a kiss to Monika, laughing as he was leaving.

  They were passing by the smelly cells, followed by the glances of the prisoners. Monika noticed that many of them are skin and bone.

  The guardsman opened a cell and pushed one of the twins inside. He pushed her sister in the next one. After that, they continued to walked through the hallway. Monika spotted a cell in which something big was crouching. As they were passing by, she could hear rattling of chains. She didn't know that a pair of eyes from inside are watching her as she moves.

   When they finally reached the end of the hallway, the guardsman opened the squeaky cell door.

- Your apartment, milady.

  Monika stepped inside without a word and the doors were locked behind her.

- I wish to speak to your queen. - she said.

  The guardsman laughed mockingly and left. She could hear them shouting at someone: ''Hey Camelback, give the new girl something to eat!''

  Monika sighed and looked around. The cell was very small. There was nothing but a dirty cloth and one chain on the cold, wet floor. She sat down and covered her face with hands. It felt like this is the end. It would've been easy to make a peace with that if she knew that Crumb and Bruno were alright, wherever they are.

  In the silence of the wet cell, her thoughts were tirelessly clawing their way through suppression. Mice were sniffing around her and ran away squeaking whenever she'd chase them off.

  Drops of humidity patted against some broken pot, echoing in tin sounds. Her attempt to ignore them and get some sleep was in vain. She kicked the pot with all her strength, watching it as it jumped around in racket, until it finally settled down. The noise rang across the dungeons for a while. Then the silence finally took over. All that Monika could hear now were the heavy sighs from the cell next to hers.

                                                                                        ***

   A crooked creature wanders through the dungeon hallways. Here and there it crouches and listens, then it continues to sneak around. After taking a turn into one of the hallways, it was taken by surprise by the light of a torch, so it covered its unappealing face.

- Camelback! - the guardsman shouted. - What did I tell you almost twenty minutes ago!? Take the food to the prisoners!

  The creature obediently bent, making the hump on its back look even bigger.

- I... I'll go... right now... - he stuttered. The guardsman kicked him in the rear and the creature quickly ran into the darkness.

  Camelback lived in the shadows of the Hardcoat as long as he could remember. His father was a guardsman, and his mother was a slave in one of these cells. That's how the unlucky Camelback was brought to the world, on the dirty jail floor. When she saw his face and the crooked back, mother pushed him away and hung herself. Her lifeless body, hanging left-right, was Camelback's first introduction to the world in which he will grow.

  An old concubine, whose services were no longer asked by anyone in the Hardcoat, took pity on rejected Camelback, for she was rejected too. Unwanted. She took care of him as long as her legs could carry her. Camelback was only six when she died. Since then he wanders the dungeons and jumps after the junk and leftovers, tossed by guards who had fun watching him chase the pieces of food like a dog. Twenty years later, he was given work to do, like cleaning toilets or feeding the prisoners.

  Camelback didn't like the light. It was exposing him. He preferred the loneliness. Only then he was somewhat happy. Only then no one found him ugly. Sometimes, he would stare at the black sky of Hell with its own Moon, feeling like it's mocking him as well.

  After he took a plate with pieces of bread and clay pots of water, he went to the cells, nervous because of the new prisoners who are yet to see his face and react.

  When he appeared in the cells hallway, the prisoners who knew him started shouting:

- Camelback, what's up with the snail walk, we are starving here!

- Seems like we'll have to tell Corfold to take this off your salary.

  He was bowing his head in silence, as if their insults and shouting were rocks he had to dodge.

- Camelback, my dear camel, do you have any water in that hump? For f**k's sake man, give that water already!

  Burst of laughter shook the walls. Camelback started making mistakes, forgetting where he should go. He just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

- Look at the i***t, he passed me by! Hey!

  He went back and pushed a piece of bread and a bowl of water into the cell that he missed.

- Ah, my dear Camelback, you'll never be a waiter.

  Monika leaned her head against the cell bars, looking at an awkward creature as it trips over the bumps on the floor. She could notice that he's at the verge of tears.

