Climbing to the edge of the roof and clinging with all limbs to the railing, I froze. The height was considerable; jumping and staying alive would be difficult. It didnt seem this high yesterday. Maybe I could still climb down, but what if it collapses? Its better to be on a collapsed roof than under the entire building. Below, quite a few people had gathered; everyone had come out and moved away from the walls.
Suddenly, if someone looks up now and sees me here Oh, it would be better if it would be better if let them look down at their feet. The railing was mercilessly drenched by the rain, making it not only icy but also terrifyingly slippery. Its a pity I cant tie my hands with a sailors knot, or better yet, a noose.
From underground, another series of jolts was building up. It was very quiet, but everyone was clearly anticipating them, as if they could sense the energy field they emitted, which petrified everything around. Its starting again now. And the streams from the small puddles, gathered from the rain on the roof, flowed down along with my sandwich to the hard asphalt below. My hands literally clung to the iron railings, but the entire cornice creaked, bending under my weight.
Fear and height made me feel nauseous. Its better to close my eyes. If Im destined to fall, theres no escaping it now. Cracks appeared one after another on the walls between the red and white bricks. It seemed like my fall would be endless. Its a pity I never told Taya that I liked her. But what would that change now, when Im hanging on honest thoughts, with wrists frozen stiff and numb?
For a moment, I dared to open my eyes and saw a little man in a black tuxedo and a matching black top hat. He was no taller than our cat, who also liked to wander around here. Where did he come from?
Hey, who are you? Get me out of here! Im about to fall! My voice was drowned out by the rain, and I could barely hear it myself, even though I was shouting at the top of my lungs. The old man disappeared from sight, where did he go, I clearly saw him. Maybe Im hallucinating already, or part of me has died, and Ive ended up in another world. I bit my tongue, it hurt, alive. That was the only thing I could feel, all other parts of my body were practically numb.
Chapter 2
Wake up! Youve collapsed! This isnt some bedroom! the words echoed in my head, breaking through a deep sleep. Get up, Im talking to you! this time I heard it very clearly. And I also felt someone poking me with a stick.
There was a heaviness in my head, my eyes didnt want to open, my hands, still not fully warmed up, ached. My stomach betrayed me with hunger, as if mourning the lost sandwich. Gathering myself despite all the internal confusion, I opened my eyes. And what do you think? The same little man in the black top hat stood before me. Now I could examine him closely and in less stressful conditions, and most importantly, he was actually there, alive, right next to me. So I hadnt gone crazy yet, although thats a relative concept.
Finally, youve woken up! I was starting to think you died of fright. At your service, Sir Haverlock, the esteemed guardian of the secret entrance. My list of titles is much longer, of course, but you dont need to know all of them just yet. Ive saved many in my lifetime, and its been quite a long one, but never has anyone dared to fall asleep on me! Theyd either sit there, terrified with bulging eyes though your eyes dont differ much or theyd start wandering around in the dark prematurely, bumping into things they shouldnt, and even shouting. But you fell asleep! Well, Ill be! The little man didnt pause for a moment; his words flowed incessantly. I didnt grasp the full meaning because, at the same time, I was trying to comprehend what was happening and where I had ended up.
This fellow was about the size of a cat, or maybe a bit taller, but that didnt diminish his importance one bit. His suit was as black as if the fabric had just been made, untouched by fading, creasing, or wear. But it was his cane that truly caught the eye. Seeing it, I couldnt tear my gaze away, completely forgetting to listen to the eloquent spiel of the monologue he was impressing upon me. The base was adorned with a golden tip that could switch from blunt to sharp in a matter of seconds, how exactly, I couldnt say. The shaft was made of wood, as if two branches were intertwined so tightly that there wasnt a single gap between them. The handle was cross-shaped and similarly metallic, with a precious stone on top. The color of the stone constantly changed, making it impossible to determine its true hue.
Are you just going to stare? Can you even speak? Saving heaven knows who! Get up and follow me, he exclaimed. After these words, my precious savior turned around and walked off into the darkness, lighting his way with the cane. For some reason, this didnt surprise me at all. If theres such a thing, it can probably perform even more impressive tricks.
