AMARINTHOS
Amarinthos is a seaside village in Evia, a little outside Eretria. The town of Amarinthos has many taverns and cafes as well as a lot of hotels. Our summer house was located in a remote piece of property ten minutes on foot from the beach and the town center. It was a little wooden pre-fabricated cottage with a big garden, trees and unkempt plants. After we settled in, I went for a walk on the beach. When I got there, I called the girls to see the place.
…
Al.-Wow, nice place.
Nat.-Yes, you’re lucky. You’ll be staying in a place where people come for vacation.
Chr.-Yeah, vacation with that asshole, 10,000.
Alice D-Come on, damn it…Try not to pay much attention to him and hang out with us on the beach.
Al.-Yes, have sex on the sand. Aaaaah
Nat.-We can make fun of passersby.
Alice D-We can stroll in the stupid village.
Chr.-Yeah, why not? One problem is that I won’t be coming to Athens to get together often…
Alice D-…
Chr.-Alice D?!
At that point, 10,000 cut communication. “Time to welcome you to the new house,” he said and freaked me out that I am a skeleton. Instead of seeing my hands, I saw my hand’s skeleton. It was a terrible experience, but he didn’t stop there. 10,000 felt like experimenting…He enlarged my ribs and made my spinal chord crooked. He changed the geometry of my skull and put muscles in my deformed skeleton. I wanted to scream, but he had deformed my mouth in such a way that I couldn’t speak. That went on for about ten minutes. “Time for the next phase of your mutation,” he said to me. He changed my DNA to one of a fly’s and then to a snail’s. Besides the freaky part of all this, I realized that snails feel love towards everyone, but are very afraid of fire. Flies think completely procedural and egocentrically. The mutations continued and for a minute I became a vulture. It was a very bad experience. I needed help. Svensgar and the devil had disappeared completely ever since 10,000 started the torturing and the girls could only console me, but couldn’t ditch him.
The next torture 10,000 did was optical. It was like a bad trip from drugs as I was entering and leaving various parallel worlds which had different given parameters of existence from our own. There was a different spatial and time arrangement and other parameters that our world didn’t have. The torture worked like a radio with a frequency band of different parallel worlds. As 10,000 changed the “stations” I found myself in a parallel world that was similar to ours. In one of the parallel worlds, there was a guy who looked like me, but he was in a bad condition. It was my parallel universe self, Christophoros.
-What’s up, man? It may seem strange, but I am you from a parallel universe. Christos.
-What?! Is it true what they say in the democracy of America? Christophoros.
-You mean in America?
-Yes. The democracy of America. The revolutionaries had made a speech about that.
-What revolutionaries?
-The resisting guardians of knowledge from the universities. The have created a pseydo-state called the democracy of America and the Americanians are after them. All the revolutionary world is with them. Me too. Fifty years ago, they were planning a mission to the moon and the Americanians bombed them. Never forgert!
I was about to correct his “forgert,” but then I realized that that was the way it was said there.
-When did brain to brain communication occur to you?
-Hahaha. Are you fucking kidding me? It was always like that. Are you Neanderthal? Do you mind if I shoot a little opium?
I felt sad. My parallel universe self was very messed up…
-Have you been doing opium for a long time?
-Yes, ever since my parents abandoned me.
-They abandoned you? Why?
-Because I entered the resistance and they were pro-Americanians. Assholes.
-Do you work?
-What’s that?
-How do you spend your day?
-I go and contribute to get food stamps. I spend half on opium. Hahaha.
-To whom do you contribute?
-To the big ones. Only they give food stamps. I am secretly in the resistance. Things are difficult.
-I imagine that the big ones are Americanians.
-Not all of them. They are from a lot of borders.
-Do you live in Athens…?
Then he shot and became a mess. There were tears in my eyes and I left. A little later I returned to my girls. Something big and at the same time bad seemed to have happened.
Chr.-How are you girls?
