Generally, Krauser is often mistaken for Slenderman, both for his appearance and for his reserved personality. Alongside Héctor, Joaquín, Declan, and previously Ocho, he is among those who have known Candado since kindergarten. He lives in the city of Resistencia and is Joaquín's neighbor. Krauser attracts attention when walking down the street due to his lack of a visible face; however, both he and his twin sister, Grenia O’Pøhner, do actually have eyes.
Krauser and Grenia hide their eyes behind unusual eyelids that appear closed from the outside but allow them to see from within, like the one-way mirrors used in police interrogations in movies. Both are hybrids, born from the union of a monster and a human, which grants them certain human traits, like their eyes. Krauser has black eyeballs with red irises, while Grenia’s are green. Due to the darkness of their eyes, both are highly sensitive to sunlight and prefer to keep them closed for most of the day, only opening them in the safety of their home or at nightfall.
Krauser’s family consists of his mother, Krøma O’Pøhner Barret, a creature adopted by Europa Barret. Krøma is a monster with long black hair and, like her children, lacks a face; however, unlike them, she has no eyes. His father, Javier Reinhold, is a human with blonde hair and a trimmed mustache, whom Europa and Mercedes describe as "kinder than any god"; a person incapable of cruelty and willing to endure hardship due to his generosity. Then there are his sisters, Grenia and Beatriz Reinhold O’Pøhner Griselda. Unlike Krauser and Grenia, Beatriz has human facial features, although her skin is unusually pale. She inherited Javier’s green eyes and Krøma’s pallor and hair. Finally, there’s him: Krauser Lautaro Reinhold O’Pøhner.
That morning, Krauser woke up early, around 8:00, as there were no classes due to an institutional day. Still in bed, he opened his eyes and sat up, wearing blue pajamas.
"Such laziness," he murmured as he walked to the wardrobe.
He changed clothes, choosing a white shirt, a brown vest without buttons, pants of the same color, black sandals, and a red scarf around his neck. Then he walked to the mirror and looked at himself closely.
"Hmm, good," he said, adjusting the scarf.
He opened his bedroom door, stepped out, and closed it behind him. His family’s house is simple, a single-story building. In the kitchen, as usual, his father Javier was already up and humming while making breakfast.
"Hi, Dad," Krauser greeted, opening the pantry to grab some cookies.
"Lauty, good morning."
"Let me guess: tortillas with dulce de leche."
"Beep, beep, beep, bingo," Javier replied playfully.
Krauser gave a slight smile.
"Is Grenia up yet?"
"Ha, ha, no, not yet," replied Javier, taking off his apron. "I’ll go wake up your mother."
As his father left the kitchen, Krauser took the opportunity to add honey to his sister’s tortillas, knowing she prefers that over dulce de leche. Javier arrived at the bedroom and carefully opened the door. He approached Krøma, who was sleeping in a white nightgown decorated with green flowers, and gently placed his hand on her cheek. Although Krøma has no eyes, Javier knew when she was asleep; upon waking, she would furrow her brow and let out a soft purr. Sunlight was harmful to her, so Javier always woke her gently.
“Dear, wake up; it’s time for breakfast.”
Krøma furrowed her brow and purred, not wanting to wake up just yet. Javier smiled and, knowing it would be hard to get her up, lifted her in his arms like a princess and kissed her forehead.
"If you don’t want to come to the kitchen, I’ll carry you there."
Meanwhile, Grenia had arrived in the kitchen with messy hair.
"Good morning, Krau."
"Good morning, Grenia," Krauser replied without looking up from the newspaper.
"Tortillas, my favorite… and with honey."
"Enjoy," Krauser said.
Javier entered the kitchen carrying Krøma in his arms.
“Dad, you spoil her too much. I want that too; it’s not fair!” Grenia complained.
"Good morning, dear," said Javier, carefully placing Krøma in a chair. "Come on, breakfast is important."
Krøma sat up and took a fork.
"Mom, you need to cut the tortillas first," Krauser commented without taking his eyes off the newspaper.
Krøma puffed her cheeks and let out a childish huff.
Krøma is a synthetic monster, created in a human experiment to give artificial life. The scientists failed to create a complete human, and her appearance was left incomplete: no eyes, ears, lips, or mouth. When they planned to destroy her as a “scientific error,” she escaped to Argentina, where she began to develop unique organs. Though she lacks eyes, her brain found a way to perceive her surroundings through a vein coiled in her eye sockets, forming a kind of red gem that reacts to her emotions. When she is angry, the gem glows intensely, radiating heat and burning her delicate eyelids, forcing her to cry blood to cool down. Despite the extreme pain, Krøma endures it when her anger takes over, though she rarely shows herself in that state.
As for her mouth, Krøma did not develop lips but has vocal cords, teeth, and a tongue. However, these aren’t enough for her to speak. She spent a whole year unable to hear until her brain developed a more efficient auditory system than that of a human or animal. She rarely speaks; Krøma typically communicates through sign language or writing. In family life, she is very attentive to her children and husband, though sometimes Krauser proves to be more resourceful than her.
Krøma puffed her cheeks, trying hard to cut her tortilla.
"Mom, the knife’s edge is backward," Krauser noted without looking up from the newspaper.
Krøma pouted, and Grenia got up to help her, laughing as she cut the tortillas.
"This always happens with you," Grenia remarked, chuckling.
Krauser closed the newspaper, placed it under his chair, and began eating. Skillfully, he cut his tortilla in half, opened his mouth in an almost inhuman way, and devoured both halves in one bite.
"Krauser, manners," Javier chided, feeding little Beatriz, who, at her young age, already had two tiny tentacles sprouting from her shoulder blades.
"Sorry, Dad."
“Hey, how about a riddle?” Javier proposed.
Krøma clapped excitedly, Grenia nodded, and Krauser…
"I don’t like your riddles."
"Oh, come on, try it this time."
“No, thanks.”
"Alright," Javier murmured, disappointed.
"Go on, say it," Grenia encouraged him, eager.
"Alright. Let’s see, what is always with us, we cannot alter or touch it, yet we can feel it? Something we can’t see, though we can see thanks to it, and that children cling to until they grow older."
“That must be…”
The phone began ringing in the living room.
“Mom, can you get it?”
Krøma instantly got up and ran to the living room.
“You know Mom can’t speak,” Grenia reminded him.
“Oops, I forgot,” Krauser replied, feigning an apology.
A few seconds later, Krøma returned, pouting.
Krauser chuckled.
"I’ll go," he said, getting up from his chair.
"Mom, don’t be so innocent," Grenia advised her.
Krauser went to the phone, picked it up, and brought it to his ear.
"Reinhold family, Krauser speaking."
"Oh, I’m glad you answered. It’s Hammya, Hammya Saillim."
"Hammya? Oh, right, the girl with green hair who was with Candado that night. How are you?"
"I’m fine… but it’s about Candado," Hammya’s voice turned somber.
Krauser grew serious.
"What happened to him?"
"Last night… he had an accident. And he won’t wake up."
"What do you mean he won’t wake up?"
