Селеста / Сelesta: Глава 1

Chapter 1

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 17:33

Three months ago he hardly stood out from the crowd of office workers. You could say he was a typical philistine. He went to work, drank with friends, watched TV, and occasionally spent the night in the company of girls he knew. Like most people, he had a small hobby, which served as the object of jokes of friends and sometimes helped him get out of the rut of "work-home". Andrew collected various stories related to the occult and paranormal phenomena, communicated with witches and satanists, priests and healers, attended sabbaths, dark masses, and pagan services.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 17:34

It was nothing serious: some people go to aikido, some people collect butterflies, but he was into all sorts of witchcraft. Most of what I saw was either pure charlatanism or just an excuse to socialize - people had as much fun as they could. There were the fanatics who really hoped to get the attention of the Prince of Darkness, but ninety percent of the flock were kids who'd come to see a naked exhibitionist tied to an altar. And so it was with everything. Very rarely did something happen that didn't fall within the definition of "sleight of hand - and no cheating".

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 17:37

So, another visit to another "master of black and white magic" didn't promise any trouble - it looked ordinary in every way. Standard dark office, painted lady-secretary with a standard mysterious expression, embroidered runes on the curtains and scare away evil spirits bells from the Chinese tradition. Andrew came by invitation, along with his host's colleagues, so no money was taken from him. Others were not charged either, for what was happening was not a paid session, but rather a seminar to improve their skills. Strangely enough, almost everyone present was seriously engaged in the occult.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 17:40

Apparently, noticing the bored look on the guest's face, the magician offered to undergo a session of hypnosis. He needed a guinea pig to demonstrate "insight into the fate of previous incarnations of the being". As Andrew had long ago found out by experience, hypnosis did not work on him and reported this to the master. In response, the master caustically commented on dilettantism in the field of the occult and expressed strong confidence in his powers. Andrew fully agreed with the statement about dilettantism. Although not only the absentees were considered as mediocrities.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 17:56

When the venerable master was convinced that neither the pendulum, nor the mirrors, nor the candle flame could put the stubborn guest into a trance, he became enraged. Outwardly his anger looked quite decent, but the glances being thrown made him feel a little frightened. The chuckles of his colleagues did not add to his calmness. Suddenly the master left the room and returned about five minutes later with a small box. Out of the box appeared a headdress, most resembling a hoop of silver with a large blue stone in the center, which was solemnly placed on Andrei's head. The sorcerer made some passes and ordered him to look in the mirror.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:01

Andrei shrugged and looked...

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:02

Andrew disappeared.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:03

Dark. Scary. Rage. Kill! Food, food, food, food... Hunger. Searching. Up - food, food, food. Strike. Harder! Harder! Rage! Harder!!! Bad. Hunger. Hunger. Dig. Dig. Faster, faster... Food? Yes... Food!!!!!

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:06

The sensation of moisture on his hands. That was the first thing Andrew felt - the rest came later. Something wet and a sweet, salty taste in his mouth. He struggled to raise his head and looked around. Most of all the terrain resembled scenery from a sci-fi movie: a deserted city with no colors, dead bodies in strange clothing, the glow of a fire in the distance. At his feet lay the body of a man with his throat torn open, his face grimacing with horror. There was a sudden flash of awareness to the young man as to the cause of the wet hands and what was now hardening on his clothes and face, covering his body in a thin crust. He jumped back, his mind racing, "How, how..." Then suddenly his thoughts changed direction. There was no one around, no one to see - he still had to run.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:08

He raced away from the murder scene, his mind spinning with one thought: escape. It didn't matter where he was, it didn't matter what had happened, to escape first, the rest later. Terrified, Andrew darted down the street, took another turn, ran into some abandoned building, and crammed himself into a distant room. There he was slightly relieved. Sitting in the semi-darkness, he wondered what the fuck had happened and what to do now.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:11

The last event that remained in his memory was a hypnosis session. He was most likely in the chair now, and the wizard, who turned out to be not so untalented, was standing next to the body that had lost control. "I'll apologize to him when I come to my senses." After calming down in this way, Andrew began to remember all the ways to get out of the trance on his own. He remembered none that gave a complete guarantee. He would have to wait for external intervention - maybe not medication. A sorcerer would have to bring him back to normal! There must be an article in the penal code for damaging the subject. Once he had assured himself that all would be well, and slightly calmed down, the man looked around curiously. At the same time, he tried to wipe the blood off his hands.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:12

Unfortunately, his ability to think allowed him to notice one thing he hadn't noticed or hadn't allowed himself to notice before. Namely, his new body.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:24

Female!

