"Hmm..."

"What kind of questions were you asked?"

"She also wanted to know everything I knew about the raven."

"But she didn't learn anything?"

"No."

"Those were all my questions, I think."

"Don't you want to know who else asked me about the raven?"

"There was someone else that asked about it? You said there were only three visitors."

"Why are you only interested in the last week?"

" You really like counter-questions, don't you?"

"Apparently you do, too."

"Just tell me what you know."

"Two years ago, a woman was here and--"

"Two years ago?"

I looked at the clock on the wall. After a moment's consideration, I stomped out the cigarette on the floor and stubbornly lit another one for her.

"Tell me about the woman," I sighed.

"The employees are still dreaming about her today. Apparently she looked like a goddess, with a shape like an hourglass and giant breasts pressed into a corset--"

"It was Violet Siobelga."

"That was her name. You know her?"

"Yes, I do... Was she alone here?"

"With me, yes."

"What do you mean, with you?"

"That I don't know if she had come here with someone."

"Do you suspect she did?"

"I think she had a man with her."

"Did she have? Why do you think that?"

"Because I could smell it. She smelled like berries, and leather, and man."

"In what way like man?"

"What do they think? She was fucked. She stank of sex. Her pants reeked of cum."

"I can't imagine."

"Why not?"

"Because she's not a whore."

"Hmm... There was men's perfume on her jacket. I don't think the jacket was hers. I think it belonged to a man."

"I think Falko Wagner."

"Is that her man?"

"It's a rich pretty boy, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a man." I sighed again. "What kind of questions did Violet ask you?"

When she heard my question, her mouth formed a smile. This time it was different. It was more subtle.

"She asked how I was doing."

"Mhm... And what else?"

"How much food I get; if I get enough sleep; what I do in my spare time..."

"And what would that be?"

She lowered her head and was silent for a moment.

"I lied to her."

She hadn't answered the question with, but it didn't seem like she was trying to avoid it.

"Yeah?", I asked, shrugging my shoulders and shaking my head.

"I couldn't tell her what they do to me." Her voice quivered. "She was too nice."

"She isn't. She's just good at getting what she wants. What did she ask about the raven?"

"I don't care if it was an act. If it was, at least she made the effort to pretend." With tears, she took another drag on her cigarette, then sniffled several times and calmed down a bit. "Yes, she asked me about the raven. Whether it scared me; whether I thought it looked beautiful; what I thought of the cawing; what I thought of the eyes; what I thought of the feathers; just things like that. Then she also said that I should tell you that you will die if you search for the raven."

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

"Me personally?"

"No, anyone who asks about the raven."

"Did she say why she was asking you the questions?"

"Hmm... No. Not really... Most of all, she reeked of berries..."

It didn't sound like an important statement. It sounded more like a memory.

"The cigarette is coming to an end. It's time to say goodbye. Smoke up."

I held the cigarette to her lips and she took a drag. The woman was the only eyewitness of a Ram who was still somewhat rational. All the others were worse, no longer responsive, completely insane. Eyewitness was probably not the right word either, but even in that, all the others were worse. Unlike them, the woman was relatively complete.

The woman's family was dead. It was always like that. The affected people always killed as many people close to them as they could. The only survivors were always themselves. What kept this woman sane was probably only the thirst for revenge. Facilities like this one certainly could not improve her condition.

"Take another deep inhale. It's the last drag." Before her mouth got to the cigarettes, I pulled her away again. "Promise me one thing."

"And that is?"

"Keep on living. I don't want to SEE you die. Can you understand that? Smile for a few days and it will get better."

"Yeah... I guess if that's what you want, then I'll try."

"So if your hands were free, you wouldn't try to kill yourself right away? You wouldn't slit your arms or swallow poison or anything like that?"

"No... I wouldn't. I'm cured." she explained with a wide smile.

I murmured and let her take one last drag.

