“But you’re dangerous, aren’t you?” she said as she passed me a cardboard box. “Your friend, too.”
“I suppose we are, yes.” I wasn’t sure what else to say.
She pointed out two other boxes and said I could come back for them. As we started back the way we’d come she asked, “Are you a believer, Wyatt?”
“In God?” I asked over my shoulder. “Don’t know. There’s certainly a lot more weirdness in this world than most folks ever see.”
“I’m not asking what you know, or what you’ve seen,” she said, hobbling along behind me. “I’m asking what you believe in. Where do you put your faith?”
That was a question I didn’t know how to answer. Finally, I reached behind me and tapped the sword on my back. “I put my faith in this.”
“And is it enough?” she asked.
“Don’t know,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders. “But if the monsters attack again, I suppose we’ll find out.”
Chapter 14
I was awake for most the night. Eva had seizures off and on, but her condition didn’t seem to worsen. The others took turns trying to sleep. I never bothered until they griped enough for it to become annoying.
I awoke to the first orange rays of sunlight stabbing me in the eyes.
When I realized the implication, I sat upright and looked around. The shadow creature no longer had the chapel surrounded.
We’d survived the night.
Then I heard a cry from the back room and identified it as Eva’s voice.
When I made it back to her, I found Mary Beth and Axel watching over her. Paeter was just behind me, and Claire was hobbling in our direction as well.
Eva was convulsing again. Her skin was paler than it’d been the night before. She looked like she was dying.
As if reading my thoughts, Paeter asked, “I see the sun now. Is it safe to go outside?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I think it may be. Could be a trap, too.”
“I fear she won’t make it much longer like this,” Mary Beth said, looking up at me with red-rimmed, tired eyes.
Glancing around, I realized everyone else looked every bit as tired as I felt.
“We risk it, or she dies,” Mary Beth said. “It doesn’t seem like we have much of a choice. She needs to go to the hospital.”
“That’s assuming they can even help her,” Axel said.
I cursed and rubbed my temples. I wasn’t responsible enough to make these kinds of decisions. Fortunately, the old woman decided for me.
“I’ll get my keys,” she said. “You get her out to the car. I’ll get you to town.”
I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do or not, but Paeter was headed out the door with Eva in his arms before I could protest, had I wanted to. I shuffled along behind them.
Outside, I was pleased to find that the shadow man hadn’t actually destroyed the entire forest. Just the flower garden. Asshole.
Claire drove an ancient station wagon with a rosary hanging from the rearview.
We buckled Eva in the back seat and sat alongside her, ensuring she didn’t jerk too much. Her seizure had calmed, but she was still out cold.
As Axel climbed into the passenger seat, Paeter stuck his head into the open driver side window. “I don’t know what help I can offer, but there’re woods most of the way to the hospital. I’ll be nearby.”
“One of us will come find you,” I said, then another thought occurred to me. “Ask Mary Beth to call and check on Valerie. We were first attacked at her office. Hopefully she’s okay. Let her know that we’re still alive and I’ll call her from the hospital.”
Paeter nodded and moved away.
Mumbling a prayer, Claire put the old wagon in drive.
***
Like much of the town, the Eureka Springs hospital sat at the top of a hill, and other than some nearby houses, had a fair amount of tree cover. It wasn’t a large hospital, either. In fact, it was the smallest I’d ever seen. It couldn’t have had more than ten rooms. I’d been worried before about taking Eva into such a public place, but as I carried her to toward the door, I wondered more whether they’d even be able to help her.
Axel held open the door for me, and as I made my way inside a pair of nurses rushed over. They made quick work of finding a hospital bed I could lay her on, then hit me with a barrage of questions as they wheeled her toward the back.
On the way over, we’d tried to come up with a cover story. Axel’s contributions included, Say she was attacked by ninjas, Tell them she got in a fight with a killer whale, Say it’s a rare type of avian flu caused by penguins, and my personal favorite, Tell them she ate a massive burrito. Fortunately, Claire had more sense and suggested that I say she was my sister and had come for a visit. The Cabal could help me work out the details later.
The nurses assured me my sister would be fine and left Axel and me sitting in a tiny waiting room near the front. The only other occupant was a grumpy old woman who was yelling Jeopardy answers at the television.
“You got any quarters?” Axel asked. “They’ve got to have a vending machine.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out what little change I had and handed it to him.
Axel studied it, then held up one coin. “What’s this?”
I glanced up and realized that it was the coin Paeter had given me. I’d nearly forgotten about it. “Paeter gave me that. I guess I let it get mixed in with the rest of my change.”
“Looks old,” Axel said. “Did he say what it was?”
“Ancient Sumerian, I think,” I replied.
“Ancient Sumerian? That’s really old. Probably valuable. Shouldn’t just keep it in your pocket.”
I grunted a reply, knowing he was right.
“Why’d he give it to you?”
“That symbol. Some god of protection. Carried a flaming sword.”
“Oh, I see,” he said.
