A Narrow Escape
“H
|
ope you scraped
some fun off the Fair!” Clever smiled and said. He was speaking loud since the
sudden siren had also stirred up much commotion that voluminously flooded the
range of air.
“Yes, we did!” I
answered aloud. “Going to the Center?”
“Yes,” he replied,
“Let’s be quick!” We hurried to the Center.
There was a great
fountain, lit by colorful and playful lights, in the middle of Fair with a good
sized open space in the front for people to stand. There was a stage set up by
the fountain adorned with balloons, ribbons, and flowers. Armed guards stood
all around it. A fine looking gentleman with a red suit on stood at the lectern
smiling profusely, as if smiles were all biting at him. Behind him stood an
array of five elegantly dressed personages that seemed to be officials. The
Lady Avaritia was easy to distinguish by her golden silk vesture and a crown of
sparkling diamonds. Also, on the stage were Fate and Chance. We were able to
get a little close to the stage. When the people had all assembled, a second
siren called, and the man in the red suit smiled even more torrentially to the
extent that his face swelled and his words dropped like celebrative fireworks.
“Ladies and
Gentlemen,” he began, seemingly quite conscious of the presence of Avaritia in
all his conduct, “It is our pleasure to have you all at this Fair again. Your
presence and participation add to the pleasure and romance …”
“Huh, ROMA: Radix Omnium Malorum Avaritia!” I heard
someone murmur and I turned to find that it was a rather unkempt man, having
meager appearance, short stature, and a worn-out face, his eyes fixated on the
stage. “Evil… evil…. Root of All Evil,” he murmured again.
“Fate and Chance,”
the red suited man continued, “had been appointed by our Honorable Lady to pick
the trader who had affected the best business, and so I would call on them to
please step forward and announce the winner.”
There were cheers
and great applause as Fate and Chance stepped forward together hand in hand
towards the podium. It did seem that the red suited man didn’t feel very
comfortable having had to step behind.
“Choosing a winner
is not always quite an easy job, when two are appointed to the task,” Chance
began. The audience joined in cheering again. My criterion of choice was
simple: the one with the greatest guts to face the highest risk of loss – the
perfect gambler.”
“Mine was a bit
different,” Fate joined in, “the one with the guts to embrace risk as riches –
the apathetic utilitarian.”
“Fatal
intoxication, fatal entrapment, fatal Fate – the false shadow of false Chance!”
the unkempt man murmured again oblivious to all around, as all others were to
him.
The crowd cheered
again. “So, who wins?” someone shouted. “Yes, who wins, who wins?” they all
clamored.
“The winner is the
optician, Clever!” Fate announced as a jubilant crowd cheered uncontrollably.
Clever looked at me
and smiled. Then, sprinted towards the stage where he was being welcomed by
Fate and Chance and given a little trophy by Avaritia. He, then, turned and
stood at a little corner on the stage.
I heard the unkempt
man’s murmur: “So shall Curiosity gain hand over risk and finally swallow
wallowing greed in his bottomless mire.” He seemed to be an intelligent man to
me, but I wondered why he looked so unkempt. I turned at him, and at that
instant was taken aback. The man had disappeared. I ran my eyes all over trying
to catch a glimpse of him; but, he was nowhere to be found.
“My dear subjects,”
Avaritia announced and the whole crowd went mad with ecstasy.
“Speak, noble Lady,
our lifegiver and ruler!” some shouted.
“The dials of Fate
and Chance turn in favor towards those who tap into the Magical power of
Mammon. Money is Magic; and Magic, Money; everything else, its slave. Money is
influence, money is strength; money is freedom, money is true wealth. So, never
stop urging forward, amassing greater; for someone must always top the other.
Contentment, fear, and sloth are the greatest destroyers of your power.
Contentment makes one impotent; impotence creates insecurity; and insecurity
breeds rebellion, rebellion against our Queen, rebellion against the Kingdom of
Magic, rebellion against self. So, never stop short of any higher scale you can
fix for yourself; and, when you’ve reached that, fix a greater one. Don’t be
compelled by need alone. Be compelled by the glory of your Mother, by me, your
Governess Avaritia; for success is defined by prosperity and prosperity is
inherited by those who are faithful to me!”
The crowd now, on
hearing this, was thrown into uncontrollable ecstasy, calling out, shouting
slogans, gesticulating with hands beating the air, some crying tears, and it
all seemed to land everything into a heavy confusion.
“Let’s go, let’s
go!” Inno cried. I looked at her eyes. She was afraid. Then, suddenly the siren
howled striking the commotion into a dead silence. Two men in black suits
ascended the stage and began whispering something in the ears of Avaritia.
While they did that, I saw her eyes turn fierce and hawk-like and I felt a
premonition.
“There has been an
emergency call,” she spoke again with a grave voice. “Our city has been
intruded by a number of enemies who are bent on our destruction. We received
news of a young man who has escaped prison and is now target of the search. He
is said to have a child with him.” I squirmed, but then felt there wasn’t any
need to be alarmed since there were many men with children in arms there until
I turned towards the stage again, and at this moment caught the eyes of Clever;
they were unblinkingly riveted on me. I shuddered at the way he looked. The
Lady continued, “There are a few more others who have been spotted but not
caught yet; however, we anticipate the Final Victory soon and the elimination
of all threat whatsoever altogether very soon. In view of all this, the City
requests the cooperation of the citizens to nab the criminals. Anyone who
cooperates through providing information or help in capturing the intruders in
anyway will receive high rewards and honors. Anyone, however, who cooperates
with the enemies against us will be counted as traitors and tried along with
them.” At this moment I noticed a spark in Clever’s eyes, and he moved towards
Avaritia and began whispering something to her. I began moving away silently
through the crowd, and as I moved I removed the glasses that the optician had
given and threw it in a corner. But by then, the whole crowd was in voracious
commotion and I also saw search agents spreading all over the place. I reached
near the gates and saw that it was blocked by the guards and Ira’s agents. The
crowd went trampling about in mad warlike passion, and I was gripped with fear
now because of Inno. I tugged her closely, and turned around to see Clever, at
a distance, accompanied by two or three officers running towards me. I began to
run, howling, clamoring, and wildly shouting at all, that for a moment I struck
lightning and surprise in the nerves of those around. In a split I had broken
through the guards, had jumped on to the road, and was fleeing through the
streets, while the mad cursing crowd and angry officers chased me from behind.
I ran like a torpedo, crying all along when suddenly it seemed that a mist rose
in front of me clouding the ground ahead. I heard the crowd behind me halt as
fading voices cautioned, “The poisonous gas…the poisonous gas!” I stopped as
well, turned behind and then towards the mist. There was silence. Then, a
strange thing occurred. I saw the figure of Faith on the face of the mist
beckoning to us with a smile. I turned behind and saw the agents lift their
guns towards me. In that moment, I turned round and hurled myself into the
mist, leaving the spray of bullets all behind. I had leapt into the unknown.
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