I had arranged sex, the cigarette, medication and other things beforehand with the overseers as a means of negotiation. But I knew that I wouldn't need any of that, because I already knew from her file that she had been trying to kill herself for years. At the latest, if you looked at her arms, or knew how she had to sit here like this, you knew it. Death was the bargaining chip. The rest was superfluous and it was also better to have little contact with her. I was allowed to talk to her because I paid for it, but I wasn't the only one with money and I certainly wasn't the last to have an appointment with her. For a Ram there was a payment of 30 million fee since spring. It was paid directly through a contractor from the Hunter's Guild B&B, so it was an amount that was actually paid out. It was enough to buy a small house and it was only the amount if he was already dead. If he was still alive, then it was twice that on top of it, yet it was just a stupid bird. According to science, it couldn't do anything. Not a single one had ever been caught alive, but I wanted to be the first to do it, so it was better if I was the last to talk to her.

Before I took my hand away completely, I pushed a pill through her lips and into her mouth. I had talked a lot beforehand and asked twice, but I still expected her to swallow it immediately, bite down on it, spit it out, or do something else stupid that would have caused me problems. But instead, she dutifully waited with the pill in her mouth for further instructions. At that moment, she was sympathetic to me.

"I'm going to go now. If it all gets too much for you, just swallow your anger and smile. I do have one last question, though."

"Go ahead."

"You kept calling the child the baby or it earlier. Can you tell me the name?"

The question was noticeably unexpected for her and she fell into reflection. "I don't remember," she then stated, aghast. "It's been too long."

"Do you remember what your husband's name was?"

"Who cares about that bastard..."

"I don't. I wish you a good kill."

"Farewell, Mr. Hunter."

I nodded once in farewell, then took my bag and left the room. The door was not locked. The fact that the woman was tied to the table was enough for them.

When I entered the entrance room, the guard was sitting behind the window with a newspaper in front of his face. A cigarette smoldered in the ashtray on the table and the smoke rose and got entangled in the arm of the lamp. While reading, he had probably forgotten about the cigarette. He didn't even notice that I was no longer in the room. I had overestimated him.

I had known him for a while, but I wouldn't say we were friends. We were in the military together. At some point he had also realized that there was no future in it and became a security guard. He never told me why he wanted to come here of all places, but I think it was because of the benefits he got here.

I pulled the door shut behind me so that it closed loudly, then he lowered the newspaper and looked at me.

"You're done?"

"Yes. I'd be going then."

"Been in there quite a while. Do you still wanna try her?"

"No, just let me out."

"I can go out for a minute for you, if you'd rather. She's clean."

"Clean? How many have been with her today?"

"Today? No one," he replied, puzzled.

"When was the last time?"

"Not for at least a week."

"I asked her how many men she fucks, but she can't even remember. It must be more than one a week."

"That bitch can hardly remember anything. That's one of the advantages with her. Plus, she likes it. That's the other one."

"Sounded more like she had come to terms with it."

"No, she likes it. I know that...."

Sounded like he had experience there.

"And how would you know?"

"So you are interested after all?"

"That depends..."

"On what?"

"What does she like?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Strangle?"

"I can't allow that. So at most, a little, but not in a way that makes her even dumber."

"Blood?"

He smiled and put down his paper.

"Still waters run deep, huh?"

"Does that mean no?"

"So ... Not necessarily, but it won't be cheap."

"Does she like it?"

"You're a nice one. Um... Does that matter? If she doesn't like it, I'll find one that does."

I took a step toward him and puffed out my chest.

"You know what I don't like?"

"Um? No?" he asked, laughing nervously.

"We have a trust relationship you and me, don't we?"

"Yeah?"

"Mmm, I guess we do, but I know you're lying to me. She smells like jizz."

"Yeah... Okay... True. But that was just me. That doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No one's been with her for a week, huh? How many have there been in the last six days?"

He looked up at me thoughtfully. "Just for that?" Shaking his head, he gathered up his paper again. "You could have just asked me."

No, I couldn't have. He would have demanded payment. You learn from mistakes.

"How many were there?"

"There was only one man. The last time was three days ago. He's from the village. That's okay."

"What about your ex-colleague?"

"Did she tell you? Why are you even asking if you already know everything?"

"What about the harpy? Why didn't you mention her?"

"Yeah, there was one of those flying fucks here, but it was a woman."

"Tell me about the harpy."

.../ End Part