Cartographer v. Cartoonist

Within five minutes of falling lifeless the Cardinal’s stripped of his scarlet vestments, his fillings, signet ring, and pectoral cross. His frail naked body, pearl white and bloodless, is dumped into the pit. Sprinkled with ash. Buried atop the others, covered with two inches of damp earth.

Carrying their haul back to the shack, the caretakers fight over the signet ring. They fight over it on the way, and outside the shack, and (presumably) inside the shack.

The Cartographer bides his time by drawing monsters in the unknown regions of the map he drew for the Cardinal.

Description of monsters drawn by the Cartographer, clockwise from north: serpent entwining large black tortoise; hairy smoke-breathing dragon; squid-like being with bat wings, fleshy claws; iron robot possessed by the ghost of Heinrich Himmler.

The Cartoonist arrives dressed in black. He greets the Cartographer with an impassive expression, a weak handshake.

The Cartographer shows him his map. The Cartoonists regards the map, and it pleases him. The Cartographer asks if he might have a monster to suggest to fit the gap in the unmarked region to the northwest. The Cartoonist does. He the pen and draws a penguin holding a gun.

The Cartographer asks what he’s drawn.

One of many thieving Italians, says the Cartoonist.

They raise their guns. Their guns go off.