Under the cover of darkness, we follow a narrow river through fields filled with cows and past farms growing corn. My dad sticks close to my side as we travel. We keep low and talk in nothing more than whispers as we walk. He seems to know where he’s going so I follow his lead. After several hours we come to a quarry, at the base of which is a grim, stagnant and filthy body of water. Halfway up the side of the tall stone-face is an old metal grate held closed by a thick chain and a rusted padlock. A makeshift path has been cut into the unstable rockface, and of course, that’s where he wants us to go. We shuffle along the narrow path and I watch as loose pebbles and crumbling rocks fall and land in the thick, murky water below. It stinks! Like sewage and compost.
We reach the grate and Dad makes light work of the lock before we slip inside, unseen and unheard.
‘You’re like Houdini. Is there any lock you can’t pick?’
‘Not as of yet, no. C’mon. We need to keep moving,’ he says quietly, pulling out a small and rather dim pocket light to help guide our way. ‘If you hear a rumbling noise, turn and run back to the grate.’
‘Rumbling?’
‘Yeah. This tunnel is ancient and not well maintained at all. No one seems to realise it’s here so it’s the perfect way into town. You hear a rumbling? You leg it. Unless you fancy being buried alive.’
‘Awesome.’
He grips my elbow and leads me on through the dark tunnel. It’s slightly uphill and there’s a small trickle of water running beneath our feet. The further in we go, the less fresh air there seems to be and soon, my throat becomes scratchy and my lungs feel suffocated. The water gets a little deeper and the unmistakable sound of rats reaches my ears.
‘You alright, Buttons?’ he asks.
‘Oddly, yeah. This kinda feels familiar,’ I admit, thinking of my time in the cellar at Harry’s house with a rodent I named Roger to keep me company.
‘You know what? I’m not even gonna ask,’ he grunts, stumbling on some loose ground. I catch him before he falls into the grimy water and we carry on.
As we turn a corner, we both sigh with relief as the slightest breath of fresh air brushes our skin.
‘We’re almost there,’ he whispers, pointing up ahead.
He keeps me placed directly behind him at all times, making sure that I’m close enough for him to touch and positioned just right in case we’re ambushed up ahead. The water grows deeper and deeper until it reaches our waist. It takes all my inner strength not to think about what I’m standing in.
The air grows colder and with the chill comes a putrid stench.
‘God, what is that smell?’ I hiss, covering my nose and mouth with my hand.
‘I’m not sure,’ he replies, his voice strained as he tries not to inhale too much of the foul odour.
A few moments pass until we reach another grate.
‘Here.’ He hands me the light and reaches his hands through the bars, working the padlock with his knife. He slowly unlocks it, opening the gate barely wide enough for us to slide through before closing it back up again. The body of water opens up and the coarse walls become brick which curves in an arch overhead. I get a glimpse of moonlight up ahead and I slump in relief that soon, I’ll be out of this filth.
The smell is getting more and more unbearable the closer to the exit we get. My stomach flips and I start gagging. Dad spins to me and presses his finger to his lips.
All I can do is widen my eyes in frustration and hold out my hands.
What the hell am I supposed to do? Vomiting is kind of an involuntary action. But he simply glares at me and taps his finger to his mouth, driving the point home that I need to shut the hell up.
Slowly, we wade through the water. I give him a tap when I spot a path to our left, elevated above the water. He nods and we head over, silently pulling ourselves out of the water and pressing our backs to the curved brick wall.
The smell is still there. I clamp my nose shut and swallow the disgusted groan that I can’t help but make. Even Dad’s struggling to keep his composure. He looks away as if changing the direction he’s facing will help fight the putrid smell. We edge out further and further until he peers around the corner of the tunnel’s opening. He turns slowly and looks at me. His eyes are wide as he leans in close to my ear.
‘When we leave the tunnel, don’t look up,’ he says, almost pleadingly. ‘Keep your eyes down and just follow my lead.’
His voice is so low, it’s barely a breath.
‘What’s out there?’ I dare ask. ‘What’s causing this stink?’
He just shakes his head and gestures to his eyes before pointing to the ground.
He really doesn’t want me to see whatever is out beyond this tunnel. And when I attempt to carry on, he refuses to let me pass.
‘Don’t. Look. Up.’
‘Okay. Okay, I won’t.’
His eyes dance back and forth as he decides on his next move. But we only have one move. Forwards. We can’t go back. There’s nothing behind us. Everything is out through that tunnel and if there is someone in this town who can help us find the others, then that’s precisely where I’m going.
He turns and we make our way to the exit. The smell only gets worse and now we can hear a loud buzzing sound. Dad takes my hand as we emerge from the tunnel, just as the moon looms from behind the clouds. Ahead, the shadows of dozens of people standing stock still are cast on the water. No. They’re not stock still. They’re swaying. I stop and look at the ghastly silhouettes, realising what the smell was in that instant. There’s an odd tearing sound before something falls from above and lands at my feet.
I slam my hand over my mouth as I take in the sight of a decaying arm. On instinct, I look upwards.
Lining the bridge above us, all the way across, are gallows. There must be thirty bodies hanging by the neck all in various stages of decay. Some look barely dead and others are partial skeletons held together by mummified flesh.
Men, woman… children.
Their ropes creak when the wind picks up and their swaying is almost hypnotic.
‘Oh my god,’ I gasp, my body trembling.
‘I told you not to look!’ he complains, guiding my face back to his. ‘Please! You must try to avoid emotional upsets. You’re too fragile. The Break could reclaim you and I can’t lose you again!’
‘Why… Why would they-’
‘A warning. It’s a warning for us. For you. The vampire creatures and for anyone different.’
‘Are they all Descendants?’ As I try to look back at the death blowing in the breeze, he tightens his grip on my face.
‘Maybe. Or vamps. Or human. Or someone that walked with a limp. Who the hell knows. Now please, Buttons, we have to keep moving!’
All I can do is nod, grip his hand tighter and let him lead me on past the limbs and clothing that have fallen from those above. A stench of death follows us. One I know will follow me till the day I die.
Everything around me falls away and I have no choice but to leave my safety in his hands, because all I can think is, what if one of these lunatics that strung these people up has my baby?
The not knowing is driving me crazy. But I fear that the knowing may turn me dark once more.
