Shadow Labyrinth Luz Caraballo flux was dressed in black, very graceful, shoes and hat the same color. His steps led him through a plain dry, very dry and hot, which only had a house in the broad horizon. The man could not remember how he got there, I was puzzled. A deep thirst attacked him mercilessly. His chapped lips and tongue stuck to the palate, because the stated principles of dehydration. In addition, a blind stitch, breathing on the right side, below the ribs, prevented her from walking naturally. What place would that be? Who was he? Why would there? I did not know, the physical discomfort was not allowed to concentrate to remember their own identity. were so thirst and confusion, the man ventured closer to the only house in the area. Needed, urgently, water and information: thirst and disorientation became intolerable. A slow pace, holding their place in the ribs that hid the annoying sting began to cut the distance that separated him from the house. As he approached, he noticed that the front was very old, with peeling paint, keeping the unique aspect of the abandoned houses. It was very large, although only one plant, preserved, despite the obvious neglect reflected on the outside air hints of greatness that had a glorious past. On the façade, white and gray, were crammed two large windows, without glass, partially closed by two cross-tables. The door was solid wood with a rusty knocker in the middle. The hit man, gently, three times, but nobody answered. Concerned, knocked three times, now with greater force. This time the door swung on its hinges, making a squeaking sound when opened. There was nobody on the other side.
When the door was ajar, the man stuck his head through the crack. In the room there were several things old, scattered indiscriminately. The mystery was locked in that dark and terrifying atmosphere caused a shiver ran down her spine. In the middle of the room was an antique table, wooden, carved with snakes coiled along each leg, which lay their heads on the horizontal surface. Supported by her was a group portrait, also carved by hand, which showed pictures very old black and white, with strange images appeared Product chance. The man stopped to watch some, hoping to shed light on their plight, but the pictures say nothing. Seemed to have illation: a hand bleeding from a deep wound, an old, sitting leaning on a shovel, a beautiful young man saying goodbye, the window of a bus, a crying boy, a snake with its back arched and made fangs, another young man, marking numbers on a telephone booth, a child sleeping in a bed with a man kneeling beside him, and many more, all confused, as one that caught his attention more than the rest: it was dark no definite shape, but with a wicked heart que le hizo estremecer. Más allá, en una esquina de la mesa, había otro portarretrato que estaba oculto por un pañuelo manchado, que no se atrevió a descubrir. Junto a esta fotografía, estaba un cenicero de barro cocido, desbordado en colillas de cigarrillos, que le inclinó a pensar que la casa estaba habitada. En un rincón de la sala, al lado de dos grandes muebles que también permanecían cubiertos por sabanas mohosas, estaba una silla de ruedas. Por su aspecto, el hombre pensó que debía ser muy antigua: sus ruedas lucían oxidadas y destartalas, y la tapicería del asiento estaba en piltrafas. Otros tres portarretratos yacían sobre la silla. Uno mostraba la fotografía de una niña, que held to a very fat cat in his arms, another larger than the first, set out a ballroom full of people, with an elegant young woman located in the focal point, placid smile, holding aloft a glass of champagne . In the third picture, she saw a man in military dress uniform, upright and proud, women embraced the second portrait, and among them, hugging them both, the girl from the first. "A happy family," he thought, seeing the photographs and asked what time would be. Suddenly, a noise that arose at the bottom of the long corridor he was leaving the room, they did jump. Turned the moment he opened his eyes to the fullest, but saw no one. Stitch in the side again to bother, it was dry as a pain attacked by successive waves.
was set in the hallway. Had a closed group on each side, except the last on the right flank. "I'll pass, he thought, maybe find someone to help me ...". The sound that had scared seconds back came from the room was not locked. It was a vague rumor, indefinable, that grew in intensity as it approached the room. When you reach the threshold he paused, wary, with a human voice coming from inside. Era a feminine, soft, warm, who spoke in broken sentences: "Today I keep a surprise, my love ... I'll make you very happy ...".
