1 Imagine the terrible The old main stench that’s been sewage collec- trapped down there tors are directly for the last fifty below us. years! Yeah, right! Maybe we should invite Chanel over Be careful, here to bot- it could be tle it, ha ha full of ha! flammable gas. Let’s get some breakfast and let the stink die down some. Okay, but let’s go far enough away, unless you want to puke up your meal. Sir, it’s gonna give! Man! It smells awful! Let’s just hope the wind and sun will diffuse some of that 50- year-old- stench. 3 One day ¦ thought ¦ found a refuge where ¦ One day… could stay forever. Arghhh… Nooo… Aghhh. It hurts! A dark place where the sun could never bring me back to life. Ahh… my blood Ahh… my is melting… it… brain’s start- it’s burning my ing to func- insides… tion again… Enough! A place from which light has been banished forever. Please, Sun… This is torture! Get lost, you bastard! Leave me alone! 4 It’s done. Here ¦ am once again. Now everything begins again. How long has it been since ¦ was last here? A thousand years? Ten? Hey, look! What’s that crawling out Whoa… ¦’d of the hole? better get out of here. ¦ don’t want to start this whole thing. 5 Looks like That’s impossible! How a boy. A boy did he get in there! This dressed place has been sealed in rags. up for fifty years! Let’s get him! He left that way. Hurry! So, it’s been fifty years. ¦ thought ¦ Sniff… could rest sniff… longer, but no such luck… You always find a way to ¦ smell make me come like a dead back, don’t rat. you, Sun? 6 The river is close; ¦ can take a bath there. Damn… If ¦ jump in here, ¦’ll be filthier than ¦ am now. Yuck! What’s that in the water? Sniff… sniff… What’s that? Food! 7 Lots of food… Hello… Can ¦ eat with you? Sure, kid. There’s plenty of food for everyone. Take a plate. Huh… no, thanks. ¦’d rather take the whole pot. 8 But, the pot is And so heavy! boiling… How come he didn’t get burned? Hey, thanks! No, but Let’s get him! he stole our That’s food! not normal. Yes, but be careful. He might be dangerous! 9 It’s impossible! Look at him! He runs No one can eat that like he was still as much! light as a feather! Who is he? He ate all the food. What is he? Other times ¦’m Who am ¦? just a human What am ¦? being looking for some company. Sometimes ¦’m just a sad, lonely animal trying to hide from people… These don’t Shit… Germany and Japan are look old. great economic powers and not Allied colonies. It’s strange to read a The Soviet newspaper Union doesn’t exist after fifty anymore… years. Let’s see… 1993. ¦ hid in this damn sewer… forty- eight years ago, in 1945… It was sum-mer. They had just thrown a devas- tating bomb on a city in Japan … hmm… Hiroshima! That’s it! 10 Every time ¦ wake up ¦ find out something unexpected. Bah. ¦’ll attract too much attention in this condition. ¦’ll wait here until it gets dark. ¦’ll stay still, like another rusty weapon in this decadent landscape. 11 Hey! What’s that light? 12 A car? And it’s parking here. Ahh… Rolly… Tell me ¦ love you, Betty. ¦ love that you love me… you … Come on, let me… The headlights turned off, and nobody got out. ¦’ll take a look. … touch you here and… Ooohh… yes… yeees… A young couple. They’re always looking for privacy… … to do what ¦’ve never done. ¦’m immortal, but physically ¦’m only twelve. 13 More… more… Oohhhh… Damn What was that? It looked like a kid, Y… yes… but only a very you! didn’t it? strong grown-up could lift that stone, not to mention throw it… ¦’m the one who cannot die. But… Ahhh… ¦ don’t have a life either. 14 Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! 15 Ah! Clean water. Sniff… sniff… This is much better. ¦ need some clothes. 16 What do you want? Shut up! Hmm… this looks like my size. ¦ said, shut up! ¦ can’t be- lieve how fashion has changed in the past fifty years… 17 Very hungry. Would you like to eat some- thing, boy? ¦’m still hungry. Chomp. ¦ could take Chomp. you. Glurb… You want more? Okay. Yes, please. 18 ¦ have to Chomp. Slurp. take it easy… No human Chomp… being can gulp down so much food. ¦ don’t want any Too bad. ¦ was wondering Come on, more. when you were going to let’s go. explode. You’re a runaway, You can come to my place… right? Ahem… we could do some nice And you things together… Ahem… don’t have a yeah. place to sleep? What kind of N-- no. things? 19 ¦ bet you’re very ¦ only like cute without your very young clothes on. boys. AIDS? But first, Let’s say… swear to me sensual that you don’t things. have AIDS… What? You don’t know what that is? What planet have you been living in, kid? AIDS is the disease Like that of the century. It’s one… transmitted by sex and blood. Oh, another plague… You think too much. Let’s go, Eric, come with me. help us… Eric! Please… No. We beg you. There’s nothing ¦ can do for you… 20 You’ll come with me What do you mean, no?! whether you like it After ¦ pay for your big or not! feast, you tell me no!?? ¦ got you! There’s no one on this street! Good! We’ll do it right You’re disgusting! ¦ didn’t want here, my baby! to kill you because, after all, you bought me all that food. But… Let go of me! Yuck. Arghhh… No… 21 But you make me too sick, you degenerate! Nooo… arghhh… ¦ needed a dose of something living. Well, then. ¦ feel drunk with that warm, pulsating fluid. 22 Now ¦’ve got my strength back. ¦’ll climb, ¦’ll go as high as ¦ can, close to the Tomorrow ¦’ll look for a sky where, as people say, place to live and blend in eternity reigns. with the mortals, become like them. Moon, my old Nothing friend… Well, ¦ am! compares ¦ close my eyes and see …Doesn’t it to a deep the parade of bore you to dream, so images from always be up much like ¦’m so old… my dreams. there? death. And Aren’t you ¦’m always Close tired of here, awake, your eyes spending so observing… and… much time looking at people? 