∞∞∞
We weave through gardens and down alleyways. As cars speed past us full of people who yell and whoop while waving bats and axes, we duck down behind bins or throw ourselves over walls. Hours pass with us dodging and ducking psychos until we end up with a street corner camera pointed straight at us. Dad and I both look at each other before we hurl ourselves into someone’s front garden. As I lay beside him in a bed of begonias with the smell of cat shit far too close for comfort, I clench my fists and scream internally.
‘We don’t have time for this!’ I whisper furiously, my fingernails digging into my skin. I’m fighting the urge to stand up and tear this town apart piece by piece to find the lead hidden somewhere in this hell hole. ‘We’ve spent hours running and avoiding other people only for that camera to see us. This is ridiculous! Every second we’re not with the others is time not knowing where the hell I’ve been the past year and what’s happened to my child!’ The sound of the swaying bodies above the bridge echo in my ears and grotesque images of what could possibly have befallen the only child of the most hated woman on earth fill my mind. ‘Where is the lead, Jensen?’
‘I’ll get us to them, but we have to do it right.’
‘Can you just tell me where they are? It’s like we’ve been running around in circles.’
He remains silent, looking at the stars. Then it hits me.
‘You don’t know, do you?!’
‘It’s not like they have a sign outside their house-’
‘Oh my god!’ My hide my face to stifle my frustrated screams and I kick out my legs instead of jumping on his head.
After several minutes of my tantrum-throwing, I lower my hands and take a deep breath.
‘You done?’ he asks, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. ‘Or do you want a few more minutes to behave like a three-year-old?’
‘Just! Urgh… what do we do now? Where do we go? How do we find them?’
‘We don’t find the lead, okay?’ He rests his hand on mine. ‘They find us.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It means, sweetheart-’ We hear the sound of revving engines and hooliganism howling as several cars turn down the road. ‘That the lead – will find – us.’ His fingers entwine in mine and our knuckles grind together.
‘You can’t be serious. They’re in one of those fucking masks?’
‘They have to blend in somehow.’
‘And how do we tell the difference between who wants to kill us and who wants to help us?!’
‘Well. If they try to kill us, then I think it’s safe to assume that they’re not there to help us.’ He struggles to stifle his smirk in response to the extreme stink eye I’m giving him. ‘They’ll see who we are and make themselves known. Until then, just act as if they’re trying to kill you. We’ll be-’
Tyres screech to a stop and doors fly open.
‘No need to hide,’ a female voice calls out. ‘We only wanna talk to ya!’ They walk around for a few seconds, trying to locate us. Then she calls out again. ‘It’s a beautiful night. Let’s spend it getting to know each other!’
‘Time to run, Buttons,’ he whispers.
‘Run? Run where?’
‘JUST RUN!’ he bellows, dragging me up to my feet.
We leap over the wall of the garden and sprint down the path. Behind us, six others are already giving chase. Their weapons are raised and their Hunter masks cover their faces.
Vigilantes.
They must be. They’re in fancy dress! One’s in a harlequin tutu dress with multicoloured diamond tights. Another is dressed like a demented school girl. And a man is shirtless with red and white striped trousers, reminiscent of a circus performer.
That’s of some relief I suppose. They could be real Hunters. Then we really would be fucked!
Some have long hair and delicate frames. Others are built like tanks. And all of them look insane. A good punch from the shirtless pirate would probably knock out most of my teeth or break my neck.
We turn the corner and come out on the high street, lined with shops that are closed or boarded up. Metal shutters have been prised open at the corners and looters have left the shelves bare. Graffiti marks are on almost every wall. Puddles of puke are dotted here and there and the overwhelming stench of piss and rotting garbage forces its way down my throat.
Which, considering I’m running and panting, is far from pleasant.
Down some alleyways, small groups of homeless souls gather around fires as they attempt to keep warm. They sink into the shadows as we run past them, hoping not to distract the lunatics chasing us. Dad suddenly diverts left, darting down a road lined with bungalows. Still holding my hand in his, he makes for a thin pathway concealed behind an overgrown bush.
Further and further we go until I see no more houses. The fences sealing in gardens turn to overgrown blackberry bushes that catch our clothes and claw at our skin. The vigilantes are still giving chase, their excited whooping turning more frustrated as they get tangled in the thorns. Dad and I emerge from the bushes into a large open space. A park, by the looks of it. An old swing set lies empty in the centre of the tall grass. Beside that is a roundabout with a stuffed effigy of a witch positioned on a stake in the very middle. Her hair is red.
Dad keeps going, past the abandoned play area, across a weed-covered basketball court, through the burnt-out collection of cars and around the drunk twenty-something-year-olds who are busy dry humping each other on the ground. We come to a large metal fence which Dad swiftly starts climbing. I’m clutching a stitch as I watch him effortlessly scramble up the chain links.
‘C’mon!’ he barks back at me.
Once I’m with him at the top, we leap down. Up ahead is an abandoned train yard with dozens of broken carriages left to rot. Grass and weeds grow over the broken and bent train tracks. This place hasn’t been used for decades, that much is obvious. We disappear between the train cars, keeping close to their sides, and try to remain silent. Dad pins us both to the rear of an old steamer, hiding our position from the group still giving chase. We hear them, in the darkness that covers us all.
‘Did we lose ‘em?’ a man asks, his voice muffled from the mask covering his face.
‘Nah. They’re here somewhere,’ another replies. ‘Let’s split up.’
There’s a clang and then a hideous grinding of metal along metal. As if reading each other’s thoughts, we both peer out from where we’re hiding, me to the left and my dad to the right. I see two of them slowly heading our way before we quickly return to our hiding spot.
‘What did you see?’ Jensen whispers.
‘Two. One of them has an axe,’ I tell him in a quiet hush. It’s the blade he’s dragging along the side of the carriage that causes my teeth to grind together. ‘Another has a bat with large nails hammered into the wood. You?’
‘Two. Looks like a man with a metal pipe and a lass with a chainsaw.’
‘Chainsaw?!’ I hiss before mouthing “What the fuck!”
He shrugs and starts reloading his gun, nudging me as he does and whispering, ‘pew-pew’.
I pull out my weapon and rest my finger on the trigger.
‘There were six,’ I remind him.
‘Yep.’