When he looked out and saw a furnished room in luxury, full of carved furniture, with a large oval mirror wall decorated with vases overflowing with red roses, yellow, white ... in the center was a double bed, covered by a purple quilt on it, lay quiet a very beautiful woman. It was the same ballroom of the picture. As yet I had not noticed the presence of the intruder, still humming tunes choppy phrases and subtle, the time spent, over and over again, a comb through his hair. She wore a white gown silk, cotton and wore slippers. Her face without makeup, hair, pitch-black, smooth and very long, fell to her waist. Her skin was white, soft, fresh, bright red protruding from his lips and black eyes tempting deep. The man was watching her, without saying a word, half because I was nervous, half because I was entranced by her beauty unparalleled. But in the end, thirst and the maze of cluttered thoughts forced him to play very softly the door to catch the attention of women. She, without expressing surprise, stared at him, and said, "Who are you? How did you come? "He cleared his throat before to clarify the sticky mud from his throat, he replied: "Do not worry, ma'am. I will not do anything wrong. I'm lost and I have very thirsty ... I do not know how I came to this place ... this is the only house around here, the door was open and, as you play and no one answered, I decided to go. I regret having done so, but I need help ...".
When he felt the sincere desperation of her words, her expression softened beautiful woman. "And how can I help, sir?" He said, returning to spend the comb through her hair. "First of all, I need to drink water. I think I'm ill, I suffer a dreadful thirst that let me not think of anything ... such is my desperation, which would have taken myself when I was in the room but saw no bathroom or kitchen. Could you ...?". "Yes. Yes I can, "she answered. But first tell me your name, and where is. " "I do not remember, ma'am," he said, as I said, I do not know where I am or who I am ... something must have happened ... strange. I thought he might have suffered an accident, or having beaten over the head, but I have no wound on my body ... it only hurts here in the side, as I've been given with a bat. Can you tell me Where am I? ". "You, dark and unknown visitor in the middle of nowhere. My name, because I do not remember, is Amanda, and I do not think the fourth in a decent lady is the most appropriate place to be making visits. I think a total lack of respect go to the private rooms of a house in which they entered without invitation. So, please, leave the room again, and wait there, sitting, I will carry water. My husband is coming at any time, and if found here in our room, to kill, without asking anything ...". "I have a lot of heat," said he. I feel like if I died ...". "But if not room is gone, "replied she, eventually dying in serious ... please do as I say, wait for me there. Since the water will take calls, then you can ask anything you like ... I think you know the way. " The man nodded with a slight movement, uttered a hoarse "thank you" and began to retrace the passage that had led him to that room. The anxiety was calmed down with the brief chat he had with women. Soon it would be nice, would give water, information, and maybe let him sleep there for a while ... had ten rooms in the hall, including women, five from each side. When he arrived the room was stunned, to see they had removed the stale sheets covering the furniture and that wheelchair sat a very old man, long beard and yellow, holding the portrait of the girl with the cat . On the other hand, clutched in his arthritic fingers a half-consumed cigarette, which carried a heavy blue smoke atmosphere. The old man looked at the picture with an infinite longing, sighing, head tilted, mouth open. Did not notice the presence of the man who, seeing him, had taken off his hat, and held it against the chest in a gesture of unease.
A sixth sense prompted prompted him to look at the central table where was the most pictures. All still there, illuminated by the faint sunlight that filtered through the holes left by the windows crisscrossed logs, which solidified on contact with the mixture of dust and smoke from the air enclosed and withered. The last portrait, which previously was covered by a handkerchief tanning, was now uncovered. The image was so disjointed behaved like the rest: it showed an old alcoholic, dirty and crazy, who watched his reflection in the dark glasses worn by a parked car.
