{"id":10902,"date":"2015-10-31T13:13:56","date_gmt":"2015-10-31T11:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/egophobia.ro\/?p=10902"},"modified":"2015-11-03T12:51:50","modified_gmt":"2015-11-03T10:51:50","slug":"mascarada-invinsilor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/?p=10902","title":{"rendered":"Mascarada \u00eenvin\u015filor"},"content":{"rendered":"

de Oliviu Cr\u00e2znic
\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\u00cei detectasem \u00eenc\u0103 de diminea\u0163\u0103 \u2013 veneau am\u00e2ndoi c\u0103lare, de undeva dinspre Sud, ceea ce \u00eensemna c\u0103 puteau fi din armata fratelui meu, sau din armata lui Herbert. Nu aveam cum s\u0103 \u00eemi dau seama deocamdat\u0103 \u2013 \u015fi nici c\u00e2nd urma s\u0103 le disting uniformele nu puteam s\u0103 fiu sigur\u0103. Exista \u00eentotdeauna g\u00e2ndul c\u0103 unul sau altul a dezbr\u0103cat un cadavru \u015fi i-a luat hainele \u2013 nu era mare lucru. Ce-i drept, pentru o observatoare cu educa\u0163ia mea, ar fi fost u\u015for s\u0103 remarc c\u0103 nu se potriveau unele detalii \u2013 o jambier\u0103 prea lung\u0103, sau haina str\u00e2mt\u0103 la umeri \u2013 dar p\u00e2n\u0103 la urm\u0103 morzii l\u0103saser\u0103 prea pu\u0163ine resurse, \u015fi solda\u0163ii nu mai erau acum \u00eenmorm\u00e2nta\u0163i cu efectele lor \u2013 dac\u0103 mai erau \u00eenmorm\u00e2nta\u0163i totu\u015fi.<\/p>\n

Gareth \u015ftiu sigur c\u0103 nu \u00eei mai \u00eenmorm\u00e2nta.<\/p>\n

Eram singur\u0103-singuric\u0103 la fort de aproape patru zile, \u015fi nici so\u0163ul nici fratele meu nu \u00eemi trimiseser\u0103 \u00eenc\u0103 pe nimeni. Ultimele \u015ftiri aduse de un negustor jovian vorbeau de avansarea armatei morzilor p\u00e2n\u0103 aproape de \u015ean\u0163, cu sus\u0163inere continu\u0103 de la Herbert Flood \u015fi Lorzii Estici. Pactul pe care \u00eel semnaser\u0103 ace\u015ftia cu morzii fusese ini\u0163ial un motiv de bucurie \u00een familia mea \u2013 Herbert nu era prea apreciat. \u00cens\u0103 cur\u00e2nd, Gareth \u015fi Geoffrey \u00een\u0163eleseser\u0103 c\u0103 alian\u0163a asta putea s\u0103 ne distrug\u0103 Casa \u2013 Esticii nu erau at\u00e2t de lipsi\u0163i de putere cum se crezuse, astfel c\u0103 so\u0163ul meu retr\u0103sese trupele \u00een Vest \u015fi Geoffrey \u00eencercase o \u00eenv\u0103luire, hot\u0103r\u00e2\u0163i s\u0103 prind\u0103 la mijloc corpul de armat\u0103 condus de Herbert \u015fi de Lorzi \u00eenainte de jonc\u0163iunea cu morzii.<\/p>\n

Am oftat. De c\u00e2nd morzii aterizaser\u0103, lucrurile deveniser\u0103 extrem de complicate.<\/p>\n

\u015ei Casa noastr\u0103 pierdea.<\/p>\n

Dar p\u00e2n\u0103 atunci \u2013 trebuia s\u0103 \u00eei \u0163in sub supraveghere pe cei doi b\u0103rba\u0163i care se apropiau, s\u0103 stau cu ocularul pe ei, deoarece am\u00e2ndoi veneau direct<\/em> \u00eencoace.<\/p>\n