‘Where are the other two?’
‘No idea. You sure neither of your two didn’t have a machete?’
‘Didn’t look like it, no. Why?’ I can’t help but think how terribly specific that question was.
He grabs the back of my hoody and walks out from our cover, aiming his gun at the two he spotted. He fires, making sure that I’m down low and covered by his body as we make our way to the next carriage over. The girl with the chainsaw screeches and disappears between the carriages as the metal pipe man takes three bullets in the chest and one in the head.
When we reach the next carriage, Jensen reloads.
‘Nice shooting, Dad,’ I admire, strangely a little proud.
‘One down,’ he says a little smugly.
A loud ding sounds by my head as a bullet misses my face by a couple of inches. Dad’s already reacted and fires two shots. The shooter falls backwards and doesn’t get back up.
‘Two down. C’mon.’
We inch out from our cover, checking in all directions as we weave between the carriages. I try to keep my footing light and my senses sharp, but everything is dark and it’s taking far too much effort to differentiate between what shadows and shapes may or may not be trying to kill us. We reach the next carriage and Dad turns left, walking alongside it. There’s a yell as the man armed with the nail covered bat charges out through the open door of the carriage. He swings his weapon so hard, the wind of it moves my hair. It’s a miracle Dad dodges it in time. The masked man lands on top of my him with a savage roar. My gun is aimed in an instant. When I cock it, the bat-wielding lunatic looks over his shoulder at me.
Dad takes his chance and clambers on top of him. The man lands him with a head butt and tightens his grip on his bat. He swipes, but thankfully they’re too close to each other for the nails to make contact. Instead, it’s a clenched fist that slams into the side of Dad’s head, who, a little dazed, lands on his arse. The masked man gets to his feet, kicking the gun from his hand. It skids across the ground and disappears under the train-car.
From behind me, a petrol motor springs to life and the unmistakable buzzing of a chainsaw sends a shiver down my spine.
I turn.
The bleached blonde hair that tumbles over the sides of her mask is tied in pigtails. Her black fishnets disappear under black shorts and she shivers in the cold, wearing nothing else but a black bikini top. She tilts her head to the side and sways her weapon slowly in front of her.
I raise my gun and fire, just as Collins taught me. She spins and misses what was a terrible shot before raising the chainsaw up above her head, laughing a shrill and maniacal cackle. I fire three shots and she almost dances out of their way, showing no fear or hesitation as she descends on me.
This girl is either on something or completely insane!
I stumble backwards, firing shot after shot and cursing myself for failing to hit her with a single fucking bullet! I fire another and hear nothing but the empty click of a hollow chamber.
‘Ah… shit!’
She brings down the chainsaw on my left as I lunge out of its path. She raises it again and brings it down once more on my right.
I dodge.
Just!
She steps forwards, forcing me back time and time again as she tries to dismember me. The stench of petrol, blood and oil overwhelms my senses the closer she gets. I pass my dad, still struggling with the brute as they battle. He tries to get past to help me, but the nail-covered bat soars towards his head. He’s quick and ducks below it.
‘I got this!’ I tell him. ‘You focus on him, I’ve got her!’
I turn and run. Just as I hoped, she gives chase, her chainsaw high above her head and that hideous laugh echoing off the sides of the carriages.
I run.
Fucking fast!
I scour the floor for some kind of weapon. Anything! Hell, I’ll take a bloody stick at this point.
As I look at the ground, hoping to find something of use, I get a hard whack across the abdomen from a metal pipe. I land on my back, gasping and badly winded as a second girl steps out. The two girls stand over me, giggling. One twirls her lead pipe as the other swipes the chainsaw rapidly left to right.
‘Time to die,’ she giggles before the chainsaw comes down. I slam the sole of my shoe as hard as I can upwards, right between her legs. I roll out of the way and clamber to my feet, struggling to stand up straight and clasping my stomach.
‘She kicked me in the fucking pussy!’ she screeches, crossing her legs and bending her knees while growling and swearing.
The girl with the metal pipe attacks, swiping it at me over and over. She’s not coordinated and her feet trip over themselves as she tries to reach me. I manage to grab her wrist and use the only weapon I have. Taking a leaf out of the little vamp girl’s book, I sink my teeth into her bare arm as hard as I can. Blood seeps into my mouth as she screams. My fingernails dig into her wrist and I twist until she relinquishes her grip. The pipe falls to the floor with a thud allowing me to scoop it up. I strike hard and without hesitation, driving it upwards under her jaw. Her head flings backwards and I hear a crunch as her teeth shatter. When her head lolls forwards I side wipe, smacking the side of her skull so her eyes glaze over and her mouth goes slack. She falls to her knees and then lands on her face.
One down.
The voice that speaks those words inside my mind may be mine, but the joy and the excitement of witnessing such violence certainly aren’t.
I shudder, a cold sweat breaking out over my entire body as that same voice laughs darkly in my thoughts.
I barely catch the other girl’s attack in time and narrowly miss the chainsaw slicing across my neck.
‘Kill her,’ the voice whispers seductively. ‘You know you want to.’
My fingers tighten around the pipe as I edge backwards. Chainsaw-girl continues to descend on me, but this time, a little more cautiously. Our feet drag in the dirt and although I can’t see her eyes past her fake Hunter’s mask, I know that she’s looking straight into mine. Her hatred of me, of what I am to her, is almost palpable. And I don’t think she even knows who I am. My hood is still up and it’s pretty dark. I’m a stranger and I’m here. That makes me fair game.
‘Take the chainsaw. Slice right through her legs.’
‘Shut up!’ I warn.
‘Cut off her head and put it on the bridge of death. Show them what happens to witch killers.’
‘I said shut up!’
Chain saw girl bellows and lunges forwards, jabbing her weapon towards my chest. As I dart backwards, my feet hit something solid on the ground behind me and I lose my footing. As I fall back and land on my backside, she takes her chance and attacks. I let go of the pipe and grab her forearm. The spinning blade is less than two inches from my face. I hear her ragged breathing from behind that featureless white mask and I smell liquor and cigarette smoke on her breath. Her feet dig into the ground as she forces more weight behind her, encouraging the sharp metal closer and closer. Her knees bend and she starts to groan with effort. I grunt back at her, trying in vain to get her and her chainsaw away from me.
