Black Blood

-B2- Chapter 8

I would look at myself the same way Elenor looks at me now, puzzled, conflicted and as if she sees water burning. I see myself in her, myself from a year ago. If I were in her shoes, I would think ten times about going with two complete strangers who have just murdered someone in front of my eyes. I would consider whether my current situation is so bad or whether I would want to take that gamble. I would follow my instinct, my gut. There have been times when I was faced with a similar choice.

If I had chosen to leave the Black Forest clan immediately, I would not be sitting here, I would not have known Novak and I would most likely be a corpse underground right now. Sometimes you have to take a gamble in life. Sometimes it turns out the way you hoped, other times it doesn't. It depends on how much courage you have to take that gamble. If life were boring then we would just be bored too.

With that attitude, I look at Elenor. Her eyes shoot back and forth from me to Novak. Sometimes they stop for a moment at Dumburt's body and move on again.

'Why me?' she asks. That question, too, was to be expected.

'Whether you wanted to or not, you met a lot of people and heard stories. Didn't you?' I ask her. She nods slowly and wraps her arms tighter around her upper body, holding the blanket in front of her breasts.

'We can put that knowledge to good use. Besides, I will never leave a woman in the situation you are in.' The realisation that I now sound like some hero is disgusting to my ears. I am not a hero or heroic. I don't do everything to fight evil and I certainly don't deserve a hero title. I am simply a woman who will not let anyone suffer the same fate that I have had to endure. It all sounds like heroic generosity but at the end of the day, I need her information.

'I can leave whenever I want?' she asks softly.

'Of course.' She lets her eyes slide over me one last time, sits up straighter and sighs deeply.

'I'll go with you,' she replies. A satisfied smile graces my lips and I get up from the bed.

'Do you have any clothes anywhere other than that dress?' I ask as I start walking around the room, looking for a covering garment. Before she can answer, I pull open the wardrobe on the right.

Amazed, I stare at the dozens of props in the cupboard. From ropes to whips, it's all hanging there. I look at the arsenal of gear with wide eyes full of amazement. I am no longer a prude but this is a situation I had not seen coming. The only reaction I can give is to stare in utter amazement. My eyes go over every product in the cupboard. I see things lying there that is didn't even know exist and doesn't want to know. The only thing they don't seem to care about here is clothes.

Slowly, I close the cupboard doors and turn to face the bed. Novak stands with his hand in front of his mouth holding back his smile and Elenor also has a small smile on her face.

'Clothes?' I ask slightly frustrated. That's the moment Novak can no longer hold back his laughter. His laughter echoes through the room. Elenor too does not hold back a small laugh before she points to the chest on the other side of the room. Should it be exactly the case that Dumburt's body and the pool of blood that has settled around it lie in front of the coffin.

I'm surprised no one has walked into the room yet. It will be the only advantage of a brothel, privacy. As long as we are in this room with the door closed, there is nothing to worry about. However, I realise all too well that we need to get out the door and get Elenor out of this shithole.

Sighing, I step over the body. My black heels step into the red liquid as I open the lid of the coffin. A copious amount of dresses has filled the coffin. I grab the first dark dress I see, unfold it and examine the brown fabric thoroughly. It turns out not to be a dress that most women on the street would put on. The neckline too is very low and the skirt does not reach the floor by far. The alternative ones are not much better, often brightly coloured or even less covering. I turn around and hold the dress up in the air.