Chap 6: The two guards
As Lug kept cleaning, he kept thinking about her.
He decided to ask Eno for more information.
He was thinking of a way to ask without appearing too interested.
But Eno made it easy for him by opening the subject himself.
« Miss Malda is really something. She could be resting in peace in Vonne or even Roseraies, but she instead chose to take care of the poor orphans of Valmont. »
« She is not their real mother? »
« Of course not, she is way too young to have that many children. She never had a child. Well… Almost… »
« What do you mean? »
« Eeeh… Keep it to yourself, Ok? She was the heiress of a rich family, but she didn't care, all she wanted was to start her own family. She married a nice man, and after some months, she got pregnant. It was a great happiness for both of them. Unfortunately, shortly before giving birth, she lost the child. After that she stopped going out, stopped eating, stopped talking. Sometimes our spirit dies before our body, and that was her case. Her body followed shortly after. After her death, the only thing written in her will was that she wanted to be buried here, near the orphans. In Valmont. She managed to find peace here, thanks to the children. They needed each other. »
Lug took some time to take everything in.
« How do you know so much about her? »
« Because she was one of the last to be buried here, about 50 years ago. Her husband kept visiting her grave almost everyday for years… And he talked a lot, and she answered him, even if he could not hear or see her. It was sad… But very entertaining. »
« He stopped coming? »
« Yes completely, quite some time ago. He must have moved on, or maybe he died, who knows. »
Lug frowned and crossed his arms.
After a few seconds his face lit up and he said :
« …Ok, it's decided. »
« What's decided? »
« I'll go to the city today! »
« Nice, to do what? »
« To buy flowers and candles. Bringing dome warmth to their graves is the least I can do. Will you come with me? »
« Up to the gate, yes. »
« Only? »
« Ghosts are housebound. »
« Ah… Ok, do you need something from the city? »
« Coleslaw. »
« Wha…? Ok, I'll take that as a no. »
« I'm serious, I don't really care about flowers, but I'd like some coleslaw on my grave. »
« It's the weirdest request I've ever heard… Or maybe the second weirdest. But fine, I'll bring you some. »
« Niiiice, thank you! »
Lug went to the shed, it took him only a few minutes to change the tire tube and clean the bike.
« It's ready. » He proudly said.
He then jumped on the saddle and rode his bike to the gate.
« You look great on this brave steed. » Said Eno, amused.
« You are jealous. »
Eno said goodbye to Lug just outside the gate.
It was the beginning of the expedition to the city!
The view from the gate was nice, the cemetery was located on a plateau overlooking the entire valley. Everything was green and all you could hear was the sound of birds and the wind shaking the trees.
Lug began to cycle down the plateau.
After just a few seconds his eyes were drawn to a large number of tents on his right side.
It looked like a whole army was stationed there.
This impression became reality when two armored soldiers who looked like giants ordered him to stop.
He braked suddenly, trembling in fear, almost with tears in his eyes.
Lug was surprised, confused and angry with himself for thinking that everything would be okay.
He already regretted leaving the cemetery.
Lug was a recluse, he had a lot of trouble with social contact. The idea of going into the city was a real challenge, but he had managed to gather his courage to go.
He had taken a step towards life. He was beginning to f ace his fears.
But reality quickly caught up with him, and it took the form of two armored giants.
« No one goes in, no one goes out. » said one soldier while pointing the tip of his spear in the direction of Lug.
The two soldiers spoke to him in very basic English.
There were so many words missing from their sentences that Lug had to guess what they were saying.
He could only imagine their intentions, and in his stressed state, they couldn't be good.
All this for some flowers, candles and coleslaw.
Soon, the only question on his mind, which became almost an obsession, was whether their spears could hurt him or not.
He was too stressed to find a reasonable solution to this problem.
It is the most timid minds that come up with the most original ideas, or in this case, the most unusual.
The tip of the spear was a few centimeters away from his stomach.
His plan was to touch the tip of the spear with his belly, without arousing suspicion.
So he decided to inflate his belly as much as possible to feel if the tip would sting him.
This led to a very strange scene.
The soldiers were looking at him menacingly, telling him he didn't belong here while he puffed up his stomach as he moved his belly towards the spear, his eyebrows furrowed with effort, while sitting on his saddle.
His body took the shape of a C.
The skin of his belly was beginning to touch the spear when his weight caused the bike to flip over.
Lug saw his life flash before his eyes as he felt his body fall onto the spear.
he saw no moment that made him want to cling to life.
Some sad moments, some difficult moments and a lot of boredom.
The only thing that brought him back to reality was the sharp pain he felt when the spear pierced him through and through.