Chapter 11 Sophie and The Poison

(August 1583)

Sophie: “Hehe… Mama… hehe… Mama…”
Sophie’s Mother: “Oh, Sophie… calm down… soon you’ll be able to play with your brother Elliot.”
Sophie: “Hmm… (pouting)…”

(…until this happened)…

Sophie: “Hahhh…”

(Splop!)
(Dead!)

Sophie’s parents — dead, hanged, headless, their heads stuck onto flagpoles.

Ordinary Resident: “And what should we do with her…?”
Ordinary Resident: “She’s also guilty… her grandparents were Black Eye… once Black Eye… always Black Eye…”
Ordinary Female Resident: “No… no, wait… enough… she’s scared… we’ve gone too far… if we do this… we could… take her and raise her.”
Sophie: “…Hahhh…”

She saw the corpses… she ran…
Ordinary Resident: “She’s running… grab her!”

She ran and ran… hid behind a tree… then ran into a house… a small old house… like that of a wood-staker.

Sophie: “Hahhh… hahhhh…”

She looked into the mirror… and she saw it… her hair… had turned white.

Sophie: “My… my… hair…”

(2 days later)

Sophie was hungry… it was cold — after all, it was winter…
Sophie: “Hahhh… gahh…”

The door opened.

(Sir Eisenberg!)

Sir Eisenberg: “What… a sight… a girl… with white hair… you’re not even older than 9… what a tragedy… your grandparents… were good friends of mine… come with me… I will save you… give you food and drink.”

(3 years later)

Sir Eisenberg: “Alright… listen carefully… I’m sending you into this forest now… there… you’ll have to survive… there are also Sirus in there, they will hunt you… whoever survives… will then come with me. Go!”

(After 3 days)

Sir Eisenberg: “Hmm… let’s see… who survived… apparently many are dead… ugh…”

Sophie: “Lala… lalala…”

She sat on a pile of corpses… the corpses of the others.

Sophie: (humming)
Sir Eisenberg: “Ugh… the… madness… the madness… she’s the one suitable for… Human Sirus!… Project!”

(A few days later)

Doctor: “Ready…”
Sir Eisenberg: “Ready, my little one.”
Sophie: “I’m… scared.”
Sir Eisenberg: “It will be fine… don’t worry…”

He injected the syringe… she began to scream… her veins turned green…

Sophie: “Aaaaaaaaarghhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Her eyes turned green…

(Gulp!)
Sophie: “Ghhhhh…”

Her skin turned grey like stone, suddenly she broke free from the restraints and grabbed Sir Eisenberg.

Sir Eisenberg: “Ugh…”
Doctor: “Sir Eisenberg!”
Sir Eisenberg: “No… no… it’s fine… are you crazy… don’t kill our project… hey… Sophie… come on, you can… do it…”

Then she calmed down, her skin returned to normal white… and she collapsed unconscious to the floor.
Doctor: “…ugh.”
Sir Eisenberg: “Bring her to her room… and from now on… she will be called Miss Nightmare… because she really… is like a bad dream… a monster that follows you and never lets you rest… until she kills you…”

(A couple of years later)

(Patch) (Patch!)
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm… and those there dared to… right?”
Heinrich: “Yes… they belong to the murderers of your parents and family.”
Miss Nightmare: “I see… give me the axe.”

He handed it to her…
Miss Nightmare: “You know… I think… killing you quickly… would be boring… so… which spot would be best… maybe like this.”

She struck the man in the genitals with the axe and dragged it upwards… so that the organs spilled out…

(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhh!)
He didn’t die immediately… but suffered and suffered until he finally closed his eyes and died.

Miss Nightmare: “And you!… wait a moment…”

It was a woman… the woman who had been against making Sophie suffer too.
Heinrich: “Her name is Jessi… she was there that day… she didn’t kill anyone… but she was still there…”
Miss Nightmare: “…Hmm.”
Jessi: “Please… please… don’t hurt me…”
Miss Nightmare: “Hahhh… I have a question… answer it honestly…”
Jessi: “Yes…”
Miss Nightmare: “Do you have children…”
Jessi: “N… no.”
Miss Nightmare: “Thank you for being honest.”

