Annoying like a Curse

Prison, Maximum Security Area, Night

Aurora sat in her small cell, moonlight filtering through the narrow barred window. Her fellow inmates, four women in the same cell, watched her suspiciously. Aurora, however, seemed completely unaffected. Instead, she sat on her bunk, staring at the wall as if deciphering an invisible text.

"What are you staring at?" asked one of the women, a burly figure named Petra, who was considered the cell leader.

Aurora slowly turned her head toward her, a gentle smile on her lips. "I'm thinking. About him."

"About whom?" chimed in another woman, Nadja, who was younger and slimmer, but just as attentive.

"About Lukas." Aurora's voice was calm, almost hypnotic. "The man you call a monster. But you don't understand... he's more than that."

Petra laughed contemptuously. "More? The guy slaughtered people. What is he supposed to be, a prophet?"

"A god." Aurora's eyes flashed, her voice taking on an intense tone. "A god who moves among us, tests us, exposes our weaknesses. You think you know evil because you've seen him? You're wrong. He's not a murderer. He's a creator and destroyer. And I... I was chosen to understand him."

A restless murmur ran through the cell. Nadja moved closer to Aurora, her brow furrowed. "If he's a god, then why does he kill? Why does he play with people like toys?"

Aurora tilted her head. "Because he shows us our mistakes. Our arrogance, our blindness. You all think you know what's right and wrong. But Lukas... he opens our eyes. He shows that life has no limits, that morality is just an illusion."

Petra snorted. "That's the biggest nonsense I've ever heard. The guy's just a sick psychopath, nothing more."

Aurora stood up, slowly, and stepped closer to Petra. Her face was only inches away, her eyes piercing. "If he's just a psychopath, how do you explain that he freed me? That he spared me? He could have killed me, but he didn't. He chose me."

The tension in the cell was palpable. Nadja bit her lip. "Maybe... maybe he wanted you to do something for him?"

Aurora turned to her, her face gentle. "Maybe. Or maybe he wanted to show me something. Something none of you understand. Lukas isn't here to destroy. He's here to teach. And if you listen... you can be part of something greater."

Petra grimaced, but she said nothing more. Nadja, on the other hand, couldn't tear her eyes away from Aurora.

"He'll come," Aurora whispered. "He'll get me. And when he comes, you'll see who he really is."

Prison, Maximum Security Area, Day 47

The air in the prison was electric. It wasn't the usual inmates' discontent, but something greater, something simmering beneath the surface. Aurora sat in her cell, her fellow prisoners huddled tightly around her. She had long since established herself as a leader without anyone noticing. Her words were like poison, sweet and piercing, and they had eaten into the minds of the others.

"Tonight," Aurora whispered as the women leaned closer, "we'll show them what true power is."

Petra, who had been skeptical at first, was now the first to nod. "We're ready. The changing of the guard is at three. Then we strike."

Aurora smiled, a cold, sinister smile. "Good. But remember, this is just the beginning. We're not just opening the gates for ourselves—we're opening them for him."

"For Lukas?" Nadja asked quietly, her eyes burning with curiosity and fear.

Aurora placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yes. He'll come. But we have to call him. And blood will have to be shed for that."

***

Prison Corridor, 3:12 a.m.

The night was silent, only the occasional click of a guard's footsteps echoed through the empty corridors. It began quietly. A dull thud, then a scream. The first guard was overpowered from behind as Petra stabbed him in the neck with an improvised weapon—a sharp metal rod.

"Go!" Aurora shouted, her voice clear and full of authority. "No hesitation!"

The inmates stormed the corridors, their screams like an animal breaking free from its cage. A second guard drew his weapon, but Nadja jumped at his throat, her hands tight around his neck, while Petra snatched the set of keys from him.

Aurora stood amidst the chaos, like a commander leading her troops. Blood splattered on the floor and the walls, but she remained unaffected.

"More," she murmured quietly to herself, her eyes half-closed. "More blood. He has to feel it."

***

Aurora's cell, 4:45 a.m.

The chaos had subsided. Some inmates were dead, others had hidden. But Aurora sat quietly in her cell, the distant whimpers of the few surviving guards filling the air.