23 Swirling and swooping, they pass by again and again… They’re like an unruly mob, like a herd of runaway horses… Pain… laughter… blood… And death. It looked at me so often, smiled and continued on its way, forgetting me as soon as it passed. 24 ¦ have seen so many And here he is again… smacking me with things, just like you, his light… Moon. And ¦ remember everything… every single thing… INSTIGATING LIFE… The repulsive optimism of the sun. 25 Yaawn. He makes me wake up and move. To get into action. ¦’m hungry. To go back to what some call reality. 26 That feeling of breathlessness… That bubbling feeling inside my mouth… It’s the disease… And it empowers ¦’m too young. me, even though ¦ try to run away. ¦ don’t want It’s not fair. to die. No one can escape some- thing that Oh, mother! forms a part of them. Why me? No one. ¦’m a light that grows. It’s like someone was slowly lighting thousands of torches inside me. That’s how the disease starts. ¦’ve seen it. When my father’s camp was hit by this, the night sky turned into day. The phosphorescence invaded all the corpses. My father’s body, the soldiers, the old fortune teller, the whores, the slaves and finally… even the High Priestess of the Serpent. Bodies pierced from the inside by lances of light. The camp seemed to be engulfed in flames. Even when they were dead, they went on shining. 27 When my father’s eyes withered in their sockets, ¦ started running. A few minutes later, as dawn broke, ¦ realized that ¦ was falling victim to an aggressive force that was invading my body. And running away didn’t help, either. It got me. And it’s… it’s… Killing me… 28 The-one-who-always- shines. The-one-who-is-his-own-light. Owww! ¦ think he saw me trying to become his fleeting imitator, and it made him mad. The disease resisted his attack, but the It couldn’t He wanted to extinguish castle was besieged by an overwhelming withstand me. enemy. the battle. Eno ugh! Take pit y! 29 Was it you? Did you kill the disease Am ¦ and pardon me? alive? ¦’ve got to go back to the camp. Maybe… Maybe the sun has helped them too… 30 No. 31 Why didn’t the sun revive you like it did me? Weren’t you his child? Father… Where did your soul go, Father? There’s no one to embalm your body… No one… Generals… They all went with you. But… Slaves… No… Women who Not made your life everyone… more enjoy- able… She’s missing. ¦ don’t see the body of the Priestess of the Serpent. Is it possible that she’s like me?… … that she’s been saved? 32 Her of all people? The person ¦ hate most in the world? Even if she was saved from the dis- ease… She won’t be safe from this dagger… ¦’m here. Ahmasi! Where are you? Ahmasi! Woman! ¦ know that the Sun revived you too! ¦ know you hate me, ¦’ll return to being But your father damn idiot! Priestess of a mar- is dead now, ¦ know that ginal cult, disgraced, wretch… you advised your probably outlawed. Once ¦ was father to keep me a Pharaoh’s as an ordinary And ¦… mistress. concubine, so ¦’d never become his favorite wife! When ¦ go back ¦’ll be nothing… But you, you’ll be even less than me! 33 You’re not getting up? What? No! You’re dead! Ugh! ¦… ¦… ¦’ll go on living, and you’ll end up mixed in the earth. ¦ think that… no one… can kill me, Ahmasi! The sun protects me from vipers like you! And now… 34 It’s in… Incredible… ... My wound is ¦ think we should We have so closing up become allies. much to do! too. We would The Pharaoh’s be capable It’s the son and the of… sun. priestess! Who could stand against us. Him, yes. First he pulled the disease from Go away! my body. And now he eliminated the death from your dagger! 35 ¦’ll never make a deal with you. ¦’ll take my place on my father’s throne. ¦’ll be the living God who protects the people of Egypt. From this day on… The cult of the serpent, all its priests and priestesses, beginning … Will be outlawed with you… and exiled from the land. And if ¦ can’t kill you because the sun regenerates your tissues… … ¦’ll have ten men beat you with clubs day and night, month to month, year to year, never leaving you alone for a minute. Forever. Luxor was three days’ walk away. ¦ didn’t bring a drop of water with me. The Sun used to be my worst enemy under these conditions. 36 Now, under its …And walked… protection every step made me stronger, more alive… ¦ walked… At last the shadow that covers all shadows… And thus ¦ was bound to repay the gifts of the Sun… ¦ waited. Cold… … It showed me that my body Remote… needed something else. Implacable… Awakening my hunger. Will you come back? 37 How would you like me to For better greet your return, King or worse, you Star? always come back. Is this all right? By now we know each other quite well. How long has it been since ¦ was afraid of losing you like that first time? A long time. Too long, ¦ think. 38 ¦’m hungry. …¦’m always hungry. Hmm… this time ¦ Ah, you could… But… old bitch, ¦ knew you’d like it… 39 Help! Police! ¦’ve been robbed! Who? Where? That’s a blind alley. He can’t escape! He went around that corner! There! There! No one could jump over a wall this high. Are you sure ? you were robbed, ma’am? Are you insinuating that ¦’m crazy, There’s you insolent nobody man!? here, ma’am… 40 Great! Bring them. Many things! At What can ¦ least twenty get to eat servings of for this ravioli! Twenty servings? money? Yes, and bring them quickly, please. ¦’m starving. Gimme twen- ty orders of ravioli! This ¦ have to see… 41 Hey, Giuseppe, ¦’ve ¦ don’t got five plates of understand. ravioli ready! Are you trying to get into the Guinness Book of Records? Are you You bet, Piero. Gnum. Slurp. sure you want We have a starving fifteen Gnum. man here! more? We