Notes of a madman

#3. Can I reverse the irreversible?

 At night I was woken up by a loud knock. If it was like knocking on a door, I wouldn't pay attention to it-it would just mean I was back in my own body. But this is different ... broken glass rang. 

I took a large knife from under my pillow. 

A sleepy Tom, a disheveled Mary, and Peter, who was putting on his glasses as he ran, ran out into the corridor. 

—Did you hear that?—I ask Tom. 

A bullet whizzed past, not far from my shoulder. 

—You shouldn't have meddled in other people's business!—we all hear someone shouting. 

A motorcycle! That's why those two guys disappeared so quickly... 

I can hear the raindrops pattering on the broken glass. 

— Are there any weapons here?—I whisper to Peter. 

— There's an axe around the corner, but it can be dangerous to turn!—the man answers. 

— We know someone's here!—someone is banging on the wall with something heavy.—Come on out, we just want to talk.—

I running for the axe, leaving Mary with the knife. 

I run low, but I catch a glimpse of several guys as I fly through the stairwell. Five, I think... But that doesn't prove that there are only five of them... 

— We have unfinished business!—shaggy shouts.—You shouldn't have interfered with our conversation then! Where's the girl? If you give it to us, the incident will be over!— 

A flight of stairs circled the room on both sides, and I went down another flight of stairs and found myself not far from them. Right behind me. 

My heart began to beat fast, my pupils dilated, and I suddenly said at the top of my voice.

— Get out of here! The girl is not here!—

It was like being struck by lightning myself. 

Since when did I become so bold? It's like I'm in a dream... As if novocaine had been injected into my veins... I didn't even notice who was pinning me to the wall. Fortunately, they couldn't get the axe out of my hands. 

— He's one of them!—I hear a yell, laced with notes... fear? 

— Who is she?—I ask, looking into the long-haired man's eyes. 

—Shut up, you white-eyed cadaver!—I have a cross on my cheek. 

 —It actually hurts,—I muttered.—and you've ruined a lot of expensive property, not yours.— 

One of the guys looked lost, but he pulled out his bible anyway. 

— Connor, come on! Don't pay attention to what he says, read it!—the skinhead snapped at the youngest. 

The Latin burned in my ears, and the religious book in the young man's hands was cut in half by an axe. 

— I still want to talk to you... Just to talk... And you should listen...—I croaked softly. 

***

— So, first we need to introduce ourselves. What are you all names?—for the first time, I was glad to be a demon. I felt my own superiority strongly now.

— If this is just an ordinary conversation, why did you connect us? What's your name, cadaver?—the guy I think was named Connor asked.

— I don't want you to make a mistake and hurt or kill any of us, and you can do that, can't you?—I waved my axe as I circled the group.

— I'm Dalton, this is Kieran, the guy with the bible-Connor, my little brother. And that girl... She's a demon's slave. We didn't have time to kill her before she summoned him... You shouldn't have interfered!—a tiny tear of impotence froze on the long-haired boy's cheek.

— Did this girl summon Baal?—At Tom's nod, Peter finally cut the ropes.

— Do you know about him? Do you know about Baal?—Connor asked, his voice cracking.

I showed my white eyes. The reaction was very strong. I think a few of the guys screamed in fright.

Dalton, however, looked at me with true calm.

—Connor, show him.—he said firmly and loudly.

The youngest of the gang snorted.

— I don't believe in all this bullshit! I shouldn't have come here with you at all!—he blinked his eyes.

The color of the eyeball became pearly, blood flowed from the eyes.

In the darkness, the pupils were barely moving, which were slightly thicker than a sheet of paper.

Nonsense those statements that demons are black-eyed.

I am a real demon, only a little bit left until the end, my brother is sitting in front of me now.

You shout "God help me!" and no one will hear you. Who cares about us?

Mary sat down on an entire chair and flipped through the black book very quickly. With incredible speed, her eyes and fingers ran over the pages.

