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Alan stirred in his sleep, his dreams filled with unsettling images from the carnival - the voice of the somnambulist repeating over and over in his mind, that chilling prophecy haunting him. His sleep was filled with unrest, his terrors constantly awakening him and leaving him to lie awake with horrible thoughts racing through his mind before he fell asleep again.
"Till the break of dawn..."
Alan shifted as he jolted out of sleep once again, pulling his blanket closer as he shivered against the cold. His room was strangely cold, as if he had forgotten to close his window or something.
Suddenly Alan heard his floorboards creak, and, with a realization that made his heart run cold, recognized the sound of someone breathing - someone that wasn't himself.
His eyes snapped open, and he found himself staring into the cold, almost lifeless eyes of Cesare. The somnambulist loomed over him, a knife glinting in his hand, poised to strike.
Before Alan could even begin to react, the knife slashed downward, cutting deep into Alan's side. Pain exploded through him, and he felt a warm gush of blood soaking his clothes.
"No!" Alan gasped, trying to scramble out of bed, his sheets tangling around him as he fell to the floor, scrambling backward away from the somnambulist as his side screamed in agony. He raised his hand to try to push Cesare away, but Cesare's hand shot out, grabbing Alan's arm in a vice-like grip.
The knife gleamed in the moonlight shining through the window (and it was shattered, Cesare had clearly broken through it) and slashed downward once again, directed at his heart, but Alan twisted at the last moment, the blade cutting into his arm instead of his chest. Pain exploded through him, but adrenaline drove him forward. He kicked out, catching Cesare in the chest and pushing the taller man back as Alan finally escaped the sheets tangled about him and pulled himself to his feet using the frame of his bed as Cesare stumbled.
Alan's vision blurred, and his strength was fading fast. He staggered to his feet, clutching his side where blood was pouring out. With every ounce of willpower, he bolted for the door, ignoring the searing pain. He could hear Cesare's footsteps behind him, relentless and unyielding.
Desperation fueled Alan's movements - and terror, as blood coursed down his arm and side, steadily dripping to the floor. He wrenched his arm free from Cesare's grip and bolted for the door, ignoring the searing pain. He could hear Cesare's footsteps behind him, relentless and unyielding. The somnambulist was silent, but clearly dead-set on bringing his prophecy to fruition.
Alan burst out of his house, sprinting into the night. The twisted streets of the town seemed to close in on him, every shadow a potential hiding place for his pursuer. He could still hear Cesare, closer now, his heavy breathing mingling with Alan's own gasps. Alan was feeling woozy from blood loss, and he knew that his injuries weren't helping him escape Cesare - it was practically leaving a perfect trail for the attempted-murderer to follow!
He rounded a corner and stumbled, crashing into a pile of wooden crates. Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to his feet, knowing he had to keep moving. Finally, he saw the familiar outline of Francis's house in the distance. With a final burst of energy, he sprinted to the door and pounded on it desperately.
Looking behind him as he pressed himself against the door, he didn't see any sign of Cesare.
Maybe he had lost him..?
"Francis! Help me!" He cried, clutching his injured side as he prayed for his friend to hear him. "Francis!"
After a few horrifically long seconds, the door flew open, and Francis stood there, his eyes widening with shock and horror as he took in the blood covering Alan, "Alan? What... what happened to you? Are you alright?!"
Alan staggered inside, collapsing onto the floor as Francis tried to catch him, his friend kneeling beside him as he clenched his teeth in pain. Blood pooled around him, and he clutched his side in agony. "Cesare... the somnambulist from the carnival, he tried to kill me..."
"His prophecy..." Francis murmured, before quickly jumping up to close and lock the door. He returned to Alan's side and quickly helped him to the armchair, his hands trembling as he saw the extent of Alan's injuries, his own hands quickly becoming bloodied. "Stay still, I'll... I'll get some bandages."
As Francis rushed to gather supplies, Alan's mind raced.