interrupt our Incredible! program to bring ¦’ve never seen you an urgent news anything like bulletin… Me neither… it! He’s already gulped down fifteen of them. 42 Uh-oh… ¦ think And now, some this is going to news on Marcus create some Larronde, the man problems… who was found dead in a midtown alley. The coroner’s report confirms that Larronde was killed by a human bite on the jugular vein. ¦’d better hurry up… We can now confirm that Larronde’s body was drained of its blood, which seems to indicate that a vampire-like monster is loose in the city. Yeah, that dude was One of our …That seems to be here last night with a correspondents spoke the last place where young guy who got my with one of the employ-Larronde was seen attention with the ees of a local fast food alive. load of burgers that restaurant… he ate. 43 Using witness’ descriptions, the police Look, Piero, this kid, Anyone who has have managed to create a sketch of a 10 it’s… seen that boy to 12-year-old-boy, which you now see on should immediately your TV screens. report it to the police, because he might be involved in this horrible crime. Come here, you! Stop him, Mary! Don’t Him! let him get away. This kid? Help! He’s a killer, and besides, he didn’t pay! Twenty orders of ravioli! Aw, shit! 44 People might rec- ognize my clothes from the police sketch… ¦ have to change. He y! ¦’m gonna have to cover my hair too. He y!!! 45 Let’s see… ¦ need something else to make me look dif- ferent… Perfect. ¦ look like a boy who’s dreading violin class. ¦ should Remember. find a place Quick as a appropriate whip, like the for a boy old fortune- my age. teller Ottar ¦’m starting used to say. to get tired of living again. ¦ re- member that when she said it her name wasn’t Ottar, it was Tanith. 46 Never forget, the living are nothing but a rare species of the dead. At best, the living are only larvae of the dead, early in their development… Where are you, Ottar? We were happy to- gether. It’s been like three hundred years since ¦’ve heard from you. 47 ¦ like this feeling. The feeling of going on… That’s not bad. On and on… The subway hasn’t changed one bit in fifty years. …Without ever meet- ing up with the Sun. But nothing lasts for- ever… And me. Damn her. And me. Except you, the infamous Ahmasi… 48 Sorry, ¦ was distracted… ¦’m sure it’s him again. The Sun must Open the have window. There’s brought him a paying customer to life… who wants to see you, baby. Hey, Amy! The pieces Didn’t seem to you hear fit. me? 49 You always has to trust The fact that ¦ was your instincts. ¦ knew he was Ahmasi, High Priestess of hiding somewhere inside My sixth sense is the Cult of the Serpent those old sewers. functioning well… in ancient Egypt helps me ha ha ha. divine what’s going to It was smart happen. to come back when ¦ found out that the old part of the city was going to be excavated. My intuition saved me from many traps when ¦ was mortal. ¦’ve learned a lot in the past five thousand But that years. damn kid has it too. Eventually, ¦’ll do it… ¦ have to finish that son of a bitch. 50 ¦’ll turn up the volume. The news will start any minute. Show’s over. ¦ love this job! It leaves me lots of time to think and collect information. Amy, a client would like to spend some time with you. He’s wil- ling to pay triple your rate. Coming up next… Listening to the Hee hee hee, …the 8 o’clock news turns me on, very funny… news on CCN. you know? … And very erotic, Amy. Your name is Amy, isn’t it? First, the local news. New developments in the case of The last person seen Marcus Larronde, the man with him was a boy who found drained of blood on consumed two dozen a city street. hamburgers at one sitting. He was later seen in an Italian restaurant where Come here, he ingested a massive darling. You quantity of ravioli. Some-can do any- how, he managed to escape thing you want, without paying his bill. as long as we leave the TV on. 51 That’s got to be him. He hasn’t changed a bit. The police do not consider the boy a suspect. Though he might have witnessed the murder, he couldn’t possibly have had the strength… … to kill After five thousand years Larronde. he still looks like an innocent idiot. Back to national news. More on the devastation caused by hurricane Rebecca… That was great. Was it good for you too? ¦ have to wait until he makes a move. The wretch must be a bit groggy from his return to the land of the living. ¦ asked if it was good for you too, hee hee hee… ¦’m sure he’ll leave some leads behind. Oh, sorry. It was so Great! ¦’ll be back good that you to give you more put me into a of the same! trance. That’s why ¦ didn’t answer right away. 52 Yeah, Dying metaphorically, please do. ¦ hope he stays of course. in the city long enough for me to find him. ¦’m dying to Where is that Where? face him again. little bastard Wash up a hiding? little, Amy. You have somebody waiting at your window. 53 54 You look hungry, friend? Want some? Yes, give it here. ¦ know that ¦ look But my body needs like a starving animal. hundreds of times as much nourishment as a mortal’s. It’s as if ¦ have a giant boiler inside me that keeps demanding more and more fuel to keep burning. ¦’m He gave me a penetrating sorry. look with his old eyes. And thank ¦ didn’t like that. you. Goodbye. ¦ felt exposed. ¦ have a big appetite. Thanks ¦ have to get out of again. here. ¦ never should have given in to the temptation of his sandwich. This… This is my stop. 55 Should ¦ keep running like ¦ was in a hurry to And what should ¦ do when ¦ stop? Now what? get somewhere? What is my place in this city today? What do ¦ have to do to live here peacefully? 