The wind and snow felt like countless tiny knives, cutting into Reno's face, causing unbearable stinging. Yet, he didn't put down his protective mask. Instead, he unbuttoned his coat, letting the wind embrace his outstretched arms as if welcoming the snow into his embrace.
In his mind, that voice hadn't disappeared; it continued to dissect his soul like a ghost with a surgical knife.
"Self-torture won't relieve your pain."
"Shut up!"
Reno covered his ears.
"The only way to relieve pain is to face it! Go and kill them, and everything will vanish into thin air."
"I won't kill anyone!"
"How will you avenge your mother then?"
"My mother is already dead. Even if I killed him, what would change? Why do you always want me to kill?"
"Open your eyes, blind man. This is a dog-eat-dog world. If you don't eat others, you'll be eaten! It's really unfortunate that I'm trapped in a body like yours!"
"What are you? Why are you in my head?"
"I am you."
"You are not me!"
"I share the same body, the same memories. You are Reno, how am I not Reno?"
"Because I won't kill, and you want me to kill."
Suddenly, Reno rushed to the roadside, facing the stone wall, and crashed into it. The world spun, and he collapsed in the snow. The icy snow filled his mouth and nose, cooling his fevered forehead.
The voice sighed.
"So cruel to yourself, yet so weak with others. Fine, I won't speak. You better go make some money to pay off your debts. Goodbye."
As Reno rose from the snow, he saw several pairs of astonished eyes around him. Wiping the blood from his forehead and applying snow to it, he pushed past the children blocking his way and staggered off.
Madman! Lunatic! Fool!
The group of children's laughter echoed behind him, followed by snowballs landing on his head and back. Reno turned, his face contorted, raising his fist. The children scattered like startled birds and animals.
He slowed his pace, removed his mask, wrapped his cloak tightly around him, and merged with the other travelers in the snow and wind.
The cold crept into his body, climbing into his heart.
He seemed to be trapped in a terrible hallucination. The voice was so real, almost like another person.
Was he truly on the path to madness?
In his memory, Salem had once housed a group of madmen.
They lived in cellars, often muttering to themselves on the streets or wandering like withered grass.
They were unkempt, with swollen faces and terrifying appearances. They often rambled about incomprehensible words: science, civilization, freedom, degeneration, tyranny, slavery, revolution...
They were often the targets of children's mockery and attacks, but some elders and women offered them tribute, calling them prophets or servants of the gods, seeking guidance.
Later, overnight, these people all disappeared. It was said that the church had sent them all to the stake.
Thinking of this, he took a deep breath. He still bore the heavy responsibility of caring for his sister. He couldn't afford to act recklessly like before. Once labeled a madman, it would be very dangerous.
ŞİMDİ OKUDUĞUN
Crossing Souls
Fantastik"Crossed Souls" is a gripping post-apocalyptic novel that tells the story of two contrasting characters, the treasure hunter Reno and the princess Selena, and how their paths intersect in the pursuit of their respective goals, leading them to a forg...