Mda, aveau uniformele noastre \u2013 am putut s\u0103 \u00eemi dau seama c\u0103tre pr\u00e2nz, \u015fi p\u0103reau ambele \u00een regul\u0103. Dar asta nu era totu\u015fi o garan\u0163ie. Am mai aruncat o privire sup\u0103rat\u0103 c\u0103tre comunicator \u2013 nu aveam \u00eenc\u0103 suficient\u0103 tensiune s\u0103 \u00eel pornesc, vremea fusese proast\u0103 \u015fi nu putusem capta prea mult\u0103 energie solar\u0103. \u00cen plus, era foarte<\/em> nepl\u0103cut s\u0103 te descurci f\u0103r\u0103 servitori \u2013 de\u015fi bine\u00een\u0163eles c\u0103 puteam, toate principesele erau educate s\u0103 fac\u0103 fa\u0163\u0103 oric\u0103rei situa\u0163ii.<\/p>\n

Dar dac\u0103 puteam, nu \u00eensemna \u015fi c\u0103 \u00eemi f\u0103cea pl\u0103cere.<\/p>\n

Au ajuns sub zid c\u0103tre sear\u0103.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Lester Cath, se identific\u0103 primul la vorbitor, c\u0103l\u0103uzitor \u00een Corpul patru al lui Geoffrey Ice.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Sober Nombrum, zise al doilea, atacator de st\u00e2nga \u00een Corpul doi. Fost purt\u0103tor de arme al lui Iron Meschinul \u015fi spion aghiotant pentru Trupele de serviciu ale lui Gareth Ice. Ermengaarde Eyes, \u00een numele st\u0103p\u00e2nilor no\u015ftri comuni cerem g\u0103zduire.<\/p>\n

Bine\u00een\u0163eles c\u0103 cereau g\u0103zduire. Dac\u0103 ar fi r\u0103mas pe c\u00e2mp \u00een timpul nop\u0163ii, ar fi fost devora\u0163i de khazugi. Dar \u00een acela\u015fi timp \u2013 imposibil s\u0103 nu fi observat c\u0103 placa de identificare era nealimentat\u0103, a\u015fa c\u0103 ac\u0163iunea lor mi se p\u0103ru f\u0103\u0163arnic\u0103 \u00eentruc\u00e2tva.<\/p>\n

Nu aveam de g\u00e2nd s\u0103 le deschid.<\/p>\n

Probabil \u00een\u0163eleseser\u0103.<\/p>\n

\u2013 St\u0103p\u00e2n\u0103, se miorl\u0103i unul din ei, cel care se numea Cath, un b\u0103rbat lat \u00een spate \u015fi cu p\u0103rul lung \u015fi murdar, trebuie<\/em> s\u0103 ne l\u0103sa\u0163i \u00een\u0103untru. Suntem foarte fl\u0103m\u00e2nzi \u015fi am auzit un khazug url\u00e2nd la doi canteri \u00een st\u00e2nga \u2013 haita nu poate fi prea departe.<\/p>\n

M-am hot\u0103r\u00e2t s\u0103 \u00eei r\u0103spund.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Meseria voastr\u0103 presupune anumite riscuri, Lester Cath. Le cuno\u015ftea\u0163i c\u00e2nd a\u0163i semnat pentru \u00eenrolare. Aici nu e han \u2013 vede\u0163i-v\u0103 de drum, \u015fi s\u0103 v\u0103 ajute Tat\u0103l Ceresc, dac\u0103 o avea chef.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Nu e at\u00e2t de simplu, St\u0103p\u00e2n\u0103, zise lini\u015ftit Nombrum \u2013 scund dar bine legat, avea p\u0103rul tuns scurt \u015fi o cicatrice ur\u00e2t\u0103 deasupra ochiului. Geoffrey Ice se lupt\u0103 la Sud cu Herbert \u015fi cu morzii \u2013 zilele \u00eei sunt num\u0103rate. Purt\u0103m un filament c\u0103tre so\u0163ul Domniei-Voastre… trebuie s\u0103 \u00eei vin\u0103 \u00een ajutor p\u00e2n\u0103 nu e prea t\u00e2rziu. \u015ei \u00een orice caz trebuie s\u0103 p\u0103r\u0103seasc\u0103 V\u0103ioaga \u2013 un deta\u015fament de morzi zbur\u0103tori se \u00eendreapt\u0103 direct acolo.<\/p>\n