   One bowl jumped off the plate and the water got spilled all over the floor. A rain of swears poured over him.

- WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING, YOU MORON!?

  He stopped by Alma's cell, one of the twins that came with Monika, and tried to look down so that she can't see him as he pushes a crust of bread to her.

- Get away, you leper! - she chased him off in disgust, hitting him with the bread. - I don't want anything from your dirty hand.

  The rest of the prisoners laughed again.

- You won't get anything better my dear. - said one of the prisoners, while Camelback looked down at the thrown away piece of bread, unsure whether he should put it back into her cell or back on the plate.

- I don't care! - Alma yelled. - I'd rather die to starvation than to some dirty disease!

  Seeing that it's pointless, Camelback took the bread and placed it back on the plate. He limped to the next cell in which was Alma's twin Lona. Hungry, but scared by what her sister said, she took the piece of bread and started cleaning it, looking at Camelback and all the anomalies of his body, until the piece of bread itself started disgusting her. She took a tiny bite and imagined Camelback's hands, so she spit it out on the floor.

  Camelback proceeded to the cell next to Monika's. This time, he had to enter. He came inside and stopped in front of a man who must've been two and a half meters tall, all chained up. Camelback brought a piece of bread to his mouth. The man took a bite and nodded as a sign that he doesn't want anymore. Camelback gave him some water too and left.

  Stopping in front of Monika's cell, he looked down and put a piece of bread and a bowl of water on the cell's floor.

- Thank you. - she said sincerely.

  Something shivered in Camelback and he raised his eyes at her. But her face ashamed him even more and he quickly looked down again and ran away.

  When the night fell down and everything in the Hardcoat dived into a deep slumber, Camelback finally had his loneliness. He was sitting at the roof of one of the towers, looking at the sky. ''Thank you'', he repeated many times. His mouth curved for a moment into something that was supposed to be a smile. ''Thank you'', he whispered again, remembering the softness and the warmth of her voice. His heart danced every time he'd repeat it. He felt gratitude for her gratitude, and smiled all night.

                                                                                     ***

   The next morning, Monika was awakened by a bucket of cold water. She jumped from sleep in shock, laughed at by captain Corfold who held the bucket.

- Time to wake up, my little bird!

- Are you insane!? - she yelled, clutching her chest.

- That's not very polite, you know? I splashed you with clean water, that's how nice I am.

  Angry and completely wet, she was decanting her dress in vain. The chill of the dungeon quickly wrapped itself around her, making her shiver uncontrollably.

- Come on, come on. You'll dry yourself outside. We are going for a walk.

  He unlocked the doors and ordered the guardsmen to tie up her hands. Monika laughed ironically:

- Are you afraid that I might slap you, captain?

- Oooooooooh. - came from the other cells. The captain just laughed as always. It seemed like he enjoyed the provocation.

  The guardsmen took her out to the hallways, where the other prisoners were waiting. She was standing behind the man whose cell was next to hers. The shadow of his enormous body had her completely covered. She couldn't see what's going on ahead.

- Excuse me, where are they taking us? - Monika asked him.

  The man kept looking at the front, ignoring her. Lona, one of the twins, leaned forward and whispered: ''They are taking us to the prison's courtyard.''

  The courtyard was a small, hexagonal space with no roof. More guards patrolled at the top of its walls, watching down at the prisoners. The prisoners were allowed to walk freely, but always with their hands tied up. Monika actually didn't felt like being here. She wanted to alienate herself. Leaning against one of the walls, she could see the entire courtyard. The twins were lively chatting with some women. It seemed like they made new friends quickly. Her eyes wandered off from them to the tall man. He had more chains on him than anyone else. He was sitting on a stone bench, looking indifferently at the ground. The water Corfold splashed him with was making its way down his muscles. He was so big that Monika thought how that man, if he wanted to, could just break those chains.

- Monika! - a cheerful voice snapped her out of thinking.

  She turned around and noticed a girl, not older than 17 or 18, with a pug nose and rich, thick curls. The girl smiled widely, clearly very happy to see her.

