The water flows. The wind blows. The siren howls. How had she got in this situation? Why did she go alone here? The view of success was murky anyway. Maybe she would still have to wait for a while. However, now she hung here. High over the river. One could feel splashing the water even by this height. Just like Mumbo felt her quick heartbeat by the rope. His hand still held the rope, on which Malfuria hang tangled in fear of death. Bob stood behind him. His eyes were anxiously directed to the young woman. His right hand held on the left arm. Now and then he rubbed them over the whole arm. He got cold and worried. Worried about Malfuria, but also about the guns which were directed upon both malefactors. About eight police cars stood before the building which was next to the river. Charly held his gun straight on Mumbo. He knew that the bare one aim at Mumbo was in vain. But what could he have done otherwise?

„Don't do that, Mumbo!“, the completely scared woman shouted. „I beg you!“ 100 meters below her the river tore small trunks with itself. The rapids let the trunks break while crashing big rocks in the water. Plus the depth of the river. Most places there are three meters deep. As long as no rocks were at them. While Mumbo moved Malfuria to himself on eye level, he said: „You are pretty naive, Twice. Do you believe after all the years I would show remorse? Your life dangles on a string and I will decide if the string will rip.“ Their faces almost touched each other. Tears came to Malfuria's eyes. She trembled. Bob trembled. Deep inside him, a voice told him, this was not right. But in no way he would disturb his boss. He bit into his lower lip and hushed. Charly lost the patience. The worries about his daughter were too big. „I don't want to get rude, Mumbo, but you'll let her down by now!“ Slowly Mumbo turned his head to the left. He began to grin. „I should let her down?“ „Yes!“, Charly shouted desperately. Mumbos eyes were directed on Malfuria. She got a fright. For a short moment Mumbo let the rope go. Then he held it again. Malfuria expelled a loud scared shout. It resounded through the forest. She pulled her legs close at the body and closed the eyes. Bob twitched with the arms. Shaking the head Charly screamed: „Not over the river! Now let her go!“ Once more he twitched with his gun. Sweat pearls formed on his forehead. He didn't know what to do.

„I will let her go. But not to you. Just to the downfall!“ Distrustfully Mali opened her eyes again. Tears flew out of them. She looked down to her concerned father. This recognized her panic. Slowly he lowered the gun and with it, his head. He surrendered. He rubbed the forehead and glided through his hair. The other policemen were surrendering too. Once more Mumbo grinned. After Charly wiped the tears from the face, he sobbed: „Is there no possibility to calm you?“ Now Bob also directed his look at the nefarious murderer. He was curious what he would answer. Mumbo lifted Malfuria’s chin a little. He looked deep into her eyes. Malfuria let the man look at her. For the last time.

The wind suddenly stopped. The rushing of the river and pulsating of the veins, everything was not audible for this small moment.

Jerkily Mumbo pulled the hand away. Malfuria got a fright by the sudden movement and moved her head aside. Mumbos look deviated from her. He stretched his arm. The rope was still in his hand. Bob anticipated the badness. He pinched himself into the arm. Charly looked up to him. Everybody looked at him. But Mumbo directly saw down to him. The answer to his question followed. He lifted the arm one more piece and said loudly: „No! Nothing will detain me now! Not even her!“ Without further ado he released the rope.

Malfuria shouted. She shouted as loud as she could. All noises of the surroundings were hearable again. Louder and more worrying than before. Bob came out of his numb position and reached for the balcony railing. He stretched his head over the railing. Charly and the other policemen ran to the abyss. Malfuria opened her eyes. She saw Bob, and he saw her. After several weeks they looked into each other’s eyes again. It was, as if all the surroundings stopped. She saw Bob's sorrow, his shock and his fear. He never expected that he'd once look into the depth. Down to her. Now it was too late. He could not help her. But he could remember how it came to this. How everything changed. How it all began. How it all began…


…ten years ago.


________________________________________________________________________________________


„Malfuria? Mali, wake up!“ Trees crossed her view. The face was squeezed against the window. In the hand she held her mobile phone and listened to music with her earphones. Pulled out of her dream she slowly opened her green eyes. Her back hurted. Since many, many hours she already sat here. She had a long trip behind. „Are we there?“ „Yes, we arrived!“, her mother answered. Christina Haley Twice.

Her blonde hair was tied to a pony tail. On the legs she had a map of the USA. With a thick red marker a place called Florence was encircled. A violet line led away from it. This line ended in the south of the map. At Kayenta. They came from there. From the state Arizona. During three days they were on the move and now they arrived. At their new home.