The man shuddered to see the alcoholic homeless face of photography. It was a raw image, spontaneous, captured in an instant that all the tragedy disguised by poor reality. After a few seconds, he looked the old man's wheelchair, who was still lost, holding the picture of her daughter in one hand and a cigarette butt in the other. A man stepped up to the old man, without deciding to take it out of his deep meditation, and placed immediately on your back, expecting a burst of courage to show up. It did not. The old man turned to violence, and fixed his blue eyes with cataracts in man's black suit. "Did you explain," said the old man with a hoarse voice and vibrant, "why that sprung cancer of my body had to kill her? ... It was his daughter, by God! Nothing had made the poor girl! He killed her because she is a scum of hell! That's what it is! A being abominable, a pervert, the worst mistake of God on earth ... if only I had been here to help ...". At these words, he went back to get distracted, looking at the photograph of the girl between nesting tears in his eyes. The man, very upset, not understanding anything of what happened, told the old man: "Sorry, sir, but do not know what you're talking ... I just met with Mrs. Amanda, she told me to wait here while went for a little water to me ... Are you his father? "The old man replied, merely to throw the guy a quick glance that conveyed all the pain he had in his heart of thorns. After that, he closed his eyes, picked up her head back in his wheelchair, and sighed: "Amanda! Poor Amanda
...!" How difficult situation to understand! The old man was disturbed, and survived prisoner of his delusions ... and wife, Amanda, who did not quite come up with much needed water his grieving throat, and the information that would help him out of that dark place forgotten God's hand. I could not wait any longer. The pain in his side had lashed out with new strength, and began to spread to the lower abdomen and spine. As expected, took a fresh look at the room: under the gloomy shadows, the objects seemed to take a hint changeable, a set of barely noticeable changes, but ended up renewing combined total environment every second. It was all so strange ... Also, the condition can not remember anything, not knowing who he was, what he did there, or how he reached that fateful place, he carried the heart of trouble. "Better, he thought, I look for Amanda to ask her to hurry, I want to clarify where before exiting to a road or a road that leads me to populated places, and just know I'm leaving here forever, this site gives me vertigo ... poor old man, is in the final! ... I think I know more about what is going on, still remembering nothing, that he, as is drowned in its dark world ...".
The man turned to walk the long hallway that led to Amanda's room. The door was still ajar, but this time, there was no sound inside. Failed to prevent the curious to peek through the crack, but regretted from the moment he did. Inside the room was empty, without the woman, nor any of the items were there. The bed, the comfortable, the large mirror, the decorations, everything was gone. Walls, who minutes earlier looked white and clean, were now rusty, peeling, macules covering its entire surface. Standing before the bathroom window, surveying the surroundings, was a middle aged man, dressed in military uniform campaign. Sensing the presence of the newcomer, while looking outward, said: "I guess it comes to denouncing the new trick of the child ... do not bother, mate, I and know ... believe me I've done everything within my power to raise her well, but she brought the same indomitable character of the mother ... refuses to listen to me, each is scolded for her, a new opportunity to challenge my authority ... but this is the last time I do, I swear ... the will to repent for each of their taunts against me ...". That was too much for the man in black. The heart began to beat with an impossible speed, and strength of his legs bowed. He had to hold the door frame to not go headlong into the ground. The military did not add anything more, to finish his sentence, he continued peeping the periphery of the house. "I have out of here, "said the man, just started aclarársele vision.
Trembling with vague steps, the man moved across the hall, leaning on the side walls. Upon reaching the room, he found that there had also spent the same as in the room: there was nothing. The table, furniture, old, pictures, even the smallest object had vanished. In one corner, squatting, was a girl who is eight years. She was very beautiful. A long straight golden hair framed her face, white and tender, his eyes, a blue sky, looked at the floor, with a blankness of a sleepwalker. She wore hidden arms behind his back. When he noticed that the black man approached him, he became very nervous and started shaking. What could I do that little in a place so terrifying? Maybe he was lost, as he ... so without thinking twice, he decided to help her and get her out.
