“I hope that life brings you nice things Caleb,” Emily’s voice became sweet for the first time, but in her eyes, he saw a darkness that was about to devour him. “Hopefully, we’ll see each other again.
Caleb didn’t like that farewell. It gave him the willies. It’s true that he had never been dumb, but in the months that he had passed with Jones, Caleb had evolved. He had learned and few things would escape his notice. Emily’s behavior alarmed him.
A man with white hair and a surly aspect opened the small door of the carriage so he could enter. He placed Caleb’s luggage in a secure place and sat in front to lead the horses to their destination. He didn’t say a word or spare him a glance.
Along the way, Caleb realized that he was a little worried. He hadn’t had time to assimilate anything. The day had been completely chaotic. Jones had died suddenly, and Emily accused him of having a debt with her for the cost of his care. His debt had been paid by a man who they simply called the count and he was told that they had met in the past. However, he didn’t remember meeting him and Caleb’s memory was better than many.
Absolutely nothing made sense...
They left the city without him noticing. He was so concentrated on his thoughts that he didn’t notice the green color of the outside landscape. The rain that fell also made it difficult to see anything. Then the carriage stopped abruptly and Caleb fell against the suitcase that rested quietly on the front seat. The driver opened the door abruptly and reaching inside held out his arm as if he were a bird ready to give Caleb shelter under his cloak. Caleb refused with a gesture and went outside to feel the rain falling over his body. He hoped that it would bring him out of his bewilderment.
The mansion was three times larger than that of Jones, although that was not unusual. The houses outside of the city that belonged to men with titles, had those features. They were surrounded by fields, as far as the eye could see, and there were some small buildings where they would surely find animals and employees.
As soon as the door opened the smell of luxury came to Caleb.
“Welcome.”
Upon entering inside, he found a man standing in front of the door, in a dominant position and with a quiet countenance. He wasn’t as old as Caleb had thought. He must be nearing forty and was looked well. There were obvious signs that he had never done any physical work a day in his life. Although, many lords who resided in the country had wealth and titles their skin was tanned, with this individual that wasn’t the case.
He had black eyes. A dark color that glowed with the soft light that illuminated them. He was physically strong compared to others who were frail or who appeared robust because they spent the day eating without lifting a finger.
Yes, he definitely had an elegant bearing that would make him stand out anywhere. After watching him, Caleb reaffirmed his thoughts, he was sure he’d never seen him before. He would have remembered such an imposing man no matter what.
“Good afternoon,” Caleb greeted him courteously and unsmiling. “I was told that we had been introduced, but I don’t think that is correct.”
“So,” he replied turning away to one side and indicated with a gesture for Caleb to follow him down a hallway. “It seems that our little Emily has confused things.”
A large room full of strange objects appeared before them. Caleb looked at all directions and discovered that the man traveled continuously. All the exhibits in the room belonged to different countries and cultures. They sat in two large armchairs near the fire and one of the stewards rushed in bringing two generously filled wine glasses for them both. Caleb never drank, but Jones had taught him that in high society it was offensive to refuse a drink invitation. They took several sips without saying a word, looking at each other and analyzing. There was something about the man that Caleb didn’t like. The force of his gaze illuminated by the powerful fire was too intense. To the point of causing the appearance of a small and unusual knot in the pit of Caleb’s stomach.
“I saw you on several occasions,” the man suddenly blurted out after a few awkward minutes of silence. “I usually go to town to attend to business and meetings. I thought you that you were a boy that was … very faithful,” he added.
“Jones was a good man.”
“Yes, I completely agree. Emily told me what happened. It is a real tragedy.”
He didn’t have to be very smart to read the man’s expression and know that he’d just lied. The death of Jones’s meant nothing to him.
“I thought it was a waste to let a young man with so much potential stay in the shadows.”
Caleb stared at him and wondered whether it would be proper to ask him what would be his role there, but the count simply raised his wineglass. His thin lips stretched into a smile, he took a long sip and then licked his lips in satisfaction.
“They have prepared a room for you. It has been a long day and I suspect that you’re exhausted. Go rest, tomorrow we’ll continue the conversation. André!”
The same butler who brought them the drinks appeared from the shadows to politely take Caleb upstairs. When they left the room and closed the door behind them a door located to the side opened to let another man in. He was in his twenties, well dressed and smiling.
“He’s a complete surprise,” he crooned flopping onto the couch that Caleb had occupied seconds before.
“I already told you.”
“I thought that you were exaggerating. He’s the best boy that you’ve brought, ever.” He made a point of lifting a finger. “It will be ... interesting and wonderful.”
“Ah ... certainly yes. We’ll make sure of it.”
Caleb woke up before dawn, even before the rooster crowed. He stared at the gleaming white ceiling of his room. He hadn’t slept that badly in a long time. He didn’t like this place. He didn’t feel comfortable, but he didn’t have another option. Caleb thought that maybe he could come to some agreement with the count about his situation and they had not even informed him of his “debt”.
