The Forbidden Novel

"You will likewise know that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice. Unhappy they are! They neither see nor understand that their good is near them".

The golden verses of Pythagoras.

…….

There he is! The man responsible for his pain, just in front of his eyes, close enough to hurt him with his avenging hands, the detective unlock the old revolver; the sound bounced on the walls of the dark room, the inanimate object is ready to act too. Now, all the fury that has gnawed him out his heart for more than a decade, it's ready to explode.

A candle illuminates the face of the murderer; he's younger than he thought, the man has a copy of the forbidden novel, he is reading it; the book feeds him. Hey! Said the detective

The man moves away his eyes from the novel, and says: Hello, detective, do you remember how you came here…?

ACT 1: Nigredo.

Mad as hell, Scott faces the traffic jam. He cursed, like the other drivers, spitting out his frustrations over an abstract and invisible enemy that doesn't reply. His soul rots more and more. The memory of his lost family, and his dead son, overwhelms him; Scott, the tough detective that fights for the primary law, is now about to cry. But he prefers to swallow the pain, like a man does it, just as his father, and the regime, taught him.

Over the past fifteen years the pain has become his everyday breakfast, and the air that he breathes; so the detective is used to the constant presence of the darkness around him, and the bitter sweet flavor of the melancholia on his dry mouth. Oh, my boy, he said with tears on his eyes.

The headquarters of the regime's police is a big dark pyramid. This structure measures more than 60 meters high, and it can be seen from every corner of the capital city. The top of the pyramid is gold as the sun on a summer solstice, and symbolizes the pervasive control that has the regime over its citizen.

The dark structure causes the panic among the citizens; the pyramid is like a beast about to attack, a beast that you can't stare at, because she would interpret it as an affront to its dominance.

The entrance of the Pyramid is a huge revolving door, on the top of it; there's a gold roman fasces, and above the roman antique weapon, there's a phrase written on gold letters that says: "Obedentia civium, urbis felicitas".

Every day, Scott tries to understand the meaning of that phrase, but as usual, he can't. Maybe I'm not supposed to understand it, maybe its meaning only can being understood it by a small portion of the society, he thought. Suddenly, a regime's drone landed in front of the detective, you got new orders, said the machine with a metallic soulless voice, then the ship spits out a piece of paper, Scott took it; "PRIMIRY LAW HAS BEEN BROKEN: SOMEBODY HAS READ THE FORBIDDEN NOVEL. GO TO THE CUBE. INTERVIEW THE LAST DISOBEDIENT CRIMINAL. GO GET INFORMATION". After reading the piece of paper a tear came out from the detective eye. Fifteen years ago, Scott was the cop who caught the last disobedient criminal and puts him on jail, while his little boy was killed by a pedophile.

The worst thing of been a regime official is; I don't even know the title of the banned book or the plot of the history, Scott thought, because the leaders don't want that its subordinates know anything about the law. To be ignorant is to be obedient, they always said.

ACT 2: Albedo.

The dark pyramid is not the only structure that can be seen in every corner of the city, the dark cube; the regime's prison also can be observed in everywhere. The cube also caused fear and respect among the citizens, because if the pyramid is the beast, the cube is the hell where the beast spits out its victims.

A revolving door is also the entrance of the state prison. Above the dark door of the cubic structure there's a silver roman fasces, and above it there's a phrase that says: "Obscuris vera involvens". Scott always thinks about darkness and madness when he read that sentence, but he doesn't know why.

The interior of the prison is shining; white walls, white floor. The detective is driven quickly by a soldier wearing a black uniform, through those white corridors to the site of the interview. You got ten minutes, said the military when they arrived.

Scott found the inmate sitting on a chair; the man is naked, and he got a silver device, that look like a spider, covering his mouth. Oh, God! Scott said.

-You got only five minutes! – said a male voice that came out from an intercom located on a corner of the room.

-But the other guy said: ten minutes…! – Scott replied.

-You heard!!

-Jesus! This in unbelievable! - Scott protested while he sits on a chair in front of the prisoner.

-It's nice to meet you again, detective… It's been… 15 years! Am I wrong? The inmate said. His voice sounds funny because the device on his mouth.

-You are not wrong.

-What else do you need from me? You already took my youth and my freedom.

-I didn't take anything from you. I just followed orders!

-Yeah, sure, you are just an orders follower; you don't own your mind. – The prisoner said with condescension.