“Oh, don’t give me that look,” I said, scowling at him.
“That means something,” he said, glancing down at the coin in his hand.
“Then you hold onto it for me,” I said, heading for the receptionist. I wasn’t in the mood for a pep talk. I figured he’d probably lose the coin trying to jam into a vending machine but I didn’t care. It was a kind gift but I wasn’t worthy of it.
I asked the receptionist if there was a phone I could use. After assuring her it’d be a local call, she led me around a corner to where an old greasy phone was mounted to the wall.
When I had some privacy again, I dialed Valerie’s cell phone.
“Hello,” she answered, using her professional tone.
“Hey, it’s Wyatt,” I said.
“Are you all right?” she asked. “I just spoke to Mary Beth a few minutes ago. Said you were taking your mystery lady to the hospital.”
“Yeah,” I replied. “We’re here now. They’ve rolled her to the back. Look… I wanted to apologize for bringing this mess to your door. I didn’t know that would happen. Is everyone okay?”
“We’re fine, Wyatt. No one got hurt.”
“And the damage?”
“Just a little drywall repair,” she replied. “A few new ruts in the driveway. And a slew of bullet holes in a client’s car. Otherwise, no harm done.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You weren’t the asshole who came into my office shooting a gun. If I find that prick…”
“He’s dead,” I replied. “With several others outside.”
“Hmm,” she replied. “Didn’t know that. I got everyone down in my safe room and didn’t let them out until well after the shooting had ended. By the time we came out the goon squad was already gone, and they’d taken their dead with them.”
“That’s impressive. Because they had a lot of dead.”
“What the hell happened out there?”
“It was an ambush,” I said. “Well, it started off with the goons ambushing us. It ended with more of the shadow creatures ambushing them.
”
“Shadow creatures,” she said, a shudder in her voice. “You sure have found yourself in a mess.”
“Yeah, well, there’re worse things after us than the shadow creatures. I just met their boss.”
“You need to get out of here, Wyatt. If they were willing to attack my office out in the open like that, they won’t hesitate to attack the hospital.”
“The thought has crossed my mind,” I replied. “I don’t suppose you reached out to the Cabal?”
“I’ve been trying since you left. Regardless of what number I dial, it says the number has been disconnected.”
“That’s weird,” I said. “The Cabal never changes its numbers.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to add to how scared you should be, but I think something has the numbers blocked. I don’t think we can call out to anyone.”
“You mean, like, they’re blocking you specifically?”
“No, I mean I don’t think anyone can call outside of town. I think whoever you’ve pissed off has us blocked in. The utility companies must be going mad.”
“Damn,” I said, shaking my head. “I need to get ahold of the Cabal.”
“Wyatt, I don’t mean just on the phones,” she said, pausing before she continued. “I mean… I think someone has a whole magical net around the area, and they’re looking for you. If you try to take her out of town, they’ll catch you. If you try to call out, they’ll pinpoint you. If you try to send an email…”
“How do you know?”
“It’s my job to know things.”
“If what you’re saying is true…that’s magic on a level I can’t even imagine. Then again, I was just chased through the forest by shadows.”
“Yeah, well, whoever wants that girl, they’re serious. You’d better figure out something resembling a plan pretty quick.”
“I could try to mind-speak with the Archmage,” I suggested. “We’ve spoken that way before, but I doubt I’d be strong enough.”
“Even if you were, I doubt your magic would break the barrier. I’ll keep trying to reach the Cabal, but Wyatt, as soon as that woman is awake, you need to get her the hell out of there.”
“I don’t have transportation,” I replied. “We’re stuck on foot.”
“I’ll see if I can come up with a vehicle for you to use, but you’ll owe me one.”
“I’m pretty sure I already do.”
We ended the call and I rejoined Axel in the break room. He’d joined the grumpy old woman in yelling Jeopardy answers at the TV. She didn’t seem to approve and was making every effort to shout over him. I had a feeling it was going to be a miserable wait.
Chapter 15
I awoke with a start, disoriented and unsure where I was for a moment.
“Sir,” the nurse repeated. “Your sister is awake if you want see her.”
“Right,” I said, wiping the tired from my eyes.
I glanced around and realized I was alone in the waiting room. Axel had wandered off, and the Jeopardy woman was gone as well, though the TV was still blaring.
I forced myself up and glanced at the clock, worried I’d been asleep for hours. It had only been thirty minutes or so, actually. After recent events, I guess I was just beat.
As I followed the nurse down the hallway, I asked, “Any idea what’s wrong with her?”
“We’re not positive yet,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “She’s a bit dehydrated and her blood pressure is through the roof. But we need to do some more tests.”
She stopped in front of one of the little rooms and tapped gently on the already open door. “Hey, Miss Smith, you have a visitor.”
I stepped past her and waved awkwardly at Eva. They’d changed her into a hospital gown and stuck an IV in her arm. Her face was still pale, but she looked much better than before.
When the nurse had gone, I moved closer and asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” she said, then paused. “And scared.”
