City of Masks (Chapter 12)

“I swear!” Renei said. “I didn’t mean to kill him with a tin can!”

I rushed towards the priest. He was still breathing. But barely.

“He’s not dead” I said.

“That’s a relief” Renei said in an odd tone.

He gently smiled at us. “Tllw gl xvv bfl yzxp.”

“What happened?” I asked.

He pointed at his broken mask lying on the floor and gasped. I picked it up then gave it back to him. The priest coughed as he put it on. He inhaled. That mask… does it keep him alive? The priest took it off and shook his head. He coughed again.

“I’m so sorry” Renei said. “I must’ve broke the mask when I hit him.”

The priest however drew on the dusty floor with his finger. It was a stick drawing but the head was a bit off. It had a beak.

“The birdman!” I exclaimed. “He did this!”

“He was here!?” Renei panicked. “This isn’t good.”

The priest coughed more harshly now. His pain grew worse. I remember that room he had. He must have an extra mask somewhere.

“Renei” I said. “I’ll check the back if there’s any extra mask he could use. Please stay with him.”

“Alright.”

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I’m at quarters. This was where me and Renei found the exit.

It was only now did I notice other details in the room. There were some ornate rosaries and polished crosses. He had other trinkets too including an old music box. His hammer was nearby.

I busted open some drawers with it desperately looking for a spare mask or anything that could keep him alive. Nothing. I cried amidst the broken property. I heard someone enter.

“Flor” It was Renei.

“Renei?”

“He stopped breathing…”

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We walked away from the cathedral. Renei tried to cheer me up as we go back to scavenging for food. The birdman killed the priest. I for one don’t want to be caught by that monster.

But there’s something that bothered me. When I inspected the priest, there was nothing visibly wrong save for the broken mask that inhibited his breathing. But after Renei told me to go back and check his now dead body, he looked like he was choked to death.

As if someone had just strangled him…