- Do we know each other? - Monika asked, squinting through the cold sun rays.

The girl playfully jumped next to her.

- It's me, Lela! Don't you remember me!? I was at your orphanage! You gave me so many things and found me a mother and a father.

  Monika immediately remembered a quiet, scared little girl.

- Lela? My god... You grew up so much!

  Lela giggled and hugged her.

- You were so nice to me, Monika! I missed you a lot.

- I missed you too, sweetheart but, how terrible to see you here...

- It's not that bad. I'm actually hired here. I became the most wanted courtesan.

   Monika wasn't even aware how much her face frowned upon hearing that. That little, innocent girl became something like that?

- They pay me a lot! - she added, as if she felt Monika's disappointment with her accomplishment.

- I'm... happy for you. - she whispered, not knowing what else to say.

- Anyway, why are you here? Enslaved humans are taken elsewhere. Only those who committed crimes against Hell end up here.

  She was curiously looking at Monika who had no idea what to tell her, nor where to begin.

- I really don't know, Lela. I can only suspect that the new nanny I hired made sure I end up here. She took my boy.

  Lela gasped.

- That's horrible!

- It is... I need to get out of here Lela. As soon as possible.

  The girl's smile faded away.

- I really don't know how would that be possib- Oh my god, wait! I got it!

  A tide of hope flooded Monika.

- You could become a courtesan like me! They can go anywhere they want!

  The hope quickly turned into disappointment. Lela, however, clapped as if her idea was the best ever.

- No, Lela... Don't get me wrong, but that... Well, it's not for me.

  Lela pouted.

- Courtesans here live so well. It's not like those brothels at the fifth circle... - she defended herself.

  Their conversation was interrupted by Alma, who came running to Monika.

- Those women over there told me I can become a courtesan! - she said. - I won't have to stay here! You should join us!

- No, she doesn't want that. - Lela said instead of Monika.

  Alma checked out Lela and her fine clothes in confusion, wondering who she is.

- Suit yourself... - she shrugged and went back to her sister.

   Monika sighed and sat down on the bench. Lela sat next to her.

- Don't worry Monika. We'll think of something else.

  She said nothing, starting to fear that she'll never leave this place. Her eyes fell upon the big man again. Lela noticed that.

- His name is Aaron. - she said, biting her lip. - For a while now I'm trying to take him to my bed, but unsuccessfully.

- Maybe he prefers men. - Monika said absently, now looking at the Hardcoat towers.

  Lela paused to think for a bit. She never thought about that possibility before. Somewhat she felt like she'd be glad if that was true, cause that would mean it's nothing about her that makes her unsuccessful.

- If he likes women, he'll be mine. You can cut me right here if I'm wrong.

  Shortly after, a slender figure in a pink, silky dress appeared on top of the walls. She was shinning like a fairy, walking by the guardsmen. Monika couldn't see her face cause she was far up there. All she could notice was that she is classy, with golden curls, which she kept sending off her chest with a hand fan.

- Countess Ana. - Lela whispered. - She visits the queen often here at the Hardcoat. She is very wise, and her tongue is as sharp as a sword.

  The countess tossed one indifferent glance down at the prisoners. Her gaze paused at Monika because she wore silk as well, only dirty and wet. She whispered something to one of the guardsmen. Probably asking who she is. The guardsman said something, and she raised her eyebrow, closing the fan.

- Wonderful... I'm here for only a few hours and I'm already popular.

- I have to go now, they will look for me. - Lela got up. - I'm not allowed to talk to prisoners.

- Alright, Lela. It was nice to see you again.

- We'll think of something, Monika... Don't worry.

  She turned away and left, disappearing in the crowd of prisoners and guardsmen, until she was completely gone from Monika's sight.

  After some time, a guardsman finally announced that it's the time for the prisoners to get back to their cells.

- Back to your room so you don't catch a cold, little bird. - Corfold teased. - Maybe I come tonight to warm you up.

  Monika didn't pay attention to him. She was too upset.

- Not talking to me, eh?

  She got into the line with the rest of the prisoners, going back to her cell.