Why had Cesare tried to kill him? Was he the reason for the other death that had been on the poster he and Francis had seen walking home from the carnival?
And what did Dr. Caligari have to do with everything?
He winced as Francis returned and began cleaning the wound on his side, struggling to staunch the bleeding. The injury on his arm was left for later, not in need of attention as much as his side.
"You're lucky you got away, this is..." Francis said, his voice strained as he pressed the white bandages to Alan's side - the pristine white quickly blooming with red. "We need to tell Jane about this. She'll know what to do. I'll stay awake for the night, I'll watch over you and make sure Cesare doesn't come back."
Francis gave Alan some medicine to ease the pain and helped him to his bed, assuring him that he would keep him safe until morning. And as the pain began to subside, exhaustion took over, and he drifted into a restless sleep.
Morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over Francis's room. Alan stirred, wincing as the pain in his side flared up again. The events of the previous night came rushing back to him, and he struggled to sit up - grimacing as he pulled on his wounds.
"Easy, Alan," Francis said softly from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't push yourself."
Alan looked around, noticing Jane sitting in a chair nearby, her face pale and worried as she looked at him. "Jane... you’re here..."
"Of course," she replied, leaning forward and reaching out to take his hand. "Francis told me what happened, with Cesare. How are you feeling?"
"Like... like I’ve been stabbed twice," Alan attempted to joke, but his weak smile quickly faded as Francis and Jane met him with pained looks. "We need to do something about this... about Cesare."
Jane and Francis exchanged a glance. "We were thinking the same thing," Francis said. "I believe he lives with that doctor that does his show, Dr. Caligari. We need to go to his hut and find out more about Cesare. But we have to be careful."
Alan nodded, gritting his teeth as he shifted to a more comfortable position. "We need to find proof of his connection to the attacks. We can’t just go to the police and accuse him without evidence."
"Agreed," Jane said, determination hardening her features. "But we can't go there without a plan. We need to approach this carefully. We know he's probably already killed one person."
Francis nodded. "Jane's right. We need a plan. We should go there quietly, maybe while he's out, and gather as much evidence as we can."
Alan clenched his fist, before throwing the blanket to the side and shifting, moving to get out of the bed. "I can’t let him get away with this. I’ll come with you."
"No, Alan, you're in no condition to-" Jane started, but Alan cut her off.
"I can’t stay behind while you two face him. I’ll... I'll manage."
Reluctantly, Jane and Francis agreed. They spent the next few hours planning their approach. They would wait until nightfall, hoping to catch Cesare off guard. Alan's injuries were bandaged as best as they could manage, and he rested as much as possible, trying to gather his strength.
As dusk fell, the trio set out, making their way through the shadowed streets. The town seemed eerily quiet, adding to the tension that gripped them. When they reached Dr. Caligari's hut, they crept around to the back, hoping to find a way in without being noticed.
The small hut looked even more sinister in the dim light, its windows dark and unwelcoming. Alan’s heart pounded in his chest as they approached, every step a struggle against the pain in his side.
Francis motioned for them to stop, pointing to a side window. "Let's see if we can hear anything."
Carefully, they positioned themselves outside the window, straining to catch any sounds from within before peeking over the windowsill. The interior of the hut was cluttered and chaotic, filled with strange instruments and papers. Strangely one side of the room was taken up by a long and thin box, big enough to fit a whole person inside.
As they peered inside, they heard voices coming from the single room, and they saw Dr. Caligari's back, the man facing Cesare.
Dr. Caligari's voice was sharp and angry. "You failed to kill him, you useless puppet!"
Cesare stood silently, his expression blank, but Alan could see a flicker of something in his dark eyes - fear, perhaps?
The trio shared a glance and inside the hut, Dr. Caligari advanced on Cesare, his face contorted with rage. "You failed me, Cesare! You were supposed to kill him, and you failed!"
Cesare stood motionless, his eyes wide and empty. Dr. Caligari raised his hand and struck Cesare across the face. "Useless puppet!" he spat.
