_{You can start [reading here])https://steemit.com/venezolanos-steem/@almaguer/los-romanticos-o-suicidas)}

Believe it or not, you can make good soup from a corpse. That fat monk didn’t notice a thing, happily ladling out the reeking broth. His nose must be rotten—or his gluttony greater than I’d thought.

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11.33
I have no idea what she's talking about, but it's a fact that the body of that old dirty old man has disappeared. The real question is where he hid his machete—and if there are keys so I can finally remove this shackle from my wrist. I'm sick of dragging that chain. Freed but still chained up and every minute reminds me of those horrors.

"Nothing to see here," declared Mother Holle. With a wave, the basement looked clean and tidy. It even seemed as if the oppressive headache-inducing position had disappeared. With a sigh of relief, I closed the cellar door behind me. She left the way she had come, with a sigh.

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So I'm crazy Nero, and I'll get a stroke of paint on the canvas? Just wait and see I've got a lot planned and the inspiration will be back soon. I really don't have artist's block who came up with that nonsense? Suspicion is easily sown and I've already got everything ready.

He followed without fuss. Those women stayed downstairs. "Look," I told him, "there’s your ‘faithful’ wife. Not so devoted now, is she?"
He paled and tried to slap me in the face. Good, no need for any make-up. One knife-slash, and he folded. The blood stood out beautifully against the earth. I couldn't get the thoughts of blood-red rubies and blood corals out of my head, and then she came. It was as if her screams tore open the heavens but there was no one to offer help. I quickly made a few sketches. My heart was beating like crazy. This is life, the art of living, that's what it is and I can tell you that it is incredibly stimulating. Because she kept screaming, I put a loop around her head and hung her from the highest branch. It was a great sight as she swung there, choking down, and so was the decapitated man with the last blood that ran out of him, making a gurgling sound. It was definitely fascinating.

On top of the rock, I had everything ready. Mother Holle, you’ll regret calling me a loser. This will be a masterpiece—no question. I’ll even paint myself with the knife in hand, mid-air, as if leaping from the cliff. Now tell me—isn’t this a sight? The romantic couple in the background sell the whole ‘I’d die for you’ look, and the white-and-red contrasts beautifully with my suit. After all, everyone knows you’re only famous once you’re dead. If this sells, I’ll never paint again. White bread every damn day."

25.4.25
Painting: Los románticos o suicidas (1839) - public domain
Painter: Leonardo Alenza y Nieto
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