Al.-Christos. Listen. There is a rumor that 10,000, Svensgar, the devil and many others have created a secret organization called the “conspiracy” and they intend to kill you. Today or tomorrow, the transmitter of the “archetype dogma,” the “irl” will convey a message to everybody about who you are so that more people will believe in you. The “conspiracy” will try to prevail and to impose its own dogma with the help of a strong drug “Bendels.” “Bendels” is the strongest and the most awesome drug in here, but it leads you to become a follower of the “conspiracy” dogma through a lack of judgement which they take advantage of. The “conspiracy” dogma is to make people their pawns and to become dominant in the outside world. Whoever is a member and reacts against this is killed by the other members. The “conspiracy” keeps this secret and presents itself as a cool alternative to the “archetype dogma.” We and five thousand people who have understood the trick of the “conspiracy” are with you, baby. We love you.
Chr.-Fuck. So that circle of 5,000 will be called “protection group.” We offer everything we have to everyone regardless of whether they are in the “protection group” or not and we inform people about the consequences of using “Bendels.” I’m sure that they will try to strike immortality and the system of self-defense that I have given to people. I will protect that no matter what it takes. Aliki, can you do a massive “knock”?
Al.-Yes. You can, too…
Chr.-Nice. So, I’ll “knock” at the circle of 5,000 to inform them about the existence of the “protection group.” Don’t worry about the “irl”…
Alice D-I love you.
Nat.-I love you.
Al.-I love you.
Chr.-I love you all, too. Let’s gather slowly…
Within an hour, the 5,000 had gathered and they sat down in a circle around me and the girls. The atmosphere was indescribable. A lot of people knew each other. Some were drinking beers and others were making out. At some point, before I was able to say anything, a guy suddenly shouted, “Long live the protection group!” The people were shouting, whistling and cheering. Then the “irl” came. The “protection group” went silent and a luminous cylinder with a two-way rotation appeared behind my head. A flash and a loud bang followed and gradually more people started to gather. The “protection group” was now a total of 15,000 people…The party continued for hours and, at some point, exhausted the girls and I said goodnight and left. “Long live the foursome!” shouted an elderly woman and the gathering slowly scattered. The next day, Svensgar appeared in front of me.
Sv.-What’s up, dude?! Everything Ok? he said like nothing had happened.
Chr.-Fuck you. Get the fuck out of here! I know about the “conspiracy.”
-What “conspiracy” dude? I saved your life. Wanna try this new drug, I …
At that point, I interrupted him and pushed him.
Sv.-I guess, you know. Alice D is fucked. Tonight we’ll try to kill her, he said and disappeared quickly.
I immediately went to Alice D and the others.
Chr.-Baby, tonight you have to stay near me, I said and I checked what condition her immortality spell was in. It was ok. I decided to protect her spell all night.
Alice D-Why? Not that I have a problem, she answered and kissed me.
Chr.-It’s nothing. Just stay near me tonight.
Nat.-Did something happen?
I answered “no” and immediately I said to Natalie and Aliki what had happened in private. I told them to keep me awake.
The day passed and the girls went to sleep. I was keeping awake and was watching Alice D’s spell. Just as my eyes were closing, a girl came and upset started to tell me the following…
-Good evening, Christos. I did something completely stupid and I want to tell you about it. Some guys approached me and gave me a drug. What was the name of it? “Bendels” I think. The high was incredible and I couldn’t compare it to any other drug. But when the effect was over, they tried to initiate me into some kind of religion. I am very frightened and I feel like I’m in trouble. What should I do?
-Don’t do it again and keep away from those assholes. Go to a member of the “protection group” and whatever you need tell me.
-What’s the “protection group?” It’s not some stupid cult, eh?!
-No.
-Are you sure, because I don’t want to get in trouble.
-No, it’s n….
At that point Svensgar appeared and the girl disappeared.
Sv.-Alice D is dead. The girl you were just talking to was an optical illusion created by the devil, he said and left.
“Aaaasshole,” I shouted. I immediately went to wake up the three of them. Alice D wouldn’t wake up. I checked her spell and it was cut in half. Natalie and Alice were panicking. I sent small electric shocks to Alice D, but she wouldn’t wake up. The three of us started crying. I tried to connect the broken spell, but I ended up crying on it, not being able to connect it. The girls did the same. The disappointment was unbearable. We had lost Alice D because of those idiots from the “conspiracy.” All the moments we had lived together came to our minds and we couldn’t believe that she was gone. We started to organize revenge, but it seemed difficult and not enough. The assholes of the “conspiracy” were well-hidden. Time was passing and the pain got bigger and bigger. For the three of us.