- I asked you something. - the captain grabbed her by elbow in anger, then pulled her out of the prisoners line up.

  All the prisoners stopped moving to see what's going on.

- When I ask - you respond.

  Monika had it. She pulled her hand back from his grip.

- What do you want from me, you fool!?

  Corfold swiftly raised hand to slap her, when Aaron grabbed it and kept it in the mid air.

- You'd hit a girl, and a tied up one?

  Corfold was caught by surprise. The chains on Aaron's hands were broken as if they were threads. He was standing in front of Monika and looked at the captain, whose forehead barely reached the height of Aaron's chest. He was sweating. Monika watched at all this in surprise, just like the rest of the prisoners.

  Realizing that everyone is staring at him, the captain quickly summoned the guards, who immediately jumped on Aaron. They were hanging on his shoulders and back in attempt to overpower him. He wasn't resisting.

- Chain him up with triple more chains and whip him good! - Corfold shouted once Aaron was at the safe distance. His voice shivered as he yelled. Then he turned to Monika with a triumphal grin and slapped her so hard, that she fell. The pleasure he felt filled him up like some kind of achievement that replaced the humiliation. - Don't give a single crumb to her until I say otherwise. Got that?

- I'll inform Camelback right away, captain. - said a guardsman and ran away.

                                                                                    ***

  That same night, Monika listened to the painful sounds of whip with hands on her ears. They were echoing throughout the dungeon. She could hear it cutting the air and falling sharply against the meat. With each hit the chains would ring, but Aaron made no sound. Monika could almost feel the hits on her own back.

  After two hours, the whipping finally stopped. The cell door squeaked, followed by the sound the leaving guardsmen. The dungeon was silenced.

  Feeling it's safe now, mice started crawling out of the cracks in the walls, searching for crumbs. The flapping of bats wings whistled through the air. Monika approached the wall that was connecting her cell with Aaron's. She leaned ear against the cold bricks and listened carefully. Silence.

- Can you hear me? - she whispered. There was no answer. - What you did today was very brave and very stupid. Still, thank you...

  No answer. Monika laid down on the old rag where she curled up in attempt to warm herself up.

  Hours were passing by. Thoughts about Crumb, Bruno and Zana gave her no rest. What are they doing right now? Footsteps near the cell drew her attention. She got up and peeked through the dark. Camelback was there, putting something on the floor. When he realized that he's been spotted, he quickly turned around and limped away.

- No, wait! - she whispered and ran to the cell doors, but he was already gone. When she looked down, she noticed a big piece of bread.

                                                                                          ***

  - Rise and shine sunshine! - Corfold's shouted again the next morning. A splash of smelly, icy water fell over Monika. - I took a bath in that water. You have the honor.

- You're a pig...

- Are we hungry today? - he provoked.

- When I see you I'm full.

  The captain pushed her out of the cell where the rest of the prisoners waited in line. She stopped behind Aaron and noticed that his back was covered in bloody whip marks.

- Animals... - she whispered.

  The prisoners were released to the courtyard again. That morning, all the eyes were resting on Aaron and Monika. None of them enjoyed that. Aaron retreated to a place where he was always sitting. He bowed his head and looked down as the prisoners walked by him, checking out his back.

- Does it hurt? - a soft voice asked.

  Aaron looked up and saw Monika.

- No.

  After taking a seat next to him, they both looked absently at the prisoners walking around them.

- There are not many people who would do what you did for me. Especially here...

 - You stood up to him first.

- And now I'm torn apart by guilt. Your back...

- That's not your fault.

  Lela was running through the hallways of the dungeons, heading to the courtyard. Corfold stopped her on the entrance.

- Sorry butterfly, not today. I already had problems for letting you talk to the prisoners.

- Oh let me in, pleaseeeee. For meeeee.

- Not anymore, pussycat. Not even for you.

  She pulled up her dress, revealing thigh and brushed it off against his.

- If you let me in, I'll dance tonight just for you in your room.

  Corfold was hesitating, as the two big, doe eyes begged quasi innocently.

- Only for ten minutes. But tonight you're going to pay for that well.

