Mongadol Alley

Otter

‭Mongadol Theatre was once housed by such amazing talent and vast amounts of wealth all looking for a good time. It had been arranged with rather lavish seats embroidered to the foot and walls adorned with silken flags, even a wondrous underground path that made room for elegant parties and dances as well as large sleeping and dressing quarters for late night and early morning showings. It really was a majestic bundle of architecture and finesse that thoroughly set me in awe once I laid my eyes on it.

‭But like all good things, the theatre slowly became corrupted. Death and scoundrel, many hit rock bottom in Mongadol. As the theatre became a root for chaos so did the entire town. Pickpockets, gangs, bullies, all your worst nightmares erupted in an instant and slowly the entire town fled and crumbled under it’s false foundation.

‭There were few gangs that stayed behind, making a name for themselves and taking refuge in whatever they could find. Cerb’s older brother had claimed the theatre as his own and began adopting orphans from streets so the other gangs wouldn’t “taint” them. He wasn’t violent, Cerb’s brother, not in the least. He was merely a pick-pocket, fished in your purse discreetly and fled before you could even notice, and he trained Cerb in that exact way. They in turn, taught the theatre brats. 

‭Cerb’s brother wasn’t like the other gangs in the city, not like the gang that had hurt me, They hadn’t cared who you were and if you had anything. All they wanted was a body count.

‭I guess I should be happy I wound up in Mongadol.

‭I mean, if I did wind up in the wondrous city of Venice what would’ve awaited me? A different set of gangsters? What if there was no Cerb? I should be happy of it, I guess, but I’m not.

‭I am human after all.

‭I like to think about things when I have nothing to do. Think about how I could’ve changed my life as a famous architect in Venice, how I could’ve become a worldwide sensational singer, how I could’ve been a beautiful model. But no, I ended up stranded in goodness knows where with rats crawling over me as I sleep. 

‭Walking through a corridor mid-thought I glanced to see a familiar white sheet slip into a corner. Helen no doubt following after Cerb again. But wait, no, Cerb was scheduled out making rounds in the rich city up North and so curiosity took hold of me and I was following her the small princess around.

‭It’s safe to say that I envy Helen.

‭Young, beautiful, and could have anything so long as she’d ask for it.

‭She didn’t ask though. She wouldn’t. Men simply offered her things when she went on rounds with Cerb which was probably why the prick started leaving her in the theatre now. Cerb took extra care in not letting Helen get carted off without her wishes and she wished nothing more than to be with Cerb. 

‭Love does strange things, you see. 

‭I love myself and that’s why I like to be by myself and only myself.

‭I suppose if I loved anyone other than myself I’d love Helen and offer her my hand. I suppose if I did, but I don’t.

‭“Petri?” Helen finally sensed me while I was lost in my thoughts, turning with a small tilt to her head and wide stormy eyes directly on me. “Are you in need of something?”

‭I guess I was staring for moments beyond my count for she shuffled her feet to fully face me.

‭“Just bored.”

‭“Ah.”

‭I waited for her to say more but she simply turned and walked off white dress flowing to and fro.