A feeling of surprise was registered in Mors's mind. Not because of an error or the wrong way to the orphanage, not even because of entering an abandoned theater. None of this. A real surprise was inside. Some middle-aged man dressed strangely as a jester, and six young men and woman, all about the same age as the blind boy. But the real surprise was the following sentence:

-Welcome to the Shadow Theater, Mors. We were waiting for your arrival.

How did that man know his name? And how were he and other children waiting? As he remembers, he had not marked anything with anyone and didn’t remember the voice directed at him. Numerous possibilities crossed by the boy's head “Could be someone from the orphanage?” or even "Was it someone who had seen my fight with Gilbert?" But everything that went through his mind failed to explain what was going on.

Despite not seeing the costume in which the man was, he was able to hear the sins that were hanging on his silly hat.

The musty smell in the place was sickening. Even if he couldn’t contemplate the apocalyptic view of the place around him, the smell of the same place gave him a idea, that place was at least old and unkempt. And he was right.

Today's Shadow Theater is simply a broken memory of what was once known as the Municipal Theater, and also one of the city's ancient attractions. It was a big place, where hundreds of people would go every night to enjoy the famous pieces that took place. There were food bars at his door, offering the products to those who sometimes saw only the grandeur of this location. A majestic place, where actors, actresses, famous screenwriters and directors, passed their plays to the people. In addition, celebrities, politicians and people of relative importance got together to meet all kinds of people, big or big enough to enjoy those spectacular shows.

But the days of the shows ended, like the tents in front of it, were cut, the red carpets were broken, Like torn curtains, or wooden stage with cupids, The cabins were now just hanging on the walls. There was no longer any grandeur in this place, as it was not clear from the size, as hundreds of seats, although poorly maintained, broken and dusty, were still there. Also the old wooden stage. It was like a worthless painting, but it still shows an art that has always been painted on it.

The immense pain he felt in his body hours ago had ceased, not that the wounds had been healed. But the strange observation from the people made Mors forget his own pain. Being observed in a strange way was far worse than any punch or blow he could take. An aberration, that was what Mors was sure they were thinking.

On the stage, there was that first person who had spoken to Mors, a middle-aged man, straw-colored hair, curly, hidden by a multicolored silly hat, with four loud bells that moved a lot, A silly outfit, divided between blood red and moss green, his shirt and pants crumpled, torn and badly sewn, old tap shoes, made of aged oak, the man even dressed in this way, had a robust and unhealthy face, appeared to be much older than it was in reality. Yellowish brown eyes, and in the corner of his mouth, a malicious smile.

- Don't be shy Mors, join us, join us! - Said the man sitting on the edge of the stage, watching Mors's careful steps closely.

A strange sensation passed through Mors' spine, completely suffocating him. That situation was too strange, it was too dangerous. He should go away, return to nothing pleasant but safe orphanage. But just like what the password security, also the password curiosity. And a Mors, defeated by his curiosity, took the lead, going over to where he felt other children looking.

On his left side, six other children, three girls and three boys were positioned, in order of sex. The first one had a sweet and friendly face, it was clearly younger and more innocent, it had blond hair tied between two braids, her name was Amy. The second was a tall young woman with black hair and a ponytail, although she was thin, she had clear muscles in her arms and legs, a thin face with a suspicious and adult look, her name was Dáhlia. The third and last, was a girl of medium height, with curly brown hair, and on her face, she was wearing a look of ldoubt and apprehension, her name was Rune.

In the group of men, there was a boy with light skin and well cut brown hair, he was small and fragile, like a boy who had never been endangered, he was shy. Mors had noticed him, he was the first person to cringe so as not to see the blind boy's dead eyes, His name was Tommy. Second, was a boy in dirty and torn clothes, a street boy to put it better, he had mulatto skin from his sunburn, he had shaggy straw hair, his name was Vincent.

The third, was a boy of the same stature as Mors, had blond hair that covered his forehead, had strong arms, and an adult look on his face, his name was Caius.

And that was what was happening at the now retired Shadow Theater, a strange and unusual encounter between a blind boy, six children and a clown. And then Mors broke the annoying silence.

- How do you know my name? - Asked Mors curiously.

- I know the name of everyone here, Mors. I also know the life story of each one. - he said smiling - I know everything from your breakfasts, and even the reason of the blood that surrounds your fragile faces - he said, implying that he was observing what had happened to Mors earlier - I know, I know, I know.

-How... - tried to ask a surprised Mors.

- We were worried Mors, very worried, we were even forced to think about how tragic your absence would be - He continued to smile, with his bells dangling - But you are here, and we are very happy, very happy.

The Clown looked at his other six children, who were attentively and cautiously watching their conversation. Without any expression of happiness or any other kind of feeling except anxiety, denying what he had said.

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-Even if they don't show it, they are very happy. - Said the tinkling of bells - They are shy, maybe… This must be common in their ages... It must be, must be.

- Were you one of the other observers who saw me being beaten, doing nothing? - Asked Mors huffing a little blood at the corner of his mouth - It must have been a beautiful sight for people like you.

- Now Mors, don't judge me that way - Said the clown, with his false sad voice - If I were there when it happened ...

- Would you get your hands dirty helping a damned boy like me?

- Mors, I can give you a single certainty, nobody touches my characters - He laughed - And your violent friends have already had what they deserved.

And with those last few sentences, a little fear went through Mors, in fact not just him, but in all the children. That man, strange and bizarre, was by no means an ordinary person.