-Be careful of what you said, you are talking with an officer of the law!

-ok, ok, my bad…

-Someone has read the forbidden novel… - Scott said while he settles on the chair.

The inmate laughs by a few seconds. But his laughter gets interrupted by an electric discharge that came out of the device on his mouth.

-Stop! – Scott screamed. The punishment ceased.

-I want to know if you know something about it. – Scott asked to the man.

-Look at me, detective! I've been locked here more than a decade, without a trial!! And my only sin against the almighty regime was to read a novel! I know noting, detective! – Another discharge, the man vomits.

-Stop!! Stop! I need to talk with him!!

The discharge stopped.

-Say me something… You must know something… if you collaborate with me… I'm sure they will treat you better. Who wrote the novel? What is the name of the book??

-The book name is… - Another discharge. The man vomits again.

-OK, OK!! – Scott screamed – I will not ask anything about the novel!! The discharge stopped.

-Who distributes the book? The detective asked.

-I can't answer that… they will hurt me again…

-Your time is over!! – The male voice said.

-No! No! I need more time!! – Scott answered to the voice - C'mon man! Say something – Scott asked to the inmate.

-Al right detective, I will tell you this… there's a secret society call "Sophia" and they also distribute the forbidden novel. Sophia is dangerous for the regime, because they show the truth to those who seek it.

-Did Sophia give you the book to you?

-No, and don't ask me who gave it to me, they will hurt me again…

-Ok, how do you know about this secret society?

-I was part of Sophia. We were the political opposition of the party that now rules the regime, we lose the last free election fifteen years ago, and because of that; they chased us, they kill us… but some lucky members of Sophia survived because they hid on the dark district. So, if you want real answers, your path will end there…

ACT III: Rubedo.

After a detailed requisition; that lasted for more than an hour, the detective Freeman received the authorization from the regime to enter to the dark district. You got 30 minutes of permission! Said the soldier that seized Scott, after that… – He went on - your citizen chip will be turn off!! You know what that's means, Eh? You will not get access to drink the water anymore!

-But, I need more time! I'm working here! I can't do anything in 30 minutes! – Scott replied.

-We don't question the orders! We follow the orders, period! – The soldier answered at loud, like he was ejaculating.

-Ok – Scott said, and then he accelerated his car, the tires skids on the asphalt, raising a white smoke.

Scott automatically saw the big house when he parked his car; Sophia's lodge is visible from anywhere in the main square of the dark district. Scott came down from the car with his eyes on the Lodge, Slowly, he walked through the empty square, and his steps resounded like bombs.

When the detective arrived to the lodge, the architecture of the house dazzled him. Wow! He said. Two huge pillars are the entrance of the lodge; the pillar of the right has a B on it, the other one has a J on the top. Above the main door there's a compass and a square with a letter G in the middle, bellow it; there's a letter S followed by three points: S:. And bellow that letter, there's a phrase on a strange language that said: "Eskato Bebeloi". Suddenly, the door of the lodge opens; a man dressed impeccably in black came out. Hello there, he said.

-Oh… hello, I am…

-We know who you are detective… – The man Answered – there's someone in there that want to talk with you…

-Who? - Scott asked suspiciously.

-Come with me and you will know… - The man extends his right hand.

-But, you don't understand, I'm here because I'm investigating…

-We know everything– Said the man – We will collaborate with the regime… we want peace. Come with me.

Gently, Scott extends his arm, where are we going? The detective asked.

-You are here for the truth, right? I'm going to take you where the truth is. – The man answered while he took Scott's hand.

The detective Freeman and the man in black pass through the pillars and enter to the lodge.

-I must cover your eyes – The man said while he closes the door of Sophia.

-What?! Why?! – Scott asked defensively. – Is this some kind of tramp?

-Not at all. No! – The man said – There are some things that, as a profane, you cannot see yet.

-Ok, but this seems extremely unusual!

The man in black covers Scott eyes. Then, slowly he conducts the detective across the lodge. Scott can hear murmurs around him. The breathing of the man in black is slow, almost hypnotic, be careful, he said, there is an unevenness in the floor.

-Thanks – Scott said.

Suddenly, something rips the right sleeve of Scott's pants; his leg, from the knee to the shoe, gets exposed. What just happen?! He screamed.

-Sorry, It was my fault –The man answered.