She stroked her head.
Jessi: “Will… you let me live now…?!”

(Splach!)

She chopped off her hand.
Jessi: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhh…”
Miss Nightmare: “Good… I think that’s punishment enough… take her to the cell now… remove a kidney… an eye… gone.”
Heinrich: “Yes, ma’am…”

(Patch) (Patch)

Miss Nightmare: “Hahhh…”

(Sophie!)

Someone called.

Miss Nightmare: “What is it… Hansel…”
Hansel: “…Nothing… I just wanted to say… I made it…”
Miss Nightmare: “What?”
Hansel: “I survived… the Sirus virus… I’m a Sirus Human.”
Miss Nightmare: “Well… then you’re the 4th after The Poison, and me, Sophie, and Gretel… you finally made it… about time… Sir Eisenberg was merciful to wait until you turned 16… for me, he did it when I was 14…”

Hansel: “Do you actually know what The Poison looks like?”
Miss Nightmare: “No one knows what he looks like… only Sir Eisenberg… and Franklin once saw him… he said he had long black hair, brown eyes, and white skin… wears a mask… and never speaks…”
Hansel: “I see…”
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm.”
Hansel: “Do you want to see him?”
Miss Nightmare: “No… I’m not interested in him… I know he was the first project that worked… shortly after the beginning of the catastrophe… then six months of failed attempts… then came me… then Gretel… and now you… if you’ll excuse me… I have to go.”

She walked on… into a room…
(A few days later)
(Patch) (Patch)

Miss Nightmare: “Hmm… hey… you…”

He flinched and tried to hide his face…
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm…”

She grabbed his head and looked at him…
Miss Nightmare: “Who are you… ugh…!”

He had a slit mouth, he pushed Sophie away…
Miss Nightmare: “Ah… I see… you’re him… you’re The Poison.”
The Poison: “…And you must be Miss Nightmare…”
Miss Nightmare: “That’s me… but Sophie is my name… yours?”
The Poison: “Hmm… William…”
Miss Nightmare: “Interesting… you don’t look as scary as I expected.”
The Poison: “Excuse me?…”
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm?… your mouth is slit… but that’s no reason to hide it.”
The Poison: “It bothers others.”
Miss Nightmare: “Not me.”
The Poison: “But it bothers me!”
Miss Nightmare: “It shouldn’t… on the contrary… hiding it shows weakness…”
The Poison: “Having weakness… is a strength…”
Miss Nightmare: “Aha…”
The Poison: “Some also call me Poison… depends… Sir Eisenberg calls me The Poison… but my people sometimes call me The Poison in English… you’re the only one not from Germany or the Mirica Empire.”
Miss Nightmare: “Well, you could say that… but William is also an English name.”
The Poison: “I know…”
Miss Nightmare: “Sir Eisenberg liked calling me Nightmare… ‘Alptraum’ didn’t sound scary enough for him…”
The Poison: “Why are you talking to me… I thought you were scary…”
Miss Nightmare: “What… I just wanted to know who this Poison really is… turns out he’s just someone ashamed of his appearance.”
The Poison: “Do you have a problem?!”
Miss Nightmare: “Yeah, I do… you’re supposed to be the first project… explain to me… why don’t you kill the elderly or women?”

Miss Nightmare looked at him.
The Poison: “Explain to me… why don’t you kill parents or children…”
Miss Nightmare: “Ugh… that’s different… we don’t want to traumatize children so they can work for us…”
The Poison: “…Hmm.”

He looked at her, his long black hair falling forward.