To keep him in sight, I had to gather myself from the floor and carry my body after him. We didnt walk for long, I didnt count the steps, but there was a thought, maybe two minutes, no more. Heres the door, opening beautifully. As soon as the cane touched it, colorful lights started to light up one by one across the room, or maybe not lights, who knows what they really were. Then our reflection appeared in the door, like in a mirror, but it reflected slightly different things than what I actually saw around me. There I looked like a grown man in some incomprehensible high-tech suit, resembling a pilot or an astronaut. There were many strange plants around, and Sir Haverlock was slightly older and a bit thicker than he is now. Above our heads was something incomprehensible instead of the usual sky with clouds, which I never managed to make out. I was literally dragged into the room.
Come in, sit down! Lets wait a bit longer until you come to your senses and start talking, the owner of this abode said in a businesslike manner as he climbed the stairs on his short legs to fetch a bottle of some drink from the shelf. Unbeknownst to me, I found myself already sitting in a rocking chair, wrapped in something warm, swaying slowly back and forth. There was still a lot in the room to take in, and it would probably take more than a day to understand it all. The warm light from the fireplace brought tranquility, the logs crackled, and my eyes began to close on their own
Eeee!!! Ive just woken you up! Here, have a drink; itll quickly perk you up! And why am I fussing over you like this? I should have sent you on your way a long time ago. Are you my protégé or something? Ive been watching you on the roof for quite some time now; you didnt see me, but Ive known all about you for ages. Those sparrows are quite the chatterboxes. I dont really have anyone else to talk to besides them, he said, placing a mug of hot drink next to me before settling into the chair opposite, which seemed to have appeared there unexpectedly. It smelled very appetizing, and for some reason, I wasnt afraid that I might be poisoned. Maybe because I was already dead, or maybe not. Hmm, its so delicious, like wine, but hot.
Its very delicious. Could you tell me what Im drinking? The words came much easier now. Look at him, and nothing else interests you, kid?! Well, at least its good that youve started talking; you havent forgotten how to speak out of fear. Dont worry, itll all pass soon; this potion can handle worse. Its recipe is complex, nearly impossible to obtain, so we have to retrieve it from another time, and that, you know, is a risky venture; you might not come back. Many have tried to brew it in the central world, but theres no Sun there; without its rays and energy, it becomes just ordinary compote. In our time, you cant even find those herbs, let alone talk about the strength they put into making this potion. So finish your drink and get ready; its time for you to go, youve lingered long enough. The last words didnt immediately register in my understanding. Words had been passing me by more often lately.
Oh, what a frightened look! Whats so incomprehensible here? Here, take these matches. Keep in mind that their quantity is limited just one box, and I dont even know how youll manage with them, so dont waste them. Well, I guess Ill have to give you the backpack; its too big for me, but just right for you. It has a secret; figure it out, and you wont go astray. Heres a candle for the meantime; it should last you. My savior neatly packed this small load into the backpack, which was quite nice-looking. I couldnt distinguish the color in the semi-darkness again. He zipped it up and silently handed it to me.
Thats it, Ive fulfilled my duty. Its time for you to go. Youre on your own now. Before I could learn or ask anything more, I found myself in complete darkness again. I was afraid I wouldnt make it in time, and I was right. What a fool I am. Where do I go now? The candle. I need to light it. Its light didnt reach very far; I could see just over a meter ahead. It felt like I was in a corridor. There were walls on either side, but what lay ahead or behind was completely unclear.
Well, here goes nothing. Ill go there, or maybe there, my head turned from side to side. Making the wrong choice was daunting. What my inner voice suggested this time, and it was perplexed, despite our opinions always differing. Perhaps there was another me inside me, and indeed, more than once, it, meaning the second me, had pulled me out of trouble.
Well, I must go. The candlelight isnt eternal, although even in that I wasnt so sure anymore. Well decide, as they say, on the spot, depending on circumstances. And I went, right or left, who knows, depending on which side youre looking from. I walked slowly as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The thickness of the corridor varied, in some places I could even see the ceiling above me.
Its a shame I didnt have a watch or a pencil to leave arrows on the wall. I saw it in some movie, to avoid getting lost. And as soon as I thought about it, there was a fork in the path ahead. Well, here we go, where do I go now? I dont even have coins to flip.
The darkness around me didnt scare me before, I dont even know why. After all, Ive always been a scaredy-cat, with my imagination sometimes not even the brightest light would help. I guess I understood that if I allowed myself to start being afraid even a little, I would be lost in my own fear in this empty dark place, alone with myself.