Closer. Closer.
I turn my head away as I feel the air whizz past my nose.
‘DIE, YOU FUCKING BITCH!’ she screams.
‘After you!’
I snatch at her ankle and tug, pulling her down to the ground with me. Her arms fly upwards and as she falls, she loses her grip on the handle. She lands beside me on the ground. The chainsaw flies upwards and we both watch, wondering where the still whirring weapon will land. When it starts to fall, we both risk a quick glance at each other and decide that the chainsaw is the more significant threat. We roll out of the way. Her, to the left and me, to the right. It lands between us and whirls wildly, circling and juddering, entirely out of control.
We’re both back on our feet and waiting for a chance to grab the handle. She reaches out first but it moves and she grabs at the blade instead. She screams and holds the two fingers which are hanging off and spewing blood. She falls to her knees, wailing and hollering, clasping her injured hand to her chest.
I take a chance and go to grab the chainsaw. My hand takes hold of the handle and I lift it, pointing the guide bar and spinning chain down at her.
Part of me, a very dark and dangerous part of me, really wants to take my time and slowly relieve her of her limbs before taking her head.
I hear my Broken-self, encouraging me, begging me… “Do it. Do it. DO IT!”
The girl remains on her knees, breathless and in a tremendous amount of pain, but also furious.
Then, she starts laughing.
‘What the hell are you laughing at!’ I spit. ‘You think I won’t kill you?’
‘I know you would,’ she snarls. ‘Because that’s what people like you do. You kill and you destroy.’
‘I’m not the one dressed up like a crazed hooker, roaming the street and hunting for people to hack up with a fucking chainsaw!’ I remind her.
She gives another playful giggle.
‘Why are you doing this? How many people have you killed?’
‘People?’ she repeats with a shrug. ‘No people. Just plague-infested parasites that want to drain humanity of our very souls. Just monsters that tear at our throats and drink our blood. Why? How many “people” have you killed?’
Her head tilts to the side.
I can’t answer her question because honestly? I have no idea. Disgustingly, I’ve lost count.
She scoffs at my silence. ‘You’re evil. All of you. The more of you we kill, the better the world will be. In the end.’
‘We didn’t start this war.’ I shut off the chainsaw.
‘I don’t care who started it. We’re gonna finish it.’ She leans forwards and says maliciously, ‘And now? I’m gonna finish you!’
As she goes to rush me, shrieking like an injured beast, I take the chainsaw and slam the handle into her nose. I hear it break before she falls backwards.
‘YOU’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!’ she screams. ‘AND WHEN YOU DO, I’LL BE WATCHING FROM HEAVEN, LAUGHING WITH GOD-’
‘Oh shut up!’ I punch her in the face and she falls quiet. ‘Fuck!’ I hiss, shaking my throbbing hand. ‘Goddammit, bloody nut job!’
I need to find Dad. I decide to keep hold of the chainsaw, just in case, and turn to head back towards him. I run, worried that he may be hurt or already dead. I turn left around the back of one of the carriages and skid to a stop, raising the chainsaw to block a machete headed for my neck. The wielder wears one of those bloody masks.
‘WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!’ I yell.
Their head tilts backwards, then moves slowly forwards to get a better look at me.
‘Lilly?’ they ask cautiously. The voice tells me it’s a girl and I lean forwards too, positive that I recognise it. ‘Oh my god…’ she breathes, lowering her blade as I lower my weapon. ‘Is it really you?’
‘Do I know you?’ I squint against the darkness.
She lifts her mask. Her hair tumbles over her familiar face. Her eyes are wide in surprise, as is her gawping mouth.
She may be familiar, I know that I have seen her somewhere, but for the life of me, I can’t recall.
‘It’s Jessica,’ she tells me, pointing at herself. ‘I’m the girl you saved from being executed at the witch auction a year ago.’
So my eyes had seen her before, but not my soul. I was Broken when we met.
‘What are you doing here?’ I ask, both stunned and a little wary. I glance around us, half expecting to be ambushed.
‘What am I doing here?’ she asks with a laugh. ‘Coming from the dead girl!’
‘Not dead,’ Dad calls over, wiping a trail of blood from his nose. ‘Unlike your pals.’ He raises his pistol to her chest and stands by my side. ‘Always old. Sometimes new.’
‘I’m not sure that’s really necessary. Lilly knows me.’
‘No, I don’t,’ I reply with a scoff.
‘You don’t? I was the girl you stopped from being burnt alive.’ She looks a little offended. ‘How can you not remember that? And Jensen, I was a member of your camp back when Theodore Kendryk was in charge,’ she retorts. ‘Not that you’d recall my face. You had your head pretty far up his arse-’
Dad cocks his gun.
‘Always old,’ he says slowly and with an edge of warning. ‘Sometimes new.’
‘Never empty,’ she replies, sliding her machete into a holder attached to her thigh and folding her arms across her chest. ‘Sometimes full. Happy?’
She may have stowed her weapon, but he still holds his, untrusting and unwilling to give up our only protection. I look from one to the other.
‘The moon?’ I ask, breaking the silence.
She looks at me with a hitched brow.
‘Always old… sometimes new? Never empty… sometimes full?’ I shrug as I look between the pair. ‘The moon, right?’
Dad puts on the safety and pockets his gun before taking my face in his hands.
‘You okay? You hurt?’ But he’s not really asking me that. He’s looking at the colour of my eyes.
‘Is it still just the one?’ I ask in a whisper.
He nods, confirming that only my left eye is lilac. Then he turns to Jessica.
‘So, you’re the contact?’
‘Yep.’ Jessica’s nods. ‘Got the riddle and the machete to prove it.’
‘Of all the people, you?’ he says through his teeth.
‘Yep. Me. Bit of a risk bringing her into town, don’t you think?’ She gives a slight nod in my direction before her eyes narrow. Then they go very, very wide. ‘Shit! One of her eyes is fucking purple!’ Her machete is drawn and pointed at me in the blink of an eye. ‘She’s Bro-’
‘She’s fine!’ Dad replies. ‘I suggest you stop pointing your weapon at my little girl. I promise you, my bullet will find your skull long before your blade gets anywhere near her.’
The air is filled with tension. Her eyes dart between the two of us and her fingers flex on the handle of her blade.