He met with the master of the house at breakfast. With a polite greeting, Caleb sat in the place that was indicated and drank his tea without making a sound, patiently waiting for the count to speak.
“Well, I guess you would like to know what your task will be today.” Caleb looked up and nodded. “For the time being, you’ll be my assistant. Don’t worry. Your tasks will be simple and easy. Can you read and write?” Caleb nodded again. “Good. You will see to my papers. You’ll sort them, clear my accounts and a little bit more.
“I’ll strive to be efficient,” Caleb murmured and once again stared at the elegant wine glass he held.
“I don’t doubt that you will. For now, you can use the morning as you please. I have to go to London. We’ll start this afternoon.”
The count rose and approached the butler to grab a thick coat. Then he went straight to the entrance, where the white-haired driver was waiting. When he was alone, Caleb let out a soft sigh, as if he’d finally be rid of an invisible burden that had made it difficult to breathe. He was sixteen, but he was able to differentiate between his own feelings and what his mind was trying to tell him.
“Excuse me.” Caleb entered the kitchen and a jolly looking woman froze when she saw him bring in the dishes that were used for breakfast.
“You’re new.” She came close to help him. “You’re just a boy. How old are you?”
“Sixteen, ma’am.”
“You’re the same age as my son,” she whispered, her eyes shining intensely. “I ... I’ll take care of this, please go.”
Before leaving he turned to see the woman. From one moment to the next she was agitated and Caleb had the feeling during the seconds in which they stared at each other in silence that she wanted to tell him something. He saw that when she placed the plates and cups in a stack in the water her hands were shaking.
♫♫♫
The sec
ond Saturday arrived so quickly that Caleb did not even notice. He had been completely focused on doing his tasks to keep his mind busy because since he had arrived at the mansion a week and a half ago, his thoughts were strange and uncontrollable. He had sinister dreams that made him break out into a cold and uncomfortable sweat.
That day the rain fell hard and raised strong odors from the wet earth. The air began to turn cold at the approach of a fierce winter and the guests began to arrive after lunch. A small group of four men chatted in the main hall laughing. Their wine glasses were overflowing and a hot fire embraced them. Caleb, as an employee stayed away at the proper distance to not attract attention. However, it didn’t seem that he succeeded. Caleb was aware of the furtive glances directed at him. Smiling faces that made him squint his eyes on more than one occasion. At the request of the count, he went to the kitchen to see how the preparations for dinner were coming along. He found Angy more nervous than usual. He helped her when she dropped a plate and a pair of glasses that she had just cleaned. Her rough hands were full of callouses and trembled intensely and her eyes shone with a veil of sadness.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she seemed to choke on the word. She cleared her throat and let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Caleb.”
He patted her on the back and picked up broken pieces. With her trembling hands, the woman would surely end up cutting her hands and having them all day in dirty water would end up causing an infection in the good-natured woman. When she finally stood alone again, Angy leaned against the sturdy wooden table where the food was prepared. Her hands were not the only thing quivering. Her whole body shook. She clenched her fists and silenced her voice. She could not, should not speak or the count...
With the clouds and the passage of time, the outside suddenly plunged into a sinister and terrifying darkness. As the wind blew, it brought with it more heavy clouds that were about to touch the hard stone walls. After serving the dinner guests, Caleb apologized and withdrew claiming he had a migraine. Although it was still early he got into bed feeling tired. His body was complaining as if he’d done a lot of physical work but in fact was due to the sustained tension of his muscles. He wasn’t aware of how tense he’d been until he relaxed. The silence of the night broke completely with a sudden roar. The clouds began to carry out their duties with thunder and lightning that illuminated the entire house. Caleb shifted on the bed without waking until a sharp jerk brought him to reality.
“What’s happening,” he screamed.
A hand gripped his shoulder, then another covered mouth, followed by another hand positioning itself on his leg. What the hell was going? A new rumble broke the sky with a strong bluish light and he saw all of the guests grabbing him around his bed so that he could not move. The count stood quietly at the foot of the bed with a grim smile on his face and hands resting behind his back. The count was enjoying fully the exquisite show. While Caleb tried to resist with all his strength, fighting four men at the same time was impossible for him. They were ten or fifteen years older than him and the oldest was the one who had just betrayed him.
He had not processed it all and his heart sank when they lifted him into the air with his mouth tightly covered so he didn’t wake up all of the employees. Although that wouldn’t have helped much. Interfering would cause them serious problems and everyone knew that.
Caleb heard laughter and whispers that he couldn’t understand as his attention was focused on trying to break free. They carried him up some narrow stairs that he had never climbed toward the tower and where he knew no one went on the count’s orders. Where they going to kill him? Torture? To sacrifice, perhaps? It didn’t make sense.
The clang of a door opening suddenly made him tense without warning. Then they threw him to the ground face first without giving time to breathe oxygen. Caleb felt someone sit on the lower part of his back, grab him and tie his hands.
“What are you doing?” Caleb shouted with the gag silencing his voice.
“Taking off your gag,” an unknown voice said, “we can’t hear you scream with it on.”