56 Hey! What’s your hurry! ¦… Sorry… ¦ was distracted… ¦ Yes… of didn’t want to… course. Before you go, you’re gonna pick up what you made me drop. 57 You won’t Ah, you want humiliate me. me to pull out your… Here you go. Before you give it back to me, you’re gonna clean it off with your tongue. ¦ don’t … teeth… like to be touched. He broke my arm. 58 ¦ don’t wanna draw Why can’t ¦ any more attention. be invisible? ¦’d better Why? go. He runs fast! It doesn’t matter. We’ll catch up with him soon. My face has been appearing much ¦’m making too too often on that device that much of a stir. took the place of the radio. Let’s hope these two guys don’t make me kill them. Hide over here. Quickly. 59 Hey, old man! Did you see a little boy run past here? Yes… He went that way. When they get a little ways away, you and ¦ will have a little chat, my friend. 60 Hmm… ¦ think you can come out now. Thanks again. ¦’m a Sioux. Yes, you’re an Oglala Indian. 61 You have the eyes of How do you know And you run too much! someone who can’t that? Have you stud- ¦ almost lost you after be surprised any-ied my people? you left the subway. more ‘cause he’s already seen too Let’s say ¦’ve seen much. a lot… You run like the wind. ¦ can see that when ¦ look in your Let me introduce eyes. myself. ¦’m Gentle Bear. And you? Then let me baptize you. You’re Running Wind now, the child ¦ saw in a vision given to me by the gods. Me? ¦ really don’t Here he is! know. With the old man who said he wasn’t here! You’d better run, Hurt me? Gentle Bear. These No, ¦ have guys could hurt my medicine. you. But you… 62 ¦ have my medicine too, Gentle Bear. But you have a knife inside you, buried to the hilt! You can’t be standing! Come here! Help me, gu ys! Take this! You’re a dead man! Yes, ¦’ve been dead before. Don’t worry, ¦’ll finish him off! Don’t worry, ¦’m coming… 63 Let’s see if you’ll be still standing after this, shithead! But… It can’t be! Where’s Gentle Bear? 64 You hypnotized him, didn’t you? Yes, some- thing like Ah… that. But… It’s nothing. You’re wounded. We’d better get out of here. 65 Who would suspect an old Indian and his son going for a walk in the park? Slow down, Running Wind. You’re Don’t you want to know if No… Minorities, not going ¦’m like one of those comic the poor and the to ask me book heroes from fifty persecuted, we’re anything? years ago… like what’s-enemies of the great American No. his-name, Superman?… Remember him? hero. 66 Is Superman still around? ¦ can’t believe it. Of course, he is. But he’s not the same anymore. Don’t think ¦ You talk about the past fifty wouldn’t like to ask years as if you’ve lived them. How you a thousand old are you, anyway? Have you been in questions. hibernation all this time, like a bear? Where are you from? Your skin is tan like mine, but you don’t look like a Native Person… Suddenly, ¦ won’t ask you anything. ¦ see some- You’ll tell me everything ¦’ll tell you In that dream, Gentle thing that some other time. the story Bear’s eyes are dry, catches my about how ¦ but his people mourn attention. saw you in the imminent loss of my dream. their lands. Come… let’s sit on the lawn. A strong light, like a big bonfire. 67 It might be a signal. ¦’ll go and see. ¦ approached slowly… …And ¦ saw something that surprised me, like that knife that stabbed you and that you didn’t feel. Oh, you came, Gentle Bear. ¦’m trying to ¦’m here to help Take me remember you so your to them. The the warmth people won’t struggle is of the Sun, lose their land. about to my father. begin. But it’s already gone. 68 That child was you. And that lack of fear, He had and that those eyes strength… and that determi- nation. Do you want to help keep the last Oglala Sioux from losing their lands? Me? What do ¦ look like…? Really, that dream… ¦ don’t know… Sure, why not? It doesn’t look like ¦ have anything bet- ter to do. Where do we have to go? To the north woods? No. The lands of the Oglala are much closer. 69 There. 70 This is it? This is For many, many years the white the land of the man has been taking our land Oglala Sioux, from us, and this is all that’s Yes. Gentle Bear? left of it. ¦ can see that you’re surprised, but there is a story of A story that how we ended up has to do with living here. the stars. Tell it to me… When we first came here after losing our prairies, the city seemed to be our enemy, noisy and smelly. All the adult Oglala had to look for a job. We found out that we weren’t cut out to be cooped up in a restaurant kitchen, or in a car wash… 71 … Or in the bowels of a factory. One day, two big construction tycoons were We needed to be out in the squabbling over fresh air, where we could our men. Both of talk with the clouds. them wanted to build the highest skyscraper ever. That’s how we discovered our place was in the construction of skyscrapers, which they were building all over at that time. It gave some people life to balance at those heights. Besides, the Ogala didn’t just come to life hanging by a wire at 1000 feet, we built quickly. We accepted the job of the one The higher up we got, the who offered the faster we worked. most. This. The permanent ownership of a tiny flat on the top of this tower with the adjacent terrace for the Oglala and their This is the only descendants. place in the city where you can see the entire sky day and night. Can you believe it, Running Wind? Believe what? 72 Have ¦ told you that we were the most decimated tribe? Now, there are so few of No. us left that we decided to live here. And do you know what they want to do with our agreement, No. child? We used to come here and They want to meditate. steal our sanc- tuary. For us, this used to be a temple… A place to connect us with our dead. Evening Cloud! Come here! Yes, Grandfa- ther? 73 She and ¦ are the last ¦ refused. Ogala, once a proud and And we don’t want