"He just isn’t. He always wakes up early, but not today. I’ve tried everything… They said you were a doctor and that you might be able to help."
"Where’s Clementina?"
"I slipped away from her. I’m a bit sick, with a fever, but I can’t rest while he’s like this," Hammya said, letting out a sob.
"I’ll be right over. In the meantime, you should rest."
He hung up the phone and returned to the kitchen.
"Listen, the Barret family is in trouble."
"What?" Javier exclaimed. Krøma stood up, alarmed, while Grenia rose too.
“We need to go check on them,” Grenia said.
“That’s what we’ll do,” Javier confirmed.
Krauser went to his room, put on his red trench coat and brown hat, hastily buttoning it as he muttered to himself:
"What could have happened?"
When he returned, he found his parents already prepared, and his mother wearing a jacket over her nightgown. Javier had pulled the car around, and they all quickly climbed in: Krauser first, followed by Krøma, Javier, and Grenia, who was holding
The car started, and tension filled the air.
"I hope it's nothing serious," Grenia whispered.
Krauser closed his eyes.
"I hope so, too."
An hour later.
The car stopped in front of the Barret house. Krauser was the first to get out, running to the door, where he began knocking impatiently. His family soon followed suit.
"I already called," Krauser said.
The door opened, and Europa appeared, her eyes red.
"How is he?"
"How did you find out?" Europa asked.
"Let's just say we have informants," Krauser replied without hesitation.
Europa stepped aside, allowing them to enter. Krøma hugged her, while Javier spoke with Arturo, who stood beside her. Krauser and Grenia went upstairs and entered Candado's room, where Clementina and Hector were waiting in silence.
"What’s going on?" Clementina asked.
"They told us Candado won’t wake up," Krauser replied.
"They told you?" Clementina repeated, confused.
Hector and Clementina exchanged glances. Krauser removed his hat and bowed his head to them.
"I'm sorry, but I can’t reveal the source."
"That's fine, but it’s not serious, really. He’s only fainted."
"Come on, Hector, don’t give me that."
"He must be very tired."
"If that's the case, it won’t hurt for me to check on him."
Hector looked at Clementina, as if seeking her permission, and she nodded in agreement.
"Grenia, go outside."
"I can take her to Hammya."
"Clem..."
"Yes?"
"Does Hammya happen to live here?"
"Yes, she does. Why?"
"No reason."
Clementina led Grenia out of the room, leaving Krauser with Hector.
"All right, I think it’s time to get to work," Krauser said, taking off his coat.
"What happened to the brown one?"
"It’s at home," Krauser replied, hanging the coat on the back of a chair.
He moved to the side of the bed, raised his arms, and began to levitate Candado's body, using the same method he’d applied with Esteban.
"I don’t feel... Wait, what is that?"
"What’s wrong?"
"This is unusual. There’s an unknown clot in his second soul. This isn’t normal."
"Can you do something about it?"
"I’ll try."
From his back, tentacles emerged, one of which rested on Candado's chest, which began to glow with a soft, serene light.
"A little more... almost there... ARGH!"
"KRAUSER!"
The tentacles on Candado's chest started to melt, causing immense pain for Krauser, who opened his mouth in a desperate scream.
"IT BURNS!"
"LET GO!"
"I CAN'T! I... ARGH!"
Hector grabbed Krauser by the waist, pulling back with all his might, finally managing to break him free from "the trap." Both collapsed to the floor.
"What... what was that?" Hector panted.
"I have no idea."
At that moment, Krauser's and Candado’s parents rushed into the room.
"What’s going on!?" Arturo exclaimed.
Clementina and Grenia entered as well.
"I heard a scream," Grenia said.
Hector helped Krauser to his feet.
"I was trying to heal him, but something stopped me."
Europa approached her son, placing a hand on his forehead.
"He’s sweating."
"It must be the medicine," Krauser replied.
"Medicine?" Clementina asked.
"The sweat will help cleanse the bacteria affecting him; it’ll dilute whatever’s harming him... except this."
Krauser showed his nearly melted tentacles.
"I’ve never seen anything so powerful. It really hurt me."
Krøma knelt beside her son, taking his injured tentacles, four in total. Channeling her energy, she began to heal them slowly.
"Thank you, Mom."
Krøma nodded, opened her mouth, and, like an iguana, affectionately licked his cheek.
"You’re always so loving with your children," Europa said, smiling.
Krøma nodded energetically.
"I hate to be blunt, but can we leave and let Candado rest?" Arturo interjected.
"I’ll stay," Krauser said.
"Krauser..."
"There’s something malignant inside him; I need to get it out."
"We know," Clementina said.
"All of us do," Hector added.
"Then why aren’t you doing something?" he asked hotly.
Europa's eyes filled with concern at his words. Arturo restrained himself from getting angry at Krauser.
"Krauser, please, don’t speak like that," Hector said sadly.
Krøma hugged Europa to comfort her, while Javier placed a hand on Krauser’s shoulder, trying to calm him.
"Let’s talk downstairs," Javier suggested kindly to the others.
He looked at Krøma, and she nodded. The adults left the room, leaving Krauser, Hector, and Clementina alone.
"Listen, I know this is hard, and you’re angry, but don’t talk like that again."
"Hector, I think..."
"No, Clementina. He needs to listen."
"What do I need to hear?" Krauser asked.
Hector hesitated, but his determination overpowered his doubt.
"Candado suffers the same as Gabriela."
Krauser's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You must be joking."
"Do you think I'm kidding?"
Krauser brought his left hand to his face.
"No... not again..." he murmured. Then he leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor. "This can’t be happening again."
"That’s why no one called you, Krauser. We knew you couldn’t do anything to help him."
"Krauser, we know what this meant for both of you: for Candado, for not being able to protect her; and for you, for not having saved her."
"STOP! I don’t want to hear it," Krauser exclaimed, covering his face. Then he jumped to his feet.
"Krauser?" Hector asked.
"This is different; I’m no longer ignorant. I can still do something. I’ll cancel my pending matter to stay here with him."
"Wait, wait... what matter do you plan to cancel?" Hector asked.
"Does it even matter?"
"Yes. You’re a Semaphores inspector; you can’t just cancel it."
"Relax, Hector; it has nothing to do with my job."
"Hold on. First, what is it?" Clementina asked.
"It’s classified... no, it’s personal."
Clementina put her hand on her chin, thoughtful.
"I don’t buy it," she said, then looked at Krauser. "Especially that part about it not being important. Tell me."
Krauser closed his eyes, exhaling with resignation.
"Birthday," he whispered softly.
"What?" Clementina asked.
"A birthday."
"A Summit...?" Hector stammered, confused.
"BIRTHDAY!" Krauser repeated emphatically.
"I see," Clementina said, glancing at Hector.
"Candado's and Joaquin's birthday is on November 12," Hector noted.
"Right. And Declan's is on February 1; yours is the 21st of the same month. And Ocho’s was September 5."
"Don’t talk about that traitor," Hector muttered, annoyed.
"Wait, what are you getting at?"