‘Jensen, her eye is lilac. The ends of her hair are white. If she is a danger to the others, I can’t help you. I don’t send murdering lunatics to the Descendants.’
‘I need to get to the others, Jessica,’ I insist. ‘You have no idea how important it is I get to Gabriel as quickly as possible. I need his magic, or everything is-’
‘Gabriel?’ Jessica repeats, a crinkle growing on her brow.
‘She is fighting the Break. Lilly is in control and if we want it to stay that way, we need to get her to Gabriel and the others as soon as possible. And as calmly as possible.’ He steps closer to Jessica and lowers his voice into a lethal warning. ‘I can’t have anything upsetting her. All we need is for you to help us get to the others with Lilly’s soul intact. Do you understand me?’
After a tense moment, Jessica nods.
‘We need to get to a Nomad camp,’ he states once more. ‘I’m out of the loop and need a location.’
‘Well, that’s because everyone thought you were dead.’ She looks at me, her nose scrunched up and the corner of her mouth curled up in dislike. ‘You have some nerve. Turning up after all this time. What, been on holiday or something? Decided the lives of your people weren’t worth fighting for?’
‘It’s none of your business where I’ve been or what I’ve been doing.’ I head towards her, stopping close. ‘You gonna help us or not?’ I flick the edge of the plastic mask resting on top of her head. ‘Or is this your truth now? You joined them?’
‘Of course not,’ she bites back, removing the mask and looking at it with disgust. ‘I’m here to help refugees. They come here looking for me, and I guide them to safety. Or if some unfortunate fool catches these lunatics’ attention, I intervene.’ She looks past me to Jensen. ‘Where are the other three?’
‘Back there,’ he throws a thumb over his shoulder. ‘Very very dead.’
‘Good. We need to hide their bodies so no one gets suspicious. Unless Lilly can use that super fire of hers to burn them up?’
‘No can do, I’m afraid.’ I don’t offer any further explanation. I’m not too happy to say aloud that I have no magic right now. She doesn’t ask, just gives an annoyed sigh and stomps ahead.
‘Then we need to dump them. Get a move on! I ain’t got all night.’
‘Sure we can trust her?’ I ask him as she heads off.
‘She knew the riddle and to be honest with you, right now? We don’t have any other fucking choice. C’mon.’
We shove the bodies of the vigilantes in one of the far containers made of thick steel and seal the door closed with chunky iron chains.
‘Here.’ Jessica hands us each a mask and gestures to the chainsaw and nail covered bat by her feet. ‘If you wanna get through town in one piece, you gotta look the part. Don’t suppose you have the cloaking cuff on you?’
I hold the mask in my hands and glance at the mechanical saw.
‘Afraid not,’ I murmur, as glimpses of my time spent wearing a mask not too dissimilar from this one flash in my mind.
‘Are there active Hunters in town?’ Jensen asks.
‘Not to my knowledge. But you never know. We’ll head to my house and we can talk properly. I don’t want to get caught out here.’ She slides on her mask. ‘Ready?’
Dad and I follow suit and don our masks.
‘Ready,’ we reply.
∞∞∞
After strutting through the streets, waving our weapons and cheering when we pass others out on the prowl, we turn down a dirt track with a single, dimly flickering street light. To the left, there are three houses with a steep hill behind them. The ground has shifted, causing the backs of the buildings to crumble and fall. Jessica leads us further down the track, to a single house almost entirely concealed by ivy. It grows over the windows and covers most of the door. When she unlocks it and steps aside to let us pass, I see that the ivy has even grown inside, stretching across the walls and towards the stairs. With a swift kick, Jessica seals the door shut and bolts it three times. She then turns on a small lamp.
‘Ain’t much, but it’s outta the way and pretty secure.’ She gestures for us to head in further. There’s an open plan lounge and kitchen with a single sofa and several dirty pots and pans piled high in the sink. ‘We have water and gas but no electricity. I have some food. Not much but it will fill your belly good enough.’ She starts stacking tins of food for us to see.
The windows are boarded shut with thick sheets of metal and the chimney has large wooden spikes pointed upwards, ready to impale any Father Christmas impersonators. There are a few shotguns propped up against the wall and a dartboard has been used as target practice for throwing knives. A number of them are still embedded in the cork and the wall.
Jessica turns on her heel and heads out of the room. Dad and I both follow.
‘The bathroom is back there,’ she says, pointing to an open wooden door at the end of a small hallway. ‘Toilet flushes and water runs for washing. Upstairs is a bedroom. It’s a small house, which means not many people notice it down here at the end of the track. Most of the guys in town that wear those masks know me anyways. They respect my privacy-’
‘You kill any of those up on the bridge?’ I ask.
She crosses her arms and leans against the wall. ‘Yeah actually. I did kill a few. Are you, of all people, gonna give me grief about it?’
‘You killed our own?’
Her eyes narrow and I see her distrust and dislike for me. But despite that, she shakes her head.
‘Being a vigilante is a risky business. Sometimes, after they put on those masks, they go missing, or they leave looking for more action. And sometimes, they get between me and those who seek me out. It’s unpleasant, but a blowtorch to the face or a bat repeatedly slammed into their skull can really fuck up what they look like. Most of the bodies up on that bridge are the same type of people we sealed up in that carriage back at the train yard. Unfortunately, a few are some poor souls I just couldn’t save.’
Her eyes fall to the floor and a haunted expression washes over her face.
‘This war has turned a lot of people into monsters. Humans have an excuse. They’re under the influence of the Hunter mark. It’s almost brainwashing. The hatred they have for us is an infection.’ Her gaze lifts and lands on me. ‘What we do? That’s different. We have a choice. When we kill, we’re not under any influence.’
‘Yeah. We have a choice.’ I rest my hand on her shoulder. ‘We can die bloody, or we kill to survive. The choice we have is shit. But this won’t last forever.’
‘You still planning on finishing the final spell?’ she asks. ‘You think you can get us out of here?’
‘I sure as hell hope so. But first, I need to find the others. Do you know where they are?’
‘Tobias and Collins, you mean?’
‘And Gabriel, as well as Connor.’
Her eyes flick to Dad.
‘We need to find someone with magic. That’s all. So, what do you know?’ he asks.
