A New Novel, Part 215 The Bills Must all Be Paid

7 May 2011, A New Novel, Part 215 The Bills Must all Be Paid

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Aksinya ran away from the Ecclesia. Two men are taking the furniture out of her house.  She is speaking to them.  One of them has gone to check on the horses...

Helmut’s lips rose over his teeth again. It wasn’t a smile.


Aksinya reached for the paper.

Helmut pulled it back. His frown deepened, “Please don’t touch it. It is an official document.”

Aksinya moved a little closer to the paper. Under her breath, she read the document, “There is a list of litigants and claimants.” Her voice filled with dismay, “The list is very long. It says, that because the alleged Countess Aksinya Andreiovna Golitsyna is in arrears for…,” she gasped.

“Is there something wrong?”

“The amount is so large.”

The man made a loud huff under his breath, “That is why the directive tells us to take everything from the house. It still won’t be enough to pay for it all.”

Aksinya wailed, “You will take everything I own, and it still won’t be enough.”

Helmut’s nose twitched, “It won’t be enough at all.”

“What about my jewelry?”

“We haven’t seen any jewelry. Perhaps the previous repossessors removed it.”

Aksinya’s eyes widened, “But my father’s money.”

The man’s face twitched again, “I heard it was all Russian. It isn’t worth the paper it is printed on any more.”

“But I have nothing else.”

“I understand there were loans too. They must all be paid.”

“What will I do?”

The man did smile at that, “You? Who are you?”

Aksinya is speaking with Helmut one of the men moving the furniture from her house.  Helmut shows Aksinya a directive that gives him authority to remove the furniture.  Aksinya reads the paper and discovers that it claims she owes a very large amount.  Helmut tells her all the furniture in the house won't be enough to pay the bills.  Aksinya's cry: “You will take everything I own, and it still won’t be enough.”  For a person who was driven by luxuria, this is an exquisite torture.  Aksinya will have nothing left at all.  Aksinya asks about her jewelry, and her father's money--it is all gone.  Aksinya has nothing left and yet, the man tells her there will be more to pay. 

At the end, the man asks who she is.  He guesses, but do you remember what Aksinya appears like?  She looks like a cleaning woman.  Tomorrow, who are you?