Bandersnatch Boyfriend: Amadeus Part One (special preview)

Amadeus likes to strut his position around, showing off his slick uniform while towering over the Roses with his impressive physique. He’s passed middle age though, so I’m sure he’s not the force of nature he was in youth. After all, if someone as tiny as me can knock him on his ass regularly, what threat can he really be?

I suppose I shouldn’t underestimate him though, for all I know, he’s been going easy on me. One more close encounter, the old fool may snap then show me what he’s really made of. After all, I have seen him activated to a degree, but never in his full Bandersnatch form. I best count myself lucky, or there may come a day I don’t return to the Pigs. 

Recently, there has been an illness spreading through Pig Village. At first, it was the elderly getting sick, then the children. Now, the young and healthy are starting to succumb to it. They present symptoms of big purple rashes on their backs which then start to cause scales. The scales itch, also causing a coldness where they grow. The body heat lowers and lowers so the sick must be kept extremely warm at all times. Along with this, the sick grow weak, can barely eat, and suffer horrible dreams to the point that sleep is unattainable. The doctors have been calling it Dragon’s Flu and the medication for treating it is very expensive. In fact, the cure for it is pure gold. The doctors will submerge a patient in a bath of gold coins and hot water for eight hours. The only problem is that there are only enough gold coins for three baths while over hundreds of Pigs are sick with the Dragon Flu. 

I’ve been working day and night to get gold in order to fill more baths. I’ve also been joining Rose poker games in order to get as much as possible. I know I’m playing a risky game because the more I steal, the more it gets noticed, and the more it is noticed, the more likely it is I will have run ins with Amadeus. I have to walk on glass these days, but I would do anything for Pig Village at this point.

One afternoon, as I am walking through the streets of Rose Village, narrowing down on an unsuspecting girl whose heels are wobbling, I see myself on a poster. I stop following the girl and stare up at the wall where there is a poster bearing my face and advertising a reward.

“Holy shit,” I whisper in awe. “He’s actually gone and done it.” I rip down the poster and gaze at the reward. “I haven’t even stolen this much,” I grumble to myself.

A hand slams beside my head on the wall. “I just put that up. What’re you doing tearing it down?” The low snarl vibrates against my ear as hot breath bores against the nape of my neck. 

I turn to look back at Amadeus standing behind me. He takes the poster from my hands and slaps it back onto the wall. 

“I wanted a closer look,” I tell him.

“I understand. Hard to believe such a pretty face could be causing so much trouble here.” Amadeus moves to stand beside me and I have to tilt my head to my shoulder to look up at him. 

“You think this face is pretty?” I point at the poster.

Amadeus scoffs. “It is what allows her to get away with her crimes. No one mistrusts beauty, so she is able to get close and take everything.” He glares down at me and his eye narrows. I quickly turn my head away so my hair falls in my face.

“Such a shame, isn’t it?” I’m trying to keep the smugness at bay. I turn to leave, walking away slowly from Amadeus. I keep my pace smooth and even as not to arouse any suspicion. 

A hand then claps down on my shoulder. I glance down at the long, knobby fingers gripping me. The fingers have a fine black fur to them while the joints are pink and bulbous. Amadeus lowers himself down, nearly bending in half to whisper into my ear.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” He snarls.

“Sir, you’re hurting me.” My lip curls.

Amadeus chuckles. “There are many ways I could hurt you, Dinah, that would be much better than grabbing your shoulder.” His other hand wraps around my waist. “Ways that would be much more enjoyable.”

“You cad,” I scoff and tilt my chin up.

“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize you?” He whispers. “Did you not think I haven’t memorized your scent?” He rubs his nose against my hair, or well, the wig. He grimaces and tries to grab the wig off my head.