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:14

A silly giggle, when you think about it, is not the worst reaction to such news. At that moment, however, he would not have been impressed by the coming of Jesus Christ in glory and with a host of angels behind him. Andrew continued to believe that he was under hypnosis, so he saw the changed sex as another twist in his subconscious. My older sister, a twice-divorced adventurer, thought all men were secret perverts - she was a hundred percent right about her dear brother.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:25

At least, after a brief examination, I was glad that my sense of taste was still intact when I was delirious. I couldn't see the face, but the new body looked well built, with long legs, a thin waist, and small, firm breasts. The hands and feet were small, graceful, and blister-free. He assumed he looked like a young girl of seventeen or eighteen, which made him chuckle nervously again. "This is something incredible," a delighted thought came to mind. - I didn't even get this kind of vibe at a Castaneda fan party." Andrew had the worst memories of his life associated with these merry fellows: he had almost died of an overdose and had stayed away from drugs ever since. He had to get rid of the nightmarish visions of the slightly cloudy liquid for several months with a psychologist he knew.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:37

The sky in the east was slowly turning red, and suddenly he felt tired and broken. He wanted a miracle, a faint hope that if he fell asleep now, he would wake up in a normal world-not in this nightmare. Obeying his instinct, Andrew crawled into some closet and passed out right on the bare planks.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:41

He woke up with a pang of hunger. Contrary to expectation, sleeping on the hard floor had had no effect on his health, except that he was thirsty and hungry atrociously. Lamenting a little that he woke up not at home in a soft bed, at most in the hospital on a bunk, Andrew got out of the building to get something to eat. The sun had already set, from the fatigue, the man (he perceived himself as a man, trying not to look down on his chest) had slept all day, but the darkness did not disturb him at all. Whether the moon was shining brightly or for some other reason, it was easy enough to walk, the light was ample. I couldn't ignore the sight, though. The thirst grew stronger with every second, and to quell it, Andrew thought about the twists and turns of his subconscious. He had always been one hundred percent heterosexual, tolerated queers, but there was no desire to become one himself. Not at all. So he did not know how to perceive this illogicality and wondered if he should reconsider his self-image.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:45

I went outside and looked around carefully. There was no sign of life nearby, though I could hear what sounded like human activity in the distance. After hesitating a little, I went that way. What difference does it make, really?

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:51

It was an unexpectedly long walk. It was as if the air was suddenly better at conducting sound, or as if his ears were better. Nevertheless, in about fifteen minutes he reached the source of the noise - three ragged men who were enthusiastically breaking apart a trunk taken from the house. They were so concentrated on their occupation that they did not notice the appearance of the witness. Not the best company, but Andrew wasn't thinking straight from hunger.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:54

"Excuse me..." The quiet female voice made the marauders flinch and turn around sharply, knives in the hands of two of them, and a third grabbed a stick from the ground. "What is the name of this place, and where can I get some food? I've lost my memory, and I don't know who to turn to.'

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:55

The ruffians scrutinized the unexpected phenomenon, and then one of them grinned:

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:56

"You were right to come to us, sweetheart. We can teach you a lot of things!"

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:57

It suddenly became clear to Andrew what a foolish thing he had just done. He took a step back, rightly assuming that being raped in a dream was no more pleasant than being raped in reality. He had no experience in this area, and he did not want to gain any.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 18:59

"What are you doing?" the other ruffian intervened. "It's a ghoul. She's dead."

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 19:03

"What's it to me? I can make a woman like that happy even she is dead!"

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 19:04

The man tried to grab the girl by the arm, but she managed to bounce back and run into the building. The two partners rushed in after them. The door was torn from its hinges, so there was no way to hide inside the house. Despite three years of wushu lessons, Andrew doubted his ability to handle three armed men, much less in a woman's body. So he jumped out the window and was about to flee when a ruffian with a club came around the corner. He shouted something, calling to his comrades, and tried to hit Andrei on the head. Not too hard he was afraid to spoil his future toy. Andrew dodged the stick, but the ragamuffin grasped his free hand on his shriveled dress and yanked hard, dropping him to the ground. Despite his lightweight, he held firm and kept trying to hit with his weapon.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 19:09

It was at that moment that the earthling realized: everything that is happening is real! It was not a dream. The wave of smells that wafted up to his nose, the greedy, hurried hands, the lustfully bulging eyes served as unpleasant and very strong evidence. And if later Andrew still tried to convince himself of the illusory nature of the surrounding reality, it was somehow embarrassing. Deep down, he firmly believed: it didn't matter how he ended up here, what kind of forces brought him to this world, but now he was here to live. To suffer and fight. With the likes of this rapist, for example.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 19:39

The girl broke the grip easily, twisting the wrist, and then punched her fist sharply into the man's stomach. For a brief moment, as the man gasped for air, she wrapped her arms around his bowed head and jerked it sharply around its axis. A deafening crack and the flattened body flew aside. Andrew jumped sharply to his feet; the other two pursuers were already running toward him, swearing and waving their knives.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 19:42

"Bitch!" The first one yelled as he noticed the body lying motionless to the side.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 19:42

I had to jump out the window again, this time back into the house. The odds had improved, but he didn't feel like fighting. Perhaps he would have escaped if a rock had not knocked Andrew to the ground. The first man followed the stone, while the second man tried to climb up the window.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 19:54

I dodged the inept swing of the knife by stepping aside. Before the ragamuffin could regain his balance, I managed to catch my opponent by the arm, keep moving, and jab the knife clutched in my hand at the man who had finally fallen over the window sill.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 20:30

A pungent, salty smell rushed into my nostrils, knocking me off my feet. Andrew seemed to freeze in place, not paying attention to the man pounding on his head, just enjoying the ineffable bouquet of scents. The desire to touch the source of bliss, capable, he instinctively felt, of satisfying the burning hunger in his insides, was so great that he reached out to smell it with his whole body. No one knows how it would have ended if a hard blow to the head had not distracted him and turned his gaze to the remaining ragamuffin.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 20:31

The horror written on the man's face cleared his mind a little. Just a little. Andrew realized that if he saw the blood pouring out of the ripped abdomen again, he would lose his mind again. The pungent smell was maddening. He let out a half shriek, half moan, and ran out of the house with his prisoner. Breathing was much easier in the yard, though the brackish scent of blood still beckoned with terrible power.