"That was impressive," a voice whispered, soft yet piercing.

Aurora flinched and raised her head. No one was there. But the voice continued, soft and playful.

"A good girl," Lukas whispered, his voice like a shadow in her mind. "You truly are something special. Blood—that's the language I understand."

Aurora closed her eyes, her heart racing. "Lukas... I knew you saw it."

"Of course I see it. And I see you." His words were like a caress sliding across her skin. "But don't think you control me. I come when I want to, not when you demand it."

She smiled. "I don't demand anything. I only prepare."

A quiet laugh echoed through her thoughts. "Keep preparing, Aurora. I'm excited to see what you'll do next."

And then he was gone.

***

After the Uprising

The prison administration was in an uproar. The media reported on the violence, and Aurora was moved to solitary confinement. But even there, she seemed to have more power than ever. The guards sensed it—her presence was unsettling, almost unnatural.

Aurora began to wait for the next opportunity, to expand her plans, and to listen to Lukas's voice whispering repeatedly in the darkness.

Media report, 8 p.m. news, Channel 12

"Welcome to the 8 p.m. news. Our focus today: the infamous ex-scientist and mass murderer Aurora Stein, who was sentenced to life imprisonment three years ago for organizing a brutal prison uprising and glorifying the so-called 'Monster of Ravensburg.'"

The presenter, elegantly dressed, spoke with a mixture of fascination and disgust. An image of Aurora appeared next to her—pale, with piercing eyes and an eerie smile, captured in her official prison photo.

"Aurora Stein," she continued, "once a renowned psychologist, is now one of the most controversial figures of our time. Over the past three years, she has managed not only to survive in the maximum-security Nordlingen prison, but to become the leader of a cult-like group of inmates."

A video played: an anonymous recording from inside the prison. Aurora stood among a group of women, her voice steady and hypnotic.

"He's not a monster," she said in the video, her eyes shining, "he's a manifestation of what humanity deserves. You call him a threat. I call him a higher power."

The moderator continued: "But her words are more than just persuasion. Since her incarceration, at least 12 inmates and three guards have left the prison under mysterious circumstances – or disappeared without a trace. Experts suspect that Aurora Stein continues to exert influence on those around her, even while in solitary confinement."

***

Interview with Professor Meinhardt, Psychology Expert

"Ms. Stein is an extraordinary personality," explained Professor Meinhardt, sitting in a comfortably furnished studio. "She combines intelligence with an almost uncanny ability to manipulate people. Her prison records show that she not only gains followers, but also convinces them to believe what she preaches: that Lukas, the so-called 'monster,' is a godlike figure."

The moderator nodded. "But what does this mean for us as a society?"

"It means that we're not just dealing with a psychologically complex individual," the professor continued, "but with someone potentially more dangerous than the monster itself. While the creature—Lukas—exerts physical violence, Aurora sows ideas that aren't so easily combatted. She's the voice that reinforces doubt."

***

Prison Warden Discusses Security Measures

The screen switched to an interview with the prison warden. He seemed tired, almost burned out.

"Ms. Stein is closely monitored," he emphasized, "but she has ways and means that continue to surprise us. Since her rebellion three years ago, we've significantly tightened security measures. Yet she has an ability to reach inmates on a psychological level we couldn't have predicted."

***

A prison inmate reports anonymously

The camera showed a silhouette, the voice distorted. "She's not like us. She... she knows things. Things she shouldn't know. And sometimes, when she speaks, you get the feeling it's not just her talking. It's like something is speaking through her."

***

Return to the presenter

"Aurora Stein remains one of the most fascinating and dangerous figures of our time. While her followers consider her a prophet, the question remains how much longer the system can keep her in check. Is she truly just a woman with an extraordinary mind—or a tool of the monster who worships her?"

The camera zoomed in on Aurora, her sinister smile fading into the darkness.

The Day of Release

The heavy doors of the solitary confinement cell opened with a resounding squeak. Aurora stepped out, her hands loosely folded in front of her, her posture calm and controlled. Her eyes flashed with a look of triumphant confidence as the guards surrounded her and escorted her back to the general prison.

"Mrs. Stein," the warden said, cool and distant. "This is not a second chance. This is your last."

