Maidana awoke disoriented in an unfamiliar place. A blinding, intense light shone directly in his face.
“Get this crap off my face,” he grumbled, extending his hand toward the light in an attempt to shield himself from it.
“Well, look who’s awake,” a voice said just as the light dimmed.
Confused, Maidana sat up in bed and covered his face with both hands.
“What a headache...” he murmured to himself. He slapped his cheeks a couple of times, trying to clear his head. “Wait... where’s my mask?”
At that moment, the balaclava fell into his hands.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked, still disoriented.
“Alan Árapdor Fernández. I’m the one who healed all your wounds after that incident.”
Maidana quickly donned the mask, feeling more secure as he did so. Then, he jumped out of bed.
“Someone else came with me,” he said urgently.
“The guy who looks like Slenderman?” Alan replied with a smile.
“Do you know where he is?”
“He’s downstairs.”
“Thanks.”
Without wasting any time, Maidana rushed down to the ground floor. Upon arrival, he found a long corridor lined with doors—more than twenty in total—on both sides.
“I should have asked which door is the right one,” he muttered, pausing for a moment.
He chose the door directly in front of him and opened it cautiously. Outside, it was already dark.
“Wow, how long have I been asleep?” he wondered aloud.
“Two days, buddy,” a familiar voice responded from behind him.
Maidana turned around quickly.
“Krauser, are you okay?” he asked, relieved to see his companion.
“I’m a creature of terror,” Krauser said nonchalantly, “and that says it all.”
Maidana looked around, still perplexed.
“Where are we?” he asked.
“You’re in my guild,” a voice answered from the shadows.
Maidana turned to the right, searching for the source of the voice, but saw no one. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the wall.
“What are you looking at?” the figure asked with a teasing smile.
Maidana spun around abruptly.
“Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Eugenia Bárce, but everyone calls me Karinto.”
“Alright... Karinto,” Maidana said skeptically. “Why the hell am I here?”
“Miss Karinto helped us,” Krauser interjected before she could respond.
“And what happened to Desza?” Maidana asked, remembering his other companion.
“The gringo? Micaela made him run.”
“How many of you are there?”
“There are five of us now. We used to be nine, but... things happened,” Karinto said with a shrug. “You know how it is.”
Maidana glanced at Krauser, who hadn’t stopped sipping calmly from a cup since he had seen him, holding a small porcelain plate in his other hand.
“Is something wrong?” Krauser asked, noticing Maidana’s stare.
“How can you be so calm?” Maidana retorted, irritated.
“Relax,” Krauser replied with a smile. “I informed Joaquín of our position as soon as you fainted.”
“I’ve been asleep for two days! Desza escaped again, and you’re taking this lightly!”
“I think you should calm down,” Karinto said, crossing her arms. “You’re still weak.”
“Of course, I’m weak!” Maidana exclaimed, exasperated. “I haven’t eaten or bathed in two days!”
“Well, everyone spends their days as they can, right, Karinto?” Krauser commented calmly.
“Exactly, my friend,” Karinto replied with a grin.
Maidana closed his eyes in frustration and let his head fall against the wall.
“Hey! It was just a joke,” Krauser said, maintaining his composure.
“We failed the mission, Krauser. What are we going to tell Joaquín... or the agency?” Maidana slid down the wall, covering his face with his hands. “Just thinking about all the paperwork makes me want to cut my veins.”
“Are you okay?” Karinto asked, looking at him with concern.
“Forget it, he’s tired,” Krauser interrupted. “He had a tough mission, was on the verge of death, and passed out. Obviously, he’s not alright.”
Amid Maidana’s murmurs and complaints, Krauser finally interrupted him.
“Leandro, stop whining and tell me everything you know about that meeting.”
Maidana straightened up, pulling away from the wall, and looked at his friend seriously.
“You’re right; I need to tell you everything.”
Karinto led them to a more private room. They sat on a comfortable red sofa, with a glass table in front of them holding papers, pencils, and various glasses.
“Okay, what did you see?” Krauser asked, crossing his arms.
“There were a lot of people inside,” Maidana began. “Apparently, they plan to overthrow the president of the Circuit and annihilate the W.O.G.A.B.”