Camrad_RIP 31.12.21 в 20:42

Andrei threw his enemy to the ground; the enemy cried out and began to crawl back to the corner of the courtyard. He seemed to have a crushed wrist: the way he pressed it against his body. There was a foul stench of urine.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 10:57

"What is it?" The shock of what happened is still there, and my voice is unnaturally loud and thin. "Why do I want thr blood?"

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 11:01

The man did not answer. In a rage, the girl slapped him across the face:

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 11:02

"Answer me!"

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 11:02

"You're a ghoul! All ghouls drink blood!"

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 11:14

The word "blood" rang in my ears, making me want to go back inside. Apparently, the man noticed Andrew's condition, because he tried to run away. In vain: a thin hand grabbed his leg and jerked him sharply. The ragamuffin fell on his broken arm, cried out pitifully, and lost consciousness. I had to slap him several times, holding back and measuring my strength:

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 12:54

"What does "ghoul" mean? Answer me!"

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 12:54

I was able to deduce the following from the incoherent and verbose story. Three years ago, a Plague of the Mages, some kind of epidemic, swept through the land, and a lot of people died. A great many. About a month later, some recently dead people began to rise from their graves, to come back to life. The ghouls, as the uprising dead began to be called, could only walk at night, hibernating during the day, their existence supported by the blood of their victims. Ghouls were destroyed, the bodies of the dead were burned, even though it was against the local religion, but thanks to hunger and robbery, too many of the dead were left without a burial. There were more and more of the living dead. The captive was sure that the frail girl who had just killed two of his associates had also recently risen from the grave.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 12:59

The man fell silent: he was exhausted. Andrew, too, was silent, pondering the new information, trying to define his questions. The shock of understanding the reality of what was happening to him came over him with renewed vigor. His legs involuntarily buckled with horror and awareness of what had happened, he wanted to yell, to fight, to take out his fear on someone.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 13:02

The ragamuffin chose the wrong moment to try to escape. He jumped sharply to his feet, jumped aside, and darted out of the yard and into the street. Fear gave him energy: it was not easy to catch up with him. When Andrew was about to grab him by the shoulder, the man turned sharply and waved his healthy arm in front of him. The movement was so fast that there was no time to dodge, some sharp object deeply cut his cheek and forehead. The gushing blood flooded his eyes, and then a dark wave of madness, rising from somewhere inside, flooded his mind. What happened next, Andrew did not remember.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 13:10

And never tried to remember.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 13:11

Judging by the position of the stars, not much time had passed. When he woke up, his face was slightly bloody, and so were his clothes and hands. The corpse lay at his feet like a broken doll, its throat torn open. Strangely enough, Andrew felt fine. The sucking feeling of hunger receded, looming at the very edge of his consciousness. Understanding what exactly he had quenched his wild thirst did not cause any consequences, as if the body asserted: everything was as it should be. The boiling energy needed an exit, he wanted to move, her body became light, the colors bloomed in the night city. Without thinking, he quickly darted toward the sound of the surf.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 13:13

Running allowed me not to think, to detach myself from what had happened, to forget, not to try to answer many questions, pushing them to a distant corner of my mind. Just look curiously at the ruined houses, listen to the night rustles, the squeaks of rats, and rare songs of birds, feel the wind caressing my half-naked body. Freedom, happiness! Happy and maddened laughter swept over the desolate street.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 13:14

The rapid stride was interrupted as abruptly as it had begun, the laughter replaced by sobs. The girl stopped, squatted in the dust, and pulled her ragged dress off her shoulders. The cold and the nakedness didn't faze him - it didn't matter at the time. He wanted to howl. The realization of the horror of the situation in which he or she... found himself, came suddenly and struck him hard. He had never felt so bad. Not even the day his mother died. If a ragamuffin like the three he had killed today had come now, a despairing Andrew would not have resisted. He simply would not have noticed the threat.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 13:58

That's how the dawn found him. The scattered sunlight, the harbingers of the coming day, tingled menacingly on his naked skin. At last, the undead with the soul of a man from another world, looked around dimly, rose slowly, and shuffled into the nearest alley, seeking shelter for the day.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 14:26

The evening brought awakening and pain. The energy from last night's feast was in short supply, and the body was telling me in the way it could. I was desperate for blood. I should have gone in search of the living, but the thought of killing made me disgusted. After all, while hunger was tolerable, it was better to find out what was going on around here.

Camrad_RIP 01.01.22 в 14:27