- Would I disappoint you? - she pinched him, giggling.

  After pulling her hood on, the girl rushed through the courtyard and found Monika with Aaron.

- Monika. - she called. - Can you come over for a second?

  They found a less crowded spot to talk, but prisoners kept passing them by, curious about the courtesan's visit.

- Oh my dear Monika, I heard what happened yesterday. You must be careful with Corfold.

- I don't know how to behave differently with people like him.

- Look at yourself, you're all wet. You're going to catch a cold... - she took a silky tissue and started mopping the water off her face and arms. - Listen, I found something that may help you.

- What?

  Lela was constantly rubbing Monika's wet hands and neck, until she took the tissue from her hands.

- Last night, my services were required by the queen's mage. I wanted to use that opportunity to steal some kind of a potion or a spell from his room after I get him drunk. But the old horse was still on his feet after ten shots. It was impossible! I didn't know how to trick him, so I started pretending that I'm interested in his books about magic.

- And?

- And I found one that got my attention. I managed to tear off the page while the fool was undressing. - she pulled out a folded piece of paper and pushed it into Monika's pocket. Right after that she gave her a piece of chalk as well. - You'll need this too.

- What is all this, Lela?

- Look at that when you are all alone. And think well whether you'll do it or not, because the price can be huge... But I couldn't find anything better.

- What kind of a price? Lela, I...

- I have to go, I'm sorry dear. I'm not allowed to stay longer. God help me if they catch me here. Look at it and think about it, okay?

  She kissed her in the cheek and ran away. Monika stood and looked after her. The curiosity about the parchment in her pocket was killing her. She couldn't wait until the prisoners are called to the dungeon.

  The day seemed like it will never end. The prisoners were chatting, while Monika was sitting alone. The curiosity was so big at times, that she actually tried to pull out the parchment and read it, but the guardsmen on the walls followed every movement of the prisoners.

- We'll be back in our cells in two minutes. - Aaron's deep voice suddenly spoke, as if he knew what Monika's waiting for. She raised her head to look at him, but he already passed her by, walking through the groups of the prisoners like a mountain.

- Back to your cells you rats! - Corfold gave the order and lined them up.

  Monika's heart was pounding in excitement. Placing hand on the the pocket, she could feel the rough edges of the parchment. ''Is this my salvation?'' She was so filled with hope, that she even ignored when Corfold pinched her butt.

- I think she likes it. - said one of the guards to Corfold and they both laughed.

  Finally in her cell, she sat in a corner and waited.

                                                                                     ***

 The day was slowly coming to an end. The guardsmen were finalizing their last duties. The doors were closing, the voices were getting lower. Somewhere in the background, a song of drunk guardsmen broke through the hallways. The prisoners got their last meal for the day. Goodhearted Camelback secretly put a piece of bread into Monika's cell and ran away down the hallway, as usual.

  The conversations between the prisoners has silenced. Everything got quiet. Monika quickly pulled out the parchment and approached the cell doors, where the torch was lit. Her hands were shivering. She unfolded the paper and brought it closer to the light, reading:

''Amadeus and the Summoning circle:

  Kneel down, facing the south. Scribe a circle around yourself using chalk. Draw the symbols of the South Plains, as shown at the bottom of the page. The symbols must be drawn clearly, and the formulas correctly. Otherwise, the summoning circle will be incomplete. Drop 6 drops of blood into the center of the circle and step out of it. Repeat the following words: ''Amadeus, Amadeus, your master calls you.''

Warning: If no wish is asked, Amadeus will demand a price regardless. ''

  Monika was on her knees, staring at a dot on the cell wall. Despair consumed her. After burning in hope for salvation throughout the day, the disappointment splashed her like the icy water from Corfold's bucket.

- To summon a Contract demon... My god Lela, what were you thinking? - she sighed quietly.

  As much as she wanted to save herself and find Bruno, she knew that a contract made with a Contract demon can take away twice more than she's willing to sacrifice. She folded the torn page into a ball and threw it against the opposite wall. Tears rolled down her face.