The Ghosts of Mandrake. Fantasy. Svetlana Mirrai

time I have this dream.

      – Grandma, well, where in our city is such a palace, and even with gargoyles? «Well, tell me from where?» asked Philip with a smile on his face.

      – Yes, what are you? I didn’t say he was from our city. Our houses are crookedly built, what magnificent castles there can be. The one that I dreamed about, it’s like a fairy tale. And I’m not ready to tell you anything reasonable about it yet. But one thing I can say is that he is fraught with some kind of danger.

      «You’re my grandmother’s storyteller,» Philip laughed.

      – Go, granddaughter, it’s already late. And you need to get some sleep, get up early tomorrow and go to school again.

      – Good night, Grandma.

      – Good night, granddaughter.

      The next day Philip came home from school, Grandma was lying quietly on the bed, apparently asleep.

      He took out the hidden vessel in his room in the table and quietly approached his grandmother. I dripped liquid on cotton wool and anointed it everywhere.

      Then he took a pinch of the mixture out of the bag and put it on a metal saucer, lit a candle and walked quietly around the apartment. Philip walked around his grandmother’s room, then he slowly wandered into his own and stood by his favorite painting.

      Suddenly, a purple mist appeared in the room, it completely covered the floor from below, and then began to rise even higher and soon it just covered Philip.

      The smoke penetrated his lungs, he felt a burning pain at first, and then it became easier for him and the fog dissipated.

      Before Philip appeared a huge forest, with its tall, sturdy trees and mighty branches.

      – Where am I? Philip said unexpectedly to himself, he was so confused that he even began to talk to himself.

      «You’re a young man in Elbrus,» someone from the forest immediately answered him.

      – Who’s here? The young man croaked in fright.

      – Turn around,» a voice answered him.

      Philip turned around, but there was no one around.

      – What kind of jokes are you having,» Philip said sternly and took the stick that was next to him.

      – Yes, what kind of jokes can there be, look in front of you and you will see me.

      The young man was taken aback when he saw a huge living eye in front of him. He was looking right out from under a large root of a tree that looked like an oak.

      «Wow, how did you get in there, – Philip said.

      – And you, young man, think less, eat more. In our country, it’s only like that. And this place is called the Kingdom of Shadows, which is located in the city of Elbrus.

      – That’s how it is. Even the castle. It turns out that my grandmother predicted me correctly.

      «Is Grandma here too?» – the eye was surprised.

      – No, I’m alone. And you’re generally who and how you talk to me, you only have one eye sticking out from under a tree.

      – My name is Wise Zri and I am already two hundred and ten years old.

      Philip laughed.

      – And don’t be afraid of the inhabitants of the castle. Go straight down the path, you’ll see a small bridge, cross the road, and you’re already there.

      – Thank you, – Philip said.

      But the Wise Man did not answer him, he lowered his eyelid and became completely invisible.

      Philip confidently went on and then he felt lightness in his body, the old stooping posture was gone, his body obeyed and it was easy to breathe.

      I’m not a hunchback anymore! – it was spinning in his head. I’m not a hunchback!

      CHAPTER 2

      SHADOW CASTLE

      Philip walked along the path that led to the river, it stretched along the high and dense grass. As the Wise Zri said, she led him to a small bridge that connected the two banks, and on the opposite side stood a gloomy and majestic castle.

      Of course, Philip immediately realized that he had fallen into the picture that he had painted, and not so long ago hung it on the wall in his small room.

      Here in this environment that now surrounded him, only one thing is missing, his beloved girl with a candelabra and burning candles. Philip, despite the soul-searing cold that this place exuded, went forward to be closer to the lonely, gloomy castle.

      The young man walked up to the castle and raised his head high up. It was a high castle, it consisted of a donjon – a high tower and several small towers. And on the walls sat like living gargoyles made of steel.

      – Well, well,» said Philip in amazement. – How could it happen that I ended up in my painting?

      But most of all he was struck by the silence and silence that reigned next to this strange and frightening castle.

      Philip passed by small towers, between them there was a drawbridge on chains with a falling lattice. Then he walked along a smooth stone path that led to the main entrance.

      He took hold of the handle and pulled the huge, iron door towards him, it creaked loudly and began to open slowly, obediently. The door was so heavy that he had to put a lot of effort.

      When the young man went inside, he opened his mouth in amazement, so luxurious was the castle inside. But in all this fabulous splendor there was only one thing missing – life.

      «Is anyone here?» The young man shouted, looking around.

      And only his last words echoed.

      – Anyone…

      A huge table with many chairs attached to it stood in the center, a crystal chandelier hung on the ceiling, it was turned on and illuminated the hall.

      – The owner of the house or the hostess! Philip shouted loudly again and went forward, there was a white door at the end of the hall, he easily opened it and entered the room.

      There was no response.

      There was a cozy bedroom in the other room. The bed was covered with a dazzlingly beautiful pink bedspread and the room itself was in artificial colors. The owner of such a bedroom had exquisite taste.

      Alerted in all this decoration that it was not at all cozy.

      And a huge spider web hung in clusters in the corners, and the spiders were the main owners of the castle.

      The young man saw a staircase at the exit of the room, which led to the second floor. He slowly climbed it and froze.

      There was a picture of him on the wall next to the stairs, but his clothes were not the same as they are now, but old, similar in style to the 18th century.