Several men laughed at the disturbing revelation. That didn’t sound good, it wasn’t!
A hand with a bestial strength grabbed, intertwining furious fingers in Caleb’s hair. He lifted his head as much as possible to see Caleb’s furious expression.
“Did you think I brought you here just to take care of my papers?” asked the count with some disappointment. “When I saw you with Jones I knew what I would do to you boy. Emily paved my way and shortened the time when she came in search of a poison to kill her father. The only condition was that she give you to me. She sold you and I will make good use of you.
“We will,” corrected one of the men.
“Damn sadists,” Caleb snapped. “I have nothing to do with your sects.”
Caleb committed an unforgivable mistake in believing that they belonged to some obscure cult. In recent months becoming a member of those secret societies had become fashionable among high society. He was mistaken and realized it too late. It wasn’t until the moment when a nasty moisture touched his neck that he realized what was really happening. He wasn’t going to be a human sacrifice. They would not kill him or exsanguinate him in honor of some exotic dark God, no ... his body was all they wanted.
“Have you gone mad?” Caleb’s voice trembled for the first time. Too shocked, too confused.
“Oh yes, for you little one.” Another of the men bent to touch Caleb’s cheek with a finger. A shiver ran down to Caleb’s toes.
“Surely, they have told you more than once,” another unknown voice said. “You’re attractive, your serious manner and coldness are very attractive. You’re the perfect person to break and that causes a joy that I cannot help wanting to feel.”
Caleb desperately tried to break free. He felt things he didn’t like, dark feelings that made him sweat. He was remembering his childhood. The fear and sadness caused by his mother, which he had managed lock in the depths of his heart and now resurfaced to haunt him.
The roar of the lightning failed to hide the sound of his rending clothes and the gasps of impatience that seemed to stick repulsively in his ear. Suddenly, he felt a chill on his back that shocked him and he couldn’t think. A hand ran slowly from his neck, down to his waistband. They yanked him up to his knees. Caleb was fighting fiercely to prevent them from removing his clothes. However, it was five men against one. Two hands gripped his hips and the hand still holding his pants pulled tearing them. Caleb was on wobbly knees that could barely keep him up. It could not be, could not be happening ... With his cheek pressed against the dirty cold stone floor, Caleb began to feel the moisture of his tears. Tears that he had sworn he would never shed again. But the situation was more than he could bear.
“How sweet,” said the count. “We can presume, and I include Caleb, that it is the first time we can enjoy something so beautiful and perfect. You must be proud to unleash anyone’s passion.”
“I agree,” murmured another pair of voices in response.
They were enjoying their perversion. The sight of his body and touching his skin. All those hands on him made Caleb’s stomach heave and he wanted to throw up that night’s dinner
To feel proud of that? Never! He memorized their faces and someday would take revenge on them. They would be at the top of his list.
While Caleb cursed them and thought about how to carry out his revenge a deep pain pierced him and the air escaped his lungs. He was in such pain. Nothing had ever caused him so much physical pain. One after another they rammed into him until they were completely satisfied. While Caleb’s body continued to resist. They were full of wonder because it was the first time any of the boys they had used, had endured without falling unconscious.
Caleb felt the painful throb of each muscle, coursing twinges, delicate hands that still touched and repulsed him. Caleb wanted to die, wanted to cease
to exist at the time, but the smell of rain and persistent rumblings of thunder falling on the ground told him he was still alive. That he would still live after that. When he was released, he slowly slid down to the cold stone floor. He could hear their comments and laughter about having such a nice time. Then the count released the rope imprisoning his wrists and the sound of their footsteps as the left made him feel free at last.
“Rest well. You still have a lot to give me,” Caleb heard the count say as he walked down the stairs.
Melody Nº 2
Dark Lament
If there had been a scale inside of Caleb, each end would be fighting for every moment of kindness and cruelty that Caleb had lived through each day of his existence. It would be terrible for one side of the scale to win such a huge difference ... and the pain his body felt at that time made the weight of the side holding cruelty to touch firmly on the bottom and be unmovable. Hatred. He felt such hatred for all of his fellow man that he was not able to think clearly. Caleb wanted death, suffering, and despair for all of them. He had to leave when he could walk because that man had made it clear. “You still have much to give.”
Any dunghill would be better than being the puppet of that wicked count who did not hesitate to use violence and torture. He liked the screams of young boys and the cruelest and darkest perversions. It hurt like hell, but hate moved him like a puppeteer working on the strings.
Again, strong and loud thunder broke above the gasps that came out of Caleb’s mouth when he tried to lift his body off the ground. Exhausted, he put on his torn clothes. Caleb felt pain in every muscle of his body and disgust ...such disgust that his stomach threatened to expel all the bile inside to purify it. He stayed on his knees before standing up and wanted nothing more than to run far away from the mansion. He felt the horrible trembling of his jaw, sweat ran down his dirty face and the pain would not go away. His breathing was fast and his heart beat at a pace that was becoming dangerous, it suddenly increased when he heard the sound of the opening door behind him.
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