brave nation. to lose our land. But they At first, they insisted. They offered to buy it. want to build a heliport. It Hello. seems that our home is a valuable piece What’s of real estate up? for rich white men. Now, they want to banish us from Don’t let him Yes, ¦ know. First, they took here. But Gentle Bear has dug up scare you, he’s away our forests, the war hatchet and won’t leave a good man. then they killed without fight! off the buffalo. Okay, okay… You’d better That’s why ¦ came here calm down, Grandpa. with Running Wind, dear Dinner is ready. child. ¦ had a dream last night, and if he comes to our side we can save this site. If you’re hungry, you can join us. Yeah, sure! 74 ¦ should control my Maybe ¦ didn’t cook enough insatiable gluttony, food… Ahem… ¦ wasn’t expecting You can eat Evening Cloud is but ¦ can’t… guests… mine, too. Old a good cook. But people aren’t taste doesn’t growing, so matter to me ¦ could eat ten ¦’m not hungry. we don’t need anymore, only times what’s on Would you like to eat as quantity. the table. mine? Yes, much as please. youngsters. Excuse ¦’m not growing me. ¦ ate either. ¦ never have, Nothing can satisfy a all your not in five thousand stomach that has been food. years. But, ¦ do have empty for five decades. to fill the bottom- less pit left by my At least last resurrection. let me wash the dishes. Good idea. And ¦’ll dry them. ¦ should tell you something important… It could send you running from here. My grand- father may be crazy, but the threat is real. 75 They offered him a fortune. He They’re going to kill us, ¦’m not. refused to take it because from ¦ know it. these heights he can communicate with all of our dead ancestors… ¦… And there’s nothing you can do about it, Running Wind. And there are so many ¦ wasn’t of them… my brother, my born in parents, my friends… America either. Is Running Wind your real name? You don’t look like …The powerful an Indian… men who want their heliport are starting to put pressure. Hey, you two! … ¦’d like to sleep ¦ prepared the beds. The outside under the boy will take mine. Tonight… stars. 76 77 Oh! What a soft, smooth body Evening Cloud has. Time will work a little more to turn it into the body of a woman. Time… … Will transform this young lady into a desir-And then, able beautiful woman. the inces- sant knife of years will degrade it, corrupt it, wrinkle it, destroy it. Time, you son of a bitch! Why We have visitors. Two They’re panting have you forgotten me? big guys are coming by like wild animals the stairs. They carry heading into metallic objects. battle. Come. Are you asleep, Running Wind? Wake up, please! 78 ¦’m here. Where are you, you Indian shitbag? ¦ told you not to refuse a generous offer. You must be very stupid, because… No, pl ease! You’re not Grandpa! going to kill … now you’re anyone. gonna die. Oh, no? Not only will ¦ kill the old man, but ¦ can’t leave any witnesses. You and the girl are also going to the Happy Hunting Grounds, or whatever it is that you people believe in. Shall we start, Chino? 79 Yes, Candy! Let’s see which one of us can put a bullet in the middle of his forehead! Lead penetrates my flesh and tears my insides. It hurts a lot. And it infuriates me. Now ¦’m burning with rage! What’s going on? He didn’t fall down! No, ¦ didn’t fall down, idiots. But you will… It can’t be… 80 ¦’m finishing the second body, when ¦ remember… ¦ drink. … That ¦’m not alone. They did me ¦ see the hor- harm. ror that my act provoked in Evening Cloud’s eyes. It will heal completely with tomorrow’s sun. The dark and viscous elixir of life. Right now ¦ need that liquid anesthetic. Maybe. Grandpa… He’s a… he’s a vampire! But he saved our lives. ¦ have to leave. ¦ killed two men and… Yes, come. We’ll wash these horrible wounds a little and give you some clean clothes. 81 This tissue will regener- ate, right? Yes, in the morning. ¦ know a place where you can hide without trouble. …We don’t ¦’ll tell them shouts You have to know why. and shooting woke us take care of Call the up and these two yourself, Run- police. ¦’ll take you guys and a third man ning Wind. there. were fighting on Then ¦’ll come the terrace. back and … Newspapers are start- ing to talk about a vampire in the city… Let’s go now. Cloud and ¦ owe you our lives, son. Thank you. His hand sat on my shoulder. It’s very warm. It’s ¦ had forgotten a friendly hand. these mortal feelings. When was the last time anyone showed me affection? Friendship, gratitude, love. 82 He saved our lives, but… Yuck! He’s a wild animal. …He sucked all the blood from these two. Wait. Don’t leave me here with these dead bodies. They scare me. Take it easy, Running Wind. You’ll be safe where ¦’m taking you. ¦ don’t have many friends, but those that ¦ have can be trusted. 83 You’re gonna ask Fever Fever will to hide him? Don’t you understand the think you’re abusing situation. Hm… ¦ don’t your friendship? know… It’s there. But, Grand- pa… Shouldn’t we rather If your friend My friend Fever And your wounds wait until the sun comes sees me like this, he is a woman, Run-won’t scare her, up tomorrow? Until my might get scared, ning Wind. young man. tissues regenerate… Gentle Bear. She can’t see them. Is that you, Gentle Bear? 84 You’ve come with your granddaughter. Hello, Cloud! Hello. And who’s the young man? Didn’t you This young man is Don’t worry. He’s a She sees If you ask me to, ¦’ll say she Running Wind, Fever. good boy, and maybe he in her own do it. But this child is couldn’t can help you in the way, not not an Indian… see? store. like other people. He’s in trouble and Cloud and ¦ ¦’d like you to hide him And he’s not have to go now. ¦’ll be in your house. exactly a child back to see you tomor-either. ¦ don’t under-row and ¦’ll tell you stand it, but there’s everything. something very old about him… Much older than you, Okay. even. He gives off vibrations from a remote past. 85 Remember well what ¦’m Let’s hurry. We have to ¦’ll tell you what our gonna tell you now, call the police from story will be about Evening Cloud. our place. those two dead bodies. “The three men That old Indian’s lying! started to fight and The kid did this, not some the first man killed big fat guy! the other two. Then he took the stairs down and ran into the street.” “My grand- daughter and ¦ were so afraid that we couldn’t react right away. Then we called the police.” Arghh! An old Indian, witness to the crime, described what he saw: A big heavyset man came to the terrace followed by two armed men. When he realized he was trapped, he faced his pursuers. 