WALKÜREN - THE THREE MARIAS - Chapter Four

WALKÜREN - THE THREE MARIAS

Chapter Four

It had been a day since Juvencio had said goodbye to Andradina and was close to Araraquara. He rode gently, unhurriedly. He went at a slow pace, while analyzing the situation experienced in the region he had left behind... yes, there was something strange about the creature he had finished off. He was a vampire, sure…after all, he fed on blood…but at the same time, he wasn't. After all, unlike the vampires he had already faced, this one was too strange... starting with the state of putrefaction he was in. That is, that being would not go unnoticed anywhere, since his state would betray him from afar. The smell it gave off was unbearable. And that was the great mystery... if vampires didn't have the best of smells, it wasn't anything that couldn't be missed either... he himself had had several encounters with a vampire, for nights in a row , and almost didn't realize that he was fraternizing with a creature of the night... Yes, she was elegant, graceful, charming... and so was most of the creatures of the night that crossed her path... but that one, from Andradina. ..well, one day he would find out exactly what he had been up against...

Night was coming on. The village was a little farther away, maybe another two hours' ride. Of course he could hasten his pace, but what for? He would only use the village to eat something and spend the night... he intended to travel even before sunrise the next day. He got an inn right at the entrance to the village. The place was decent enough... bed with clean sheets... he didn't run the risk of being kicked out of the room by fleas... in any case, with the tiredness he felt from the trip he was taking, nothing could bother his sleep...

Around four o'clock in the morning Juvêncio was already up. He paid for his stay, drank the coffee offered by the innkeeper, saddled Tornado and was preparing to conquer the meadow, when something caught his attention. It was a small noise. It could be nothing, maybe some more reckless mouse, trying to earn his share of corn... but he had no way of knowing. Better check. He immediately threw himself on the ground, to better protect himself against possible attacks. And calmly, slowly, she dragged herself to the place where he had heard the noise. When he arrived at the spot, taking every care not to be surprised, he couldn't help but let out a small smile... the noise that had put him on alert actually came from some little mice, who were carrying some grains of corn to their nest. . Calmer, he got up and walked towards his horse. He mounted and walked slowly down the road. He intended to ride as much as possible that day and, perhaps, reach the Serra da Mantiqueira before nightfall... of course he did not intend to sacrifice his animal. That's why they were trotting slowly. He would make as many stops as necessary, and if it was possible to reach the set goal, great. If not, patience... it would arrive the next day.

It was just after five in the afternoon when he finally saw the first houses in the camp. He managed to meet the goal of reaching his destination in two days without straining the animal too much. He led Tornado through the village streets to the Police Station. He dismounted, walked to the door and entered. The delegate was standing, talking to someone. After a few minutes, the delegate noticed the newcomer and asked him to sit down and wait a while. Juvêncio was still standing there... he had already spent the whole day on Tornado's back and all he wanted now was to stretch his legs a little... finally the police chief turned his attention...

- Good evening, sir... how can I help you?

Juvêncio put his hand in his pocket and took the letter he was carrying, handing it to the delegate. This one read it with all the attention in the world and, at the end of the reading, a smile from ear to ear stamped on his face...

- It means that now the pineapple is yours, sir...

- Juvencio, at your service...

- Juvencio?! The Avenger?...

- They called me that a long time ago... but that's water under the bridge.

- I'm sorry... it's just that you're a legend throughout this sertão!

- The sertão is full of legends, my friend... and usually none of them corresponds to what we think...

- For my own good, I hope you will respond...

- Don't worry, my friend... scabrous cases are my specialty...

- Bad cases? Get rough on it...

- What is happening in the region?

- Have you already had dinner?

- In fact, I haven't eaten anything since the time I got up... I had a long way to go, I thought it best not to stop...

- So let's go to Dona Lina's boarding house... and we'll talk while we eat our stomachs....

And so, the police chief locked his office and went with Juvêncio towards the boarding house. And as they walked, he kept bringing Juvêncio up to date on what was happening in his jurisdiction. Juvêncio listened to everything in silence, without interrupting his interlocutor. Finally they arrived at the boarding house and the dish of the day was a very juicy steak, served with rice and fries... Juvêncio attacked his plate, while he continued to listen to the wounds that the police chief was describing. After putting Juvêncio up to date on everything that was happening, the police chief asked...

- What do you think is happening in these parts?

- Listening like this, at first, it could be anything... when was the last victim attacked? Last night. We haven't even buried the poor guy yet...

- Great... I need to examine him...

- Now? We just had dinner!

- Yes now. A walk is good for the digestion...

- That's not what I'm talking about...

- I know, my friend... but a dead person is a dead person...

- That's not what I'm talking about either.

- I understand you. But I really need to see the body. Only then can I have an idea of what to look for...

Seeing that there was no way out, since Juvêncio was adamant, the two of them went towards the Morgue in the village...

As they walked, they continued to talk about various subjects. Juvêncio asked about everything he could about the residents of the region, whether anyone was acting strangely, whether anything out of the ordinary had caught the police officer's attention lately. But to all the law representative's answer was negative. Finally, they arrived. The coroner for the area was resting in the front office after a grueling day's work. Seeing the delegate accompanied, he was curious...

- And then, Santana... what good winds bring you here?

- The best, given the circumstances... that's Chief Juvêncio, who came to investigate our... incidents...

- Nice to meet you, Chief... Doctor Santana was already getting desperate...

- And is it not to despair, Dr. Carneiro? Every day a new dead person appears... and you can't tell me what's going on around here...