The Grasshopper (45 page)

Pascal was completely stunned. He
didn’t say anything. Only tears poured from his eyes.

Chapter 159

None of the numerous mutations of
the XZW virus were transferred by airborne droplets. Only by blood.
And there was plenty of blood in the case of people infected with
any version of the XZW virus.

The first symptom, without any
warning, was the sudden appearance of dry cracked skin throughout
the patient’s body. This is what created lesions on the skin, which
with the occurrence of internal bleeding, transformed the dying
into geysers of blood.

This is why people called death
caused by the XZW virus – the Bloodbath.

The XZW-851 mutant of the XZW virus
was special in one way. The infected person would first develop
cracks on their lips, and soon after the ruptured capillaries in
their eyes.

Several hours into the process of
dying the person infected with the XZW-851 would not feel any pain,
only a stream of blood would flow unstoppably from their lips, and
it would seem as though the person, aware of their impending death,
was crying tears of blood.

Death by the XZW-851 virus was
generally no more horrible than death caused by any other mutation
of the XZW virus.

Except for the people whose loved
one was dying this way. Because it was most terrible to watch
someone you love bleed precisely from the eyes and lips. The things
that you love most of all to look at and kiss.

That is why people call the XZW-851
virus the Love virus, not out of ridicule, but as a description of
that immense pain.

The survival rate for people
infected with this virus was a zero.

Chapter 160

“Turn around, Pascal” said Manami.
“I don’t want you to remember me like this. I won’t look at you
either.”

Pascal turned away from her.
Between them, on the red silk, was an embroidered black
rose.

“Julius infected me,” Manami said
quietly. “I told you that he always found a solution. This virus
would have provided him a honorable way out. He didn’t want to kill
me, Pascal. Just himself. He infected himself.

“He didn’t stage the accident on
the roof, because he couldn’t have known where the glass shards
would fly. He couldn’t know where each of us would be at that
moment. He couldn’t have known that I would run to him and get cut.
Because if I hadn’t been, I wouldn’t have been infected. Julius
couldn’t have known where Peter and Eir would be
standing.

“When I got to him and raised his
head he was still breathing. He opened his eyes and looked at me.
He said ‘No, Manami’, and his eyes were full of dread. Because he
saw that I was covered in his blood. He didn’t mean us harm. He
respected our love. He was a noble man. He was a great
man.

“And that is why I will ask you
something, Pascal. Hide the truth. No one must know that Julius was
infected. Tell Noah to make something up. That I was infected at
the hospital. By some bloody bandage that I had found and pressed
against my cuts. There is no need for my children to bear that
horrible burden. And that’s why, for Peter’s and Eir’s sake, I ask
that you bury me next to Julius.”

Manami was silent. They still stood
with their backs turned towards each other. They didn’t move. They
didn’t make a single move. That is why only Pascal’s sobs broke the
silence.

“And why shouldn’t we hide our
love, Pascal?” she asked. “Who cares about it? In any case, who can
understand it? God only gave us a love this great. So don’t cry,
Pascal. Don’t cry, my love, please. I’m leaving calm and happy.
Because of the gift that I was given. Because I experienced it.
Because it existed.”

Pascal stopped crying. But not
because Manami told him so. But because he had nothing more to cry.
Because his tears had run dry. Because Pascal Alexander had
died.

“You now have Peter and Eir,”
Manami continued. “You will say that you will take custody of them
as a sign of gratitude to Julius, who took your freedom but
therefore protected you. He safeguarded the people’s president, who
will create a better world for them.

“Peter and Eir are now your
children. Everything that was mine is yours, my love. Don’t let sad
tones resound from my little girl’s strings. And foster my corner
in Peter. Create a better world, Pascal. For your children. For all
children.”

Manami had told Pascal everything
that she had. She still wanted to hear whether Pascal had something
to tell her. And he didn’t say a single word. That is why Manami
decided that they should go their separate ways.

“Go now, Pascal,” she said. “I want
to be alone.”

Pascal went to the door but he
didn’t open it. Without turning towards her he said

“Alright, Manami. You’re leaving
now. And I have to stay here for a while to create a better world.
Because that is what you want. And because I always do what you
want. I will, I will create a new world for your children. And when
they have grown up, when I am certain that you, my love, are at
peace, then I will put on my dark suit and shiny black shoes. And I
will come to you, Manami. And you will wait for me in our chamber.
Beautiful, in the gold kimono. I will come up to you and give you
my hand. You will place your warm palm in it. I will hug you, hold
you to my chest and kiss your hair. And we will be alone. Just you
and me, Manami. Just the two of us. In the whole world.”

Pascal opened the door and left the
shelter.

Chapter 161

Manami went to her room. She took a
pair of scissors from the dresser, returned to the living room and
cut out the black rose from their cover. She then put back the
remaining red silk as it had been.

She went to the kitchen and took
the largest knife.

Pascal got off the elevator in the
lobby of the television station building. He approached the
inspectors.

“Where are you going, Mr.
Alexander?” the captain asked him. “The mayor still hasn’t
returned. You know his orders.”

“That’s not important. I am your
President. Take me to the square,” Pascal said.

“Yes, sir, Mr.
President!”

Manami went to couch and knelt on
it. She bound her knees with the black rose and raised the
knife.

The first bloody tears ran down her
face and dripped onto the gold kimono.

And with her beautiful eyes she was
looking at Pascal’s image.

“My love,” she said, and slit her
throat with one powerful cut.

Pascal, accompanied by the
inspectors, came out through the large doors of the television
station building and stepped out onto the top of a large granite
staircase.

A whisper spread through the
square. “Pascal… Pascal…”

Some people remained standing. Some
fell to their knees.

But everyone’s hands were reaching
out to Pascal.

Copyrighted material

The Grasshopper

Copyright © 2013 by Saša
Mihajlović

Author: Saša Mihajlović

Design: Dragan
Grozdanić

Translator: Vuk Tošić

First Edition, 2013

CIP - Cataloguing in
Publication

National and University Library,
Ljubljana

821.163.41-32(0.034.2)

MIHAJLOVIĆ, Saša, 1963-

       
The Grasshopper [Electronic source] / Saša
Mihajlović. - 1st ed. - eBook. -

Maribor : self published,
2013

ISBN 978-961-276-841-6
(ePub)

268958208

All rights reserved.

Any unauthorized reprint or use of
this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system without express written
permission from the author.

The characters and events
portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real
persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the
author.

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