part 18
When she was on the verge of being cursed by despair, she was distracted by the distant sound of her voice. With her hands out of her hair, Brill turned to the sound and froze to get a better idea of where it was coming from. The voice became louder as she stood still. And when her eyes were wide open and her eyes noticed the torch shining far away, she ran into the light from all her feet.
- Hey! Wait, please. I got lost and..." Suddenly, Brill slowed down, and the terrible feeling fell hard on my stomach.
Although it wasn't logical, she knew she couldn't expect anything good from a stranger. The man holding the torch turned to her, surprised by her appearance. His head, with its pig's face overgrown with an untidy beard, was crowned with a short, thick body. Standing a few steps away from the man, Brill caught the characteristic smell of gin. Her inner voice wailed about the danger.
The man jumped when Brill called him out, but when he saw her properly, he looked at her in a toothless grin. When he stepped up to her, the man raised the torch higher, looking at her face.
- Well, hello, sweetheart," he said, his eyes glistening with oil. - You scared me. You look like a ghost in the dark. But now I've seen you and I'll tell you you're not a ghost. - The smile turned into a carnivorous smile. - Tell me, darling, have you seen a Ghost run through here? I expect to get a reward for his head before others catch him.
Brill shook her head negatively, and suddenly she wanted to never run into that nasty guy.
- No? No, she didn't? You didn't see him there? Damn it. You know, I'd bet they'd pay for him, alive or dead. - A man pulled out a small pocket knife in passing. - I hope to be the first to find him. I haven't killed anyone so far. But I'm sure this ghost was like a thorn in the eye. I'm sure if anyone deserves to die, it's him.
Brill stood there like a paralyzed man, listening to this man. He obviously drank too much, and she wasn't sure how to handle him. Especially since he had just confessed his intention to commit murder.
- I didn't see anyone, monsieur. In fact, I got lost. Could you tell me where the way out was?
In response to her question, the man laughed; his mouth spattered with saliva.
- Well, well, where are your manners, lady? - he giggled, giving her a gaze of appreciation.
Something moved in the back of his eyes when he looked at Brill. His mind seemed to have a new idea. Brill was embarrassed to eat under his eyes. The man's eyes felt dirty and undressed.
- Those are the ones on! Doesn't my beautiful lady want to go looking for a ghost with me? I promise I'll take really good care of you," he grinned. Brill couldn't help but squeeze the makeup in response to the hint of his question, carefully preserving his impassioned face, even though everything inside was shaking with disgust.
- No, thank you, monsieur. I only want to find a way out. Thank you for your help. - Brill let the icy water that seemed to flow through her veins flow into her voice. She quickly retreated a few steps, trying to escape quickly. Now she was striving in the dark, just as she had been striving for the light a few minutes ago.
For a drunk man, he was moving surprisingly fast. He stepped forward and grabbed Brill by the hand, stopping her from escaping in a flash.
- You sassy girl," he growled, smelling of nauseating breath on her. - I'm making you such a beautiful offer, and you're rejecting it. - He shook her hand a lot, which made Brill's teeth go down. When he stepped forward, the man pressed her against the wall. - Maybe I'm not clean enough for you. - he laughed, rubbing the thumbs of her dress bodice.
After feeling the unwanted touch, Brill pushed the man into the chest with rage, gathering all the strength of her fragile body. The drunkard stumbled and retreated a couple of steps, dropping the knife, but quickly rebalanced. Once again, he did not pay attention to the cold threat in her eyes.
- Leave me alone, monsieur, or I will do something bad to you.
He just laughed, reaching out again to grab her by the elbow with his strong hand. Brill gnawed at his teeth and rushed to meet him. Her actions took the man by surprise: he expected her to shrink and recoil. Alcohol in his blood did not allow him to stop the movement. Brill was a few inches away from him in a second. She grabbed his then-soaked shirt and pushed his knee in his groin, using their common inertia to increase the impact.
The man's face immediately lost all color, and he collapsed silently. The torch came out of his hand and fell to the floor with a knock. Grabbing the groin, the man curled up in the embryo position. His bloodless lips finally burst out a weak squeak, but he seemed to have lost his voice.
Brill bent down in cold blood and picked up the torch, grabbing the wood tightly to hide the shiver in her hands. She noticed the face of her abuser; the smirk slowly crawled into her grey eyes, though she never made it.
- I warned you, you lustful, greasy bastard," Brill said with a cold bravado. - But thank you for the torch, monsieur. He will help me a lot, I'm sure. Now you can rot here in the dark. Consider yourself lucky that I am busy with someone else, or I would have ensured that you would also meet my dear brother. - Brill turned upright on her heels and rushed down the aisle; the light of her torch was dancing between the walls, casting a shadow on them. The cold-blooded expression on her face instantly melted, revealing a longstanding panic. "Oh, my God... He almost..."
to be continued...