\u00cemi ar\u0103t\u0103 filamentul.<\/p>\n

Am cump\u0103nit afirma\u0163ia c\u00e2teva momente. Putea s\u0103 spun\u0103 adev\u0103rul \u2013 uniformele o confirmau, iar filamentul sclipea stins, ceea ce ar\u0103ta ca f\u0103r\u0103 \u00eendoial\u0103 era unul dintre ai no\u015ftri. Desigur, nu \u015ftiam ce con\u0163inea filamentul \u2013 dar nu ar fi \u00eendr\u0103znit s\u0103 mint\u0103. \u015ei Geoffrey, \u015fi Gareth ar fi reac\u0163ionat prea ur\u00e2t.<\/p>\n

\u2013 D\u0103-i filamentul lui Cath, i-am zis. Vreau s\u0103 fiu sigur\u0103.<\/p>\n

F\u0103r\u0103 \u015fov\u0103ire, i-l \u00eentinse.<\/p>\n

Sclipea.<\/p>\n

Da, era clar \u2013 am\u00e2ndoi erau din trupele noastre. Chiar dac\u0103 eram singur\u0103, n-ar fi avut curaj s\u0103 se uite la mine m\u0103car \u2013 planoarele luau imagini de interior la fiecare patru mese, \u015fi acestea ar fi fost desc\u0103rcate din pere\u0163i \u015fi ar fi ajuns la Gareth. I-ar fi jupuit de vii.<\/p>\n

\u00cen plus, dac\u0103 filamentul con\u0163inea ce sus\u0163ineau ei, chiar era necesar s\u0103 \u00eei bag \u00een\u0103untru.<\/p>\n

Khazugii i-ar fi m\u00e2ncat \u2013 probabil<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Riscul era prea mare.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Intra\u0163i.<\/p>\n

\u015ei au intrat.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

S-au purtat desigur umil, cum le-o cereau biciul \u015fi eticheta \u2013 nu \u00ee\u015fi ridicau privirea mai sus de genunchii mei goi, \u015fi primul lucru \u2013 s-au repezit la m\u00e2ncare. Le-am adus ni\u015fte b\u0103utur\u0103 \u2013 singura rezerv\u0103 se mai afla \u00een camera mea, a\u015fa c\u0103 le-am l\u0103sat suficient\u0103 la \u00eendem\u00e2n\u0103. Chiar \u015fi be\u0163i, frica era mai puternic\u0103 \u2013 nu eram \u00een nici un fel de pericol.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Vreau s\u0103 v\u0103d filamentul, le-am zis apoi.<\/p>\n

Schimbar\u0103 rapid o privire. \u015etiau c\u0103 nu pot refuza un ordin direct, iar ochii le deveniser\u0103 deja apo\u015fi de la lichidul consumat, ceea ce le sl\u0103bea voin\u0163a. Pe de alt\u0103 parte, Gareth s-ar fi putut sup\u0103ra. \u00cens\u0103 Nombrum se decise \u015fi mi-l d\u0103du.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Iat\u0103-l,… st\u0103p\u00e2n\u0103.<\/p>\n

Nu mi-a pl\u0103cut pauza f\u0103cut\u0103, \u015fi nici felul cum a pronun\u0163at st\u0103p\u00e2n\u0103<\/em>, parc\u0103 cu mai pu\u0163in\u0103 reveren\u0163\u0103 dec\u00e2t era necesar \u2013 dar am presupus c\u0103 era din cauz\u0103 a ceea ce b\u0103user\u0103. Am parcurs rapid filamentul \u015fi ei beau \u00een continuare \u2013 \u00een cur\u00e2nd aveau s\u0103 se clatine r\u0103u, eram sigur\u0103.<\/p>\n

\u015ei, deodat\u0103, am \u00eenghe\u0163at.<\/p>\n

Mesajul nu era cel pe care mi-l comunicaser\u0103 ei, nu \u00eentocmai<\/em> \u2013 da, Gareth urma s\u0103 fie atacat de morzi zbur\u0103tori \u015fi, dac\u0103 nu era anun\u0163at, ras de pe suprafa\u0163a p\u0103m\u00e2ntului, dar Geoffrey nu se lupta<\/em> cu Herbert la Sud \u2013 se luptase<\/em>. Conform filamentului \u2013 care era ultimul trimis vreodat\u0103 de fratele meu \u2013 la ora c\u00e2nd eu \u00eel parcurgeam, nimeni<\/em> din armata lui nu mai era \u00een via\u0163\u0103.<\/p>\n