“That’s nothing new,” Krauser replied, uninterested. “It’s always the same.”
“Trust me, it seemed like a total waste of time,” Maidana sighed.
“No, no, no, no, wait. There’s more,” Karinto said, leaning forward.
“What more?”
“I saw a clone of Candado.”
“What?” Karinto asked, surprised. “Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
Both of them looked at Krauser, who had remained silent until that moment. He leaned forward and spoke in a low tone.
“It’s true. There are four clones of Candado, but none have been able to surpass him. Each one has the ability to emit fire, but not violet fire. That makes him unique. The flames of the clones are blue, black, pink, and red, but while they are strong for us, they are weak compared to Candado.”
“What background does the president have?” Maidana asked.
“Isn’t Candado the president?” Karinto asked, puzzled.
“We call him president because it’s a title, and it would be confusing to call him something else. However, to avoid individuality, he refers to the others at the table as ‘president,’ even though they’re all padlock. In Argentina, since Candado has been around, it’s the only country that calls its representatives presidents instead of using the official jargon.”
“Wow, I didn’t know any of that,” Maidana said, astonished.
“Putting that aside for a moment,” Krauser interrupted, “the situation is becoming more difficult to manage. The Witnesses are looking for allies. We can’t ignore this. They set fire to Buenos Aires. I don’t want to imagine what they’ll do to the country or the world.”
“Certainly, things are getting worse,” Maidana nodded. “Desza has been the only one to reach this level. I think these years of peace have weakened us, filling us with a false ego that this would never happen again, but the situation is spiraling out of control.”
Maidana observed Krauser, who, since he was first seen, hadn’t stopped sipping calmly from a cup while holding a small porcelain plate in the other hand.
“Is something wrong?” Krauser asked, noticing Maidana’s gaze.
“How can you be so calm?” Maidana replied, irritated.
“Relax,” Krauser responded with a smile. “I informed Joaquín of our position as soon as you passed out.”
“I’ve been asleep for two days! Desza escaped again, and you’re taking it all lightly!”
“I think you should calm down,” Karinto said, crossing his arms. “You’re still weak.”
“Of course, I’m weak!” Maidana exclaimed, exasperated. “I haven’t eaten or bathed in two days!”
“Well, everyone gets through their days as best they can, right, Karinto?” Krauser commented casually.
“Exactly, my friend,” Karinto replied, grinning.
Maidana closed his eyes in frustration and let his head drop against the wall.
“Hey! It was just a joke!” Krauser said, maintaining his composure.
“We failed the mission, Krauser. What are we going to tell Joaquín... or the agency?” Maidana slid down the wall, covering his face with his hands. “Just thinking about all the paperwork makes me want to cut my wrists.”
“Are you okay?” Karinto asked, looking at him with concern.
“Let it be, he’s tired,” Krauser interrupted. “He had a tough mission, was on the brink of death, and passed out. Obviously, he’s not fine.”
Amid Maidana’s murmurs and complaints, Krauser finally cut in.
“Leandro, stop whining and tell me everything you know about that meeting.”
Maidana straightened up, stepping away from the wall, and looked at his friend seriously.
“You’re right; I need to tell you everything.”
Karinto led them to a more private room. They sat on a comfortable red sofa, with a glass table in front of them, scattered with papers, pencils, and several glasses.
“All right, what did you see?” Krauser asked, crossing his arms.
“There were a lot of people inside,” Maidana began. “Apparently, they’re planning to overthrow the president of the Circuit and annihilate the W.O.G.A.B.”
“That’s nothing new,” Krauser replied, uninterested. “It’s always the same.”
“Believe me, it seemed like a complete waste of time,” Karinto sighed.
“No, no, no, wait. There’s more,” Maidana said, leaning forward.
“What else?”
“I saw a clone of Candado.”
“What?” Karinto asked, surprised. “Are you sure?”
“What he says is true,” Krauser replied without hesitation.
Both of them stared at him. He leaned forward and spoke in a low tone.
“It’s true. There are four clones of Candado, but none have been able to surpass him. Each one has the ability to emit fire, but not the violet one. That makes him unique. The flames of the clones are black, blue, pink, and red, but while they’re strong for us, they’re weak compared to Candado.”