86 Now… why didn’t Only him… A certain he tell the police Gentle Bear who lives the truth? on the top floor of the highest skyscraper in the city. Who can answer this question? ¦’ll go see him right now. And we’ll talk. You were great with It’s late. ¦ have to get to the police, sweetheart. school. See you later! ¦ think they won’t bother that boy anymore. 87 88 So, the police bought Hey? Who… But ¦ know the truth. your story, huh, old ¦ know it was that kid. Tell Talk!!! man? me, where is he? Why did you help him? Are you his friend? No. Where is he? You can’t… make me Do you want say anything… to get hurt ¦’ll make you worse? talk! 89 Talk, ¦ said! Aghh! He saved my life… and if you kill me… Fine! You have blood on your lips. … It’ll just Blood repay my debt smells to him. good. It’s been so long since… Here ¦ come… …Oglala brothers. 90 Here ¦ come! You too, Mother… so Feather- father… long since ¦’ve less Falcon, my seen you… brother… My old master, Black Wing… Everyone is here… And… … Of course… We’re only missing Evening Cloud. her… 91 Grand- father!!! No!!! Grand- father? You were the only one ¦ had… Running Wind! Grandpa… ¦… ¦ already Murderer! know… Why? Who? He’s the Despicabl e only person capable of vampire! doing this! 92 Soulless creature. My grandfather clothed you, found you a place to hide… All that for what? So that you can repay him by killing him like the other two. Now, ¦ will kill you. 93 ¦’ll go find you She can’t kill the boy. right away. No mortal can. ¦’ll pierce you with the last Oglala spear. It was a good idea to hide here and wait. But she’ll lead me to his hiding place. This time ¦’ll finish This will be the job. The final the end of the farewell to Pharaoh’s son. the name- less boy. 94 How can your aura be so old if you’re just a kid? Why is your name Running Wind if you’re not an Indian? Who are you, strange Do you really wanna Please. ¦ think it will do me creature? know? some good to talk to someone after so long. ¦ was born You aren’t sur- No, OK. Running Wind isn’t my name. about five prised? You’re not please Gentle Bear gave me that thousand going to call me go on. name. years ago, a liar? Fever. ¦’m an Egyptian, the son of a great Pharaoh. What is your true name? 95 Tell me, father, why does everyone call me the Pharaoh’s son? Don’t ¦ have another No. You don’t have name? another. ¦ decided not to give you a name until you become Pharaoh. Your older brothers are dead and ¦’m an old man who will die in a few years. The names ¦ gave your brothers brought them bad luck. When you become the supreme ruler of Egypt, you’ll choose your own name. You won’t be the Pharaoh’s son anymore. You’ll become the man who has named himself, because he is a God. ¦ have no name, No name and no My father died from the same And ¦ never Fever. species… because to plague of light that gave me became Pharaoh. be a man, you have immortality. to be able to die. 96 Who am ¦? A God ¦ have some- like my father said? thing a God But ¦’m an has. ¦ never incomplete die. God, because ¦ haven’t got the power to change the course of history. ¦’m also an incomplete man. ¦’ll never know ¦’ll never grow the pleasures of up. the flesh. ¦’ll never know the wisdom that age brings. Can you imagine? A child who will Everyone thinks You always be a child immortality is a caressed will always need gift! It’s a me… love. damned disease! Please, go on. It’s been so Instead of long since some- killing you, it one held me to keeps you alive their breast. forever! Calm down… 97 It’s just a few What you have more blocks… there is a danger- ous weapon. You Don’t My grand- could hurt some- take away father’s mur- body. my spear. derer… … is at Fever’s store. Damn vampire. Sick murderer. ¦’m going to kill you! He y, kid! Listen, little girl, it’ll be better if you give us that spear, or… No! Leave her alone! 98 What does that crazy Stop, woman! lady want? We said, stop!!! 99 Ten men like you couldn’t stop me! We’ll see about that. Stupid jerk! Now ¦’ll deal with you! 100 Hey! Where is she? Where’s the little Indian girl? ¦ saved you from these two pigs! ¦ want to be your friend!!! Where did you go, you fucking Indian? 