The Poison: “…I lived with my grandparents… and with the daughter of my neighbour… she lived with us… they took care of me… that’s why.”
Miss Nightmare: “Just because… just because one woman was nice… doesn’t mean every woman is nice…”
The Poison: “I don’t kill women… because no warrior does!… what kind of soldier would I be… if I only killed the weak!… You think the same way… that’s why you don’t kill children…”
Miss Nightmare: “You have no idea!”
The Poison: “You have no idea… it may be that we work for that damn old man… but my honour… I won’t throw away for him…”
Miss Nightmare: “I’ll tell Sir Eisenberg…”
The Poison: “Then tell him!”
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm… fine…”

She walked away…
The Poison: “Ghhh…”

(4 days later)

Sir Eisenberg: “…I heard you met Miss Nightmare… that’s what she said…”
The Poison: “…Yeah…”
Sir Eisenberg: “Hehe… she said you were cool…”
The Poison: “Ah… wait… she didn’t say anything else…?”
Sir Eisenberg: “No… except that she’d like to talk to you more… so I’ve decided she’ll live in the room next to yours… wanted to ask if that’s fine with you, William.”
The Poison: “Okay… that’s fine…”

He left the room… The Poison stood up and went towards Miss Nightmare’s room…
Miss Nightmare: “Huh!”

She opened the door just as he was about to knock.
Miss Nightmare: “Oh… were you sneaking up to peek at my breasts… pervert.”
The Poison: “Why didn’t you tell him…”
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm… I changed my mind… just like you hate him… I hate him too…”
The Poison: “I thought he saved you…”
Miss Nightmare: “Hhhmm… he did… yes… still…”
The Poison: “Hmm.”
Miss Nightmare: “Come in… I just made coffee…”
The Poison: “…?”
Miss Nightmare: “Oh jeez… no woman’s ever said that to you, huh… poor thing… now get in, you’re annoying!”

She dragged him inside.

Miss Nightmare: “See… I’m not going to eat you…”
The Poison: “Hmm.”
Miss Nightmare: “What…”
The Poison: “…I expected you to be different…”
Miss Nightmare: “Oh… what… did you expect me to have a worse figure…”
The Poison: “You should stop… I mean… you’re not as bad as I thought.”
Miss Nightmare: “Says the guy who supposedly was spoken of as if he were the horror of the world… here, take the coffee…”
The Poison: “Hmm… do you have milk?”
Miss Nightmare: “No, I don’t have any kids yet.”
The Poison: “I mean regular milk… come on…”
Miss Nightmare: “Oops… hehe… here!”

She gave him milk…
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm…”

She started drinking…
The Poison: “Listen… I wanted to ask you something.”
Miss Nightmare: “Oh yes… go ahead… what does The Poison want to know…”
The Poison: “…how old are you.”
Miss Nightmare: “Oh jeez… you want to know so you don’t flirt with a minor… I’m 18…”
The Poison: “Oh… you look a bit younger.”
Miss Nightmare: “I… think… 18 is young anyway… wait a sec… you talked to me even though you thought I might be underage… creepy… The Poison… or should I say… The Creepy…”
The Poison: “Your jokes… they’re what’s really creepy…”

Miss Nightmare: “Alright… then I have a question for you… The Poison…”
The Poison: “And that would be?”
Miss Nightmare: “How many people have you killed… and do you enjoy it?”
The Poison: “…Poison kills people… but that doesn’t mean Poison wants to kill people… it’s just poison… that’s how it is with me… and you?”
Miss Nightmare: “Nightmares… chase people… and I do too… I love seeing the fear in their eyes… how they’re afraid… and I think… wow… I can just kill someone… and have fun doing it…”
The Poison: “You’re sick.”
Miss Nightmare: “Thank you…”

He looked at her, then continued drinking…
Miss Nightmare: “…any more questions?”
The Poison: “…Hmm… none…”
Miss Nightmare: “Then I have a question for you… why… do you think… your face, your slit mouth… is a shame?”
The Poison: “…Ahh… people are afraid… of my face…”
Miss Nightmare: “I’m not… I think it’s fine…”
The Poison: “Hmm… you barely saw it…”
Miss Nightmare: “Then show me… completely…”
The Poison: “Hahhh… fine…”

He showed it — his mouth was slit, with visible stitch marks…
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm.”
The Poison: “And… satisfied?”
Miss Nightmare: “…Mhm… yes…”