—What are you looking for, honey?—Peter asked the bride.

— If I only knew about it.".. I don't know how to explain it... I'm looking for how to solve the unsolvable. Reverse the irreversible...—the girl finished the sentence almost in a whisper.

I coughed loudly in the silence. Realizing that I had not been noticed, I moved to intercept him.

— Where are you guys going?—I said loudly, blocking the way.—You're not going anywhere. Pete, do you have a spare glass?—I asked Brady.

—Alas, no... We already had one accident and the glass was changed... We'll have to board it up for a while today...—the man sighed.

—Go to bed, but before that, Pete, you show me where the planks and hammers and nails are, and the boys will take care of everything. Isn't that right, guys?—my smile turned into an eerie grin.—You should have thought first,and then done...—

Connor swore loudly in the silence.

I kicked a piece of glass aside.

— Get to work, guys! Get to work!—I clapped my hands, easily rolling out a box of nails after the planks.

I can't take my eyes off them...

***

Only in the morning I left for a few seconds, as then I realized-from lack of sleep, my feelings began to get confused and I began to accept people... well, for something else.

I'm beginning to regret that I was born! Born this way... I'm not special. I'm a freak. There are only rare moments of malicious joy, but I realize what I will become.

There was a whiff of smoke from the upper floor-Mary must have woken up. I can hear the loud thud of her men's boots, similar in style to the army.

I look at the sleeping boys. At first I didn't understand what had thrown me off my thoughts.

This guy, the youngest, Connor! How horribly he snores! Like a Harley Davidson that had its silencer removed... with

all the boards clogged up, the exhausted losers fell asleep right here on the floor. They didn't look so threatening now: just a bunch of young guys, the oldest of whom could be thirty at the most.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, I went upstairs-the boys wouldn't be able to escape anyway, I remembered some very old tricks I'd invented when I was a kid and jammed the door-and saw Mary, with a book in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

— Am I dead? What is it?—she asked me, looking me straight in the eye.—Believe me, Tobias, you'd better tell me the truth. I found one spell. Ever since you've been here, I've been thinking: how strong should the ritual be? And now I understand!—

She slapped one of the black pages hard. I heard the sound of paper tearing, and the page itself closed its wounds.

— Yes... You stuck a knife in your heart and read something. Some kind of spell. Something like a portal was created from your blood. He later dragged us in... And so.—I waved my hands.

— I see. Here it is... Come and see. Don't worry, nothing will happen to you.—she shifted on the windowsill.—Sit next to me.—

The book smelled of blood and ash. The pages were warm to the touch, it didn't look like it was because of the temperature in the room. And... I know it sounds very stupid to those who don't understand people like me.

The book breathed ...

— It's alive.—Mary said calmly, noticing my surprise.—Put your hand here, maybe she'll tell you something.—

I pressed my hand to the rough paper. Like vessels, the scarlet threads began to spread out from the palm, intertwining. They were woven into words.

"You are on the path that fate has chosen..."

Suddenly, this leaf flew out by itself, fell to the floor and caught fire.

— Is that always the case?—I asked the girl.

— No. Only once before that.—Hamilton pulled a dagger from her pocket. I shuddered when I saw it.

That's what she sent us here for...

Meanwhile, the leaf had already burned down and in its place was a jagged crystal on a chain. It shimmered with black, inky, and purple waves of colors, sometimes merging with each other.

— Take it.—Mary said softly to me.—It's meant for you. I took the stone carefully in my hands. Under my fingers, it was glossy and smooth, not what it looked like on the outside. But the chain is big...

When it came to mind, the chain shrank right around my neck. Now it will be impossible to remove it.

— Nice.—Mary said, slamming the black book shut and putting it back in her bag.—I guess you haven't fixed everything here yet... Do you think it's worth feeding our loser raiders? They boarded up the window?—

—I'm very good at convincing people, you can ask my wife if you don't believe me...—I said, and felt a pang in my heart.

Gina... I wish I could be with you right now...