101 ¦ think… …That woman was following me. ¦ think she knew that ¦ was gonna look for Running Wind. Maybe she too is looking Who killed you, What will ¦ do without my for him. Grandfather? grandpa? Because ¦ have to go to Fever. she’s like him. Him or her? She drinks There’s no other blood and Now that ¦ think place for Evening bullets don’t about it, what will the Cloud. do anything last Ogala spear do to her. to him if bullets didn’t kill him last night? Do you want more to eat? Yes. 102 ¦ can’t believe that you’ve eaten so Especially when much and you’re it doesn’t help still hungry. me grow like other kids. ¦… chomp… ¦’m sorry… What makes ¦ remembered a You’re like Peter Ha, ha… you smile? story about another Pan, nameless boy who didn’t grow child. up: “Peter Pan.” And ¦’m like the last Mohican. My grandfather is dead! Cloud… no! 103 Poor girl… Don’t get Someone drank all what happened? any closer, you of my grandfather’s monster! blood! A vampire like you! No… ¦ didn’t… It wasn’t me… But… who was Ahmasi! it then? No! My eternal enemy!!! Yes, that’s her. A tan woman like Ahmasi. you? Beautiful, around 25 years old? 104 105 The vindictive bitch has And tortured followed me here. She wait-your grandfather My grand- ¦ lost ed fifty years for me to to get him to tell father her a few She won’t reappear. her where ¦ was didn’t tell minutes find you, Run- her. She must have read hiding. ago. ning Wind, calm in the papers about the down. vampire on the terrace. Where are you, son of the Pharaoh?! No one can escape Ahmasi, High Priestess of the Cult of the Serpent! 106 So, this Ahmasi, who is We could immortal, killed poor report her. old Gentle Bear? It wouldn’t do any good. Absolutely no good. Stay where you are. Don’t move! We’ve got them! It’s them! You’ve found us, but… … yet, You don’t have ahhh! us… 107 And you, you’d better not move, Don’t worry… or… … ¦ just wanted to say goodbye to my sweet- heart. Goodbye, darling. Because there’s no You’d But… What’s It was good while it next world for me. better… she lasted. doing? …Let me do that. Too bad ¦ can’t ¦’ll be in this world say ¦’ll see you in forever and ever. the next world. Should ¦ handcuff her, boss? Don’t come any closer, you dirty cop! No! 108 …It’s better this way. Call the morgue. Goodbye! Baah… What a shame, so beautiful. Well, she would have gone to prison for a long time. She and her friend robbed banks, murdered in cold blood, kidnapped, tortured… In the end… Finally. You’re late again, Ben… 109 ¦’m leaving now. ¦’ll leave you in The bank robbers? Yeah. ¦ can smell the gracious company of Amy They got caught? that you had a Valdes and Ricky Boone. ¦ had long meeting with business a bottle. to do. Yes, he was shot down and it looks like she jumped out a window. They said she was beautiful, remember? Well… ¦ advise you not to look under the sheet. She’s not in the condition that would make you wanna jerk off. See you tomor- row, Ben. Bye. 110 That son of a bitch always lies to me. ¦ bet Amy Valdes is still beautiful and ¦ want to take a look. Let’s see… ¦ knew it. She is beautiful. But… 111 She’s still If you find me some decent Well, all right. warm! ¦ think your ¦’ll see if ¦ can find buddy lied to clothes and a place to warm some clothes from you, Ben. up, ¦’ll show you pleasures you never thought existed. Pleeeaaase… one of the bodies from Monday’s train accident. Wait here. Hmm… ¦ have to finish my shift… Everybody knew that this Ben got turned on by the sight of cadavers. They thought he’d really gone over the edge, that he stole Ahmasi’s corpse to do monstrous things to it. But no matter what the papers said, he wasn’t the monster… … Even though they insisted after his dead body was found swinging from a rafter down at the seaport. ¦ remember the headlines: “The body snatcher, stricken with remorse, takes his own life in a final act of re- pentance.” No, he wasn’t the monster. Of course, to avoid going to prison, all she has to do is kill herself… It’s… it’s horrible. … And the sun will resurrect her the fol- lowing day. 112 Why does that woman It’s such an old story hate you so much? that ¦ can hardly remember it. What did you do to her, Running ¦ already told Wind? Fever about it; ¦’m a great Pharaoh’s son, and before the accident that made us immor- tal, she was his favorite mis- tress. Your son doesn’t like me, Khufu, O great Pharaoh. He hates me. ¦ think he’s jealous Nonsense. because you love me so much. Yesterday he put a dead rat in my bread. Have ¦ ever deceived you? Tonight he Is what you’re slipped red ants telling me between my true? sheets. 113 Seven… … Eight… … Nine… … Ten. Enough. Now you’ll be deprived Let’s go, Ahmasi my ¦’m coming, O of your toys for one love. great Khufu. ¦ know you’d week. like to see me dead, you nameless And let that be the worm! last time you bother the High Priestess of the Serpent. 114 Your father is the master From now on ¦ of the world, but he’s old. won’t stop watching As long as ¦ know how to you, Ahmasi. wake up his wrinkled organ, ¦’ll have more power than It would be you do. If you make one single good for you mistake, ¦’ll know it. to remember that. And you’ll fall into disgrace with my father. 115 O master of my body and soul, ¦’ll show you the power ¦ have over the snakes. ¦’m their priestess and they do anything ¦ want… 116 … They even make Better to be love to me… hmmm with me. hmm. Wait. 117 Come closer, captain of the Do me now, please. guard. ¦ was wondering when that old bag of bones would finally fall asleep. The smell of death is all over me after being with him. You’re done for, Ahmasi, viper among vipers. Father, father, wake up! You have to come see what that priestess, who has never deceived you, is doing! 118 ¦ hope you have a ¦ do, father. You’ll good reason for see what your beloved waking me, son. loyal priestess is doing with the captain of your guard. Something you won’t like at all. ¦… ¦ was only a child… …¦ was just seeking my revenge. You were a child? What are you now? ¦ have to say that ¦ really Now? don’t know. ¦’ve always had this prepubescent, ridicu-lous body. What am ¦ now? … But, ¦’ve grown up. Yeah… ¦ have five thousand Good years of experience, which question. could not possibly be accumulated during the 80 years of human life. These eyes have seen too much not to have caused… ¦’ve seen the most … the death of powerful wonder that should empires… live in the eyes of a nine or 10-year old boy. 119 … Decay and sink into shit. ¦’ve spent days and years of my, let’s call it, “life,” with people who now live in history books. 