Jessica jiggles her leg and chews her lip.
‘Why are you so hesitant? Huh? You don’t trust me?’ I bite.
‘I don’t mean to be rude,’ she says sharply. ‘But last time I saw you, you were a psycho who captured your friends and handed them over to Theo. Then you disappeared and left us in this mess so no, I don’t particularly trust you. And you?’ She nods to Dad. ‘You were once the right-hand man of the tyrant currently responsible for the slaughter of thousands and the destruction of civilisation as we knew it.’
‘And you were in his shadow, just as I was,’ he retorts. ‘You grew up as a Rambler, a Traitor, whatever the hell you want to call it, just as I did. We all believed we were on the side of good. We were wrong and now we have to try and put that right.’
We stand in the cramped hallway in silence, looking from one to another. Finally, she pushes herself off the wall.
‘I gotta make some calls.’
‘You have their phone numbers?’ I ask quickly. ‘Give them to me!’
‘I don’t have a direct number. It doesn’t work like that.’
‘I’m starting to get annoyed.’
‘Well, I’m already annoyed and I have been ever since you disappeared and left us defenceless against a bunch of vampire freaks, murderous Hunters, Theo Kendryk and the fucking Grey-Cloak-murdering-son-of-a-bitch!’
‘That’s enough, Jessica!’ Dad snaps. ‘Lilly’s been through hell herself so back off. Hear me?!’
He steps between us and judging by the shrinking look on Jessica’s face, he is not showing her a smile.
She steps back.
‘We need calm. We need you to get the location.’ Every word he utters is said with menace and through gritted teeth. Eventually, she concedes.
‘Get some food and get some rest,’ she says. ‘I’ll make some calls and be back in a bit.’
I watch her disappear upstairs and she slams her bedroom door shut.
‘I don’t trust her.’
‘Well,’ he sighs. ‘Right now she’s our only chance at getting to the others. Our alternative is aimlessly walking about England, hoping you sense someone with magic. C’mon.’ He rests a gentle hand on my lower back and nudges me towards the kitchen. ‘I’ll get you something to eat.’
∞∞∞
Curled up in the corner of the sofa, half-buried under a blanket, I slowly begin to wake up after a deep and troubled sleep. The small clock on the fireplace mantel tells me that we survived the night and that beyond the boarded-up windows, the sun should have started to rise.
Dad and Jessica don’t realise I have woken up and I watch them chat in the kitchen. They keep their voices low and speak heatedly with each other.
Jessica wants to know where I’ve been. He’s refusing to comment. She claims she has the right to know. He simply shrugs and sips his coffee.
‘Your job is to get refugees to safety,’ he reminds her. ‘Not pry on their personal lives. No matter how much you feel you’re entitled to know.’
‘I’ve risked my life to fulfil this job. And I need to protect the others that I’m sending you to. She’s a bomb just waiting to go off. Have you forgotten what she did? For God’s sake, Jensen. One of her eyes is lilac! When she finds out the truth, you better believe that the other one will turn too-’
‘I suggest you don’t comment on shit you don’t understand. The only reason you’re pissy about her is because of your personal interest in her husband.’
‘I don’t know what you’re implying-’
‘I ain’t implying. I’m telling you outright, just as I did a year ago when you started pining after Gabriel, back off!’
‘I was just a friend. He was in pain. His deranged wife had stolen his unborn baby. If you want to be angry with anyone, you should be furious with your precious daughter. She’s the one who betrayed us all and left-’
‘First. Lilly didn’t steal the baby. She suffered a Break, which she has now overcome. Second, the only reason you don’t want to help her is because you are jealous.’
‘I’m not jealous-’
‘You tried to kiss my daughter’s husband, Jessica. The father of her child.’
‘It was a mistake. Okay? I apologised and left. I came here for god’s sake. Doesn’t that prove my-’
‘Guilt?’ he says, taking another sip of his coffee. ‘Yeah, I’d say so.’
‘You kissed Gabriel?’ The words leave my mouth before I even think about it. I sit up, letting the blanket slide off me to the floor.
She straightens up as her face drains of colour.
‘It was an accident. I just-’
‘Tripped and fell on a married man’s lips?’ I’m on my feet with clenched fists. ‘I saved your life at that auction, and you make a move on my husband?’
‘To be fair, it happened before the auction and-’
‘YOU KISSED MY FUCKING HUSBAND!’
‘Okay. Calm down-’
‘I swear, Dad. You tell me to calm down one more time I’ll slap the shit outta you.’
He raises his hand in surrender and returns his focus to his coffee.
‘I wasn’t thinking. We’d all just learnt about Theo. I lost everything I knew overnight. I was scared, and Gabriel was so kind-’
‘Don’t.’ I point my finger at her in warning, hating how she says his name with such familiarity. ‘Did he kiss you back?’
Dad chokes on his coffee as he laughs and blood rushes to Jessica’s cheeks.
‘No,’ he chortles, wiping coffee from his chin. ‘He pushed her away and then vomited all over her.’
‘We’d been drinking!’ she insists, the crimson of her cheeks growing.
He waves his hand dismissively. ‘He pushed her off, vomited and then refused to even look at her so no, Buttons. Gabriel most certainly did not “kiss her back”.’ He gives another laugh. ‘That was some funny shit.’
‘How about we move on, yeah?’ Jessica tries. ‘We can’t leave here until sunset. That leaves us with a good twelve hours or so until we can go. The journey ahead will be long so I strongly recommend getting some sleep while you can.’ She looks Dad up and down. ‘And perhaps talk to her about some truths that she may need to be aware of.’ I watch his amusement swiftly leave his face and be replaced by murderous rage. Jessica blinks at his sudden change in demeanour and starts to head for the hallway. ‘If you want me, I’ll be upstairs sleeping.’
On her way out, she scoops up a box of cereal and stomps up the stairs. Both Dad and I flinch when she slams her bedroom door.
My teeth grind together as I stare at the empty doorway.
‘What truths, Dad? Has Gabriel met someone else? Is that what she means?’
‘Will you stop fixating on that? I told you already, Gabriel was loyal to you, Lilly. He didn’t betray you.’
I nod, hating how images of Ava Sinclair pop into my head.
‘She meant that she couldn’t reach any of the boys, but she left messages with people who can and who know how to track them down. We’re heading to a camp up north. With any luck, if the messages get through, the boys will meet us there.’