"Well... Hector, you tell him," Clementina encouraged him with a gentle nudge.
"Me? Well... just that you’ve been to those birthdays your whole life: mine, Candado’s, Joaquin’s, oddly enough Declan's and Ocho's. No one else’s."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"There’s nothing wrong with it; it’s just odd that they invite you. So, who was it this time?"
"A girl from Buenos Aires named Casandra."
"Wow... quite the gentleman," Hector teased with a mischievous grin.
"She’s eight years old."
"Oh, I see," Hector apologized, a bit embarrassed.
"Anyway, you’re going," Clementina said determinedly.
"What?"
"I agree; you’re going. You can’t let a little girl down; it’s wrong. You have to go."
"Wait, Hector. I can’t leave while my friend is unconscious and in this state. He’s very ill."
"We’ll handle it."
"But..."
"Do your parents know?"
"Yes, I notified them in advance."
"And did they agree?"
"Yes, but with everything that’s going on, I doubt they'll let me go now."
At that moment, the door opened, and Javier peeked in.
"Krauser, I have to ask you something."
"About what?"
"Are you going to the birthday party or not? You said you’d be there by 10:00, and it’s already 9:20."
Krauser frowned, incredulous.
"Seriously, Dad?"
Hector stepped up to him and added:
"Yes, Mr. Reinhold, he’s going. He promised, and he’ll keep it."
Krauser looked at Hector with annoyance.
"You scoundrel, Hector," he muttered.
"You’re going; Candado would be upset if he knew you made a little girl feel bad, understand? A lit-tle girl."
"Hector, that sounds bad; Candado likes kids in general, regardless of gender," Clementina explained.
Krauser sighed and looked at his father...
"Alright. Take me to the Traffic Lights Airport."
Before leaving, he glanced at Clementina and Héctor.
"Let me know if he wakes up, please."
"We will," Clementina replied.
Krauser closed the door and left with his father. As they walked, Javier looked at him curiously.
"What do you think your sister is doing?" Javier asked.
"I don't know."
They passed by a half-open door and both paused to discreetly peek inside.
There was an animated conversation going on inside.
"... and that's how it happened. Honestly, I can't even believe it, but it did."
"Damn," a girl's voice came through, sounding amused before a laugh followed. "Hammya, I envy you. I would have loved to see Candado laugh like that."
"Yeah, it was awesome."
"I see."
"I like it when he smiles."
"I understand. I also enjoy making people laugh."
"Then..."
Outside the room, Javier smiled.
"I see you get along well," he commented, noticing a change in the girl's hair color. "Did it turn red? Wow, she really likes dyeing it."
"Yeah, no kidding," Krauser responded with a faint smile.
"Let's go."
They descended the stairs into the living room, where Krøma was hugging Europa with a worried expression.
"Sweetheart, I'm taking Krauser to the airport. He has to leave," Javier announced, addressing Krøma.
She extended two tentacles from her back and began writing in her personal agenda.
"Be careful," she said.
"We will," Krauser affirmed with a nod.
After saying their goodbyes, they left, and Krauser felt an odd atmosphere in the air.
"Why do I feel like this is going to go wrong?" he asked with concern.
"Son, you need to have faith and try to enjoy yourself."
Javier opened the car door. Krauser climbed in and fastened his seatbelt, casting one last glance at the house while opening both eyes wide.
"Is something wrong?" Javier asked, settling into his seat.
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"No, nothing."
Javier started the car, glancing at his son.
"He'll be fine. Have faith."
Krauser closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm not good at having faith."
The drive to the Traffic Lights Airport in Resistencia was tense and silent. Neither of them spoke, and the heaviness in the air was palpable. However, when they arrived, Krauser got out of the car, looked at his father, and with an unexpectedly soft voice said:
"Light..."
"What?" Javier asked, surprised.
"The riddle from this morning, the answer was light. We see thanks to it, and children, often afraid of the dark, tend to cling to its presence. We feel it too, because depending on the position of the sun, it gives us cold or heat."
"I think this is... the first time you've answered one of my riddles since you were in kindergarten," Javier said, smiling and slightly embarrassed.
Krauser didn't respond. He didn't even look. He just touched his hat. It was clear he was embarrassed too; his pale skin revealed the blush creeping onto his cheeks, which he tried to hide by lowering the brim of his hat. Javier, for his part, smiled and got back in the car.
"Let me know when you reach your destination."
"Sure."
Javier started the vehicle and drove off, while Krauser watched until the car disappeared from sight. Then he headed toward the airport and reached a booth where an elderly man attended him.
"Excuse me."
"Yes, young man?"
"I’d like to book a flight to Buenos Aires."
"Last name and first name, please."
"O’Pøhner Reinhold Krauser Lautaro."
"On the runway, it just arrived a moment ago. Please go ahead."
"Thank you."
Krauser lifted his hat as a courtesy and headed toward the runway. Once there, he boarded the plane and settled into one of the many empty seats. However, just as he was about to relax, someone sat next to him.
"Hey, mannequin."
"Glinka?"
"Yeah, it’s me."
"What are you doing on this plane? There are like ten empty seats."
Glinka let out an exaggerated laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"I have to go to Buenos Aires. You know, me, Moneda, and Ruth are the best inspectors from Chaco."
"And?"
"Well, they need us. They recently kidnapped Arce Catherine."
"I know, you did quite well back there."
"Yeah, and now I’m back to help."
The plane began to move.
"Oh, we’re moving!" Glinka said, excited.
"I don’t think I’ll survive forty-five minutes with you," Krauser murmured.
"Did you say something?"
"No, nothing."
The plane took off, and Glinka eagerly looked out the window, watching as the ground receded.
"Tell me, Krauser."
"Yeah?"
"Let’s play hide-and-seek."
"You’re not a kid."
"Of course I am. Want to prove it?"
"Leave me alone, Glinka."
Glinka gave him a small tap on the head and snatched his hat.
"Gotcha!"
With that, she started running down the plane's aisles.
"GLINKA!!!"
After an exhausting forty-five minutes, the plane landed at the Traffic Lights Agency in Buenos Aires. The doors opened, and the staircase began to descend.
"We're here," Glinka said with enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, Krauser could barely stand.
"I hate you," he said, snatching the hat from her hands.
Glinka burst out laughing.
"See you, Krau. I'm going to meet Ruth and Moneda," she said as she ran off. "I’ll greet them for you!"
"Plague," Krauser murmured as he placed his hat back on and headed toward a taxi.
Though there weren't many cars in Plaza Don Alumíd Gerónimo, also known as Plaza Centella for its peculiar nighttime silence, he managed to find one that took him to his destination. The plaza, founded in 1913, was spacious and leafy, with wooded areas and a secluded parking lot for magic-powered vehicles.
Despite his appearance, Krauser rarely encountered any issues in guild society or at the agency he worked for. In Buenos Aires, he was known as the first "Monster" to reach the rank of Supreme Marshal of the W.O.G.A.B., a military position granted during wartime by the "locks" or "presidents." There were even rumors that he might be smarter than Candado, the president of the guilds, and could take his position, although Krauser didn’t seem interested in running for it.