- What they did to you was a brutal act of this classless society, without tolerance for differences - He said in a strange way, even for Mors. it was difficult to see someone who had no prejudice, and that man said as if the differences were of no importance, contrary to what Mors had heard from everyone else until then - Ah! Excuse me - He said with a bow - My name is Scura, my beautiful children, and that's what you should call me. After all, being called a fool is not to say... Very polite.

-Please, fool, get straight to the point. I don't have all the time in the world to listen to your meaningless conversations - Said Caius, the boy with blond hair and an adult look.

- Scura. – Fool said softly, as if that had irritated him. - But you're right, Caius, I was losing myself in conversation with our pleasant Mr. Mors.

- I hope you found yourself, or else I refuse to stay here listening to your bullshit - Caius said sitting in a rude in one of the old armchairs.

- Can we sit down? - Asked Rune, the curly-haired girl.

- But of course, dear ones. Mr. Mors is already here. Settle down.

The six children chose an armchair and sat down, including Mors who took a while to find an armchair that would not collapse as soon as they touched it.

Only one boy, who was just the humble-looking boy, sat on the floor in front of the stage, claiming that "He wasn't used to sitting in such cute places" and that the floor "It was definitely more comfortable."

After the children were settled, Scurra stood up, doing a ridiculous jester dance to begin his speech.

- I have a proposal for you my children. Have any of you ever watched a magnificent play?

The seven children remained silent.

- Oh! So this world has already reached that point, sad, sad. - He said with his head down. - The theater is a great invention of humanity, an invention rich in culture, and it is very sad that contemporary society does not know how to taste this type of refined work anymore . - He smiled - But that will be passed on to all of you my children, you will participate in the last and most important play of the finished Shadow Theater!

-A play?! - Asked ponytail girl named Dáhlia, obviously outraged by that - Is that why you called us here?!

- Yes! Yes! - Said Scura smiling and ringing his bells - You all are going to participate as my characters in a magnificent play directed and written by me!

-Ah! That's enough for me, I'm not going to stay here to hear any more of this shit talk - Said Caius getting up and heading towards the exit.

- Wait, wait! - said Scura - I forgot to say that you will be paid! And very well paid!

Caius turned and faced Scura.

- How much?

- How much? – The jester gave a forced laugh, accompanied by a dry cough - We are not talking about money my friend, but something that no one will be able to offer you again!

- Crazy!

Caius turned away, and had already opened the door when something interrupted him.

-That will be the only way to save her, you know… - Said Scura in his last and sure alternative.

Caius froze, and thought about how that man knew about her. Reflecting for a moment, Caius asked.

- Are you telling me that if I participate in your stupid play, you will be able to save her?

Scurra clinked his bell in approval.

- Please go back to your seat and listen. - Said him jumping on stage. And Caius went back to his chair. - If you accept acting in my play, I will give each one nothing more and nothing less ... – The fool imitated the sound of drums, beating his hands on the stage - The fulfillment of the greatest desire of their hearts!

That last sentence echoed strongly in the minds of each of the children, especially Mors. An accomplished wish was something much better than any money, and from what he speculated, all the children wanted something, which is common, but their desire was so strong that they did not realize the strangeness of the proposal. It was like a man offering a chocolate to someone who had never eaten more than sand. It was as if a rich person exchanged all their money for a piece of wood. It was insane, completely strange and unbelievable. The appearance of the strange Scura was nothing on levels of strangeness, as far as his own proposal.

- Are you saying to all of us that if we participate in your damned whim, you will willingly grant us a wish? - Asked Mors.

- Exactly! A wish fulfilled for you all! - He smiled maliciously.

- Any wish? - Asked Vincent, the boy sitting on the floor - Like a lot of money?

- Anything you want, from countless piles of money, to curing diseases that our society doesn't even believe exists - Scura looked directly at the girl named Dáhlia - Bringing the life of a deceased dear person... - Then he turned his eyes for Mors - Or the cure of any kind of physical disability.

- Are you saying you can do all this?- Asked Mors, clearly disbelieving. - How?

- Like, my dear? - He laughed - How? As? - He paused - Just as I know the names of all of you, your deepest desires, and your stories in full.

- So you want to tell us you're magical? - Asked Caius laughing maliciously.

Scura was not intimidated by Caius, or any distrust of his guests, he simply stared at they

- You think I'm crazy don't you? - He smiled, so maliciously, that for a millisecond, he seemed much more than crazy but a complete insane being. - Crazy is this world which impose as many limitations on beings of imagination and fertile desires as we are. You have realized that your life is just a prison. - He shook his bells - I'm giving you the chance to discover what lives beyond the imaginable. And I can assure you that my proposal is not bad at all.

Everyone thought for a minute. It was a lying proposition of course, but what did they have to lose? After all, if everyone was there, they wanted at least something new. And the fulfillment of their wishes was something they should not refuse in any way.

- Acting may not be so bad. - Caius said thoughtfully - But if you're lying to us Scura. I swear to god you will deeply regret it.

- I'm not.

Everyone looked at each other, and defeated by the strength of their curiosities, and the eagerness for their fulfilled desires, made each one hit that unusual proposal. And nodding, everyone agreed. Even Mors.

- But then, what is the name of the play in which we will act? - Asked Mors.

Scura, as always, smirked maliciously, letting out a mixture of forced laughter and a dry cough. His sickly look entered the boy's spine. - The play is called “Scurra takes the world”.