‘She hasn’t spoken to Gabriel then? Or Collins? Tobias?’
‘No. Not directly. As I said, they’re out of range and can’t be contacted. They are more than likely on a mission of some kind. They won’t share details like that over the phone. You never know who may be listening. But they will get the message to call Jessica or me. Fingers crossed, in a day or two, we’ll all be back together again. You’ll have access to magic and you can get your memories back-’
‘And I’ll be able to find my baby,’ I exhale the words. They are so heavy to say and to contemplate. Fuck. I loathe not knowing. ‘I don’t think I can wait till sundown, Dad. I think we should go now.’
‘Jessica’s got a car on the other side of town and a supply of cash and food hidden in its trunk. But if we leave now, you’ll be spotted in minutes. You and I both. We’ll never get out of here. Trust me. I know that waiting is painful. Unbearable! But your baby won’t be found at all if we’re not smart and end up dead.’
When he offers me his coffee, I take a sip.
‘There’s something else. Jessica won’t tell me exactly where the camp is nor give me her contact’s details.’
‘Why? Who the hell does she think she is?’
‘She wants to come with us. She’s worried we’re gonna ditch her so she won’t give up any information. She wants to take us to them herself.’
‘Fine.’ I shrug. ‘She can come with us. She’s probably safer coming with us anyway. What’s the problem?’
‘I dunno. I just feel a lot better keeping it just us. She’s not exactly a soothing individual to be around and I really don’t want anything to set you off.’
‘Well, if she’s refusing to tell us unless she can come, then I think that the call’s been made. I swear, I will only kill her if she tries it on with Gabriel again.’ I smile as I wink at him. But he fails to share the joke. ‘Look. She’s not enough to Break me, okay? As long as no one else dies horribly in front of me, I think I’m good.’
He lets out an uncertain groan.
‘That’s hardly the attitude, Dad.’
‘Well, considering the fact the world’s most ruthless killers are hunting us… that does not fill me with confidence.’
As I pass him and head back to the lounge, I pat his arm.
‘It’s going to be okay, Dad. We’ll get to the others. I’ll get my memories back, find my baby, finish the spell, and show you what a dragon looks like when we reach the Arcane Realm.’
I turn to the kitchen cupboards and start looking for something to eat.
‘Well, if we’re stuck here until sundown, I guess we better make something to eat. Tinned hotdogs and powdered mash potatoes sound good?’
‘Sounds delicious,’ he replies, falling heavily onto the broken and dusty couch. ‘God. I really can not fucking wait to leave this shithole behind for good.’
‘Me neither. Me. Neither.’
∞∞∞
We pass some time watching TV. There are only three channels on the air. Two of them report on the news and the third is playing commercials on a loop.
The world is in an upheaval, that’s for sure. The US President authorised devastating bombings and raids on almost every state in America. Hunters have taken control of governments and placed thousands upon thousands of people accused of magic in concentration camps. I have read all about the Nazis and what they did during the second world war. History, it seems, is repeating itself. Most of Europe is chasing out those they don’t want. Boats full of the dead and dying are drifting onto foreign shores every day. Truck drivers are arrested for transporting “undesirables” across borders and amongst all of this, England seems to be their destination of choice.
‘Do you remember the night you and Theo kidnapped Gabriel and me?’ I ask with a sigh. ‘The night we first met, when Theo cut off my fingers?’
‘I’m unlikely to forget it. Why?’ he replies with caution.
‘Theo showed me a vision that night. One of death and war. Blood in the streets and bodies on the ground.’ I point to the news footage. ‘He showed me this. Exactly this. He was so sure that this was what was going to happen if I returned magic to the Descendants, but it was him all along. His Hunters. His bloodlust. His blind obsession with bringing back a crazy dead woman. And he told everyone that this was to be my doing!’ I sink into the sofa a little. ‘I guess I am partly to blame.’
‘This isn’t your fault.’
‘I reignited this war.’
‘You were born. That’s your crime. If you were left to do what was needed in peace, then this war would never have restarted. This is Theo. No one else.’
I offer a less than sincere humph and continue watching the news.
‘Why are they all coming to England? I think, if I were them, I’d head to Mongolia.’
‘Because here there are some people with magic. Most of the Nomads grew up under the command of the Kendryk boys. They’ve kept them safe for centuries. And they’re desperate. It’s remarkable what people do to try and survive. To protect the ones they love.’
‘Yeah. I guess.’
‘Theo wants the journal and he needs someone to read it. He suspects you’re dead but he also knows that there is another who may be able to translate the spell hidden in the journal.’
‘Connor.’ I shudder as I recall the last time I saw him. ‘Is he okay? Does he have the journal?’
‘Connor’s okay as far as I’m aware but he doesn’t have the journal.’
‘Who does?’
‘Well, part of me hoped you did. Gabriel tossed it to you just before the helicopter crash. We looked for it after you disappeared but found nothing. If you don’t have it, then I guess it must have been destroyed in the explosion.’
But I shake my head. ‘Mortal weapons can’t destroy the journal. It’s magical.’
‘Well, to be fair, when the journal was written, they didn’t have a helicopter strapped up with bombs to test that theory. Maybe that was enough to destroy it?’
‘Or maybe it’s wherever I was this past year. As long as Theo doesn’t have it, I’ll take it as a win.’
‘Agreed.’
‘But what if I’ve missed the window for the final stone?’
‘Then we go to war, Buttons. We figure out a way to destroy the Hunter’s mark, put an end to Theo and Grayson, and we don’t stop until we win.’
‘You make it sound so simple.’
With a long and tired moan, he gets to his feet, scooping up his empty coffee mug.
‘Far from simple. But we’ll get there. Somehow. I prom-’
The power goes out. The television goes black. The lamps turn off. With the windows boarded up, we’re plunged into darkness. A strange noise rattles along the wall. Something… metal? I think it’s falling down the chimney.
Clang. Clang. Clang…thudthudthud.
Then… BOOM!
A stun grenade explodes between us, blinding and deafening us both. Then the room starts to fill with thick smoke. Within seconds, my throat is on fire. I start coughing and gasping. It’s too painful to breathe. When I open my eyes, they sting and begin to stream. I fall off the sofa, the unmistakable hiss from the tear gas canisters grows louder as I crawl across the floor.
