Hi! This is sort-of based off of Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.” It’s an evil plot bunny that won’t get out of my head, so yeah. Comments are welcome!
Warnings: Light Profanity, Gino being evil, and Ian being a jerk.
For those who have not read “The Cask of Amontillado”- A quick summary:
A man is angry with a friend who frequently insults him. He lures the man to his house with the promise of a cask of rare wine (Amontillado). Once inside, he tricks his friend into descending into the catacombs where wines are stored and locks him up in a little niche. The narrator then erects a brick wall in front of the niche, sealing it off forever. No one has disturbed the wall in 50 years.
The quote “A wrong is unredressed …when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.” is from the Poe story.
Prologue
Gino Gambino, heir to a vast Gaian fortune, wandered through the family library. A single shaft of light fell from a tall window, illuminating a tall bookcase. Gino’s gaze fell on a thick, leather-bound volume. He carefully removed it from the shelf and dusted it.
“The Complete Short Stories of Edgar Allan Poe…”
Two Days Later
Gino was halfway through the book of stories. Poe was a fascinating author, if a bit disturbed.
“What’re you reading?” Ian snatched the book from Gino’s hands before the younger boy even knew he was there. “What is this stuff?”
“It’s a book,” Gino snapped. “If you don’t mind, I’m in the middle of reading it.” Ian closed the book and dropped it back into Gino’s lap. Annoyed, Gino reopened the volume and started to search for his page.
“Why are you here, anyway? Didn’t Father tell you to stay away from the mansion?” Ian smirked.
“Yeah, but Edmund sent me to get a few things he left in the basement. Did you see a couple of files downstairs?”
Gino didn’t particularly feel like abandoning the book to help Ian, but still… An idea was forming in his mind.
He angers me so much… What did that story say? “A wrong is unredressed …when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.” That piece earlier… maybe I can teach Ian the lesson he so badly needs…
“You awake, Gino?”
“Yes. You said the files were in the basement?”
“Yeah.”
Gino and Ian made their way downstairs to the basement storage room. Ian set about searching for the forgotten files. Gino took one glance at the closet in the corner. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do…
“Ian, they’re in here.”
“In the closet?”
“Yes. I think Edmund left them on the shelf.” Gino reached for the keys he kept in his pocket- subtly, so Ian wouldn’t notice.
“Thanks.” Ian casually walked into the closet. “Gino, there aren’t any shelves in-“
Gino slammed the door and locked it. Furious, Ian realized he had been tricked.
“Gino! Let me out of here! Damnmit! Gino!”
The blonde slowly turned and walked back upstairs, away from the sound of the older boy’s cries and the beat of his fists on the door.
Perhaps Father was wrong, Gino thought. Reading does have its uses…
Fin.
LadyHalli Community Member 
|
|
