Pet

by Akwaeke Emezi

Thanks, she told Redemption after they pulled apart. Want to tell me what happened with your brother?

  His face dropped. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “It’s been a shit show.”

  Jam put a hand on his knee, and Pet inched closer.

  “I talked to Moss,” he continued. “I told him I figured out that someone had been making him feel bad, and that he didn’t have to worry if they told him he couldn’t tell anyone, because I had guessed already, so that didn’t count. I didn’t want to call it a monster, you know, I didn’t want to scare him.” Jam nodded and kept listening. Redemption folded his hands against his chest, gathering nerve. “He said he wasn’t supposed to talk about any of it, or people would get hurt. He was so scared. I asked him if he could write their name or if he wanted to draw a picture.”

  He loves to draw, Jam said. That was a good idea.

  “Yeah.” Redemption reached over to his bedside drawer and pulled out a folded square of pink paper, handing it to Jam. “He drew this for me.”

  Pet leaned forward, its throat crackling with static. Jam unfolded the paper and stretched it open between her fingers. She and Pet looked down at it, and she heard a gasp slip out of her mouth, as if it belonged to someone else.

  “I showed it to them.” Redemption said. “I thought it would be enough.”

  Jam kept staring at the paper, her fingers numb with shock. It was clumsily drawn, because as good as Moss was, he was still seven—but at the center of the page was an unmistakable sketch of a hibiscus flower.

  CHAPTER 11

  Jam handed the drawing back to Redemption, speechless with disbelief.

  Pet’s head tracked the piece of paper. What does that mean? it asked Jam silently. I see that you and the boy understand the symbol.

  It’s Hibiscus, she replied. Their uncle.

  Pet hissed in a long, satisfied breath, but Jam didn’t want to talk about the next step of the hunt. This was too much to sit with already.

  How could they not believe you? she asked Redemption. It’s right there!

  She didn’t say anything about the shock she felt, because she figured it must be much worse for Redemption. Hibiscus was blood, his own family. How could family do something like that?

  Redemption folded the drawing back into a square and put it away. “I didn’t think it could be true either, not at first, but…” He shook his head. “Moss wouldn’t lie.”

  Did Moss say what happened?

  Jam felt wrong asking the question, but even more so when Redemption flinched and looked away.

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said, his voice flattened. When he looked back at her, the pain was tamped down into something hammered and hard, locked behind his eyes.

  Okay, she said. Did you tell your parents that part?

  Redemption shook his head. “They didn’t wanna listen.” He shrugged bitterly. “Didn’t seem to be a point.”

  Jam could see a whole river of things in his face, currents shifting and swelling, vacillating from grief to fury. It must have been devastating for him to find this out, this petaled monster, his trainer, the man he trusted so much, so completely, with his very flesh.

  I’m sorry, she said.

  “Nah.” Redemption’s mouth twisted. “Don’t feel bad for me, Jam. Wasn’t me anything was done to. Was Moss.” The hardness in his eyes sharpened. “I’m going to kill Hibiscus,” he said.

  Pet made a rattling sound deep in its throat, and they both turned—they’d forgotten, briefly and incredibly, that it was there. “We hunt now?” it asked, and it was with a small shock that Jam suddenly noticed the strain the creature was under, ever since they’d identified the monster, the amount of strength it was using to keep still while it waited for them to finish talking. This was what it had come through for, the reason it existed.

  Tonight? she asked. Shouldn’t we wait till morning?

  “What’s that going to do?” Redemption asked. “Think my parents are gonna believe me more when the sun rises?”

  Maybe we can try again.

  “They won’t listen, Jam! They said the drawing was just a drawing. That monsters aren’t real anymore, that I was confusing Moss.”

  “Humans take too long to see the truth,” Pet growled. “I am here because they fail, they have already failed, they will fail some more.”

  “We should go to his house,” Redemption said. “Drag him out of bed, teleport him somewhere where no one will hear him scream.”

  Your aunt will notice, Jam said automatically. Things felt as if they were accelerating, about to spin out of control.