“What background does the president have?” Maidana asked.
“Isn’t Candado the president?” Karinto asked, puzzled.
“We call him president because his name is a title, and it would be confusing to call him otherwise. However, to avoid individualities, he calls the others at the table ‘president,’ even though they’re all technically Candados. In Argentina, since Candado’s been around, it’s the only country that refers to its representatives as presidents instead of using the official jargon.”
“Wow, I didn’t know any of that,” Karinto said, surprised.
“Putting that aside for a moment,” Maidana interrupted, “the situation is becoming harder to manage. The Witnesses are looking for allies. We can’t ignore this. They set Buenos Aires on fire. I don’t want to imagine what they’ll do to the country or the world.”
“Things are certainly getting worse,” Krauser nodded. “Desza has been the only one to reach this level. I think these years of peace have weakened us, filling us with a false sense of pride that this would never happen again, but the situation is spiraling out of control.”
“Krauser, you really think about these things,” Karinto said with a smile, glancing sideways at his companion.
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Krauser observed him in silence before asking:
“Tell me, how were you there?”
“There? Oh, well, we were waiting for the opportunity to catch Nina.”
“Nina?”
“She’s the girl I was talking to,” Maidana replied.
“Exactly. She’s part of an organization outside the Circuit and the Guild. She’s considered neutral, not on anyone’s side. Generally, people like that aren’t a problem, but... there are organizations like theirs that follow Tánatos because they’re discontented with the Circuit.”
Krauser frowned.
“Wow, that girl could be very problematic. We’ll have to be careful.”
Karinto let out a mocking laugh.
“What’s wrong? Are you afraid of girls?”
“No, I’m afraid of danger.”
Krauser grimaced, almost resigned.
“Like everyone.”
Karinto raised an eyebrow and asked sarcastically:
“And what about you, mannequin?”
“Nothing,” Krauser replied, unfazed. “I’m death and terror personified.”
“Wow.”
Before Karinto could retort, a third voice interrupted with an annoyed tone:
“Stop flirting,” Maidana protested, crossing his arms. “Don’t you realize the gravity of the situation?”
Karinto, always carefree, shrugged.
“Relax, mascots. They’ve never achieved anything as opposition, so don’t worry about it.”
“Either way,” Krauser interjected, with a more relaxed air, “we can’t be serious all the time. Leave that to Candado, Joaquín, Declan, Ruth, or Simón.”
“And why am I not on that list?” Karinto asked, pretending to be offended.
“Who knows,” Krauser replied with an ironic smile.
Maidana rolled his eyes.
“Look, Krauser, I’m not interested in your jokes. They’re disgusting, infuriating, and not funny at all. Leave that to Moneda.”
“Fine, calm down, Leandro,” Krauser responded, raising his hands in surrender. “And tell me, what do you suggest?”
“I suggest we hurry to Resistencia and inform the tricolor agency.”
Krauser and Karinto listened attentively.
“We’re running out of time. We have to prevent these two things from happening.” Maidana continued, his tone laden with concern. “If Esteban is overthrown, we’d go to war against the Circuit, and this time, it won’t matter who wins. There will only be chaos and destruction.”
Krauser looked at Maidana.
“We need to take these reports to Resistencia.”
“I’ll go with you,” Karinto said with a smile.
Krauser looked at her with curiosity.
“Why?”
“This is going to be entertaining,” Karinto replied, shrugging.
The next morning, the group gathered at a central location of the Traffic Light in Buenos Aires, preparing to return to Chaco. While they waited to be attended to, Krauser couldn’t help but cast a curious glance at Karinto.
“Hey, don’t you have parents you need to inform that you’ll be away?”
“Yes, my parents live in Resistencia.”
Krauser frowned, confused.
“What?”
“Yeah,” Karinto explained calmly. “You see, I used to live here, so my parents sent me on vacation with my uncles.”
Krauser tilted his head toward the small group behind them.
“And them?”
“They’re also from Chaco.”
“Okay, I’m not going to ask why,” Krauser said, giving up.
“As you wish,” Karinto replied, with her usual nonchalance.
