Before the Amontillado

"See that man over there?" The man inquired. "He knows all about wines. From the best Amontillado to the best Medoc, so if you're looking for the finest wines in all the kingdom, that's your man."

I nodded my head and thanked the man for answering my questions right before I wandered over to the so-called expert of wine. He was wearing ridiculous clothing but at the same time that could be his job, I thought. The bells on his hat and the bright colors surely stood out from the massive throng of people at the carnival the kingdom had evented for the annual fruit harvest.

Lights were hanged on the tree tops, walls, and any other location where they could hang freely. The celebration was beautified by the fruit banners and the music blasting at high volume throughout the speakers in the square. The overall look of the place was exquisite, alluring, and dazzling.

As I approached the man I could catch a glimpse of his face, he was sipping on a glass of wine and examining it as if it was prey. I tapped his shoulder and he turned around with a warm smile and greeted me as if I was a close member of his comrades.

"They say you're the best of the best when it comes to wine." I stated in a taunting manner, certainly looking him up and down. "Is it true, my good man? That you could tell apart Amontillado from Sherry?"

"My name is Fortunato." The smirk was highly evident on his face but as I examined him, I could tell it was not meant in any kind of mock or insult. "Otherwise yes, I'm an expert in wines; better than Luchesi if I might add."

I raised my eyebrows in response; the man, Fortunato, was highly confident in himself even to the point you could call him presumptuous. Luchesi was known for being an expert of wines as well, as far as I know he was the best in the kingdom but this new information enlightened me.

. . .

It's been five years since I've met Fortunato and yes, he may have brought me into drinking an unhealthy and heavy amount of wine but the wine itself soothes me and drifts me off into a calm state. Of course, this is what I would like to believe because in all honestly who actually believes that alcohol or wine could calm such a person down. Here I am an alcoholic, and Fortunato one as well but he seems to have better control than me and he is a wine taster.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips and as on cue Fortunato strutted into my home without even a single knock and sat on the stool that was placed right in front of the dining area which was an unpleasant light lime green that made the room seem as if something or someone vomited on it.

"You know Montresor," Fortunato paused to take a swig from the bottle of Medoc that was placed on top of the counter. "You're wasting your miserable life in this wasteland you call a home."

"Maybe you can shut it Fortunato, that's what I would do if I were you." I murmured under my breath.

"You're a pig."

Aggravated I threw my hands up into the air and put a finger right in his face, while having a menacing look plastered onto my face. I was tired of his insults and retorts towards me, for all I know if there was anyone to insult, it should be him; he brought me into this state in the first place.

"Look at me Fortunato!" I spit onto his face. "Stop with all the insults that you're firing at me. You don't want to say something you'll regret friend."

He blatantly rolled his eyes and agreed but it was all in vain. He didn't mean it, just like he never meant anything that he promised and it angered me to an extreme. I took a step back and hiked over to my front door and left the house without a trace but I made sure to take an empty bottle of Medoc in my hand. Why you may ask? I don't even know myself.

A week has gone by and yet Fortunato and I haven't spoken a single word which was odd due to that he never ignored me, Montresor. Other than that, I had a meeting with the head of the district to build monuments from time to time and the job would bring me an enormous amount of money if I obtained it. Although the meeting was not until the evening and I had time to spare.

Unknowingly my feet made their way to the wine gardens and winery as if they had their own mind, and within a second I spotted Fortunato taste testing a soporific dark red wine which inhaling the aroma through his nostrils, he swirled in his glass.

I strutted over to him and noticed that a customer, so I think, was asking Fortunato the differences between Amontillado and Sherry wine. I let out a chuckle remembering the first time I met my dear friend Fortunato at the spring fruits festival, where he bragged about being better than Luchesi and that Luchesi himself couldn't spot the difference between the two wines. When Fortunato made eye contact with me it became obvious that my chuckle wasn't so gentle at all, as he had raised his eyebrows in a questioning matter.

"Well look who it is, Montresor in the flesh and blood!" Fortunato mentioned peering over to the women next to him, the customer, while smiling at me like a bobble head. "I thought you would never come out of your cave Monti, I mean, Montresor that is but I can now see your doing well."

"I didn't come here for insults once again Fortunato."

"Then why did you come here dear old friend?"

"I truly don't know. All I know is that my feet made me wander over here, most reasonable to talk to you." I truly didn't know why I came here but I might as well talk to him due to being in his presence already, although I will have to get rid of the old lady sitting next to him, who if I might add looks like a meerkat listening to every word exchanged between us two men.

"Alright, let me finish with this lady here dear good old friend."

I nodded and made my way over to the adjacent wall waiting as Fortunato finished his business with the lady. While so I contemplated on whether to drink a glass or two of delicious wine but was soon interrupted by Fortunato himself.

"Amontillado; the best of its kind with 16 percent of alcohol. Strong is it?"

"So it is."

"Montresor, what did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing serious at all." My eyes rolled to the back of my eye sockets due to his unknowing behavior. "Why haven't you talked to me in the past week Fortunato? Have I been acting as some sort of pig again or are you afraid to say something you'll regret?" An icy glare somehow managed to be aimed at him.

"I didn't come here for insults once again Montresor!" He mimicked me from before. "I ignored you because you obviously needed some -oink- time to yourself Montresor."

"You need to stop with -" I was disturbed by a talkative Fortunato, who in the process disappeared into a room and brought back about five bottles of wine, what they were was a mystery to me.

"Drink my good friend! Let's celebrate that we are talking once again!" Shouted the overwhelmed yet joyous Fortunato while handing me a glass of delicious white wine. I gladly agreed and chugged the wine down my throat feeling the thrilling sensational burn.

Hours later Fortunato and I were still drinking and chugging barrels of wine by the minute when I noticed what happened. It was seven o'clock in the evening and my meeting was at five. Surely Fortunato knew because I told him before our argument the other week.

"Fortunato!" I shouted in extreme anger. "You knew! You knew I had a meeting!"

"I don't know what you're talking about Montresor!" Yet that smile on his face told other wise and he was going to pay for what he did.

"You know what Fortunato? That doesn't matter, never mind me, what were we talking about?" Yet he didn't know that I was planning my revenge, my sweet revenge after all the insults, jokes, and traumatic events that he has caused me.

Revenge my friend is sweet yet sour just like Amontillado.