Fifteen minutes later, one of my tears fell on Alice D. The “irl” started to rotate quickly on Alice D’s immortality spell until was activated again. “Wake up, wake up!” we shouted. As if nothing had happened, she got up and asked us what we wanted. The “irl” gave me a message that even if the spell was cut, after a while it would recover.
Chr.-Nothing, Alice D …Go back to sleep, I told her.
The girls and I decided to tell her another time. Crying with happiness, we went to sleep.
The next day, Angie came. Angie was another girl I was in love with in the last years. She was upset and she was accompanied by Letos. They seemed freaked out.
Let.-We did “Bendels.”
Ang.-Yes and ideas came into our heads to harm you.
Let.-I would never harm you.
Ang.-We didn’t know what it was. We got high and an asshole started brainwashing us, she said with her eyes wide open.
Let.-Then somebody told us about the “conspiracy.” I felt like I had betrayed you, but I didn’t know. Now, I’m going to wait for the effect to wear off and then I’m going to kick the shit out of that asshole. If I find him. They hide very well.
Ang.-They made us organize your murder.
Let.-“Bendels” makes you lose it.
Chr.-Take this spell to sober up. Wanna become the organizers of the “protection group?”
Ang.-Yes.
Let.-We’ll do the best we can. We’ll leave now to sober up.
Chr.-Bye. Be careful.
Ang.-Bye and I’m sorry.
A little bit later, I would have to face another enemy, who had also become a member of the “conspiracy.” Satan. The “conspiracy” had also made Lucifer a proposition, but he didn’t accept because he wanted to spend his time maintaining his cult. Satan appeared in front of me in the mood to duel. Then, a representative of Christ’s dogma appeared and told me that they didn’t want any involvement in this and to never bother them to ask for help. The first thing that Satan did was to cover me from top to bottom with snails so that I would freak out. The battle began while I was covered with snails. Then he brought several cannibals to help him. He tried to immobilize me so that the cannibals would attack me. I cured the cannibals so that I wouldn’t be in danger, but Satan was giving them strong doses of “Bendels” in order to get them on his side again. For the time being, the cannibals weren’t a danger because they were high. Satan was throwing strong electric shocks and was trying to give me “Bendels.” Fortunately, he failed. At that point, the “irl” gave me through the “breath” something that would get me out of my tough spot. It was a defense which would rot anyone that would turn against me and, at the same time, did “Bendels.” The cannibals got scared and left. Satan was under the influence of “Bendels” and started rotting. He was so brutal that he didn’t care. He tied me with a wire and hit me with a piece of sheet rock that had nails on it which he had found in my garden. Then he tried to turn against the “irl” but it was smarter than him and gave him “Bendels” doses which resulted in his rotting even more, thanks to the defense. He was in an ecstatic condition and went towards the “protection group.” Letos and Angie activated a spell that I had given them like a defense. It was like a circle that nobody could penetrate. After many unsuccessful attempts, Satan had completely rotted and couldn’t take it anymore. So, he returned running to the “conspiracy.” The battle with the “conspiracy” hadn’t finished yet. A little later, Svensgar came…
With a mental device which transmitted frequencies, he tried to get on the same frequency with the “irl” in order to deactivate it. I got my guitar and connected it to his device and an amplifier. As I was playing, I changed the frequencies it transmitted adding chords. The new frequencies weren’t dangerous for the “irl.” Svensgar directed himself frantically towards Aliki. He wanted to get her on the same frequency with the device to drive her crazy. Then I started playing music to Aliki so that Svensgar’s frequencies wouldn’t come through. The musical battle was becoming more and more difficult. Due to the frequencies that Svensgar transmitted, I had to play more and more quickly and melodically. At one point, I was playing so fast so that nothing would happen to Aliki that I almost got tendonitis. I wouldn’t stop and Svensgar got bored first and stopped. I was exhausted.