At that moment, Maidana returned with a folder in hand.
“Leandro, did you get it?”
“Of course,” Maidana responded, handing over the documents.
Krauser and Karinto stood up.
“Let’s go,” Krauser ordered.
Just as they were about to leave, a shadow stopped them.
“Excuse me,” said a familiar voice.
Krauser looked up.
“Schrödinger?”
The man smiled wearily.
“Hello, Krauser. Of all the faces I expected to see, and at the same time, not.”
Maidana looked at him warily, his hand sliding toward the revolver at his belt.
“Are you going to attack us or what?”
“No, of course not,” Addel replied with a reassuring gesture. “I need your help.”
Karinto raised an eyebrow.
“Our help?”
“That's right,” Addel turned to Krauser. “I need you to come with me. I’ve heard you’re a healer and a doctor.”
“Are you?” Maidana asked, incredulous.
“Shhh,” Krauser placed a finger to his lips, gesturing for silence. “That’s a secret.”
Then, he looked at Schrödinger with suspicion. “How did you know that?”
“I spied on you,” Addel replied, smiling. “One day, I’ll settle the score.”
Krauser sighed. “Well, get to the point.”
“Esteban has been unconscious for almost three days,” Addel explained, his tone growing serious. “And I’m starting to worry.”
“Why me?” Krauser asked. “Why not a doctor?”
“I already tried, but those damned doctors couldn’t do anything.”
“What if I refuse?”
“I’ll burn the city down, kill your friends, and…”
A mechanical sound interrupted his words. Maidana frowned, recognizing the noise.
“Is it a bomb?” he whispered.
“You’re crazy,” Karinto said, backing away.
Maidana drew his revolver and aimed it.
“Impertinent,” Addel murmured, remaining calm.
Krauser raised his hand. “Put the gun down, Leandro.”
“But…”
“Do it,” Karinto interjected, gently pushing Maidana’s arm down.
Krauser stepped forward. “I’ll help, but… end this.”
Addel smiled and raised his hand, silencing the noise. He then revealed his wrist, showcasing a simple watch.
“Loud, isn’t it?” he said with a mischievous grin.
“And the bomb?” Maidana asked, still distrustful.
“What bomb?” Addel laughed. “That was just my alarm.”
Maidana looked at Krauser, concerned. “Don’t you think it’s better to ignore him?”
“No,” Krauser replied firmly. “Knowing Addel, I don’t think he’s lying. You should go. It’s vital that information reaches the W.O.G.A.B.. as soon as possible.”
Maidana nodded, patting Krauser’s shoulder twice before leaving with the others. Meanwhile, Krauser and Addel ventured into the city.
As they walked, memories of past confrontations began to resurface, each word laden with resentment and unhealed wounds.
“Tell me, Schrödinger,” Krauser asked, “why are you and Esteban here?”
“It’s a secret,” Schrödinger replied, evasively.
“I see,” Krauser responded with a wry smile. “So, what are you looking for?”
“It’s a secret.”
“I see… Did you find it?”
Addel glanced at him sideways. “It’s a secret.”
“Is there anything that isn’t a secret?” Krauser asked, frustrated.
“Just ask your questions, egghead,” Addel retorted, maintaining his composure.
They finally arrived at the doors of a convent.
“Is this the place?” Krauser asked, looking at the building before them.
Addel said nothing as he opened the enormous doors of the convent. Upon stepping inside, he removed his hat and extinguished the white smoke enveloping him, revealing his face.
“Mind your manners.”
He then walked to a donation box and placed a hundred peso bill inside. Kneeling, he quickly made the sign of the cross, murmuring an Hail Mary and an Our Father.
“Do I have to do this? I’m an atheist,” Krauser said, lacking enthusiasm.
Addel stood up and walked toward a door on his right, without replying. Krauser, who had remained outside, glanced back for a moment, hesitating whether to follow.
“I can’t believe this,” Krauser muttered.
Finally, he entered the convent, took off his hat, and approached the donation box. He patted the pockets of his coat and chest, searching for something. After a brief moment, he looked at his left hand resting on his chest. He removed his glove and slid a gold ring from his index finger, placing it in the donation box.
