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Everyone in Italy knows the tragedy struck within the Montresor Family’s ancient catacombs. Many know of the ending, twisting one's words to become riddled with poison. However, the story began ten years earlier as a young Montresor made his way through a bustling festival crowd. Montresor knew the once joy filling music by heart, he knew the now obnoxious smells flowing through the streets. He did once enjoy the festivals, he truly did, but as he grew the boy noticed he couldn’t enjoy the activities. The sounds of friends' laughter reminded him of this fact. He was without friends, without the satisfying click of pure happiness others felt. Montresor sighed heavily and pushed through the thick crowds. His eyes scanned around, only to find a boy about his age on the ground. He knew logically it would be best to ignore a stranger, but something pulled him towards the other. Before his own brain could catch up he spoke,
“Hello, I’m Montresor. May I help?”.
The boy raised his head as Montresor held out his hand. A small smile crept onto their lips to feign the boy's struggles, but his glossy eyes betrayed him. The child took his hand.
“F-Fortunato. Thank you”.
The newly known Fortunato rose from the ground to face Montresor, beginning a
friendship that would become their end.
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Time grew upon the two friends as soon the stress upon Montresor grew. The boy's family showed no praise for him as they wished for a successful continuation of their lineage. Through the constant bombardment, Fortunato stood by as an anchor. The foundation of his stability grew when, upon Montresor's day of birth, Fortunato told him of a large business plan. A plan to invest in the wine business with Montresor. When hearing this, however, Montresor only groaned in protest.
“Montresor,” Fortunato begged, “you must trust me on this!”
“Friend you know I do, but I can’t disappoint my family further.” Montresor held his head down and ordered another drink. “You understand that, do you not?”
“Of course I do, which is why I’m asking you to forgive my past misfortunes. Look at me when I tell you about this Montresor.”
The addressed sighs, looking at his friend. His eyes widen with guilt as he is shown the same glossed-over eyes from when they met.
“I wish to help you. Please.”
Montresor pauses as guilt creeps upon him and he leans closer to his companion. He slowly reaches out to Fortunato's face to wipe the tears that threaten to fall. His voice is soft, just above a whisper.
“Okay...Okay, I trust you.”
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As the years continued to flow, Montresor began to sober up. He continued to have Fortunato by his side but the word friend didn’t fit in his mind. He thought through different words, but all didn’t hold the passion he would feel. The words didn’t describe the butterflies plaguing his stomach, the words didn’t describe the tension he felt when he was close enough to feel the others' breath. Montresor slowly came to a conclusion he avoided. A word he refused to believe fit so perfectly. Love. Montresor loved Fortunato with every fiber of his being and rejection would reverb just as intensely if Fortunato didn’t feel that too. He wanted to know what would happen, so when the two were walking to Fortunato’s home he decided he would
discover that very thing.
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The more he thought of his plan, the more he panicked. His mind raced with impossible possibilities and refused to stop. He ran his hands along the seams in his pockets, trying to ignore how clammy they had become. Sweat ran along his face, glistening against his worry plagued eyes that fixed themselves upon the ground. The two neared his home and he wanted nothing more than to run away and hide. He wanted to burraid himself on how even considering saying anything was a horrible idea. A hand gently ran across his shoulder blade and onto his shoulder, a shiver riveting up his spine. His breath hitched as he looked over to Fortunato. The other's eyes were filled with concern, further shown by the softness of his companion's voice.
“Montresor,” he began, “are you alright?”
The question took Montresor by surprise. His brain was not quite catching up to what his source of adoration had said. He knew he had to speak, however, so all he did was Sutter out.
“W-what?”
Fortunato's eyes soften and he fully turns to Montresor. He takes a step closer, Montresor tensing up in response.
“You haven’t spoken a single word since we left and you’re fidgeting. If something is wrong, you know you can talk to me right?”
Montresor quickly nodded, refusing to let Fortunato believe he wasn’t worth speaking to.
“Of course! I just,” he paused, “I just wanted to ask you something”.