  Redemption jumped off the bed and started pacing as Pet watched him eagerly. “We should draw him out, then. Get him to leave. Get him to come somewhere.” He stopped and snapped his fingers. “The training room.”

  Jam frowned. That’s in the basement. Your parents will be upstairs.

  “Yeah, but it’s soundproof, remember? It’s quiet, it’s isolated. It’s perfect.”

  For a sickening moment, Jam wondered if Hibiscus had ever taken Moss down there. What are we going to do with him when he gets there? she asked.

  “Allow me,” said Pet, but Jam raised her hand at him.

  No, she said. I’m not asking you.

  It made an annoyed snapping sound, and Jam ignored it.

  What do you want to do? she asked Redemption.

  Her best friend exhaled, his eyes sliding between the cold rage and a younger hurt. “I just wanna talk to him, Jam. I wanna ask him how he could do that. I wanna hear him say he did it. I gotta do something, for Moss.” His voice broke on his brother’s name.

  Jam couldn’t argue. It was too big of a hurt, too wild, too incredible to not ask Hibiscus if it was true, why he had done it, why he had become a monster. And then they could figure out what to do, how to get justice for Moss. How to make Hibiscus pay. The anger she felt was something she was leashing as tightly as she could, because it scared her how hot it was, how hungry it was for the things Redemption and Pet wanted—to hurt Hibiscus as much and as senselessly as possible—and maybe only then would any of this start feeling like it made any sense; maybe then the wrongness would ease up a bit.

  How do we get him here? It’s really late. He’ll call your parents.

  Redemption smiled a smile that had absolutely no humor in it. “No, he won’t,” he said. “I’m his fighter.” He picked up his phone. “He’s not going to call anyone else.”

  Jam and Pet stared as Redemption called his uncle, a grim light burning behind his eyes. It flared when Hibiscus answered the call. Jam could hear his voice, faint but clear.

  “Redemption. Son, you okay?”

  Redemption looked Jam straight in the eye as he crumpled his voice with pain. “Uncle Hibiscus,” he gasped. “Something bad happened…I was training, that new sequence…I think I hurt myself real bad.”

  “You were training this late? And, boy, I told you you not ready for that sequence!”

  “I know, Uncle Hibiscus.” He hissed in a sharp breath. “I don’t wanna tell my parents, they’d kill both of us if they even know you showed it to me, you know how they are. Can you come over? Please?”

  “I’m on my way. Don’t move too much. Lie down if you can, just breathe. I’ma be over in like ten minutes, okay?”

  “Aight, thanks, man.”

  “You dumb as hell, son. Hang in there.” Hibiscus ended the call, and Redemption dropped his mask, his face sliding back into a cold and hurt anger.

  “Told you,” he said.

  Jam blinked, impressed. Damn.

  Pet unfolded itself and drooled dark smoke out of its mouth. “It is a good trap,” it said. “We will wait for the monster to step into it.” It reached out its hands to them. “Come,” it said.

  Redemption stepped back. “Um, I’m good. I can just…walk dow
nstairs?”

  Yeah, calm down, Jam said to it. We’ll just see you down there.

  The creature shrugged and vanished, leaving a dizzying space where it used to be.

  “That’s never going to stop being weird,” Redemption muttered, and Jam nodded in agreement. Shoulder to shoulder, they tiptoed down the stairs into the basement, where Redemption’s training room had been built. The lights flickered on in a tripped succession once they stepped inside, and Pet was already there, walking around and looking at the equipment. Its feathers flared bright gold when the lights came on. Jam blinked at the glare as Redemption made sure the door was locked behind them.

  How’s Hibiscus going to get in, then? she asked.

  “The outdoor entrance.” He pointed across the room to the stairs that led up to another door. “He’ll be here any minute now.”

  It’s going to be okay, Jam said.

  “Pet, you’re going to disappear, right?” Redemption asked.

  “Only to him and only at first,” it replied.

  “Yeah, you’re our secret weapon.” Redemption grinned. “All he’s gonna see are two kids he thinks he doesn’t have to be scared of.” Pet made a pleased chitter in its chest, its fur ruffling like grass in wind, but Jam was still worried.