Lost in thought, the car stopped in front of the church. As was his custom, Krauser had already calculated the exact fare and paid it immediately. However, as soon as he set foot on the sidewalk, he was greeted by looks of awe and fear. The bourgeois society of Buenos Aires, often cruel and distant from the guilds, watched him with suspicion.
"Oh, great."
Krauser took off his hat, revealing his face.
"Slenderman!" someone whispered from the crowd.
Krauser opened his eyes wide, stared at the people, and suddenly let out a deep, chilling scream. It was enough to make everyone flee, except for an old man and a little girl.
"We've been waiting for you, young man," the old man said.
Krauser lowered his gaze, hiding his mouth and eyes.
"Hello, Father Hank," he said, adjusting his hat back into place.
"Oh, you came."
"Hello, Casandra. I'm glad to see you’re doing well."
"We went out to buy some things for the party and ran into this crowd outside the church."
"Yeah, I hate crowds."
"Come on, come in."
Krauser crossed the threshold, and Father Hank stopped him.
"Don't worry about taking off your hat; we won’t be having the party here. It’s going to be outdoors."
"Wow..."
Casandra hugged Krauser’s left leg.
"Do you want something?"
"Welcome," she said with a serious expression.
"It looks like she likes you. She only does that with me and Flor."
"Oh, yes... um, please let go."
Casandra released him and took his hand.
Krauser glanced at Father Hank, who ignored him completely.
"She looks like a doll."
However, he accepted Casandra's small hand and walked with her to the yard. There, garlands hung from the walls, large wooden tables were placed outside (about three or so), numerous white plastic chairs, colorful party hats, and scattered plates and utensils could be seen.
"This... looks like a kindergarten."
"What did you expect from an orphanage?" Father Hank replied sarcastically.
Casandra released his hand and ran to a girl who was helping to hang some loose garlands.
"Flor."
The girl turned around.
"Ah, Casandra!"
Flor left the garlands on the table, got off the chair, and ran toward Casandra. When she was close enough, she jumped into her arms.
"What are you doing here?" Casandra asked.
"I decided to help."
From a distance, Krauser watched the interaction between the two girls.
"Wow, it’s true she hugs people she likes."
He then looked around.
"There are only ten adults, eleven with the old man—five women and six men. At this rate, the party is going to take forever."
Krauser checked his phone.
"11:34 a.m. Anyway, I think I’ll lend a hand... or tentacles."
Krauser stood in the middle of the garden and extended thirty-two tentacles from his back, astonishing everyone. If it hadn’t been for Father Hank’s warning, they would have attacked him out of fear.
Krauser’s tentacles moved from side to side. Some hung the missing garlands, others tied and hung balloons, others placed tablecloths, some organized plates and utensils, and others arranged chairs. A few even cleaned up the leftovers. By the time he finished these tasks, in just a few minutes, the tentacles returned to his back. Casandra watched in astonishment, though her face didn’t show much—only the surprise in her eyes.
"With that, we’re done."
Father Hank began to clap.
"Great! And thanks for helping us."
"Th... thanks."
Krauser wasn’t used to receiving praise from strangers. Even though he was well-known throughout the country’s traffic lights, he avoided crowds so they wouldn’t approach him, which meant he rarely received recognition for his actions.
"We're glad you helped," said a young woman.
Krauser adjusted his hat to hide his face, as his pale skin revealed his slight blush.
"Yeah... I’m glad you’re happy."
At that moment, a door opened, and a group of children came out.
"Oh, they woke up," Father Hank said.
The children were quite surprised to see the garden.
"I think it would have made more sense to surprise the birthday girl instead of the guests."
"Relax, it doesn’t bother me," Casandra said, giving a thumbs-up.
"You’re strange."
Just then, Flor approached Krauser.
"Do you need anything?"
"Thanks for the help."
"You’re very polite."
"I’m Florencia Iglesia. I’m not an orphan, but I live here with my mom."
Florencia had pale skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. She wore a blue nightgown and white shoes, looking about fourteen years old.
"Casandra talked about a bald man with pale skin, identical to a doll she has."
Krauser chuckled.
"Don’t you fear me?"
"Of course not. I’m not afraid of dolls."
"How old are you?"
"Thirteen."
"I see, you’re very mature for your age."
"Of course."
"Florencia is great, she knows a lot of things," Casandra said proudly.
"Obviously."
"I don’t like her attitude, it reminds me of Glinka."
"Guys," Father Hank interrupted, "it’s time to blow out the candle."
Casandra showed surprise and ran to Father Hank.
"Let’s go, everyone!"
Florencia said goodbye to Krauser and followed Father Hank.
Krauser, for his part, followed them with his hands in his pockets.
Everyone sat down, except Krauser, who leaned against a tree that was nearby, where he could observe Casandra. She was sitting at the second table in the middle, at the edge, wearing a party hat.
When the cake arrived, with a candle shaped like the number eight, everyone began to sing "Happy Birthday" and clapped, including Krauser. Casandra began to smile from ear to ear.
"Make a wish, sweetie," Father Hank said.
Casandra closed her eyes and then blew. Everyone clapped again.
"Happy birthday, Casandra!" everyone shouted.
The little girl looked happy as she saw how they congratulated her.
"So she can make other expressions," Krauser murmured to himself.
The cake was small, but they had baked more to feed all the children. As they distributed the slices, Krauser, who had made sure his plate had a decent portion, looked around. He noticed something odd: only four people were with Casandra. One of them was Florencia, and the other three were a girl and a boy.
"She doesn’t have many friends," Krauser said as he took a bite of his cake.
But as he tasted it, his gaze drifted off to the view. In his mind, the image of the children from his past appeared. He saw Candado, Héctor, Joaquín, and Ocho.
"What a curious sight," Krauser said with nostalgia.
At that exact moment, Father Hank appeared behind him.
"Why don’t you join us?"
"Nah, I’m fine."
"I see."
"Father."
"Yes?"
"Tell me, what kind of orphan is she?"
"I don’t quite understand."
Krauser began to bite his plastic fork.
"That girl… she’s afraid of the dark, right?"
"Indeed."
"Would you mind telling me why?"
"No, but… why do you want to know?"
Krauser inhaled and exhaled, then removed the plastic fork from his mouth and placed it on the plate.
"In Chaco, I have a friend. He loves children, he cares for them, pampers them, and protects them too much."
"Really?"
"But to me, they’re just annoying. They scream, cry, fight, and are selfish."
"Oh... I see. You didn’t seem like that when you were with those two."
"To be honest, Father, I didn’t want to come today. I have a friend who might be in a coma, and I left him to come here, where there are two things that really bother me: one is this church, and two, the children."
"I see, you're one of those, huh?"
"Religion has only done harm to my family and my kind. We are the children of the devil, born to cause chaos and hate among humans. Mother was brutally mistreated by all kinds of churches."
Father Hank stood up and placed his hand on Krauser’s shoulder.
"It’s not wrong to think like that, don’t suppress it, let it all out."
"Honestly, I hate them. They hide behind something that doesn’t exist to justify their actions."
"The problem is with them, not with God."
"Well, if we put it that way, fine."
Krauser turned and opened his eyes.
"This... is a human structure, not of God or the saints. It’s human. The Bible was written by men, and they wrote what they thought was right. They fabricated their God. The Bible itself is a science fiction book. Even the word 'God'... you call Him that, using human language: in Spanish, 'Dios', in English, 'God', and many other words within the religion. But what if God doesn’t use any of those languages to communicate? Did He ever give His name? Giving names to things is a human concept. We call a glass 'glass', but ask an animal, an alien, or even God. They created something false, spread rumors, and managed to make this fallacy last."
Father Hank placed his hand on his head, smiling as he spoke.
"Everything you say is true, but my belief doesn’t come from the Bible or from priests. It comes from within me. And maybe it’s true that He doesn’t exist, but… I still believe that He could exist, not in the sky or under the earth, but with us, and in every man."
"You’ll keep going with that, won’t you?"
Father Hank knelt and placed both arms on Krauser’s shoulders.
"Tell me, did you feel better after letting all that out?"
"Yeah, whatever. Now answer my question."
Father Hank smiled.
"Alright, alright," then he became serious, letting go of his shoulders and continuing. "The truth is, she suffered from child abuse."
"Rape?"
"Not sexual, but physical and psychological. In fact, I want you to come with me for a while."
"Why?"
"She’s been drawing some pretty strange things, and from the way you spoke about religion, I think you could interpret them."
Krauser thought for a moment.
"I’ll do it." He then left his empty plate on a wooden table and followed him.
Father Hank guided Krauser along the path, moving away from the celebration party. Krauser looked back, noticing how Casandra smiled while talking to that group of four people.
When they entered the church, there was an absolute silence. The only sound was the echo of their footsteps. After a few seconds of walking down a vast hallway, they reached a door with her name and a name—Carolina—on it.
"Shared room?"
"Yes, two people per room. After all, there are 60 children living here."
Father Hank reached into his pocket, took out a key, inserted it into the lock, and turned it left until the door made a noise. Then, he opened it.
"Wow," Krauser expressed.
Inside were two beds—one on the left, against the wall, and the other on the right, also against the wall. Both places had a bookshelf, a desk, and a wardrobe. Krauser’s expression came from noticing that the right side was in disarray, while the left side was perfectly tidy.
"Sorry about the mess. Flor doesn’t like to clean, and she especially doesn’t make her bed."
"I figured."
Father Hank walked over to Casandra’s burgundy wardrobe, opened it, and inside was a wide variety of clothes. But what mattered wasn’t the clothes, but what lay beneath them: a wooden chest.
"Casandra made this with her own hands last year," Father Hank said as he pulled out the chest.
Krauser approached, knelt down, and opened it.
"Fifty centimeters long and thirty wide. Wow."
Inside was a collection of items: rocks, dry leaves, tree branches, toys, soda bottle caps, and two corks.
"A collector, huh?" Father Hank said with a smile.
"Yeah, Héctor used to do that."
"Héctor?"
"A friend of mine. But for now, show me what you wanted me to see."
Father Hank moved the objects—such as the toys and other things—aside and pulled out a rather thick drawing folder.
Krauser took the book from Father Hank’s hands and opened it.
"Wow, it’s pretty normal. It’s a tree and a... two-legged cat?"
"She tried to make it look cool."
"Yeah."
Then, he turned the page.
"Hmmm, it’s her and her friend Florencia playing ball, although it’s drawn terribly."
"She can’t draw circles."
"Yeah."
They moved to the third page.
"Well... in this one, this is a dead tree, and this is her, sitting, playing with a rather deformed bird."
"Does it mean anything?"
"Yeah, drawing isn’t her thing."
"She’s only seven... I mean, eight."
"Right."
The first pages showed nothing out of the ordinary, until they reached the tenth and eleventh pages.
"Oh, this is interesting."
"What do you see?"
"She misspelled 'maker (she wrote 'aker') and 'sleep' (she wrote 'slee'). The last one really catches my attention—how do you mess up that? slee... What is a slee? The slee, they slee's, we slee."
"Krauser!" Father Hank scolded.
Well... it didn’t seem too bad, but the next page was rather dark.
"Alright, this is interesting."
"What do you see?"
"A drawing."
"Krauser..."
"Okay, okay, no more jokes (Candado, you’ve rubbed off on me...)"
The drawing showed a girl lying in a bed, and an older man standing in front of her. But it wasn’t normal—the man had two heads. Through the window, there was a distorted moon, and the room was in chaos.
Krauser’s eyes widened.
"Her father was an alcoholic."
"Really?"
"This person has two heads—one happy, the other angry. I think he was a good father when he wasn’t drinking. You can tell he did it at night."
"Do you think that’s what happened?"
"No. While she was scared of the night, that’s not enough to fear dark places even during the day."
"I understand."
Krauser turned the page. This time, it was completely scratched in black, and on the next page appeared a very strange drawing: a person with a long neck, another with four arms, and one more without a head.
"‘Black man, twisted man, and empty man.’"
Krauser closed his eyes for a moment.
"Is something wrong?"
"Casandra is mentally unstable... this must’ve been."
"What?"
"Apparently, she was wrong when she said she only suffered abuse from her father. It seems these people also made her suffer."
"Why do you come to that conclusion? Aren’t they just monsters?"
"Look at how it’s drawn. The black one is really detailed, with these lines. They probably entered her room when it was dark. She says it had four arms, but it really only had two. The others come out from its waist, so I guess her coat was tied there. And about the headless figure... she never saw it clearly. The twisted man... she couldn’t figure it out."
"But when I took her to the hospital, they said..."
"There was nothing wrong."
"A curious case of abuse."
Krauser flipped the page. Nothing out of the ordinary, until he found another drawing. One was normal, but the next one was eerie: a black figure with enormous arms over a girl.
"This is already the product of her own mind. I can tell that the dark represents evil, which is why the drawing is like this," Krauser said.
"I see," said Father Hank with a sad tone.
Krauser continued flipping through the pages until he saw a female figure beside the girl.
"Who is she?"
"Probably her mother. She appears later on."
Krauser tilted his head.
"Her mother?"
"Yes."
"(I don't believe it. This character doesn't appear in the room...) I see, her mother."
"Yes, her mother," Father Hank affirmed.
"Can I take a photo?"
"Go ahead."
Krauser pulled out his phone, focused the image, and took the photo. But as he did, he stared at it closely.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing."
Then, Krauser looked out the window of the room and saw Cassandra, very happy. Father Hank, noticing how Krauser was watching her, said:
"She may be someone who struggles to express herself, but she has a heart of gold."
"Let's leave here," Krauser said loudly.
"Krauser? Wait..."
"I'm hungry."
"Since when have I become so considerate with human children?" Krauser thought to himself.
Krauser exited the church, looking at the photo he had taken. But when he tried to take a break by sitting down, Cassandra appeared out of nowhere beside him, startling him a little.
"When did you...?"
"Are you having fun?"
"Ah... Yes, I guess."
"I'm glad, I guess."
"Girl."
"Cassandra."
Krauser was reluctant to speak that way.
"Cassandra."
"Yes?"
"Tell me... what was your mother like?"
"What?"
Krauser quickly stood up.
"No, nothing, forget what I asked."
"Okay... but is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong."
Krauser extended his tentacles from his back and wrapped them around her waist.
"Let's go to the party."
"Yay!" Cassandra responded dryly.
Krauser's eyes widened.
"Just for this time, show me what you want most, girl," he said to himself.
Krauser took Cassandra back to the fun center, where there was an inflatable castle. Reluctantly, Krauser had to enter at the girl's insistence, jumping from one side to another, until he started enjoying it. After all, like everyone else, he had been eight years old once. The other kids, seeing how Krauser carried Cassandra with his tentacles, wanted him to do the same for them. Though he didn’t mind, the adults feared the children might get hurt. In just thirty minutes, Krauser became a celebrity among the kids he despised.
He did clever tricks, like creative juggling with his hands and tentacles, making shapes of animals and inanimate objects. Despite how tedious it was, just seeing Cassandra smile was enough for Krauser to show all of his monstrous potential.
"Get ready, ladies and gentlemen!"
After saying this, Krauser stretched his legs to reach a height of ten meters, as if he were wearing giant stilts. Then he extended his arms and began to fragment in the air. In just a few seconds, his arms transformed into something like tree roots. Then, tiny white particles, identical to snow, sprouted from his arms, scattering among the children. Though it wasn’t cold, it looked like snow, but resembled a dandelion in their hands.
"OHHHHHHH!!!"
The children screamed with joy, amazed by what they were seeing.
Then, Krauser returned to his usual form and approached Cassandra, only to bend down and show her his index finger.
"Happy birthday," Krauser said, opening his eyes.
A black glass rose appeared from his index finger.
Cassandra was amazed. She took a handkerchief from her blue dress, wrapped the rose, and handled it with great care.
"Thank you, Krauser," she said with a smile.
And for the first time since he arrived, Krauser cracked his face to show a smile. Though it was a little eerie to those present, Cassandra smiled back and felt deeply happy about it.
Although the celebration had ended at 1:30 PM, the party was not over yet. Father Hank had rented two buses to take the children to the zoo. Krauser thought it was all finished, but it wasn’t; he still had to stay. Shortly after the celebration ended, he tried to leave, but Cassandra wouldn’t let him. In fact, she made him promise to stay with her all day.
Once everyone got on the transport, driven by Father Hank and one of the sisters, Krauser, who hated public transport, found himself trapped. Cassandra sat on his lap, letting Flor take the seat next to him, making sure he had no way to escape.
"Cassandra, there are thousands of seats available, why on my lap?" Krauser complained.
"To make sure you don’t run away," Cassandra answered with a mischievous smile.
Krauser closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the seat, resigned, while letting out a sigh.
"Here we go," said Father Hank excitedly.
The bus started and began its journey. During the trip, the children began to sing to pass the time. Interestingly, other children were traveling on nearby buses, crossing from one side to another. It was surprising how calm they were, though a bit exasperating to have to endure the same song over and over. The traffic that day was heavy, and if they were lucky, they would arrive in an hour.
Finally, after a long ride, they arrived at the zoo. When the doors opened, all the children quickly got off, but Krauser was the first to leave. Quickly, he extended his tentacles, forming a square to block one of the exits and ensure the children didn’t scatter.
"Thanks, Krauser," Father Hank said, relieved.
"You're welcome," Krauser replied, adjusting his hat.
"Alright, kids, don't separate from the adults. Hold hands with your buddy," Father Hank instructed.
Flor and Cassandra held hands, and in turn, they grabbed Krauser.
"Take care of us, Mr. Mannequin," Flor said with a smile.
Father Hank stepped in front of the children and, taking one of their hands, began to lead them through the zoo. Although everyone was excited to see the animals, Krauser didn’t find it attractive to watch beings in captivity. Despite this, he understood Cassandra and Flor's preferences. It seemed that Cassandra's favorite animals were the panda, the Galápagos tortoise, the capybara, and the armadillo. Flor liked the gorilla, penguin, polar bear, and lion.
Cassandra pulled on Krauser’s hand to take him to a specific place, and he accepted without complaining, making sure she didn’t get into trouble or hurt. They saw everything: lions, tigers, penguins, monkeys, among others. It was also clear how fascinated they were by the giraffes.
"How pretty! What are they?" Cassandra asked.
"They’re giraffes," Krauser replied.
"Why do they have such long necks?"
"I don’t know, Cassandra, evolution made them that way." Krauser leaned down, without kneeling, and looked at her. "Why don’t you ask them?"
"Giraffe! Why do you have such a big neck!" Cassandra asked, laughing.
"Krauser, do giraffes talk?" Flor asked mockingly.
"Who knows, no one has tried," he answered, shrugging.
Flor stopped, visibly discouraged.
"It was just a joke," she said, trying to cover it up.
"What?" Krauser looked at her, confused.
"Ah, no... it's not that."
Krauser stood beside her while Casandra continued to gaze at the giraffes, clearly excited.
"So, what's going on?" Krauser asked, concerned.
Flor looked him straight in the eye, or at least where her eyes should have been.
"I need to tell you something," she said, her voice serious.
During the excursion, as often happens, the children would sometimes wander off, making it difficult to keep them together. Krauser took care of the two girls, but he also kept an eye on the rest of the group. His senses were on high alert, as the children often drifted away or got distracted by something, losing track of time. Several times, he had to use his tentacles to prevent them from straying too far. This went on for almost three hours until finally, at 6:36 PM, they were able to leave the zoo.
The return to the orphanage happened at 7:50 PM, as the sun began to hide behind the buildings. Many of the kids were tired and sleepy; after all, they'd had a great time. They ran, jumped, shouted, laughed, and now exhaustion was evident.
Krauser, too, was exhausted. He had protected everyone throughout the day, often suppressing his frustration or irritation in front of the children. Yet, his face betrayed his tiredness and annoyance. His mother used to say that when he got angry, his face transformed, and although Krauser tried to hide it with his hat, the veins in his face would swell when he was stressed or upset. He didn’t like being noticed, so he avoided looking at others. Still, he had learned to control his anger, although it wasn't always easy.
When the children finally got off the bus, Casandra and Krauser were left alone. Flor had fallen asleep during the ride, worn out from the morning's activities, and her mother had taken her along to make sure she didn’t hurt herself. Casandra stared out the bus window while the sun sank behind the buildings.
"Is something wrong?" Krauser asked, noticing that Casandra seemed lost in thought.
"The darkness," she answered quietly.
Krauser placed his hand on her head, recognizing her mood.
"Go on, join your friends."
Casandra got up from her seat and headed for the door. But before she could get off, she turned back toward him.
"I'll be there in a second," he said with a small smile.
Casandra smiled back, and Krauser nodded, staying behind as she got off the bus. In his mind, Flor's words echoed, replaying their conversation near the bathrooms before everything had spiraled out of control.
A few hours ago...
"...And? What's the big deal? Or better yet, why should I care where you move after we get back?"
"I’m telling you this because Casandra talks a lot about you."
"And?"
"She's terrified… no, she’s scared to death of the dark. But she can't keep the lights on. Until now, she’s never been alone when the darkness surrounds her."
"I gave her a flashlight as a gift. Let her manage with that."
"No, you don't understand. That won't help. She believes someone will show up, and they... they..."
"They?"
"She says they’ll come to play with her. A game she doesn’t like, and she always ends up getting hurt."
Krauser remembered the drawing.
"And what do you want me to do about it? I can’t stay and live with her."
"I know, but... at least tonight... I want you to stay with her."
Flor knelt, pleading for him to listen, but Krauser stopped her. He freed a tentacle from his waist, which rested on her chest and knees.
"Don’t do that. The Traffic Lights should kneel to you, not the other way around. I’ll do the best I can."
Flor smiled gratefully.
Present:
"What would you do, Candado, in my place?"
Krauser stood up and exited the bus. The last rays of the sun faded in this part of the city. As he was about to walk away, Father Hank stepped into his path.
"Is something wrong?"
"Sorry to stop you, but there's something I need to ask you that I didn’t get the chance to ask in that room."
"What is it?"
"At what age do the powers manifest?"
Krauser widened his eyes upon hearing the elderly man’s question.
Casandra was in her room, sitting on the bed, watching her friend pack her things. Though her face remained expressionless, her hands trembled as she held the tennis ball she used to pass the time.
Flor glanced at her through the reflection in the wardrobe mirror.
"Sorry," she said, her voice shaky.
Casandra set the ball down on the bed, got up, and walked over to her.
"It’s okay. I agreed to this."
"It’s not like that."
Flor turned and stared at her.
"Previously, it was believed that powers were born in children, but that’s not the case. It’s more like an illness. They manifest when they’re over three, five at most," Krauser explained.
"Please, Casandra, don’t lie to me like that," Flor said, her voice breaking.
"What’s wrong, Flor?"
"Not everyone has them, Father Hank. Some people are born with a kind of defense against the 'Segalma' when they’re born," Krauser said, showing his tentacles.
"Segalma?" Father Hank asked.
"Second soul, abbreviated in scientific terms."
"Is something wrong, Flor?"
Casandra didn’t understand why her friend was crying.
"Don’t say..."
"Usually, Segalma is born to back up our soul, but to thrive and survive, it needs vitamins. Not just any kind. Let me give you a very crude and exaggerated example so you understand: A shipwrecked person arrives on an island where the sea is lava, and any attempt to escape is dangerous. The lava can kill him and burn the escape route, but the island isn’t deserted; it has coconuts, bananas, and fruits of all kinds. The shipwrecked person knows he’ll never leave and will have to spend the rest of his life there. To survive, he’ll eat whatever the island offers, and by doing so, he becomes part of it. His DNA mixes with the island’s. But eventually, he gets tired of just eating the same things. He knows he needs something else to survive. So, he uses the island’s powers to plant his own food: potatoes, oranges, apples, tomatoes, lettuces. And if he wants meat, he’ll create animals to eat. If he wants a house, he’ll make the materials, and so on," Krauser detailed.
"How would this work scientifically?" Father Hank asked.
"Casandra, I can tell when someone is lying, and right now, you’re not telling the truth."
"What?" Casandra alarmed.
"I know," Flor said, her eyes red.
"Segalma is in the air. When a baby is born, the parasite enters its lungs. It can’t be seen with human machines, can’t be seen, smelled, or touched, but it can be felt. To your eyes, you can’t see it, not even with scientific tools. But we, the monsters, can. This parasite feeds off cells (like coconuts and bananas), but that’s not enough. It needs to develop, so it creates its own food to survive. This happens when the individual is between three and five years old."
"Why 'second soul'?"
"I can see the real 'you,'" Flor said, raising her hand and pointing to the side of Casandra, "to your left."
"At first, it was thought to be a spirit, but Harambee disproved that when he saw how this parasite clung to something to survive. This something was called a wall or boundary, the limit that separates the invisible from the parasite. It was discovered that this was a soul, an invisible soul. But as the parasite progressed, that invisible part began to gain color. The soul, the magical force that keeps us alive, is the reason the heart beats and the brain acts the way it does. This parasite came from a meteorite that fell a hundred years ago."
"I see."
"Why did you want to know this?"
"Because... Flor has, and I think she’s the only one here, a special gift."
"A special gift?"
"Yes, Flor knows when someone is lying. Not only that, she can also feel what others are feeling."
"I don’t see any of that," Casandra said, her tone skeptical.
Flor lifted her gaze. As she did, she saw two Casandras in front of her. One with her typical expressionless look, and the other, the real one, was crying. She was crying nonstop.
"You’re suffering," Flor said, her voice soft.
"It’s not like that," Casandra replied, her face impassive.
Without thinking, Flor embraced her.
"Why are you doing this?" Casandra asked with a sigh.
"Because if I cried here, it would make it even harder for you to leave," Flor explained.
"Casandra, I’m sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..." Flor repeated, almost out of breath.
Casandra hugged her in silence but didn’t say anything.
"I know Casandra is afraid of the dark, but she has to overcome it. Many children are afraid of sleeping in the dark, but if I let her sleep with the light on, everyone else would want the same, and..."
"It would be terrible to see the electricity bill, right?" Casandra interrupted, giving half a smile.
"...The orphanage is going through its worst months."
"Everyone here feels guilty, Flor, for not being able to stay by your side, and Casandra for not being able to get over it."
"What can I do? She won’t have to live with the light on forever. I know it sounds cruel, but she has to overcome this fear. Otherwise, she’ll never move forward and will regret it for the rest of her life."
"You talk as if you’ve been through something similar."
Hank ignored Krauser’s statement and instead asked:
"What should I do?"
"You’re the adult, not me."
With those words, Krauser turned and disappeared around the corner of the street.
Night fell, and Krauser didn’t return to the church. Flor said her goodbyes to Casandra through tears. She didn’t want to leave, but she knew she couldn’t stay. Casandra, for her part, smiled, though her smile was fake. Both knew that Casandra’s true feelings were something else.
The little girl sat on the bed, flipping through an illustrated book, but she couldn’t enjoy it. Every minute, she looked at the clock. The lights would go off at 11:00 p.m., and when that moment arrived, the door to her room opened. Father Hank’s head appeared.
"I’m going to turn off the lights," he said gently.
That didn’t reassure her. Upon hearing those words, her pupils dilated with fear. Father Hank, noticing her terror, slammed the door shut, locked it, and turned off the light.
"I’m sorry, but you have to endure it. You need to grow."
Casandra jumped out of bed and ran to the door. She grabbed the doorknob and began to twist it desperately.
"FATHER, FATHER, OPEN, OPEN!"