“That seems reasonable enough,” I said as I sat down in the chair next to the bed.
“It’s not safe here,” she said, watching me.
I shrugged. “It’s not safe anywhere.”
“What happens if the shadows come back?”
“Then we fight,” I replied, shrugging. “You need medical attention, Eva. You were having seizures.”
“But we can’t stay here.”
“And there’s not anywhere else to go,” I said. “Not yet, anyway. I have a friend who’s seeing about getting us a ride. For now, though, we just need to get you back on your feet.”
There was a lull in the conversation as she just watched me. A single tear raced down her cheek and she said, “I’m really scared, Wyatt.”
“I know,” I said, taking a tissue from a box on the side table. I wiped the tear from her face and said, “It’ll be all right.”
“I don’t think it will,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t shake this feeling that something is coming.”
“The shadow man?” I asked. “Do you remember any of that?”
“A little, but…” She shook her head again. “Something else. Something…worse. I can’t explain it. I’m just scared, and I’m not even sure why.”
“Probably because really scary things are chasing you.”
“No, it’s more than that.” She paused, scrunching her face while she tried to find the words. “I don’t know how to describe it, but I think something terrible is going to happen.”
I took her hand in mine, but didn’t reply. I didn’t know what to say. This poor woman didn’t know she was. She couldn’t remember a single moment of her past. Her whole life amounted to finding me and running from some of the scariest shit I’d ever seen. If she thought something worse than any of that was coming… Well, I wasn’t going to argue.
“You should go,” she said, staring at me through bleary eyes. “You and Axel should get away while you can.”
I shook my head.
“I’m serious,” she continued. “You’ve done enough for me. You should go. There’s no point in getting yourself hurt.”
“Sure there is,” I said, forcing a smile. “We can’t let the darkness win. Even if we can’t beat it, we still have to fight.”
“But it doesn’t have to be your fight.”
“I think it does.”
“Why, though? Why throw away your life for me? You don’t even know me.”
I took a few moments to gather my thoughts before I responded. Finally, I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and looked her in the eye. “When I was a kid, I used to cry when my father had to leave for a mission. I used to throw the biggest fits. Even then, without fully understanding his work, I knew it was dangerous. And I was just so scared. So afraid that he wasn’t going to come home again. I’d cry and cry. One time I wrapped my arms around his leg and held on, thinking maybe I could stop him from leaving. As he pulled my little hands free, I asked him why. I asked him why it had to be him. Why couldn’t someone else go? Why’d it always have to be my dad?”
I paused for a moment.
“He told me that he had to go, because if he didn’t, then he’d have to live knowing he didn’t do all that he could. He said that the greatest darkness any of us would ever face is the darkness within. That if we gave it an inch, it would grow, and become something more terrifying than any monster we might face. So, he went. And he fought. And he never gave up.”
“And you’re like him,” she said in a hoarse whisper.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “But I aspire to be. And I haven’t forgotten what he taught me. I can’t leave, Eva. I’ll see this through with you, because if I don’t… Well, that’s just not who I want to be.”
She stared at me for a moment and smiled. “You’re a better man than you think you are.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but I do know that we’ll find a way to get you help.”
Before she could respond, the nurse came back and asked if I
could step out.
I gave Eva’s hand another squeeze and headed back out into the waiting area.
***
Back in the waiting room, I nodded off again. It felt like it had only been a few minutes when I heard Axel saying my name and felt something shaking me. I woke to find him standing over me and poking me in the chest. My intended response was one of anger, then he held out a styrofoam coffee cup and I settled for grunting at him.
“Thanks,” I said, taking it from him. I took a baby sip to measure the heat. There’re few things in life I found worse than scalding my tongue on hot coffee. Made me want to punch a baby. On the other hand, though, this coffee tasted like lukewarm mud. I drank it anyway.
“I went and checked on Paeter,” Axel said. “He’s out there in the brush.”
I nodded. “I don’t know what good it will do. It’s not like he has a way to warn us if he sees anything.”
Axel shrugged. “He wants to help. I wasn’t going to send him home.”
It was a fair point. I grunted again. “Eva is awake.”
“That’s good. Have they said what’s wrong with her?”
“They said they need to do some more tests,” I replied, glancing around to ensure we were alone. “I don’t suspect they’ll find anything. We should probably get her out of here.”
“We don’t have a car, and at least this is a public place. Maybe our foes will be a little less inclined to attack a hospital.”
“Maybe,” I said. “But I don’t think the hospital can help her.”
“Okay, so where do you want to take her?” Axel asked, watching me carefully.
“Valerie said she’d see about getting us a vehicle. I say we make a break for the Castle.”
“You keep flip-flopping on this,” Axel said.
“No, I don’t,” I replied, glaring at him. “That’s what I wanted to do from the start. You’re the one who wanted to go see Valerie just so you could hit on her.”
“That’s a ridiculous accusation,” Axel said, a hurt expression on his face. “Valerie is wise and well connected. I value her opinion.”
Of Song and Shadow Page 10