I turned and saw 10,000 trying to burn Alice D with a cigarette I had let lit. Because I didn’t know whether it was an optical illusion or reality, I couldn’t risk it and ran to protect Alice D. I took the cigarette from him and put it out. He told me that every time I would light a cigarette, he would burn Alice D with a spell. I shouted “damn it” and threw the pack in the garbage. The communication with the girls had blocked and I didn’t know in what condition they were. Natalie managed to show me that everything was ok, so 10,000 turned against me only.
I tried to fight him, but he took the shape of my spinal cord and embraced it; so that if I wanted to hurt him I would injure it. At the same time, every spondyl hurt and the only thing I could do was to try to change 10,000’s shape carefully so that I wouldn’t be injured. At some point, I managed to give 10,000 the shape of a ball. I would hit him and he would go back and then come back to attack me. A little later, a woman with a birthmark came to see out of curiosity what was happening. 10,000 took advantage of it and hid in her birthmark and threw electric shocks from there. The woman had freaked out, but she didn’t want to leave because she would take him with her. It was better if I were there. The idiot did “Bendels,” not knowing that I had a defense against anyone who attacked me and at the same time did “Bendels.” He immediately started rotting and got out of the women’s birthmark. In a panic, she left. His decay had gotten worse and, not having understood my defense, he did more “Bendels” to stop the decay. After a certain point, he had rotted so much that the girls and some people from the “protection group” came and we were all happy that he was dying. A little later, Svensgar came annoyed and took him.
The next day, I woke up with the girls from something we didn’t expect. Half-asleep we found ourselves in the middle of a crowded soccer field, where the fans were waiting with for their team to come out. The atmosphere was indescribable. A little later, the team came and the people shouted “PAOK” (a Greek soccer team). The intensity of what they shouted made me wake up and shout, too, although I wasn’t involved in soccer much and was a fan of another team. As soon as the fans saw me shouting, they came over and hung out. What I had seen was a reenactment of a game which a fan (a member of the “protection group”) had organized. It was ten o’clock in the morning and we started drinking beers. A little later Letos who was another team came and hung out with us. By twelve o’clock we were wasted from booze. Then Nilsen another member of the “conspiracy” choose to come. As soon as the PAOK fans saw him, they started beating him up. Nilsen ran away before managing to do anything and the PAOK fans started laughing. As soon as he left, they suggested being present to protect the “protection group.” Without thinking too much about it, we accepted and the PAOK fans became an integral part of our company. Soon after, another group of people came to hang out. The Tsitsanides. The Tsitsanides were gypsy musicians and offered to play music whenever something important happened. They also offered us guns, but after laughing we said no. That day was one of the happiest…
The following days were relatively calm. The “conspiracy” wouldn’t attack and there was a “cold war” atmosphere which was better than war itself. One of those days, I found two identical stops for the door. They were wooden and as soon as I saw them I felt the air of the “breath” touching me. I decided to experiment. I joined them and formed a rhombus. Different symbols connected with the “archetype dogma” immediately appeared in my head. I started to make different movements with them and a huge range of spells appeared. Some were defenses, others were musical and a lot of others. What attracted my attention the most was a spell that made women prettier. So I activated in and for fun went into the town of Amarinthos. The spell was incredible because all the women I saw were beautiful. The pretty girls looked like mythical creatures whereas the ugly ones looked really good. At some point, I turned the spell on me to see if it worked on me, too. Immediately, all the chicks started looking at me and smiled or were shy. I spoke to two or three of them, but I didn’t get their phone numbers because I was with the girls. I fucked around until midnight and then I went to my girls to sleep.
On waking up, I realized that a large part of my memory had disappeared. I tried to think of some scenes from my childhood, but I couldn’t remember them. Ι told Aliki and she said that something terrible might had happened when I was little and it had blocked my memory. So I went to my mother to ask her about my childhood. I spoke to her through msn.
-Mom, I don’t remember at all what happened when I was little. My memory is blocked. Did anything strange happen when I was little?
My mother started crying, collected herself and then answered me.
-No.
-Why are you crying?
Then she broke down and started sobbing.
-I didn’t want to. Those assholes made me do it, she said sobbing.
-What didn’t you want to?
-I can’t tell you…not being able to stop crying.
-I forgive you already since it wasn’t your fault.