Malfuria and her twin sister were here for the first time. Their age difference is 6 minutes and they're fraternal twins. Malfuria is the older one. Her sister's name is Seline Carol Twice. In contrast to Malfuria she was already wide awake and curious. She could hardly expect to see their new house. Long black hair hung over her shoulders. She had the blue eyes of her mother. Meanwhile Malfuria and Seline were 15 years old. They spent their childhood in Kayenta. Their native country. However, they had to move. Their father Charles Peter Twice, or Charly, needed a new job. Many jobs in the area of Kayenta were already taken. When he got the job assigned in Florence, he decided to move with his family. He had enough money. His family was rich. At that time their budget had an 8-figure worth. Millionaires.

His hair was as brown as Malfuria's one. They both had the green eyes. Charly wore a white shirt and a bright-brown jacket. The sleeves were rolled up. In addition the blue jeans and the black shoes. He was at the wheel. His wife took out another map. It was the city plan of Florence. While she unfolded the map, Malfuria took a view out the window. Birds flew over their car. They twittered loudly.

Malfuria opened the window and stretched herself outside. Her hair danced with the wind. Never before she saw such a beautiful town. In Kayenta you can only see a landscape of sand. But it was nice. Plus Florence is by the sea. She could smell the salted water. „We should see Florence in no time.“, Christina said. Quickly Seline leant over her sister and let the wind blow in her face. Excitedly the both waited for the last pair of trees which hid the town. Malfuria’s heart pulsated. She was more excited than ever before.

Her name is Malfuriana Lynn Twice. She carried a bright blue pullover and black trousers. Along the street, on which the white car of her father drove, she could discover a sign. ‚Welcome to Florence, Oregon‘ stood on it. Now it was time. Charly drove more slowly. The last tree on the right side of the street got closer. When he disappeared next to Malfuria and Seline, they could see the town. „We are there!“, Seline shouted full of joy. The light of the sun let the sea shine. The houses lay at different places and they were very nice. One of it was supposed to be their new home. „Dad, which one of them is ours? This one right there, or the big one over there?“, Mali asked curiously. Charly still looked at the street and replied: „Let me surprise you!“

At a crossroad they stopped. Seline looked out of the left window and called Mali to her. „Look! This one looks great!“ Malfuria thought the same. A white house with an almost black roof and many windows. The grass was very green. Almost as green as Malfuria's eyes. The both never saw so much grass. Behind the house was a big pool. Charly drove along and turned left where he shortly after drove in the entrance of the white house. „Don't tell me this is our new home!“ Charly laughed. „Welcome home, girls!“ Without waiting long the both opened the doors and looked at their new house. The entrance was equipped with small rocks, so the cars didn't squeeze the grass. Many flowers were planted on the left side of the front door. A sliding door released the way in a new period of life. Seline and Mali proceeded in the inside of the house. Gigantic rooms. They took a look in every single one during Charly and Christina placed themselves at the couch. During half an hour both girls were occupied to explore the house and its rooms. Then they laughing came down the stairs, ran to their parents and shouted: „Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad! This house is incredibly nice! We even have our own rooms!“ Christina stroked Malfuria's head. „And have you already decided which one you take?“ „Of course! We already choosed!“, she answered. „That's good!“ Charly said, „Take a seat. We're watching the news.“ Mali and Seline crowded between their parents. Charly reached for the remote control and turned the volume louder.

„The local news: We become a witness of a spectacular chase in Seattle. The police got its hands full. Pictures and monuments of the museum in the value of several ten thousand dollars were stolen. The supposed thief still gets chased by the police. According to eyewitness, the responsible person should have carried a mask and a cylinder. On top of that he also broke a closed door with bare hands. Now I give the floor to my colleague.“

„Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. The evil never takes a break: Video recordings of the street cameras and witness's statements completely point to the fact that the thief can be no one else than the nefarious criminal Mumbo Jumbo.“

Charly got up and walked to the window. Without talking a word. „Dad? Is everything alright?“, Malfuria asked, „Is it cause of this Mumbo?“ Her father turned round to her. „Now, you have to know Mali, I know this man since I was a child. Even then he was a criminal. Today he is the unstoppable malefactor you can see there.“ With his forefinger he pointed at the screen. Mali turned round. Pictures of him were shown. A black-hairy man with a cylinder and a mask. He carried black clothes and had stubble. Thick eyebrows and grey eyes. „We were arch-enemies. If possibly, we still are. His avarice for money and revenge did never let him go.“ „Revenge? Does he want to take revenge on you?“ Charly twitched with the shoulders. „I don't know. I didn't speak to him for many years. But as much as I know him, he would even kill me.“

Malfuria got a fright. „K-kill?“