  We’re just gonna talk to him, right?

  She was trying not to think about how ridiculous they looked, both in slippers and pajamas, tricking one of Lucille’s angels into meeting them in a basement, where they were hiding an invisible creature from another world. This reality was so far outside anything she could’ve tried to imagine just a few weeks ago.

  “It’s going to be fine,” Redemption said, without answering her question.

  Pet growled and turned its face toward the outside entrance as the lock clicked and the door whirred open. Hibiscus came down the stairs in sweats and a hoodie, his sneakers silent against the concrete. He frowned when he saw Jam and walked across the floor, his eyes scanning Redemption’s body.

  “What’s going on?” he said. “You don’t look hurt. And, Jam, why are you here?”

  Jam folded her arms and kept silent. This was Redemption’s house, Redemption’s brother to protect, Redemption’s monster to fight. She watched Pet out of the corner of her eye, the way it was skulking around Hibiscus, only a few yards out, sniffing, watching, gauging its prey.

  “I wanted to talk to you about something,” Redemption said. His voice was a little shaky.

  Hibiscus stood in front of him, legs wide and irritation in his shoulders. “So you lied to me to get me out here at this time of the night? Shit couldn’t wait till morning?”

  Redemption’s eyes flared. “No,” he bit out. “It couldn’t.”

  Hibiscus nodded, clearly pissed. “Aight then, boy. Spit it out. What’s got you so riled up that you dragging me out here like this?” Redemption opened his mouth to speak, but Hibiscus held up a hand to silence him. “Actually.” He turned to Jam. “Why are you here, Jam? Shouldn’t you be in bed? Go on, now.”

  Jam stared mutely back at him and didn’t budge.

  “She stays,” said Redemption. “I’m the one talking to you.”

  Hibiscus jerked back at his tone. “Whoa, you better watch that attitude. I don’t know what’s gotten into you tonight but—”

  “How long have you been hurting Moss?” Redemption interrupted.

  Hibiscus’s words wilted in his mouth, and he stared at his nephew in shock. “What the hell did you just say to me?”

  “I said—how long have you been hurting my little brother? You know, your other nephew?”

  Hibiscus shook his head. “I don’t know what you talking about, boy.”

  “The bruises, remember? Don’t make me say the rest of it, Hibiscus.”

  His uncle took an automatic step forward, the back of his hand raised at Redemption’s insolence, but the boy stepped forward as well, his eyes aflame.

  “Do it,” he hissed. “Lay a hand on me.”

  They stared at each other, tension like a whip cracking over and over in the air. Jam backed away slightly, casting her eyes repeatedly at Pet’s silent bulk for comfort. The creature was watching intently, coiled with eagerness. I am here, it said into her head. Nothing will happen to either of you.

  “What’s gotten into you?” Hibiscus murmured. He actually looked sad. “How can you be asking me these things? Who put them in your head?”

  “I need you to answer the question,” Redemption said.

  “Do you have a fever?” Hibiscus frowned and looked closely at Redemption. “Did you hurt yourself for real? Hit your head or something?”

  “Don’t act like I’m the one anything’s wrong with,” Redemption said. “You’re the one who is a lie, who’s been a lie, hiding here for who knows how long. A false angel. A traitor.” He spat the word out. “To this family, to Lucille.”

  Hibiscus expanded with anger. “Don’t you ever call me that, boy. Don’t you ever accuse me of betraying my position in this community or this family! You don’t know the things I’ve done for both of them.”

  “What about the things you’ve done to us? What about the things you’ve done to Moss?” Redemption’s voice dropped in disgust. “How can you even look at anyone without shame? How can you look at yourself? At Aunty Glass?”

  “Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth,” Hibiscus growled. His temper was spiking. Jam could almost feel the temperature of the room rise in warning.

  “Tell me how long you’ve been hurting my brother,” Redemption replied, never breaking eye contact. Hibiscus stared at him, then made a rough sound in his throat and spat on the floor by Redemption’s feet.

