I looked at Roman. He was sitting next to me, very close, patiently waiting for…
“I wanted to tell you,” I said mentally, struggling in vain to get away from the Impurities, “there is something wrong here!”
“Who would have doubted!” I heard in reply and looked at the Guardian, who stood at the door still watching me, or us.
“I’m scared,” I confessed to Roman and gently touched his hand for fear he could disappear. However, Roman neither disappeared, nor answered me. I asked still mentally, “Don’t disappear, please!”
“How are you doing in wishing Good to Evil?” Roman asked aloud.
“I hope they heard me yesterday… both here and there…”
The Guardian, apparently tired of standing at the door, approached us. He defiantly took out the bell and, holding it right at the level of my third eye, began to ring it.
The Guardian rang endlessly and so loudly that the small bell in his hand seemed to be transformed into a huge one! The bell was deafened me with its funeral ring, but I could swear, no one else in the hall heard it!
I covered my ears with my hands, the Guardian kept ringing. Roman reached for the bell to stop it in the Guardian’s hands. So did the Cat, who had suddenly jumped on the table and touched the bell with his paw. The Guardian stopped mocking me, turned around and abruptly left the hall. The Cat followed him.
The guests returned to their seats after the break.
“What was that?” I asked Roman silently.
“That’s what is wrong here,” came the meaningful reply.
“Alice,” Roman said aloud, “are you going to make me ‘The Magician’?”
I wasn’t just going to. I really wanted Roman to become Him.
“Then don’t stop, Alice!”
Task No. 6. The BRIDGE of HELP
…Look through everyone you know, both close and distant, to find out who is now harder than you. Perhaps someone needs help, material or spiritual support. Help them. As much as you can, in whatever way you can. Free of charge. Don’t make it public. You have the right to ask them or not to ask a specific question, “How can I help you?” Having asked, listen carefully to the answer. Don’t do anything they don’t ask. Don’t promise what you can’t do. Don’t argue if you think they don’t need that. Just do your best of what they have asked for. Or think of someone else who can help, and become a bridge between them. Help at least one person a month…
***
“Hi… How Museum party?”
“Thank you, Pasha. Are you lonely?”
“No family. Home. Hard. I job Germany, contract, but all closed.”
“You’re not working right now, are you?”
“Yes, home. Closed.”
“Do you speak German?”
“No. Student. Hard…”
“Do you mean you have a teacher?”
“No, books only.”
“Is Germany better than Greece?”
“Yes. Holidays in Greece. Life in Germany. But now no fly home. No fly in Greece. All closed, airport 2…”
“Can I help you somehow?”
“No. U want marry? We marry. Want? Where u want? Russia? Greece? Germany? Where country? How u want? Church official marry. Good so only. U go 2 church? Believe God? I yes. I come 2 u & we talk. Yes?”
Chapter 7. SHOT in VIENNA
The Blizzard was conjuring outside the window.
“I wanted…” I began, but the Guardian cut me off in mid-sentence.
“To visit once more the rooms, where you felt the Portal!”
“Not today… I wanted to ask you a less formal question,” I breathed out, taking the Guardian by hand as he brought me coffee.
“All ears, my Queen!”
“Have I offended you somehow?”
“You are the most curious creature that…”
“Perhaps… are you jealous of me?”
“Me?!” the Guardian exclaimed in surprise and, without looking into my eyes, laughed… too artificially. “For whom, Alice? For the ninety-year-old Baba Yaga? For the Master of the swamp hellcats? Or for the Waterman from Nowhere? By the way, who is there on the menu tonight? A Killer?”
“The title of the book ‘A Shot in Vienna’ doesn’t mean murder,” I said meaningfully.
“Yes, I’ve read his story! Even if he didn’t commit a crime in Vienna after all, how much poison did he release into his potential victim while he was chasing her in a thirst for revenge? Do you think he’s not a murderer? The Forces of Darkness have much more servants than those who are officially on the payroll! Besides, your hero fought in the recent war and there…”
Speak of the Devil, and the Killer, a man in the prime of his life, immediately materialized in the hall with a lovely companion. The guests were looking forward to bloody confessions, they had no idea what he would end up shooting at.
While I led the party, as usual, standing with my back to the Giant Mirror, the Guardian was watching me from behind the counter of the sleeping cafe, and the Cat wandered among the guests, sniffing something.
Suddenly, the Witch, the author of “The Devil’s Trill”, introduced by me at the first party there, appeared in the hall.
The Guardian gave her a displeased look, which she immediately noticed, being frozen at the entrance. However, as soon as I announced the break for an autograph and photo session with the Killer, the Witch sailed up to me.
“May I take a picture of you?” she asked with a mysterious smile.
“Of me?!” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Why? A professional photographer took a billion pictures of everybody, including me, during your own party here!”
“Please, Alice, just one frame!” exclaimed the Witch and added in a whisper, “Hurry!”
Her mesmerizing voice and magical look frightened me no less than “Hurry!” and the Guardian’s bell of the previous night. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the Guardian hurrying towards us and Roman entering the hall.
“Hurry up!” repeated the Witch, looking around nervously.
I remained standing with my back to the Giant Mirror when the Witch took a picture of me, but the Guardian immediately grabbed her hand.
“Milady?” he said sternly. “Taking pictures of portals is strictly prohibited!”
The Witch mysteriously looked into the Guardian’s eyes, while there was some movement on her phone, something was appearing, flickering and disappearing. When that stopped, she silently handed the phone to the Guardian. He scanned the file folder, but apparently found nothing criminal. The Witch headed for the exit. The Guardian followed her, and I hurried to my table…
“How are you?” Roman asked calmly, and I wanted so much to bury