‘Buttons-’ Dad’s call is cut short by a severe bout of coughing. ‘W-where are you?’
‘Here!’ I gasp, stretching out my fingers, feeling blindly for him. ‘I’m here-’ The words get caught in my throat and I start retching.
When he grabs my wrist, I scramble towards him. He starts wrapping something over my nose and mouth.
‘Try to keep your eyes closed,’ he orders, struggling to speak. He pulls up my hood and tucks my hair beneath it. ‘Keep your head down and don’t speak. If they see you-’
Cough. Cough. Cough.
I know.
If I’m caught, I’m fucked. We all are!
He hauls me to my feet and grabs one of the shotguns by the wall. There are a series of loud bangs from the heavily bolted front door, and the metal sheeting over the windows start to rattle as they’re hit from outside.
‘She betrayed us!’ I force myself to say. ‘She told them w-where we are!’
‘You better not be talking about me!’ Jessica says harshly, appearing in front of us with a torch. She’s wearing a gas mask and has another in her hand which she thrusts at me. ‘I only got the two. Lilly, put this on and Jensen, try not to breathe too much. Both of you follow me. There’s a way out through the basement.’
Dad tries to put the gas mask on me but I shove it straight back at him.
‘You’re the better fighter,’ I insist. ‘It’s more important… you…’ Another severe bout of coughing tears at my throat and once again he tries to place the mask on me. I thrust it back at him in anger.
He slides on the mask and buries my face into his chest, hoping to protect me from the smoke and its agony.
I’m guided through the smog to the hall. Jessica prises open a small door beneath the stairs, but the second it opens, we’re charged by several blurry shapes. Dad throws me to the floor and the sound of gunshots, metal blades, fist striking flesh and pain-filled cries all swirl all around me. There’s an explosion and a blast of heat slams into me. The house trembles. Splinters of wood and shards of glass scatter all around us. I throw my hands over my head to try and spare myself from any severe harm. Something warm and wet splatters my skin.
Someone’s blood.
I can’t just huddle here like a weak coward while Dad and Jessica fight. I get to my feet and squint through the smog.
‘JENSEN!’ Jessica screams. ‘THEY HAVE ME! HELP!’
There’s a series of clattering and breaking of furniture as she struggles and fights against her opponent.
Dad grabs me and throws me over his shoulder. He goes for the hidden door but stops and looks behind him. A few seconds pass as he just stands there, the heavy sound of his filtered breathing land in my ear.
‘OH GOD! IT’S THE GREY-CLOAK! HE’S HERE! DON’T LEAVE ME BEHIND!’ Jessica pleads.
‘I won’t,’ he replies, speaking to himself. ‘Because I can’t.’ He lifts the shotgun and points it into the dense smoke and towards her furious yelling. ‘I’m sorry, Jessica.’
‘What… Dad, no!’ With a kick, I knock the gun from his hand. Although he fires, Jessica continues to fight off her attackers so I know she’s still alive. In the confusion, I’ve managed to wriggle free from Dad’s arms and landed on my hands and knees. As I get to my feet, to go to Jessica, to save her, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me away, kicking and screaming.
‘We can’t leave her!’ I bellow over the chaos.
‘We don’t have a choice! You heard her. The Grey-Cloak has her now. We’re not gonna get her back and I will not let him get his hands on you!’
I keep fighting as he pulls me towards the basement door, scooping up the shotgun as he passes it.
‘We won’t find the others without her! We have no phone numbers! No locations!’
‘We’ll figure it out!’ he replies.
Before I can stop him, he’s lifted the gun and fired.
Jessica’s cry pierces the air. Wherever she is, she falls to the floor with a thump, the sound of her choking on her blood cuts deep.
‘WHAT DID YOU DO?!’ I scream.
‘She knew too much,’ he says, turning and slamming the basement door shut behind us. ‘She would never hold up against the Grey-Cloak’s torture. I had no choice.’
‘Goddammit!’ I start hitting his chest. ‘I need to find Gabriel! She’s the only one who knew how to find him!’
‘HELP ME!’ Jessica calls out from beyond the door. ‘Please… don’t leave me here!’
Dad and I both watch each other and then look to the closed door separating us from the horde of Hunters.
‘She’s still alive,’ I breathe.
‘If you go through that door, it’s over. Jessica said the Grey-Cloak was there. If he is-’
‘I’m not scared of a man in a stupid coat. I’m scared of never seeing my family again.’
‘Goddammit, Lilly!’ Dad slams me against the wall as I reach for the door. He holds me there before pulling off his mask and looking down at me with desperation. ‘You can’t go out there! Jessica is as good as dead.’
‘She’s the only one who knows how to find Gabriel! Only Gabriel can look into my memories, Dad. Only Gabriel can help me find my baby. Only Gabriel-’
‘Gabriel’s dead, Lilly! Okay?’ he roars at me. ‘She can’t tell you where he is because he’s fucking dead and has been for the past six months!’
As I blink at him, all I can stutter is, ‘W-what? No. No…’
His hold on me eases a little. ‘I didn’t want to tell you because you’re fragile, but I can’t let you go out there to die in the effort to find a dead man. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I am. But that’s the truth.’
‘You’re lying. YOU’RE A LIAR!’ The punch I deliver into his chest is pathetic.
‘Theo caught Gabriel the night of the second spell. We tried to get him back. We did! But we couldn’t.’
‘No. You’re lying.’
‘I wish I were. Gabriel was a prisoner for six months until he was executed. He’s dead, Lilly! He can’t help you find your memories.’ He looks over my shoulder. ‘And the man who killed him is on the other side of that door, coming for you next. The Grey-Cloak executed him and he will-’
The door explodes and sends us both hurtling down the concrete steps into the depths of the cellar. I land with a thud to the back of my head and am unable to move as Dad fires his shotgun repeatedly. When the bullets run dry, he pulls out a pistol. When the empty chamber clicks, he uses his fists. He’s no match against so many and is overpowered quickly by the men who have attacked us. He falls beside me, clasping his bleeding head before a gag is tied around my mouth and a heavy cloth bag is thrown over my head.
I’m caught.
And I don’t care.
I just don’t fucking care.
