Page 37 of Souls We Rip

“It is the cave where all of us Souls Rippers get the mask we have to wear for eternity.”

I swirled to it, my mouth open. “You mean I must undergo the same ritual as you? Will I be immortal? Will I see my family again? What mask would I have? A goat, too?” I said the last sentence with fear in my voice, my hands starting to fret. My chin dipped, hopeful that the Goat Man would not take it as disgust for its body.

“You do have a lot of questions, and I will try my best to describe the process.” Its arms went behind its back, the hood still lingering on the face.

“Are you cowering behind that cloak?” My eyes were fixed on the hood, my eyebrows frowning. At least with the skull, I could look into the abyss. But then it looked as if the Goat Man was intimidated.

A spark came from a torch, distracting my attention from the Goat Man. It seemed peculiar, but not of import. I turned back to the creature.

Its chest rose, a loud inhale, and then the cloak was down, piling on the floor.

My eyes roamed over its hooves and fur until they stopped on the skull.

It was not there a few seconds ago.

“You’re naked!” I shouted, placing my hands over my eyes as if I saw the devil. My cheeks burned, and as much as I tried to hide it, my breath quickened.

“Well, well. You are pure… in every sense,” his voice drawled, carrying its weight over the walls. Its tone was muffled by the large skull.

Its laughter bounced off the walls, sounding closer to me. “Haven’t you seen goats until now, peasant? I assumed you grew up with them,” it chuckled, the sound deep. “You can lower your arms. I bet you will see much worse in the days to come.” Its innuendo was not lost on me.

I wouldn’t do that even if I were dead.

Seeing that I cannot be persuaded, it sighed and moved past me. Its permanent smell of wax and old tomes hit me, intensifying every sensation I had.

The images of the brute’s full body kept resurfacing one after another behind my eyes. I pushed my arms harder on my lids, making myself see stars. Perhaps, in that way, I could forget it.

Despite the cold from the cave, my skin felt warmer. At fault must have been the coat it forced on me.

“Fine, we will do it this way, then,” it lamented.

After a few moments, I heard the water splash, each footfall of it registering in my mind.

“I am covered by glacier water. Would you look at me now?”

Still, I did not move my arms, my breathing slowing down, and my skin feeling ablaze.

“Or are you afraid of me?” Its voice sounded ashamed, like I was hurting him. It was the first time he talked without anger or mockery in his voice.

At once, I took my hands off my face. My cheeks were still warm, and I didn’t dare to look at the Goat Man. So, I pushed my head upwards, admiring the ceiling. My eyes opened to stalactites with dripping water over their tips.

“I am still here, you know?” it asked, the water moving around.

My mind took a stray path, down the road of me having to take the lives of two people. “I know,” I breathed, closing my eyes again. I couldn’t escape its presence, even if I wanted to.

Drops of water fell on my face as tears. I wiped them, keeping my eyes on the pointy stalactites.

“Then why are you not looking at me?”

“You said to take off my arms. I did that,” I argued, trying not to faint from all the emotions “Now, please, answer my questions.” My voice was softer than a breeze, my heart fluttering in my chest like a bird in its cage.

I chastised myself for not wearing my metanie, the black beaded bracelet my mother had from priest Neagu. She gave that to me when I turned ten years old. At least it would have given me courage with the devil from my left.

Neither Angelica nor I had any jewellery; only these metanii. It is said to protect us from every evil, since they were drenched in holy water.

“Yes, you will pass through the same ritual as I. After I bathed in this water, my master, who will become yours as well, will have to baptise you in this same pool,” it took a deep breath before continuing. “Or as we all know it, the Souls’ Pool.”

“The one you are tainting with that naked body?” I said, squirming inside of me.