Cei doi vizitatori m\u0103 min\u0163eau<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mi s-a f\u0103cut fric\u0103<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Nu am ridicat privirea spre ei \u2013 m\u0103 \u00eentrebam c\u00e2t<\/em> efect avusese asupra lor b\u0103utura. \u00cens\u0103 am sim\u0163it c\u0103 ei m\u0103 priveau \u2013 <\/em>se uitau la trupul meu gol cu l\u0103comie \u015fi poft\u0103, ceea ce nu ar fi \u00eendr\u0103znit niciodat\u0103 dac\u0103 Geoffrey ar fi fost viu sau dac\u0103 Gareth avea vreo \u015fans\u0103 s\u0103 scape.<\/p>\n

\u015ei oric\u00e2t de disperat\u0103 ar fi fost situa\u0163ia, Geoffrey nu le-ar fi dat niciodat\u0103 filamentul unor astfel de oameni.<\/p>\n

Nu exista dec\u00e2t o singur\u0103 explica\u0163ie.<\/p>\n

Mercenari.<\/em><\/p>\n

Fuseser\u0103 mercenari de ai no\u015ftri, care dezertaser\u0103. Care \u00eei uciseser\u0103 apoi pe mesagerii reali \u015fi preluaser\u0103 filamentul; aveau de g\u00e2nd s\u0103 se foloseasc\u0103 de el \u00eentr-o ultim\u0103 mascarad\u0103, intr\u00e2nd aici pentru a se feri de khazugi \u2013 \u015fi pentru a-\u015fi face poftele cu fosta St\u0103p\u00e2n\u0103. Nu va mai r\u0103m\u00e2ne nimeni s\u0103 \u00eei pedepseasc\u0103, pentru c\u0103 nu aveau nici cea mai mic\u0103 inten\u0163ie s\u0103 ajung\u0103 la Gareth \u2013 din start pl\u0103nuiser\u0103 s\u0103 \u00eel lase s\u0103 moar\u0103, \u015fi apoi cu filamentul doveditor s\u0103 ob\u0163in\u0103 adeziunea morzilor, ceea ce era o prostie. Morzii i-ar fi f\u0103cut una cu p\u0103m\u00e2ntul pentru tr\u0103darea lor, c\u0103ci nu apreciau astfel de acte \u2013 dar dobitocii \u0103\u015ftia doi habar nu aveau de asta.<\/p>\n

Iar eu, eu una aveam o mare<\/em> problem\u0103.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Oh st\u0103p\u00e2n\u0103, spuse t\u0103r\u0103g\u0103nat unul din ei. St\u0103p\u00e2n\u0103…<\/p>\n

I-am privit \u00een sf\u00e2r\u015fit \u00een fa\u0163\u0103. R\u00e2njeau cu bale curg\u00e2nd din gur\u0103, \u00eenc\u00e2nta\u0163i de ceea ce urma, de ceea ce sperau c\u0103 urmeaz\u0103.<\/p>\n

De ceea ce eu speram c\u0103 nu<\/em> urma.<\/p>\n

\u2013 B\u0103ie\u0163i, face\u0163i o mare prostie, le-am zis rece, \u00eencerc\u00e2nd s\u0103 calculez \u00een minte c\u00e2t timp trecuse de c\u00e2nd b\u0103user\u0103 prima can\u0103. Nu<\/em> sunt neajutorat\u0103.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Dar e\u015fti, spuse Cath, cu ochii \u0163int\u0103 la trupul meu, \u015fi f\u0103c\u00e2nd un pas spre mine.<\/p>\n

\u00cen clipa aceea am ispr\u0103vit calculele. Trecuse destul<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Le-am z\u00e2mbit.<\/p>\n

\u2013 \u00cen regul\u0103, atunci. Lua\u0163i-m\u0103.<\/p>\n

Se privir\u0103 suspicio\u015fi dintr-odat\u0103.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Ce este?… I-am \u00eentrebat. V\u0103 a\u015ftept!…<\/p>\n