As he tried to catch up with Addel, he found him waiting by the door, leaning against the frame, observing him in silence. Krauser nodded and stepped back, heading towards the altar of Jesus.
“Thank goodness Joaquín isn’t here,” he murmured as he knelt and prayed the Our Father.
Turning around, he saw Addel playing with his hat, looking at him with a mocking smile. He gestured for Krauser to follow. Obeying, they both walked down a long hallway with more than twenty wooden doors, each adorned with a cross. Addel stopped in front of one and opened it, causing a slight creak.
The room was simple: a bed, a desk, a table with two chairs, and a bookshelf. Esteban lay in bed, while a bald man with glasses and a prominent white beard sat beside him.
“Father Hank, how’s he doing?” Addel asked.
The man removed his glasses and replied, “The fever has gone down, but it will return. For now, he’s stable.”
“I understand. I’ve brought a friend to help us.”
Krauser stepped forward and bowed to the elder.
“A pleasure.”
Hank observed him with curiosity. “Don’t you have a face?”
Krauser squinted, revealing the little of his expression that was visible. “I’m a hybrid, what most commonly call a monster.”
Father Hank let out a jovial laugh. “Wow.”
“Don’t I frighten you?” Krauser asked with an ironic tone.
“No, of course not,” Hank replied, still laughing, extending his hand. “I’m Father Hank Maurice.”
Krauser nodded and turned his attention to Esteban. “What’s wrong with him?” Addel asked.
“I don’t know; I haven’t examined him yet,” Krauser replied.
Saying this, he handed his hat to Father Hank and extended both hands, one at chest height and the other at abdomen level. He remained in that position for a few minutes. Suddenly, Esteban’s body began to rise slowly, hovering a few inches above the bed, right between Krauser’s hands.
“Wow,” Krauser murmured as he moved his hands above Esteban’s head and left leg.
“What’s happening?” Addel asked.
“He has a clot of energy, both in his magic and his body. There are injuries to his heart and brain, but they aren’t severe.”
Addel stepped forward.
“Is there a cure?”
“Yes, you could say that,” Krauser replied with an ironic tone.
Just then, Krauser's hands began to break down, transforming into what looked like tiny parasites that embedded themselves in various points of Esteban's body: the nape, forehead, elbows, knees, chest, and abdomen.
“What are you doing?” Father Hank asked, alarmed.
“I’m cleaning and repairing his system. He’s been under a lot of stress and has accumulated a great deal of negative energy. His power is turning into poison for his own body.”
“What does that mean?” Addel asked with concern.
“It’s similar to cancer, but this one can be cured.”
After a few seconds, Krauser’s hands returned to normal, and Esteban's body slowly descended onto the bed.
“What happened?” Addel asked.
“Nothing, he should be fine now. I eliminated all the accumulated magic and made sure his system functions correctly.”
“Thank goodness.”
“Don’t take this lightly, Schrödinger. It’s likely that whatever caused this will happen again. He seems to be fighting against something.”
“It must have something to do with Guillermo.”
“His brother?”
Krauser put on his hat and sat down in a chair.
“I found it quite strange that someone like him was so affected, especially when he attacked Candado in the rain that day. He was very hurt, particularly by that conversation he had with the empty chair of his ‘friend.’”
“You’re a... YOU SPIED ON HIM!”
“I was prepared too,” he teased defiantly.
“NO!” Addel stepped dangerously closer. “You had no right; mess with me, not him.”
“I assumed it was a taboo, wasn’t it?”
“You had no reason to do it.”
“What will you do? Kill me?”
“Oh no, certainly not. What I’ll do to you will be worse than death; you’ll even beg for it.”
“I’m a monster; I’m not afraid of your threats,” Krauser said, leaning back in the chair with his arms crossed.
“I’ll make sure...”
“Hey, hey! Cut it out, guys. You’re in the Lord’s house, and my brothers and sisters are resting,” Father Hank interjected.
“You got lucky, phenomenon,” Addel said.
“Look who’s talking.”
At that moment, a girl appeared in the doorway, dressed in pajamas.
“Father Hank, what’s happening?”
“Nothing, my child, nothing.”