"Poor girl, she thought, is so afraid ... try to calm her. " He walked very slowly to the corner where lay the girl. Cleared his throat, wiped the sweat that fell in spurts over his forehead, and a tone hoarse, whispered: "What are you doing, baby? Are you lost? " The girl, still shaking, keeping the arms hidden behind his back, shook her short. "Are not you lost? He said "So you live here?" The girl shook her. "Do you live near here?" I asked him, and she responded with a third denial. It was then discovered he was carrying the same small cat in the picture. Fear flooded into the blood. "Are daughter Amanda," he asked. The girl said this time, fixing his piercing blue eyes on the man. The sting in the abdomen returned to harass, with greater intensity previously, forcing him to kneel. The girl, with a faint trickle of voice, asked, "Are you sick?" "Yes, dear child," he muttered. Feels like I'm dying ... Can you tell me where I am? "" Here, "she replied; me ...". "Yes, beautiful," said he, "that I know ... but I have no idea where it is here ... Do you know? "On hearing that the girl smiled, and said," Do not play ... you know better than me ...". The man, intrigued by the enigmatic responses received, he asked: "Do you know me, babe?" She opened her eyes to maximum tilt his head slightly and asked in turn: "You really do not know me?" "No, my love ... can not remember anything ... I do not know who I am or where I am, not who you ...". In saying this, the man managed to rise again, in a truce that gave the twinge in his side. She moved a little closer to the girl to see it better in the dim light of the room, and neatly detailed his face in a desperate quest to find a loose end that will help you understand the strange underworld where he had ventured. The girl, seeing that man approached, more guarded arms behind his back. "Do not worry, little girl," he whispered, do not be afraid of me, I'm not going to do anything. " "That's not true," said the girl ... I always get hurt ...". "Me? "Said the man How I could hurt you, my love, if you just know? Insurance confuse me with another ...". "You," she said, you do not want me ...!". "Listen, girl," he said after clearing his throat several times to clear his throat: never seen you in my life ... I do not know who you are and, frankly, I do not want to know. I'm really scared with all this ... I think it's best I leave. This place is grim ...". "No! "I begged the girl not go yet! I have a secret that will make me remember ...". "What secret?" I asked him, "Will you have hidden behind your back?" "Yes," she said. But I can not show ...". "Why do not you?" He asked. "Because I have it banned," she said. "Who forbids you? "I asked him," Here we are alone, girl, just you and me, in this house of horror ...". "You forbade myself," she said. "Me? He asked, surprised "If this is the first time I see you, my love ... good, total, and none of this makes sense ... to see: I give permission to show me your little secret, maybe you're right, and help me remember something ...". At that moment, she pulled her arms into the light, and showed the man. A putrid odor saturated, in a second, the room air. The girl's arms, in the past and pure white as fresh snow, they were completely eaten away by gangrene, in some points to excel bone on the infected meat, wormy and pustules surrounded by dozens of rotten greenish substance seeping. At the sight loss, the man felt an uncontrollable wave of gastric juices huddled in his throat. The girl, seeing as the man arched over and over again, unable to vomit, his face made by an act of terror, he said, "Why are you such disgust, Dad, if I did it yourself? In addition, almost does not hurt, look, until I can get myself worms ...". The man, still unable to control nausea, looked at the girl with an eternal anguish and nearly lose consciousness when discovered that she was smiling as he watched his arms broken. "Do not let your disgust, saying" Dad, "he continued, that even gives me so much ...".
The road to the front door was made eternal. I could not coordinate their steps, the walls, floor, ceiling, whole house seemed to be vibrating on its foundations. Fell twice on the way, and once more at the door. Concentrating all the energy he had left, managed to stand, and tried to open the heavy wooden door. It took little time to notice that it had no lock, knob and hinges, as if embedded in the wall. A male voice yelled behind her: "There is no door, you idiot, nor is there home! He eventually completed all ...".
Without hesitation, the man looked back at the place where the voice. There was nobody, not even the child was in the corner. He looked toward the door, which remained closed, and extended his hand toward her. Stunned, watched as his fingers crossed effortlessly. He closed his eyes, breathed deep, and crossed a long pass. Upon discovery of the place free of unspeakable horror and fatigue, he ran as he could without looking back, up to a crowded sector. He was surprised when they appeared, of nowhere, lots of buildings, streets, cars and pedestrians, in what was a minute ago and endless dry plain. A car passed him, very slowly, and the man could not accept his own image helpless in rear glass reflection: it was the effigy was found in the latest portrait.