He closed it again…
Miss Nightmare: “Hehe… I think you shouldn’t care… I mean… hey… we’re in the evil Black Eye…”
The Poison: “That may be… but still… killing is just a job… doesn’t mean I like it…”
Miss Nightmare: “Mhm… for me it depends… if you kill… I recently killed a pedo… and hey… I’ll tell you… it was fun…”
The Poison: “…Hmm… you’ve killed innocents…”
Miss Nightmare: “Like you…”
The Poison: “That’s true… so explain to me… why… do you pretend to be happy?”
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm?”
The Poison: “Come on… I can tell… you’re lonely… you have a heavy past… I’ve heard it… sure… yours is worse than mine…”
Miss Nightmare: “You have no idea… you know nothing… about me…”
The Poison: “Your hair is white… your eyes… barely sleep… your skin… looks tired… you’re addicted to sleeping pills… what’s eating you up?”
Miss Nightmare: “I think you’re asking too much…”
The Poison: “Do you think so…”

She stood up…
Miss Nightmare: “Listen… I don’t know who you think you are… you have no idea… you should maybe mind your own business… don’t you think…”
The Poison: “…I have a question…”
Miss Nightmare: “Get out…”
The Poison: “…why do you keep… looking behind me… the whole time…”
Miss Nightmare: “You…!”

She punched him in the face…

Miss Nightmare: “I think you should shut your mouth… have you been watching me…”
The Poison: “Only your crying and calling for help at night…”
Miss Nightmare: “Ghhh…”
The Poison: “Miss Nightmare… is afraid… of dreams… that’s really pathetic… don’t you think… you know… I talked to you… and acted boring… to test you… and I’ll tell you one thing… you’re weak… you’re weak… and pathetic…”
Miss Nightmare: “…and?”
The Poison: “Never speak to me again… you’re a disgrace… you know… I also spoke with Gretel and Hansel… they’re also a disgrace… it’s a disgrace… that you belong to the Sirus Human… you also failed my test… The Poison’s test.”
Miss Nightmare: “I see… so you just wanted to question me and annoy me… to test me…”
The Poison: “Exactly… the only thing in your favour… is that you’re damn scary… and I lied… I feel no remorse… but you… you do… when you kill people… you feel remorse… and that means you’re weak…”

He dropped the glass…
The Poison: “Your coffee tastes awful too…”

He left the room…
Miss Nightmare: “Hahhh…”

(A few days later)

Sir Eisenberg: “Hmph… apparently you also disappointed The Poison…”
Miss Nightmare: “Hmm.”
Sir Eisenberg: “That’s fine… the guy is strange about things like that… he tests people, tries to find out what they’re like… just to insult them in the end…”
Miss Nightmare: “I understand… one day… he’s going to get what’s coming to him…”
Sir Eisenberg: “I have a task for you… warehouse no. 559… in the USA… our only warehouse there… it would be good if you took control of it.”
Miss Nightmare: “Why.”
Sir Eisenberg: “I’m not expecting a ‘why’… Sophie… that wasn’t a request…”
Miss Nightmare: “Sorry…”
Sir Eisenberg: “Now go… I’m disappointed… I thought you’d please The Poison… you show remorse… there, you will learn to be cold-blooded… don’t show me your face again if you keep sparing children and pregnant women…”

He left the room, leaving Sophie alone. The door then opened.
The Poison: “Hmm… hehe… sad face.”
Miss Nightmare: “Tsss… asshole…”
The Poison: “One thing wasn’t a lie… I really don’t kill elderly people… well… women sometimes… now and then…”
Miss Nightmare: “Then that wasn’t entirely true either… see you… asshole!”

She left the room and went to the cars.

Heinrich: “I’ll follow you.”
Franklin: “Me too…”
Miss Nightmare: “Hahhh… good… then come with me.”

(A day later)

Miss Nightmare: “So this is… warehouse 559…”
Heinrich: “Yes…”
Miss Nightmare: “I see… it’s smaller than I thought… oh well, let’s go in.”

(year 1595)