Suddenly, about a meter away from me, I heard the clink of a coin. And then all the fear and horror of the darkness came crashing down on me. Where did all my composure and reason go? All the terrifying monsters were ready to come out of my imagination and devour me, bit by bit, while smacking their lips sweetly, and then craft unsophisticated trinkets and amulets from my bones.
But I quickly pulled myself together and forbade myself from thinking about it and imagining all the details. As it turned out later, it was not in vain. Turning towards the sound, I realized where I needed to go. The decision came to me naturally, I just understood, that was all. I didnt even bother to see what had fallen into my hand, I just got up and went, taking a half glass of confidence with me.
After several more hours and about five more intersections, I was completely exhausted. My legs felt heavy, as if my path had been solely through sand or drifts. My head was searching for a spot on the walls to lean against. Hunger made itself known, painting various pictures of food in my imagination. Hey, whos there, and how are you? Maybe you could toss a couple of sandwiches my way? I sincerely hoped for another miracle as I looked around and waited for food to appear. But it was quiet, nothing fell. Of course, a coin wasnt a big deal, maybe you havent had time to prepare yet, so Ill wait, Im in no rush here, the candle has already burned a third. I found myself starting to talk to myself, feeling like someone was listening after all. Images of the biggest hot sandwiches with a variety of fillings filled my mind.
The visions were so vivid that I began to smell the food. Thats how hunger affects you. The scent grew stronger and was right nearby. I couldnt be mistaken: the smell of meat slices, thin rings of onion, and even a sprig of dill. Oddly enough, they never put dill in hamburgers, Ive never encountered it, but I love it so much. My hand instinctively reached for the backpack, and yes, the smell was coming from there. It took me exactly a second to pull out a huge sandwich and even take a bite. It was a real miracle; I had never eaten with such pleasure before. It was as if every bite transported you to the most blissful state imaginable, where nothing else mattered. Not realizing that I had already eaten more than half of it, I began to understand that this treat was exactly as I had imagined it. And you know, I wasnt even surprised anymore. What bothered me was that I still didnt understand how it all worked. Why hadnt the food appeared earlier, considering how hungry I had been for hours? Apparently, I still have to figure that out. The main thing is that I no longer feared hunger, and I even found the strength to continue, and, dare I say it, my mood became completely different.
With such enthusiasm, I rose to my feet, finishing the remnants of the pleasant snack, and continued on towards the unknown. The long corridors were beginning to tire me with their monotony. And the silence varied; sometimes it was so heavy that it felt like it was pressing on my ears, while other times, lost in thought, I barely noticed it. At other times, a ringing would appear in my ears, and it seemed to be coming from inside my head rather than from around me I could clearly understand that. If I found food, then perhaps I could try to find other things as well. I hope they dont have a limit on my requests. Lets see, a pencil, please, into the studio. So, lets check our spacious backpack; where are you hiding, my dear? Oh well, youre not there. Too bad. Whats wrong with the system? Maybe I should wait? Alright, Ill continue on for now. Maybe Ill ask for a durable flashlight while Im at it, because it looks like Ill be walking for a while longer.
Friends, did you hear the request? Could you at least respond to me somehow? Surely its possible. As soon as I said this, I immediately realized that I was being answered; I just needed to understand how to recognize and hear it. But why and how did I understand that just now? Wait a second. Let me try asking another question.
How much longer will I have to wander around here? It wasnt even a second before the answer formed in my head, as if I had answered it myself, but was it really so? I could wander here for the rest of my life if I dont understand all the principles that will lead me to the way out. So, there is a way out after all. My life isnt doomed to languish in these dark, silent corridors. Its not bad already. The main thing, I suppose, is not to be afraid, or else I might find a monster in my backpack.
Lets go back to the sandwich and think about what I did to make it appear. I really wanted it, imagined it, and almost felt it. Now, lets try with the pencil. I want a red wooden pencil. Here, I take it in my hands and use it to draw the first arrow in this mysterious place. It yields softly, and on the wall, theres a clear, bright trace of the red line. Well, thats enough; this isnt like summoning a sandwich. I dont have that much imagination for it. Lets check the loot. Ha, there! Im just a magician and a wizard; behold, our third find: a pencil!
In my short life, there werent many stationery items, and those that existed were quite basic, as manufacturing for them had greatly diminished. Most were destroyed by earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, which were becoming more and more frequent on our planet with each passing day.