Alan, Jane, and Francis watched in horror as Dr. Caligari continued to berate Cesare - who stood silently, accepting the torment. "You do nothing without my command! You are nothing without me!"
Cesare said nothing, a few drops of dark blood falling down his sickly pale skin as his nose began to bleed.
Dr. Caligari took a step back, composing himself. "Sleep, Cesare," he commanded.
Immediately, Cesare's eyes closed, and he slumped to the floor, as if a marionette whose strings had been cut.
Jane gasped, and Francis covered her mouth with his hand as they all exchanged wide-eyed looks.
The Doctor picked Cesare's limp form up and dumped him into the box and closed the lid. Then he extinguished the lamp sitting on the table and cast the hut into darkness.
Alan, Francis, and Jane crept away carefully and quietly, not speaking a word until they were safely back in Francis's home.
"He's... Cesare is not in control," Jane whispered as Francis locked the door and pulled the curtains across the windows, her voice trembling. "Dr. Caligari is controlling him, making him do those horrible things..."
"We can’t just leave him there..." Francis murmured, raising a hand to his forehead as he paced.
"Cesare tried to kill me!" Alan threw his arms into the air - and promptly winced, as he pulled on where Cesare had slashed him with the knife.
"Not him, the Doctor! The Doctor tried to have you killed!" Jane insisted.
"By sending him!" Alan replied.
"Jane, Alan, shush! We need to find a way to free Cesare," Francis said, "He’s like a puppet, he didn't chose to hurt you Alan... the real villain might be Dr. Caligari, but we need more evidence. Or we need a way to get Cesare away from Dr. Caligari."
"How do we do that without getting caught?" Alan asked, wincing as he shifted his weight, moving to sit on the edge of Francis's bed.
Jane’s eyes widened as an idea struck her. "What if we use the carnival as a distraction? If we can draw Dr. Caligari out and keep him busy, we might be able to get Cesare away from him before he notices."
Francis nodded slowly. "It’s risky, but it might work. We need to lure him out and then get Cesare to safety."
The carnival only had a few more days in their town before it moved on. The next step was clear - they needed to find a way to free Cesare, and fast.
Alan, Jane, and Francis huddled in Francis's small study, illuminated by the soft glow of a kerosene lamp. They had been planning their rescue of Cesare all night and morning, and there were only a few hours left until the carnival began its next show.
"We need to create a distraction that will draw Dr. Caligari away from Cesare," Francis said, his voice low. "I know fireworks are out because he might not even notice them with how chaotic the carnival already is, and setting things on fire is too dangerous..."
Jane nodded thoughtfully, before sitting up as she grinned, "What about the animals?! All the animals for acts and such at the carnival could provide the perfect diversion. If we release them, chaos will ensue as they run around, and it will buy us time to get to Cesare."
Alan winced as he shifted in his chair, still feeling the pain from his injuries. "Jane, can you handle releasing the animals?"
Jane nodded again. "I'll slip into the carnival grounds and release them discreetly. Once chaos breaks out, you and Francis can move in to rescue Cesare. We just have to hope Dr. Caligari is lured away by the chaos."
They finalized their plan, mapping out the carnival grounds and coordinating their movements. Jane would create the distraction, Alan and Francis would rescue Cesare, and then they would regroup at a safe location - hopefully, if all went to plan.
The carnival night was in full swing as Jane slipped through the crowds, keeping to the shadows. She made her way towards the animal cages, avoiding the attention of carnival workers. She turned her face away as she crept by Dr. Caligari's tent, not wanting to risk being recognized.
As Jane approached the animal cages, she saw they were guarded by a couple of carnival workers. She took a deep breath and, using the bustling crowd as cover, managed to slip past them and reach the cages. Her heart pounded as she crouched by the locks, and she quickly and quietly picked the locks, one by one, releasing the animals inside. First, she released the monkeys, their chattering and playful antics catching the attention of nearby spectators who began to crowd the area. The monkeys swung from tent ropes and stole food from unsuspecting patrons, tossing food and garbage around as carnival-goers shrieked and ran for cover.