\u2013 A\u015fa e, morm\u0103i Nombrum. Ne a\u015fteapt\u0103…<\/p>\n

Nu termin\u0103, desigur, fraza. Ochii i se holbar\u0103 s\u0103lbatic \u00een orbite, c\u00e2nd otrava \u00eei aprinse s\u00e2ngele \u00een artere \u015fi vene, d\u00e2nd drumul focului clocotitor \u00een interiorul lui. Nombrum url\u0103 dement, \u015fi Cath d\u0103du s\u0103 se trag\u0103 cutremurat \u00eenapoi, sc\u0103p\u00e2nd la p\u0103m\u00e2nt pocalul contaminat din care b\u0103use, dar era prea t\u00e2rziu, apa rea<\/em> \u00ee\u015fi f\u0103cea deja efectul.<\/p>\n

N-am mai stat s\u0103 \u00eei privesc cum ard \u2013 nu \u00eemi p\u0103sa \u015fi nu \u00eemi f\u0103cea pl\u0103cere. Am urcat \u00een camera mea, ascult\u00e2nd urletele t\u00e2nguite ale khazugilor peste step\u0103, \u015fi am a\u015fteptat \u00eenc\u0103rcarea complet\u0103 a comunicatorului ca s\u0103 pot lua leg\u0103tura cu Herbert.<\/p>\n

Apoi l-am aprins.<\/p>\n

\u2013 E\u015fti bine, iubito?… \u00eentreb\u0103 el \u00eengrijorat, cu pletele blond-\u00eenchis c\u0103zute \u00een ochi \u015fi o expresie \u00eencordat\u0103 pe fa\u0163a lui frumoas\u0103 \u015fi hot\u0103r\u00e2t\u0103. Am sim\u0163it ceva cald \u015fi pl\u0103cut cum m\u0103 invadeaz\u0103 \u2013 eram<\/em> bine.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Dup\u0103 ce s-a \u00eentrerupt leg\u0103tura…<\/p>\n

I-am ar\u0103tat filamentul.<\/p>\n

\u2013 \u015etiu, l-a\u0163i terminat pe Geoffrey. F\u0103r\u0103 asta, Gareth nu va \u015fti ce \u00eel love\u015fte \u2013 morzii or s\u0103 \u00eel fac\u0103 f\u0103r\u00e2me. Or s\u0103 poat\u0103 \u00een sf\u00e2r\u015fit s\u0103 se r\u0103zbune pe cei care i-au ademenit pe planeta asta, le-au m\u0103cel\u0103rit semenii \u015fi i-au tr\u0103dat. \u015ei mie nu \u00eemi va mai spune nimeni pe cine trebuie s\u0103 iau de so\u0163 \u2013 niciodat\u0103.<\/p>\n

Herbert se aplec\u0103 spre ecran. \u00cengrijorarea nu \u00eei disp\u0103ruse cu totul.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Iubito… de unde ai filamentul \u0103la?…<\/p>\n

I-am r\u0103spuns cu cel mai seduc\u0103tor z\u00e2mbet al meu.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Stai s\u0103 \u00ee\u0163i povestesc.<\/p>\n

\n

#<\/p>\n

Prezenta povestire face parte din volumul de colec\u021bie “Ceasul fantasmelor<\/a>” [Ed. Crux Publishing, 2015]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

de Oliviu Cr\u00e2znic \u00a0\u00cei detectasem \u00eenc\u0103 de diminea\u0163\u0103 \u2013 veneau am\u00e2ndoi c\u0103lare, de undeva dinspre Sud, ceea ce \u00eensemna c\u0103 puteau fi din armata fratelui meu, sau din armata lui Herbert. Nu aveam cum s\u0103 \u00eemi dau seama deocamdat\u0103 \u2013 \u015fi nici c\u00e2nd urma s\u0103 le disting uniformele nu puteam s\u0103 fiu sigur\u0103. Exista \u00eentotdeauna […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1098,125],"tags":[1099,1129,636],"class_list":["post-10902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-egophobia-44","category-invitat","tag-egophobia-44","tag-invitat","tag-oliviu-craznic"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6DakB-2PQ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10902"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10958,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10902\/revisions\/10958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}