“I thought this place was a convent,” Krauser remarked.
“It is, but we also offer refuge to homeless people,” Father Hank replied.
“Wow,” Krauser said, in an indifferent tone.
Noticing his attitude, Addel decided to annoy him a bit. And what better way to do it than by giving him an errand.
“Slenderman.”
“Don’t call me that; I’m neither tall nor skinny.”
“It doesn’t matter; get some water. Esteban needs it.”
“Give me a reason why I should be his servant.”
“If you do, I’ll share a secret with you. A secret that Esteban and I discovered.”
“That’s not a good enough reason. Surely, when I come back, you’ll end up lying to me.”
“Addelándromechkrin Schrödinger swears it.”
“Your parents must have loved tongue twisters.”
“Whatever. Just bring the water.”
Krauser stood up and looked at Father Hank.
“Where's the bathroom?”
“The bathroom is...”
“Hold it right there, comrade,” Addel interrupted.
“What’s wrong?” Krauser asked.
“You won’t give Esteban water from the bathroom. Give him clean, pure water.”
“I’m sorry, but there are no mountains or mines here, and I doubt there’s a river nearby.”
“Why don’t you go to the kitchen?”
“What’s the difference? All the water in the convent comes from the same tank.”
“No, we have separate tanks,” Father Hank clarified.
“Don’t mess with me. And where are those tanks?”
“Let the girl accompany you. After all, the bathroom is in the same direction,” said Father Hank.
“And why should I care where the bathroom is if I’m not going anyway?”
“It’s not for you, it’s for her. The way she’s standing, it looks like she needs to go.”
Krauser glanced at the girl, and indeed, she was shaking on her feet. He then turned to the priest.
“Wow, your ability to read people reminds me of someone.”
“Who?”
“Nothing. Maybe someday, at some point or year, you’ll know.”
Krauser adjusted his hat and stepped out the door, holding a plastic basin in his right hand. He approached the girl.
“Take me to the kitchen.”
“Sure.”
The girl hurried ahead, taking quick steps, while Krauser followed slowly, unhurried. As he walked, he stared into space, observing the dim lighting in the hallway. Suddenly, he noticed the girl had come to a complete stop, right at the threshold between the light and the darkness that dominated the rest of the corridor. At the end, an open door revealed a brightly lit kitchen with a dishwasher and some furniture.
When Krauser reached her side, he stopped as well. The little girl’s feet hesitated to touch the dark part of the floor.
“What’s wrong?” Krauser asked, disinterested.
“I don’t want to go there. The darkness is bad.”
“How old are you?”
“I’ll be eight on the 18th.”
“So, this Thursday.”
“Right, I think.”
“Great.”
“And you?”
“I turned 13 on the first of July.”
“You’re big.”
“I’m glad. Now, can we cross?”
“No.”
The girl’s legs began to tremble, although her face remained calm.
“If you stay there, you’re going to pee yourself.”
The girl clenched her teeth and squatted down.
“I really think you should go. It’s only about ten meters.”
“No, the darkness is bad.”
Krauser manifested two tentacles that slowly approached the girl and wrapped around her waist. She was startled, looked up, and before she could say anything, he lifted her into the air.
“Look, it would be a problem if you smelled.”
With that, Krauser stepped into the dark corridor, first with his body and then with the tentacles holding the girl. Just as he was about to enter the darkness, she got scared, closed her eyes, and began to tremble while singing:
“Mama, mama, mama, she kisses me at night, tucks me in, spoils me, protects me (...).”
The hallway was long, and Krauser could hear the girl’s small, trembling voice, terrified. He glanced back, puzzled and curious about how she was behaving.
At the end of the darkness, Krauser lowered the girl and tucked his tentacles back into his body. He then leaned down and looked at her.
“Hey, you can open your eyes now and... stop singing.”
The girl opened her eyes and looked around; she was now in a well-lit place.
“What happened?”
“Go to the bathroom already.”
The girl reacted and ran toward a door that was there; fortunately, there was light in the bathrooms.
Once she disappeared, Krauser placed the basin in the dishwasher and turned on the tap for the water to flow.
“The darkness is bad,” he murmured. “Dockly used to say something like that a long time ago.”