-They made me bury you when you were three years old. Some people approached me and forced me to take a substance and I buried you. As soon as I realized what I had done, I dug you up and you were still alive. My little boy….Boho.
I was shocked and didn’t want to know anymore. Then I found out from Aliki that some people knew about the coming of the Messiah and since then they were trying to stop me. The “conspiracy” had existed since then. Someone from the “protection group” told me that it was time to meet the prophets of the “archetype dogma.” Strung out (band). A little later, they appeared. Without speaking, we sat in a circle and did a ceremony. The message that came out of the ceremony was that although things were difficult and would be difficult, the whole movement should continue. Then, a musical phrase came into our minds that expressed the outcome of the ceremony. The Tsitsanides came and played a melody with their bouzoukies (a Greek traditional instrument) as they had promised. One minute later, Svensgar showed up. I was eating. Suddenly, the food acquired a poisonous taste and the asshsole said to me.
-You’ll either die of poison or of hunger. Your choice.
-Motherfuuucker, I shouted and he left.
The next days, I didn’t eat because I was scared of being poisoned. My parents pressured me to eat, but I threw the food on the walls, which resulted in their taking me to a neurologist. During our visit, I realized he was a member of the “conspiracy” from a painting he had on the wall. It was a head of a worn-out man which came out of the ground. Nilsen had it as a tattoo on his leg. I told it to my parents and we didn’t go again. I decided to eat. Strangely, there was nothing wrong with the food. The Tsitsanides played the melody again. Tatiana used a spell and saved me. Crying I thanked her and we all sat and ate together. The only one who wasn’t there was Aliki…
Chr.-Where’s Aliki? I said.
As soon as I said it, she came. The Tsitsanides played the melody again.
Chr.-Come on, you’ve overdone it. Stop.
Tsits.-Hahaha.
Aliki wasn’t well.
Chr.-What’s wrong, baby?
Al.-Nothing.
Chr.-But there seems to be something wrong with you.
Al.-No, I’m ok.
We continued eating quietly until Aliki shouted the following.
Al.-I want to fuck with Svensgar.
Everybody was stunned. Aliki started crying and left. A little later we went with the girls to see what was wrong. Why did she say that…
Al.-Go away, I’m not well, she said crying as soon as she saw us.
Nat.-Are you nuts? What the fuck were you talking about?
Chr.-Don’t get on her case, she’s not feeling well. What’s wrong baby?
Al.-Leave me alone.
Her eyes were wide and expressionless. They reminded me of Letos eyes when he had done “Bendels.” I looked at Alice D who also seemed to have understood…
Alice D-Did you do “Bendels,” Aliki?
Aliki looked at her with hate. She wasn’t herself. I went to sober her up with a spell and she looked at me with hate again. Then she started biting me and acting like a dog. Alice D and Natalie were crying.
Al.-Tomorrow, I will introduce you to Svensgar. Dress well, she said with a blank look.
Then the girls held her and we managed to sober her up. They had given her a strong dose and she slept immediately exhausted. The next day, she didn’t remember anything. Only that some guys from the “conspiracy” approached her and she didn’t manage to get away. We told her what happened and she started to cry and apologized. She immediately went to the members of the “protection group” whom we were eating with and explained what had happened. They told her that they had understood that the “conspiracy” was involved. The next days we were trying to get her out of her guilt trip. The “conspiracy” wouldn’t show up so we were sure they were planning something big…
Three days later, a guy from the “protection group” came in a panic and with difficulty told us that the “conspiracy” tried to prepare a massive destruction day, but didn’t manage it and overloaded the system of Communication. That would result in a lot of people losing it. Communication in msn was starting to become difficult a few hours later. It was like the system of Communication didn’t have a good signal anymore. After getting a coffee and a cheesepie, I went to the town of Amarinthos to see what condition the people were in. As I was walking, I spit a little bit of my cheesepie and Nilsen appeared half-crazy and told me that they’ll give life to that piece of cheesepie and they will turn it against the people of Amarinthos. After I told him to go fuck himself, I headed from the beach to the center of Amarinthos. Since animals were more vulnerable to the overloading of the system, they were the first to go crazy. In the street, I saw a dog holding a half-dead seagull in his mouth and ten cats walking in a row like they were marching. On the beach, I saw people going in the sea with their clothes on. Entering the town center, I saw two guys fighting over who owned a certain car. A little later, they both got in the car and left. A little bit farther down, I saw many families who had gathered in the square and who had put their kids in a row and were measuring their height. Amarinthos had gone crazy. I decided to go home and on the way I saw a man who was on the roof of a hotel and was shouting, “the end is here.” Underneath a group of well-dressed forty-year-olds were cheering and shouting. I went to my girls and it seemed that they had gone crazy too. Aliki and Alice D less than Natalie who had completely lost it and was hitting people. More specifically, she was hitting members of the “conspiracy” who had gone crazy and had left their hideout. I ran to get her, but unfortunately Nilsen reached her first. With another two members of the “conspiracy,” they grabbed her and took her to their hideout. I followed them secretly and I arrived at a place which had many small cells with bars. It was their prison. Walking past, I heard people talking to themselves. Others were screaming because of torturing. I had to get Natalie out of there. Since they were mental prisons, I changed my appearance and created a mental cell and sat in it. A little later, Natalie went down the corridor in the hands of two guys from the “conspiracy.” Immediately, I filled the neighboring cells with images of people so that they wouldn’t put her in those and would put her in my fake cell.
