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“Because it's probably going to end in disaster,” he let’s go of my hand and runs his fingers through his hair, clearly troubled.
“Masse, I just wanted us to find common ground...”
“Forget it!” he exclaims, and I jump. “Now... I left my stuff at home. Could you maybe...?”
“Not again,” I tap my foot irritably, but Manasseh catches my nervous gesture, and I force myself to relax.
“The back door's open, in case you're not in the mood to climb through the window. My parents are usually gone at this time. You won't have any issues.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Another fifty pics for this.”
“Pleasure doing business with you, partner!” he reaches out his hand, and I cautiously shake it.
“You really have no conscience?! I swear, you're the devil himself...” I can't help but say it aloud, he's pushing my buttons.
“Better a naked Devil than an arrogant God.”
I know his comment is about Sami, as there's always been a parallel between them in my mind. A divine one, like the fight between good and evil. I suppose I don’t have to say who is the evil in this story.
I shake my head and run to classes. The new deal doesn't seem as daunting as the original, to be a guinea pig for his unorthodox experiments.
During lunch break, I manage to slip out of school and sneak into Masse's house with ease. His room, as always, is impeccable, and my curiosity gets the best of me, so I can't resist searching for that darn USB stick. So I start searching, digging through items until I reach the closet. A red velvet box on the top shelf immediately grabs my attention, and I decide to investigate it, but I can’t reach it. I scan the room for something to stand on and settle on the office wheelchair, which I climb onto and manage to reach the box. However, as I pull it closer, the chair shifts, and I end up on the floor with the box, feeling a pain in my left wrist and leg.
The unexpected weight of the box catches me off guard, and I end up on the floor, with its contents scattered around. Fueled by the fear of being caught, I hastily gather the spilled items, but I freeze when I notice a severed pig's head lying next to me, with cropped ears, short teeth, and popped-out eyes. I cover my mouth, desperately trying to not puke as the pungent smell fills the room.
My heart races wildly in my chest, and my palms sweat profusely.
For the first time, I come face to face with a “Crasnic,” the one of Manasseh!
Overcoming my fear, I touch the pig's snout with my index finger. My skin crawls as I realize that the skin is real. The flesh feels rigid, as if it's been stuffed, and a shiver runs down my spine as I feel its hairiness and recognize the scent of formaldehyde. I feel nauseated as the familiar smell fills my nostrils. It smells exactly like the lifeless bodies that come at the chapel. Glancing around the room, I see that alongside the fallen items, there are some beads scattered on the floor, resembling a rosary, and upon closer inspection, I realize it's my father's rosary, the one he gifted me on my twelfth birthday.
Damn it! And how much me and my dad searched for it.
“Why on earth is it here, in a box with a stuffed pig's head?!” I make a face and stomp my foot, feeling like I could just collapse in disgust.
Manasseh has tainted my rosary!
It's mine, I could spot it from a mile away, because that second bead near the tiny cross has LCW engraved on its back: Love, Courage, Wisdom. This rosary is made of amethyst, a stone I adore because of its purple hue, and it's also one of those powerful stones that shields you from negative energies. The fact that it's with Manasseh, hidden away in this stinking box, drives me crazy, so, I put it around my neck, carefully tucking it beneath my school uniform, then I toss one of his t-shirts over the mask, lift it, and place it back in the box. I try to be as discreet as possible, hoping not to leave any traces of my snooping around.
The mask is surprisingly heavy, and I struggle to put the box back on the top shelf of the closet. With a whirlwind of emotions, I head back to school, acting as though nothing happened. I pull my hood over my head and leave Manasseh's sports gear on the bench, not wanting anyone to see me personally giving it to him.
I wonder what Samael is doing now?
I miss those days when I'd sneak into his soccer practices and take as many photos as I want, without anyone knowing, not even him.
Damn, Masse!
He took away my only little guilty pleasure.
Photography + Sami = Perfection, I write in my math notebook, distracted.
My two favorite hobbies.
Because Saza's been avoiding me for some unknown reason, I decide to slip her a note during class, so she won't be able to dodge me. I watch as she opens it and reads.
Are you upset with me? I've written on the note.
I follow as she puts something down on the flip side of my note and carefully slides it beneath the desk.
