horror effect

Blood, scorched flesh, eyes like glass balls, gun barrels reflecting warm luster, slim chair legs stained with brains, they are gradually fading, like layers of tulle falling to the eyes.

The scene of the killing freezes at the moment the corpse hits the ground, and the color blurs like a water-soaked watercolor painting.

They stood again in the verdant valley, with the breeze on their cheeks.Stephen leaned on Julian's shoulder, his body trembling slightly.

Julian's gaze stayed on Bernus as if drawn.The plain white robe he wore was beautiful, the curve of his bare arms was beautiful, the neck wrapped with white hair was beautiful, and the long, fluffy hair was beautiful , the graceful movements of his hands and feet are extremely beautiful, but there is something terrible in his beauty.

"This is my death," Bernous said. "Did you see that? Some people were laughing, some raised their eyebrows in surprise, and some were trembling with fear; head—a flash of fire, and the energy of the explosion propelled the buckshot and liberated the life fluid from the body. Do you see that? Humans who have been taught throughout history that killing is a heinous and evil thing, in their hands Holding the right to kill, they can not only kill, but also be rewarded and honored for it. Have you seen it?"

"...Bernus," Julian gently held his shoulders, "we didn't know it would be like this. Is this why you took revenge on them and their descendants?"

"Part of the reason. Do you remember that Sister Tofana once told you that what Collivan overheard proved that Albert was a spy for the German Resistance."

"Yes. But after seeing Albert G himself on his knees begging for mercy, I feel a little strange."

"Strange?" Bernous sneered, "That's real. Actually, only I know who he is - he has a document to prove his identity, but that document is from a year ago, when He was indeed working for the German Resistance, but he was also working for the Nazis. Albert G. was a double agent, the first year he was in town he worked mainly for the Resistance, the second he Mainly worked for the Nazis because they paid more money. The documents deceived a lot of people, and those poor murderers would die feeling guilty about their actions, but so what? Isn't it what they deserved ?"

"Albert G is indeed nothing to be sorry for, but those murderers shouldn't kill him, let alone implicate you."

Bernous glanced at his lips. "I'm glad you have such a point of view. But it's a pity that the murderers don't care about Albert or my life, but only the property I own. The so-called spy is just a high-sounding excuse."

Stephen said suddenly: "But isn't it a more grandiose excuse for you to take revenge on their descendants for your own death? Their lives—the lives of Theoros, Colivan, and Bouy are not more precious than yours?"

Bernus turned around sharply and rushed to Stephen, staring at him fiercely.

"Very well said, dastardly little thing. What do you know?! First of all, I have nothing to do with Collivan's death, blame his drunken habits. As for Theoros and Bouy, you may already know The criminal dealings of these two people in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I know better that they are not only selling children, they also killed business enemies, plundered the property of those who escaped - in the name of war. So , do you still think it is too merciful for me to let them die insane just by relying on hallucinations compared to the pain they bring to others?"

"I see," said Julian. "You killed the seven murderers. This is the punishment they deserved. And for their descendants, you are not out of pure revenge, you will be like the myth said. Put their consciences on the scales and weigh them, and punish them according to the results of the weighing. It is a pity that many of them failed this test."

"Very close."

"How did Sister Tofana's parents die?"

"Very sick. I thought they had told you. I had nothing to do with it."

"Where's Father Collivan's father?"

"Like him, the result of chronic alcoholism. I just pushed it a little bit."

"Ishak Theoros?"

"The medical diagnosis is a hemangioma, but the actual situation is the pressure I put on him. Erin Mladenov and his two sons screamed crazily on the snowy mountain because they couldn't bear the illusion I created, causing an avalanche. Luo Ber Bouy died in the field, drowned in the swimming pool, and it is not right for a frightened person to call for help underwater. As for Olga Antonova, I did not kill her."

Julian suddenly thought of Herbert Wernstein's urgent expression telling them to go to Constance Marmet.He cried: "Constance Marmey! She is Olga Antonova!"

Bernus looked at him contemptuously: "Who said that? They are not alone. Constance Malmey is the daughter of Olga Antonova."

"What!" cried Julian and Stephen at the same time.

"To be precise, it's an illegitimate daughter."