-We are full of scumbags. There is no space, said the member of the “conspiracy” that was holding Natalie.
I started to shout supposedly so that they would notice my cell which was empty.
-Let’s put her in this one. Bring a strong dose of “Bendels,” said one “conspiracy” scum to the other.
So, they put her in my fake cell and I tried to kiss her in disguise. She freaked out and I immediately showed her that it was me. She cried from happiness and kissed me.
-How are we going to get out of here? she said whispering.
-Time for a little jogging, Natalie.
I took apart the mental cell and we started running. We reached the “protection group” and after we created an impenetrable circle, we sat down altogether and drank beers…
As I was drinking my last beer, I remembered that I hadn’t communicated with a large part of the msn. The dead. The dead could intereact with us through the msn without any particular restrictions. I decided to talk to Bradley from Sublime.
-Hey Bradley, I said.
-Fuck! Someone among the living talked to me. People are usually afraid of us. It feels great to talk to someone from the living, because it happens in their space. It's our only link to life. Can we continue this conversation in your living room or something. I wanna live again.
-Yes, for sure. If you don't mind that my living room is also my parents bedroom...
-Wow, get a house.
-Hahaha, I guess I have to do that, man. How is the land of the dead?
-Pretty different. See that wall, on the far right of your head? That's what separates us.
-Fuck! Can I jump over?
-Yeah, for sure. You 'll be my visitor. Some dead people, don't like the living entering our area, but I don't give a fuck. We 'll go to a really special place, where I get to hang out with my dog.
-Really fucking cool!
On our way there, he showed me an image which created a feeling of infinite freedom, accompanied by a melancholy that filled you in a strange way.
-What’s that?! I asked him.
-My burning sun! he said and jumped excitedly.
A little later, we arrived at an abandoned playground. The feeling was unworldly. Every now and then, frequencies from the beyond came into your head. The perception of space was different. My thought flowed and my creativity was at its peak. I went to speak, but Bradley closed my mouth and put on his sunglasses. We sat for about an hour without speaking and time passed like eternity. Even the wind, its blowing, was different. It filled you with memories. A little bit after we smoked a joint, hung out in my living room and then I said goodbye and left. It was a life experience.
I returned to my girls, who were hanging out with Patton, and I gave an account of my experience. I decided to create a band with Patton to channel the creativity which that experience gave me. The band was named “Irel” after my “irl.” Right after, I showed the girls the wall which separated our world from the world of the dead. They climbed the wall and got glimpses of their world. They were ecstatic. After Patton left, the four of us went to sleep…
The next day, my mother woke me up and told me that once again we were going to move. The house in Amarinthos wasn’t big enough for us. So, we rented a house, again, in Nea Makri. This time at the port. After collecting our things, we went to the new house. The new house wasn’t as good as the first on we had rented in Nea Makri, but
it was definitely larger than Amarinthos. We each had our own room, but the best part was that it was located at the port with its stores and it was one minute from the beach. It was August 2010…