As the water fell from the faucet, Krauser felt nostalgic, but he couldn’t enjoy the moment, as everything related to him made him angry. Hearing or remembering that name made his blood boil.
“Traitor.”
Those were the words that escaped from that monstrous mouth with sharp teeth; his eye sockets began to hollow out.
“Dockly, allying with someone as wicked as Desza.”
At that moment, he felt something on his arm. Krauser turned around and displayed his malevolent face, with sharp teeth and empty sockets illuminated by a red light.
“Are you angry?” the girl asked naturally.
Krauser stared at her for a few seconds.
“Tell me, don’t I scare you?”
The girl patted her head, her face, her cheeks, her chest, her arms, her thighs, and her legs.
“No.”
Krauser changed his face back to how it was before.
“Was that really necessary?”
The girl shrugged.
"I see that the only thing that terrifies you is the darkness," Krauser said as he turned off the faucet.
"Yes."
Krauser manifested his tentacles, took the basin, and lifted it into the air, placing it over his head.
"Shall we cross?"
"No, the darkness is bad."
Krauser sighed, manifested his tentacles again, took the basin, and then extended his hand.
"At least you could take my hand. If we cross together, I’m sure nothing will happen to you."
The girl didn’t respond but accepted Krauser’s offer and took his hand. Though she was still afraid, she held on tightly and kept her eyes closed as they crossed. Krauser, for his part, simply looked forward, careful to avoid spilling water from the basin atop his head.
When they reached the other side, Krauser released her. Not feeling his hand anymore, the girl opened her eyes and looked at him.
"We're here."
"Wow, you’re clever, kid."
"Casandra, not kid."
"Got it, kid."
Casandra looked at him expectantly.
"Krauser," she said with a sigh.
"Krauser."
"Yes."
"Krauser."
"Yes, that’s my name."
The girl smiled, which made Krauser curious.
"Hey, don’t I scare you?" he asked, pointing at himself with his index finger.
The girl patted her head, cheeks, forehead, arms, hips, chest, stomach, and legs.
"No."
"Are you making fun of me?"
The girl looked at her feet and hands.
"Not really."
Krauser covered his face with his left hand and chuckled. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a metal flashlight. He leaned down, knelt, and placed the flashlight in her right hand.
"A gift," the girl said, astonished at the sight of the flashlight.
Krauser stood up and continued walking.
"What’s it for?" Casandra asked as she examined it.
"Wow, KrauKrau."
"KrauKrau?"
"Will you come to my party?"
"...We're strangers."
"Will you come to the party?"
"You won’t stop until I say yes, will you?"
Cassandra nodded comically.
"Alright."
"Yay!"
Krauser, without stopping, pointed back toward the darkness they had emerged from.
"It’s for them."
Krauser arrived in the room where the others were.
"Hello, I’m back."
"I didn’t notice," Addel said sarcastically.
Krauser ignored him and instead lowered the basin beside Esteban’s bed. He stored away his tentacles and sat in a wooden chair.
"You know, I think this is going to drive me crazy."
"Why do you say that?" Father Hank asked while soaking a cloth and wiping Esteban’s forehead.
"I never thought I’d end up helping a Circuit."
"Me neither."
At that moment, Casandra sat on Krauser’s lap to play with the flashlight.
"Okay, frothy one, tell me what you have for me."
"Alright, alright, I’ll say it."
For nearly twenty minutes, Addel recounted what they saw, what they heard, and what they discovered. Krauser said nothing, only listened attentively, and when Addel finished, he responded.
"That’s what I needed, thanks, puffs."
Krauser exited the convent and paused halfway down the path. He turned around and waved goodbye, lifting his hand. Addel, Father Hank, and the girl waved back. Casandra moved her hand from side to side with the flashlight he had given her. Krauser kindly waved once more and walked away, hands in pockets, into the illuminated streets of Buenos Aires province. He looked ahead, showing his eyes and mouth, striking terror in most people and mocking the expressions on their faces.
"You’re not the ones who should fear me; it’s Desza you should be afraid of. Happy July ninth!" he shouted, bursting into a loud, reckless laugh.
Krauser had discovered something entertaining.