120 History books, bah… ¦’ve read some real nonsense in history books. Take a look at this one that You’ll have to do that; you have, Fever. ¦ can’t, kid. And nobody knows In his time he was Sorry, ¦ forgot. even one tenth of called Khufu. what ¦ know about it. It’s called “The Secret of Because my the Pyramids.” But ¦ digress. father built the ¦ was telling you first pyramid. that Ahmasi has only one goal in her A theme that immortality. they always speculate about… And that goal is to finish me off. We hated each other so much that not even my father’s great empire was big enough for both of us. Cheops was your father? 121 …Your Priestess of the That night, when ¦ caught Serpent is really a viper her in bed with the young in heat! captain of the guard and told the old Pharaoh about it, ¦ was walking on Look! air, ¦ was so happy. Hurry up, father, and don’t make a sound… … And you’ll see, you’ll see… ¦ saw their petri- fied faces when they were discov- ered by Khufu, who was a cruel king. ¦ smiled. He was going to kill them. They couldn’t react. They feared the Living God too much. My venge- ance was almost fulfilled. ¦ smiled more. But then… 122 The sky went up in It happened all of At that moment my flames. a sudden, brutally. future changed forever, though it would be years before ¦ realized it. And when ¦ say forever, ¦’m not employing a metaphor. In whatever direction The light was so ¦ looked… strong that it penetrated us. … It was like looking And after invading our right into the sun at organs, it started high noon. looking for a way out. The unbearable pain made me forget about ¦ twisted like a worm my revenge. for a long time. 123 All around me, people dried up like flowers in the desert. Some of us gathered our strength and tried to flee. It was a strange night. … The sun rose and its However, before my soul Practically everybody died. light fought against the traveled to the land of No one can escape an evil one that was burning shadows, or the sky, or the that’s inside their very me inside… Happy Hunting Grounds, or bodies. whatever you want to call … and pulled it out the place where dead of there… people go… You’re telling this Everything that But… ¦ won’t bore ¦ still don’t know as if it was magic, a science can’t you anymore with a story whether ¦ was chance happening… explain is magic, that’s so many centuries saved or punished isn’t it? old. with immortality. Ahmasi was also saved from death. 124 We gave each other several lethal wounds, and neither one of us died. We The following realized that our hatred, day after that fateful was going to be immortal night when so many too. people died, Ahmasi and ¦ confronted each Yes… other for the first time. Images of our infinite fights pass through my head. They started in Memphis when, instead of the royal welcome ¦ expected, she convinced the priests that ¦ had killed my father. They continued when ¦ man- aged to have her imprisoned in the Great Pyramid. It never crossed my mind that tomb raiders could set her free centuries later. 125 Then, as concubine of a great Roman em-peror, she had me thrown to the lions in the Coliseum, hoping they would devour me. Later, During the dark ages, ¦ had her burned for witchcraft and heresy. Then she had me tortured on the wheel until my bones snapped like twigs. 126 But each time the Sun ¦ tried to put some Again and rose and brought us distance between us, again… back to life. hoping that the world … And was big enough not to again and ever meet her again. again. ¦ don’t remember when the game of who kills whom stopped But Ahmasi has a amusing me. strong instinct that always leads her to me. Eat something and you’ll feel better, boy. ¦’m so, so tired, Fever, Evening Cloud… . Maybe… Sniff Let me remind you that my dietary needs are somewhat . exaggerated. Sniff 127 ¦’ll keep that in mind, don’t worry. These two plates are for the girl and me… … And this is for you, Thanks, Fever, nameless child. you’re so kind. Chomp. Grumpf. Ahmasi… Yum. But there isn’t … You’re way an avalanche, or an too close to me, Not even earthquake or a fire priestess. you. that could kill me. And you’re preparing your trap to catch me. 128 Cloud… Are you crying? 129 ¦ miss your grandfather, too. Everything that happened was very ugly, you know? ¦ went to the morgue with Fever to identify They could hardly imagine that It would be even his body. The police asked me many the henchmen hired by those harder for them to questions. bastards who wanted to get believe the truth. their hands on your grandfather’s apartment were ¦ told them ¦ didn’t know killed by me, a child. anything. Or that Gentle Did they believe me? Bear was killed by an immortal woman. … And that both the child and that woman drink the blood from dead bodies. All ¦ know for sure is Yes. It all sounds ¦ don’t know what that Ahmasi is still incredible. you can do about an looking for me. immortal. Her biggest punishment is never But… And sooner or being able to die. ¦ wonder later she’ll find what she’s me. doing right now. Can’t we do anything about Still, who knows? And if we face Ahmasi’s wrath? each other, like we have so many times over the past 50 centuries, maybe… maybe we can finish her. 130 VAMPIRE BOY #1 - The Resurrection © Strip Art Features, Celje, 2022. www.safcomics.com Vse pravice pridržane Založnik: SAF Comics d.o.o. Krpanova 1, 3000 Celje www.safcomics.com Risba: Eduardo Risso Scenarij: Carlos Trillo URL: https://www.izneo.com/en/ Datotečni format: PDF Datum javne objave: October 2022 Cena: 12,99 € Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani COBISS.SI-ID 123241731 ISBN 978-961-7081-91-6 (PDF)