"I see. No wonder Herbert is in such a hurry to send us to her. So, where is Olga Antonova now?"

"Just because I said I didn't kill her doesn't mean that others can't kill her." Bernous said sarcastically.

Stephen was a little annoyed. "Then can you directly explain how she died?"

"She had her throat slit with a painter's knife by her illegitimate daughter."

Julian and Stephen were silent at the same time, as if the unimaginable picture had been unfolded before them, a grotesque scroll of Hieronymus Bosch or Odd Netrome, transformed from oil paint into the real world.

"My God, how could this be..." Julian sighed.

"I have lived in this town for more than 20 years, but for the first time I know that so many terrible things have happened here." When the three of them walked towards the willow forest on the hillside, Stephen said.

His smile elicited no response from Stephen and Julian, and he shrugged and continued, "Knowing these facts can be scary, and the good things around you seem to fade...but that's the way the world is. , whether it is this small town or any other place, the indifference and cruelty that have happened will never be less than here. Although we all hope in our hearts that there will be more warmth and stronger friendship, but Remember, even if we do live in an idyllic picture, we will still feel cold because some things will never change, just like the earth is round and human beings are not the center of the universe. The earth will not follow our The hopes of the ancestors were flattened to suit their ideas, and the reality has no need to comfort the poor weeping. Many people will think that my kind of thinking is the culprit of the chaotic state of the world. They think it is this kind of pursuit only The idea of ​​the truth makes man choose the fruit of the tree of knowledge and reject the fruit of the tree of life, and at the same time reject the eternal happiness and carefree that the tree of life offers us. But I would say, that 'eternal happiness' Isn't it an illusion? If you have a body resistant to drug toxicity and enough money, you can also create 'eternal happiness'. But unfortunately, you have to come out of the illusion, so at this time you should What to do? Yelling in fear in the face of the coldness of reality? Looking for something to comfort? He went on to say, “Yes, many of us do, we get comfort from food, alcohol, TV, Taking solace in love, sex, money, witchcraft and religion, we would rather believe a lie that makes us happy and happy than face the cold truth that we are nothing.What is the difference between us like this and those children who expect their parents to take care of them or cry?However, parents always have their own things to do, and they will always leave. When no one takes care of us, we have to find a way to survive.We are so small, flapping our wings like butterflies and thinking that one day is a lifetime, 100 billion years seems unbelievably long to us.Many of us still don't really know our place in the universe. They don't want to believe that they came from microbes and sludge. They don't want to believe that they don't have full control over their own minds. In the dark, they hope to be recognized and encouraged, to be special, even if the things that give them comfort are themselves so fragile and illusory.We are always like this, always trying to make ourselves important, trying to get rid of the small status, always eager to use some rituals to get rid of the endless long night.And much suffering comes from this deep fear. Man only loves what he thinks is good for his existence, judges things according to his own feelings, and hates and fears everything that makes him suffer.I also yearn for a happy life, which is not a mistake, but I clearly know that I must step out of the threshold of self-anesthesia and fear. "

Julian and Stephen were silent, and after a long time, Julian sighed and said, “I’m glad you think we’ve really grown up.”

"That's why you can escape from my dream. Now, you can go out."

"Hey! You haven't told us the whole thing yet," said Stephen, as if waking up suddenly. "What's the matter with Constance Malmey? What's the connection between Albert G. and you?"

"Someone will tell you these things. Or, you can guess by yourself." Bernus smiled mysteriously.

They had already come to the willow forest, and a door appeared on the trunk of a thick willow tree with twisted roots. Bernus pointed and said, "Step out from there, and you can return to the real world."

"Is there anything else you want to tell us?" Julian asked.

"It's not like we're a couple that's about to break up. I've said all I want to tell you, and don't think that I'm not going to kill you to mean that I'm happy to see you break into my world, or that I can protect you like a god .You can go."

He pointed to the door.

"But..." Stephen wanted to say something, but Julian had already grabbed his arm with one hand and put his other hand on the doorknob.He opened the door and found that he was faced with an empty darkness.

"I don't like it," he muttered. "What do you want to tell him, Stephen?" Julian began to take a step towards the darkness.

"I want to ask where you will go if you go out from this door."

Julian froze for a moment.

"wise."

He said.

But they have fallen into darkness.