9 Marigold, The Madhatter (1/2)
”It should be over this way!” Droh called out as he led Deus through the still-panicked streets. The main chaos that spread throughout the city had long since calmed down, instead replaced by an almost vehement desire for information regarding the incident itself, and what would come next.
”Once we get there, remember, let me do the talking. We never know how she'll react to seeing someone new like you.”
”I know, don't worry so much about it Droh. If it doesn't work out, we'll just have to think of something.”
Deus seemed almost too nonchalant, to the point of even causing Droh to be caught off-guard. The true purpose for his apathetic replies, however, had more to do with his previous encounter that resulted in such an unpredictable, unimaginable death. Such a thing left behind a terribly grotesque scene of murder.
'That was all self-defense… yeah. I'm fine.' Deus tried to rea.s.sure himself, only to be hit dead-on in the face by his own realization. 'Wait, what the h.e.l.l was that, anyway? Is there… like… someone in this place I can see to check me?... Wait, am I sick?'
”What's up Deus, you look distracted. Wait, did something happen? You didn't get into a fight, did you?” Droh asked in a concerned voice, bunching his eyebrows into a frown, ”The last thing we need right now is more drama.”
”No, no. Nothing like that, don't worry about it. it's more personal, I guess. Just trying to figure some stuff out.”
”Yeah?”
”Yeah, that's how it is. But enough of that, we should be arriving soon, I imagine. Can we get back on track?”
Droh gave out a puff as he turned back around with a brief shrug. ”Fine, let's just keep going. She should be close, that is if she's even still here.”
The two pa.s.sed by several storefronts as they finally entered the residential area, a place built out of old tin sheets that stood approximately eight meters high, they piled together to form these hut-like structures.
”Hmm…” Droh mumbled under his breath as they walked, occasionally glancing around from one side of the street to the other.
'I should probably look into getting someone else's opinion… maybe. G.o.dd.a.m.nit, why does everything have to be so troublesome?' Deus mentally whined to himself, being unable to forget the scene from before, his mind concentrated on that moment. The feeling of being sick, nauseous even, while all the while feeling as if his body was heating up like a furnace to an excruciating degree. Of course, for all of that to happen not only at once, but for it to result in such a gruesome scene like before had obviously been shocking.
'Wait, would this make me a threat to the territory lords? If that's the case, wouldn't they kill me if they knew?'
”We've arrived!”
Drawn out of his daze, Deus glanced toward the spot that Droh pointed, his attention landed on this old bunker-looking building. The walls were double reinforced with this old metallic sheet while several copper rods plastered themselves onto the side of the building, allowing smoke to puff out of them from within.
The door was the most peculiar part, being cast in old chains and nails, seemingly completely unwelcoming.
”Yep, it hasn't changed a bit,” Droh said almost matter-of-factly, his head nodded slightly as he stared.
”Yo-you're joking, right? This is a d.a.m.n murder-house… Are you telling me someone lives here? Voluntarily, too? I'll ask again… how are you even sure they'll help us?”
Droh could only chuckle in reply, ”Yes, yes. Come on, let's see if she's home.”
”Marigold!” The boy shouted aloud, all the while hammering on one of the metallic walls of the house with his closed fist. ”Marigold! If you're home, I need you! Marigoooold, it's me, Droh!”
To no one's surprise, a crowd had begun to gather outside as Droh continued obnoxiously shouting out to no reply, all the while still beating the walls of the place.
”D-Droh, maybe she's not home? You're causing a scene…” Deus awkwardly whispered as he glanced around, his face turned a slight pink as embarra.s.sment overtook him. He definitely hadn't mentally prepared himself to be thrust out into the public eye so suddenly.
”Don't worry, she's home… I just know it. Marigold!”
Suddenly, the sound of a loudspeaker began to stutter into existence as Droh stepped away from the wall, a smile showed on his face.
Bzzzz! Click!
”DrOh, iS tHaT yOu?!” A female voice shouted out to the surprise of everyone around. A blaring screech sounded as the loudspeaker faced an audio distortion that caused almost everyone present to immediately frown and jump back, clenching their ears uncomfortably.
'This woman is literally insane, isn't she!?' Deus asked himself as he pushed his palms against his ear-ca.n.a.ls, in an attempt to keep his hearing in one piece after all was said and done.
”Eh heh, hey Marigold… Do you mind letting us in? It's kind of awkward talking to you like this…”