Next, Jane released a pair of majestic parrots. The birds took flight, squawking loudly and swooping low over the carnival-goers heads, causing them to duck and scatter.
She then moved to the larger animals. She unlocked the cage holding a group of goats, who immediately began to butt heads and create a ruckus near a food stall. The startled vendors yelled and tried to shoo them away, adding to the chaos. The goats began to run through the carnival, sending merchandise - and people - flying.
Finally, Jane approached the largest cage, where a magnificent elephant paced restlessly. With trembling hands, she managed to unlock the gate. The elephant emerged slowly at first, looking around curiously, before letting out a mighty trumpet that echoed across the carnival grounds. As the elephant began to move through the crowded and tight pathways, knocking tents over and crushing stands, pandemonium ensued.
Jane grinned, ducked a flying box of popcorn that a monkey had tossed, and ran towards the outskirts of the carnival where Alan and Francis would meet her.
The carnival erupted into pandemonium. Screams and shouts filled the air as people ran in all directions to avoid the animals. Carnival workers hurriedly tried to contain the monkeys and goats, while spectators pressed against each other in panic, cowering as the giant elephant trumpeted and stomped.
Dr. Caligari, who had been observing the carnival from his tent, immediately recognized the threat to his show - his audience was fleeing! He barked orders at his assistants to control the situation, his face twisted in anger and frustration. Eventually he threw his hands into the air, grabbed his cane, and raced off towards the animal-handler's tents.
Watching from the shadows, Alan and Francis shared a glance.
"Now's our chance," Francis whispered to Alan, nodding towards Dr. Caligari's tent.
With the chaos providing cover, Alan and Francis moved swiftly through the carnival grounds. They navigated through the panicked crowd, keeping their eyes on Dr. Caligari’s tent where Cesare was held captive. Dr. Caligari could return at any moment, so they had to hurry.
They reached the tent unnoticed and slipped inside. They quickly raced across the empty audience area, climbed onto the stage, and ducked behind the curtain.
Cesare's cabinet stood tall, and Alan and Francis shared a look.
Francis slowly crept forward, and pulled the door open.
Cesare stood motionless inside the cabinet, his eyes vacant and his posture rigid.
It was just like how he had been the night he had told Alan the prophecy.
"Cesare," Alan called softly, approaching him cautiously. "We're here to help you. Can you... Can you hear me?"
Cesare blinked slowly, as if waking from a trance. He slowly dragged his gaze to look at Alan, his brow furrowed. Recognition flickered in his eyes, mingled with a hint of fear.
"We know Dr. Caligari controls you," Francis added quickly, his voice steady. "We've seen how he treats you. We're getting you out of here."
Cesare hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly. "...thank you," he whispered hoarsely - his voice rough with disuse.
Alan and Francis worked quickly to help Cesare out of the cabinet. Cesare was still weak from sleep and disoriented, but Francis and Alan each pulled one of his arms over their shoulders and they led him out of the tent.
They moved cautiously through the chaos, guiding Cesare towards the outskirts of the carnival grounds. Jane appeared from the shadows of a vacant ticket booth, her eyes wide with concern as she saw Cesare.
"We did it!" Jane whispered, a mix of relief and worry in her voice. "You got him."
Alan and Francis nodded, and Cesare was silent. Alan supposed he couldn't blame him.
But their escape was not yet secure even as they slipped into the fleeing crowd and blended into the chaos. They knew Dr. Caligari would soon discover Cesare was missing, and they certainly knew that Dr. Caligari would be suspicious of Alan, knowing he had survived Cesare's murder attempt. But with Cesare's testimony... perhaps it would be enough to convince the police of Dr. Caligari's guilt.
Together, they all slipped away into the night, leaving the chaos of the carnival behind them.