Fortunato tilted his head slightly and studied Montresor. Montresor’s face began to heat up, forcing himself to not kiss the adorably oblivious man in front of him. After a few more moments, Fortunato nodded, signaling the other to continue. Montresor took a deep breath and slid his hands into Fortunato’s.
“I’ve wanted to ask you, for so very long, will you be mine Fortunato?”
A small chuckle comes from the other, filling Montresor with dread. Fortunato removes his hands from Montresor and slides them onto either side of his face. They stare into the eyes of each other for what feels like an eternity before Fortunato speaks.
“I would love nothing more than to be with you, Montresor.”
His heart fills with happiness and they quickly close the gap between them. In their minds, the only things they could feel were the softness of one another and how the cold moon-filled night felt warm against them.
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The unknown clock ticks down upon the lovers, only a few months before. The two had moved into a house together, covering their reason from the town as business reasons. The two knew from the beginning no one could know of their love. At times Montresor thought it would be best for them to part ways but every time he wakes next to his lover, he couldn’t fathom a world without him. He thanked whatever existed above for the two meeting one another. With every smile on Fortunato’s face, every laugh that slips through his lips, Montresor knew what he had to do. On one of the many days he woke before his love, he reached over to a dresser and pulled out an old wooden box he had carved when young. It was crudely made but he knew Fortunato could see how much love was put into the item. Inside he had placed a beautiful silver band. The man sat up, raking his fingers through his lover's hair softly. After some time, Montresor could feel Fortunato stir awake. He looked down and saw the eyes he loved so very much staring right back.
“Good morning my sweet,” he starts, “you slept quite a while”.
A soft giggle erupts from Fortunato as he sits up next to him. His eyes slowly shift to the box in Montresor's hands. Montresor, noticing this, hands him the box. With slight hesitation, Fortunato opens the box and gasps.
“Is th-this,” he stutters, “Y-you- I-”.
“Fortunato, would you do me the honor of accepting me as your husband?”
Tears prick the corners of Fortunato's eyes as he smiles wide enough to hurt his cheeks.
“Yes! Yes! Of course!”
Montresor takes the silver band and places it on the other finger before being engulfed in a hug and small kisses strewn around his face. He was happy. So incredibly happy.
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The newlyweds understood they couldn’t have a proper wedding. Instead, they decided to throw a house party under the impression it was to celebrate the incredible growth of their shared business. The two smiled as guests filed into the home and music began to fill the air. Guests began to mingle with one another, the hosts keeping their interactions to glances across the room. As time wore on, Montresor became more restless. The two were supposed to be celebrating their engagement were they not? One dance wouldn’t hurt, surely. Upon this decision, Montresor heads to Fortunato with one goal in mind.
“Fortunato, my friend, would it hurt you to dance with a business partner?”
Montresor carefully took Fortunato's hand, further pushing the point of his intent. Before the others could speak, a town member spoke out.
“Dance? He is not a lady, Montresor, where is your head!”
Another town member took notice and began to sticker at Montresor.
“Still finding a way to disappoint your family I see? How unholy.”
“Truly! Dancing with a man, are you crazy?”
Montresor began to panic, forgetting the real reason they were hidden. His eyes flickered to Fortunato for comfort, but he was met with a stare of disappointment. Fortunato, the one he trusted with his life, ripped his hand away in disgust.
“F-Fortunato?”
His voice quivered underneath all the attention and fear. His eyes began to gloss over, darting around the room before settling on Fortunato when he spoke.
“How on earth would you believe that was appropriate Montresor? Shame on you!”
Fear struck throughout his body as he saw the fury in Fortunato’s eyes. The man he loved was angry. At him. His breath hitched as his heartbeat began to quicken. He began to step back before darting out of the house. Montresor runs and runs, legs pounding in numb pain, begging for him to stop. Small hiccups and sobs are attempted to be suppressed but they start to tumble from his lips. By the time he stops, the sun has begun to rise, its light filtering itself through the trees. Montresor sits at the base of one of these trees, sadness slowly boiling to pure anger and the feeling of betrayal. He was betrayed by the one he loved and as poison slowly began to overcome his thoughts, a scheme made itself known. The scheme known throughout Italy as The Cask of Amontillado.