  “I don’t have to listen to this bullshit,” he said. “We’re done. Find yourself another trainer.” He turned to leave, but Redemption darted around him and blocked his exit. His gaze found his uncle’s again, a pin that would not stop piercing. Jam was scared for him but at the same time filled with a bursting pride.

  “I said we’re done, Redemption.”

  Redemption smiled grimly. “I see you,” he said, calm as the dead, his voice filled with the iron weight of a just pronouncement. “You’re the monster, Hibiscus.”

  CHAPTER 12

  The word was like a barbed spear to the man’s side. Jam watched as Hibiscus snarled, his face sliding into an unfamiliar hostility.

  “Did you just call me a fucking monster?” he spat.

  His nephew said nothing, and Hibiscus reached to shove him aside. “Get out of my way, boy.”

  Redemption shifted his stance, and Hibiscus’s hand slid into empty air as Redemption redistributed his weight, just a little but it said enough and it said it loudly. He was prepared to fight his trainer.

  Hibiscus recoiled slightly, stunned by Redemption’s resistance, even through his anger.

  “You serious right now?” he said, squaring his shoulders and tucking his chin. “You really wanna do this, Redemption?”

  “You need to admit what you’ve done,” Redemption replied, his jaw solid. “I can’t let you leave until you admit what you’ve done. And you’re going to tell my parents, you’re going to tell everyone.”

  Hibiscus laughed, a mocking, grating sound. “I ain’t doing shit, boy. Your little brother is confused, that’s all. You already tried talking to your parents, didn’t you, and what did they all say? That you’re acting up, right? Like you got some problem with me and you don’t know how to handle it, so you’re turning it into this. Ain’t nobody listening to y’all kids. This is Lucille. The shit you’re talking about doesn’t happen anymore, everyone knows that. You can’t make it come back just by telling stories when you feel like it.” He had a faint smirk on his face, a confidence that made Jam burn with anger.

  The next few things happened quite quickly. Redemption hit his uncle in the face, snapping his jaw
to the side. Hibiscus didn’t even stagger. He turned his head back with a feral smile and clamped one broad hand around Redemption’s neck. Jam ran over and grabbed at Hibiscus’s arm, trying to pull it down and away.

  “Let him go!” she yelled. Hibiscus grabbed her wrist with his other hand and twisted it, and Jam cried out, feeling Pet’s presence push through the air at the same time. Hibiscus had only a moment to look up before Pet was on him, and he didn’t even have time to scream at the sight of the creature before Pet took hold of him by his rib cage and lifted him up like he was a toy, a rag doll. Hibiscus let go of Redemption and Jam, both of them crumpling to the floor and gasping in pain. Pet opened its mouth and roared, thick smoke sheeting out. It threw Hibiscus against the concrete wall, and his body smacked into it with a dull thud before crashing to the ground. Pet approached him, a low rumble coming from its chest, air vibrating around it. Jam could feel its intent, as clear as a bell, as sharp as a blade. She clutched her wrist to her chest and struggled to her feet.

  “Stop,” she said, her voice uncertain with fear. “Pet, stop.”

  It was as if Pet couldn’t hear her, couldn’t hear anything. This was the culmination of the hunt for it, the final moment, the one it had crossed worlds for. It would not be stopped, but Jam knew she had to try. This was bigger than just one hunt, just one monster. She reached into her head and summoned the loudest silent voice she could find, then threw it as hard as she could in the creature’s direction: PET, STOP!

  Pet jerked into stillness, then slowly rotated its head toward her. Its blank face had never looked so unnatural, so terrifying. Jam took a step closer to it, her good hand stretched out, the paleness of her palm like a cooling flag, the old bandage still a brown patch across it.

  Don’t do this, she said to it, just between their two heads, the channel that was theirs alone.

  “You were wrong,” Pet said aloud. “You have done the finding, and you have done well, little girl. But you are wrong if you think your people will look. They are cowards. They will not. This is why hunters exist, to see the unseens, to track them down in the shadows they skulk in, to find them. To finish them. Let me do my job.”