Father Hank covered his ears and, with tears in his eyes, fled down the hall. Alone, Casandra began banging on the door with her hands, using all her strength. Her fists bruised, but she kept hitting. She also kicked the door, one after the other, trying to break it down. But the door was too strong.
Her desperation grew. She fell to the floor, searching for a flashlight. It was the same one Krauser had given her. She pressed it again and again, but it wouldn’t turn on. Tears kept streaming from her eyes, and her voice grew more desperate. Her hands trembled and sweated. Fear overwhelmed her so much that the flashlight slipped from her hands and got lost in the darkness.
Casandra started searching for it but couldn’t find it. Eventually, she couldn’t bear the fear any longer. She climbed into her bed and curled up in a corner, hugging herself. They said fear made you see things that weren’t real. Casandra was at that point, completely terrified. She cried nonstop, alone. She tried to calm herself by singing, but it didn’t work.
"Casandra, let’s play a game."
The little girl froze. The voice was familiar, but she couldn’t see anyone. She only heard it.
"Let’s play."
Casandra, trembling, grabbed her pillow and began to hit the air.
"Come on, it’s me, the twisted man. Don’t you remember me?"
"STOP, STOP!"
"Don’t be afraid of us," the voice said mockingly.
"NOOOOOOOO! HELP! HELP! I WANT LIGHT! MOM! DAD!"
Suddenly, she felt something brush against her legs. Terror flooded her even more.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
The voices laughed.
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"
The window suddenly opened, and a strange figure entered the room. It reached into its pocket, pulled out a flashlight, turned it on, and began following the cries until it found Casandra. It approached her, who was hugging her head, struggling against the fear as she kept crying.
"Hey, little girl."
Casandra gasped in surprise.
"It’s not that bad."
"Kra… Kraukrau..."
"Yeah, it’s me, Kraukrau… huh?"
Krauser was alarmed when he saw Casandra’s state. Her eyes were red, and she had bruises on her hands and legs. Krauser involuntarily opened his mouth.
"Who did this to you?" he asked in a grave, almost sinister voice.
Casandra began to cry even more.
"Who did this to you? (Why am I getting angry?)"
"I… I..."
Krauser hugged her, and she buried her face in his chest.
"I’m here. It’s okay."
"Father Hank, is this really necessary?" he thought.
Krauser lifted her in his arms as if she were a princess. Casandra couldn’t stop crying, still fearful of the darkness, and most of all, unable to see it, only feeling it.
"Nighttime also has beautiful things," he said, trying to calm her.
Casandra heard those words but couldn’t respond. Krauser led her to the window she had entered through. Then he jumped outside, extended his tentacles, and, gripping the walls of the church, began to climb. Casandra glanced around with the corner of her eye, feeling the cool wind brush her face and skin. Slowly, she calmed down, though her hands still clung to his coat.
When Krauser reached the highest point of the church, he pulled a tentacle from his waist and slipped it into his coat pocket. He took out a two-button control, one red and one green. Pressing the red button, all the lights in the city went off instantly. That control had actually been a gift from Karinto when he left for the Chaco. Though the city’s lights went off, the darkness began to frighten Casandra, who buried her face in Krauser’s chest.
"Little girl, don’t look down. Just look up."
Casandra hesitated but slowly started pulling away from Krauser’s chest and followed his advice. Looking up, her eyes widened in awe. A sea of bright stars dominated the night sky. Although there was no full moon, the stars shone with the full brilliance of the night.
"When you’re afraid and look up, the lights are watching you, Casandra. They say, 'Happy birthday.'"
She stayed silent, soaking in the beauty of the sky.
"I want you to look at them, Casandra. Look at them and contemplate their beauty," Krauser said, his eyes fixed on the stars.
"It’s beautiful," she murmured, almost speechless, admiring the celestial display.
"This same sky was seen by Van Gogh when he painted his work 'Starry Night.' In the dark, Casandra, you can see this. Not everything you see is bad."
Casandra stopped looking at the night sky and looked at Krauser. The stars seemed to make him shine.
"Thank you, they’re beautiful."
Krauser looked at her and, opening his eyes, whose bright red gaze shone in the darkness, tried to smile, though his face remained serious.
"You're welcome," he replied.
They both stayed watching the sky for another hour. Casandra began to remember the first time she met Krauser, then when he appeared at her party, later when he and Flor went to the zoo, and now, when he had come to save her from the darkness. Casandra couldn’t help but cry and smile at the same time.
"Thank you," she said, her voice trembling.
Krauser pressed his forehead against hers, then pulled back slightly and kissed her on the forehead, just as he did with his brother and sister.
“You’re the first human girl I don’t hate,” he said, a faint smile on his face.
Casandra smiled and looked up at the sky again. Slowly, sleep began to take over her. She didn’t want to fall asleep; she wanted to stay with Krauser, but the fatigue eventually won out, and she fell asleep in his arms, surrounded by the starry sky.
Krauser’s phone vibrated, but since his hands were occupied holding Casandra, he extended a tentacle from his back and pulled the phone from his pocket.
“‘She’s awake XD’” he read from the message.
Krauser let out a nearly silent chuckle.
“I’m glad she’s okay.”
The next morning, Casandra woke up in her bed. She looked around but didn’t see Krauser. Rubbing her eyes, she felt a slight discomfort. When she moved her hands away, she saw that they were bandaged. She glanced at the clock—it was 10:00 a.m. The sunlight streamed through her window, illuminating the black rose Krauser had given her. The light reflected off the rose and onto her face. Casandra pulled the blankets aside and moved closer to the rose. As she lifted it, she found a note underneath it. She took it and read:
To Casandra:
When you fear the darkness again and can’t see the stars, use this rose to light your way. Use the lantern I gave you, reflect its light on the rose, and you’ll see the magic.
P.S. Don’t forget to buy BATTERIES for the lantern. I bought some today, and they’ll last as long as they last.
Casandra folded the letter and placed it in her drawer. Then, she took the rose and crawled back under the covers, where the darkness didn’t scare her. She held the rose in her left hand while she used her right hand to turn on the lantern. In seconds, the black rose began reflecting lights across the blanket’s walls: four-pointed stars, a full moon, and a crescent moon. Casandra began spinning the rose on its axis, using her thumb and index finger.
As she spun the rose, she started laughing, over and over again. Father Hank stood at the door, listening to how much fun the girl was having. In his hands, he held a tray with her snack: a glass of warm milk and cookies, accompanied by a note that simply read, “Sorry.” Father Hank placed the tray on Flor’s empty desk and slowly closed the door, wanting to listen to Casandra’s laughter a bit longer.
Then, he walked away from Casandra’s room, but when he was far enough, he turned around, placing his right hand over his cross, and affectionately said:
“I wish adults like us could learn from children like him, Reinhold Krauser.”
Meanwhile, a pale-faced figure, known as "Slenderman," walked through the airport with his hands in his pockets. He boarded his plane, the one for the Traffic Lights, and looked in the mirror for a few seconds, watching as the plane began to ascend into the sky.