Aurora inclined her head slightly, as if it were a polite greeting, but her smile was anything but friendly. "Warden," she said in a gentle voice, "everyone deserves a second chance. Even me."

The guards led her through the long, sterile corridors, while the other inmates lurked at the bars of their cells, shouting loudly. Some cheered her on, others spat in her direction. But Aurora continued on, unfazed, her presence unwavering.

The Beginning of Chaos

It took less than a day for the uprising to begin. Now back among the other inmates, Aurora had, with frightening efficiency, enlisted the most influential figures in the prison. A series of targeted attacks and manipulations was enough to open the cells and unleash a deadly wave of chaos.

The guards' screams echoed through the concrete walls. Pools of blood pooled on the floors as the inmates seized control of the prison with improvised weapons from the workshops and kitchens.

Aurora stood in the center of the main block when the final obstacle fell: the security center. Her followers rushed in and overpowered the remaining defenders. The screens monitoring the entire prison flickered briefly, finally showing a live view of the entrance area.

The Appearance of Lukas

The prison doors swung open silently as a dark figure stepped through the entrance. Lukas. His black coat fluttered slightly with his movement, his face shrouded in shadow. The security cameras captured his devilish smile as he strode slowly through the deserted corridors.

"There he is," whispered one of the inmates in the security center, her voice choked with a mixture of fear and awe.

Aurora stood still, her gaze fixed on the screen. "He's coming," she said softly, almost like a prayer.

The inmates in the security center held their breath as Lukas stopped, standing directly in front of one of the large security doors. With a single movement of his hand, the meter-thick steel gates ripped from their anchors with a bone-chilling crash.

The Speech

Lukas entered the control center; the inmates involuntarily stepped back, overwhelmed by his presence. Aurora, however, stepped forward, her eyes sparkling.

"All of you," Lukas began, his voice calm but piercing, "are part of a world that has forgotten you. You are more than just inmates. You are more than the outcasts. You are... my soldiers."

A murmur ran through the crowd. Some stared at him in disbelief, others began to nod, as if persuaded by an invisible force.

"The world outside believes it can control you," Lukas continued, his voice rising in volume, more passionately. "They believe their laws, their walls, their weapons can hold you down. But I'm here to show you they're wrong. You are free. Free to find your own justice. Free to fight your own battles."

He looked at Aurora, a brief, meaningful smile on his lips. Then he turned back to the crowd.

"Don't follow me if you don't want to. But those who want to be free, those who want to fight—go. The gates are open."

With a majestic gesture, Lukas flung open the remaining doors. The occupants rushed out, some cheering, others silent, but all filled with a new, terrifying hope.

Aurora stood still as the crowd dispersed around her. She looked at Lukas, who vanished into the shadows as if he'd never been there. His whisper was the last thing she heard before she was alone again:

"You led them. Now it's up to you to guide them."

The air in the police station was thick with tension and frustration. Voices echoed through the room as Inspector Schäfer pounded the table forcefully. "We don't just have an outbreak, we have a damn state of emergency!"

"Reports speak of over a hundred deaths at the hands of the guards alone," added a young officer, his face visibly pale. "And the escapees... They're not just serious criminals. People are talking about some kind of... movement."

Schäfer glared at the young man. "Movement? This isn't a political uprising. This is chaos. Pure, goddamn anarchy, triggered by a madman who thinks he's God."

"Sir," an analyst began cautiously, "there are reports of civilian groups joining him. People dissatisfied with the system. Lukas seems to be recruiting them specifically, and... it's working. They're following him."

Schäfer snorted angrily. "This is insane. We're talking about a man who freed hundreds of serious criminals from a maximum-security prison. And now he's suddenly supposed to be some kind of messiah? That's a bad joke."

A veteran officer who had remained silent until now spoke up. "Perhaps it's time to look beyond the human. Lukas is no ordinary criminal. Maybe he really is... something supernatural."

The silence that followed these words was deafening. No one wanted to say it, but everyone knew the man was right.

"We have footage," the analyst interjected, switching on a monitor. "This was recorded last night."

The room darkened as the video played. Lukas stood on a podium, improvised from overturned crates, surrounded by cheering crowds. His voice was clear and haunting: