The House With the Broken Heart [Pt.1]
[Being Chapter Ten in the Tale, The Only Way Was East.]
“Listen Fuegito, I know this is hard for you but you need to stay focused. You are going to see a lot of things in there meant only to distract you. The stone has already started to attach itself to your heart and it doesn't want you to return it. It is going to try and slow you down and distract you. Remember that time works differently in that tower. You are running out of time. If you do not get to the top of the tower before midnight then you are fucked. The darkness will take over your heart.”
“Will I die?”
“No. Worse. You'll live with no reason to live. Your heart will be broken. You’ll be driving down the road but with no music to listen to.”
“Gio, Stacey says we’re going to go in with you but we won’t see what you see. So you have to describe it to us so that we know how to help you.”
“Calluna’s right, this house has a broken heart, and you're holding it in your hands. Like all broken hearts it wants to run away from the place that caused it pain. It’s going to change this house. Mutate it. It going to make it seem awful to you. Don’t run away.”
“But, I…”
“Just keep telling us what you see. We’ll be up that tower in no time, and back in California. We just have to get through tonight. Just keep describing. Don’t worry, we won’t wake him up, Stacey cast a sleep spell. We can get through this right?”
“. . .”
“!??WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS RIGHT??!”
“…right…”
“Okay, well then let’s get walking.”
“Okay, so the sala looks the same as always, but I can see these shadow outlines of people. That's you and me talking to Jerry when he let us in this morning, but we’re all three of us just shadows. No faces, no hopes, just darkness. While you’re talking to him I can see myself sneak away and climb up the tower… but I didn’t do that … I don’t remember doing that …”
“It’s okay Fuegito, just keep following your shadow. Let’s go up the tower.”
“Okay. He’s walking up the tower, but I keep losing him on these windy steps at every turn. Wait… Where is he? Where are the steps?! Calluna I can't see you. I can’t see anything, I can’t find you!”
“Gio, I want you to try and take a breath ok? Close your eyes, take a breath, and then tell me what you see.”
“Okay, Okay. Still Nothing, not even you or Stacy. Wait, I see something faint in the distance.”
“Good Fuegito, go up to it.”
“It’s people. A whole bunch of people. They're white like ghosts and they’re all kind of glowing.”
“What else do you see?”
“They’re…
…fucking
All of them. There’s this huge pile of ghosts all fucking each other and next to them is one person laying on the floor in the fetal position. Oh, God. It’s me.”
“It’s okay Gio, just keep walking. Tell us if you see anything else.”
“I see myself again, but this time I’m a green giant and I’m huge. Must be sixty feet tall. And I’m just grabbing people below me and munching on them, ripping them in half with my teeth and smiling as I burp up their blood. God is that who I really am? Do I just consume people like that?
“No Fuegito listen it’s just a distraction. d’fd fibhg hdfd sigh you. ou’fd xo loxd, juxg kddp szlkinb udbigo!”
“Stacey? I can’t hear you. Your voice is becoming muffled. Hello? I’m scared you guys, I don’t think I can do this.”
“Can’t you ring your bells again to snap him out of it?”
“My magic won’t work in a place like this. He has to get through this on his own.”
“Oh my God. The Green man is turning into slime. He’s Melting into a puddle right in front of me… oh no. It’s an eye. It’s a Big Green Eye. Oh god, Calluna I can’t look at it. Don’t make me look at it, I don’t want to see it… I won’t look at it, I won’t fucking look at it!”
“Jesus Stacey, what is happening to him?!
“Por Dios. It’s the witching hour. We’re too late.”
“Stacey his arm is all black, fucking tell me what’s happening to my friend.”
“It’s taking over his heart. It’s begun.”
