by Sam Sisavath
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Why did you do it?”
He didn’t answer right away. In fact, he almost looked like he was thinking about it, as if he hadn’t ever asked himself the question and it caught him off guard.
But she didn’t believe that for a second. Maybe he was really trying to decide whether to tell her or not.
After almost ten seconds of silence, he finally said, “We were bored.”
“You were bored?”
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Ana, but there’s not exactly a lot to do around here.” He paused again, before continuing. “They weren’t the first, in case you were wondering. There’ve been others. I guess you could say we’ve been bored for a very long time now.”
Ana wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She had met a lot of unforgivable and bad people since The Walk Out. Mathison, Mark, the mountain men that had captured her and Wash, and a dozen others whose names and faces she’d rather forget completely. They had all been terrible in their own way and for their own reasons, but none of them had done any of their evil deeds because they were bored.
“You look surprised,” Gabriel said, leaning forward against his chair’s backrest. “Or confused. It’s a little hard to tell.”
“You were bored,” Ana said, again tamping down the anger to a simmer, refusing to let it loose. Emotion wasn’t going to help her, but information might.
“Yes, we were bored.”
“You were bored,” she said again.
“Is there an echo in here?”
“You killed four strangers who were just passing through, because the six of you were bored.”
“I hope this isn’t the only thing you’re going to keep repeating, because if so, this conversation is going to get really tedious, really soon. Or boring, if you will. You don’t wanna bore me, Ana. That’s the last thing you wanna be doing.”
She stared at him. It was hard for her to see him as anything other than a piece of garbage, and Ana wanted to gag when she thought about all the flirting they’d done before he revealed his true self.
God, I think I’m going to throw up.
But she didn’t. Somehow, she didn’t…if just barely.
“Where are your friends?” she asked instead. “They’re hiding in basements around Mayfield, too?”
“No, they really are gone,” Gabriel said. “We always knew that sooner or later this rodeo would turn into a goat rope. They were prepared to take off when the time came. We made preparations way before you ever showed up. You know, just in case. It’s too bad, too, because I’m gonna miss those guys.”
“What about Bates? You said he was your stand-in.”
“Bates is gone, too. Let’s just leave it at that.”
“You killed him.”
“I didn’t.”
“One of the other three…”
He shrugged. “Probably. I didn’t ask for specifics, and they didn’t offer.”
“What are you going to do with me?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.” He reached behind his back and took out a knife. It wasn’t just any knife. It was her knife. “This was a surprise find. You always keep a knife hidden in your sleeve?”
“You never know when you’ll run across a two-faced murdering psychopath.”
He snickered. “Is that what I am?”
“Aren’t you?”
“I prefer sociopath. A high-functioning one.”
“Hey, either one works for me. As long as you recognize what you are.”
“Oh, I know what I am, Ana. I’ve always known.” He began carving letters into the chair’s armrest with her knife. “Is that Ana with one n or two?”
She ignored his question and asked, “What happened out there? Why did you ambush us? If you hadn’t, we might never have found you.”
“Maybe, but I couldn’t risk it.” He blew at some wood shavings before continuing. “We watched you, you know, when you were at the campsite. When you climbed back into your truck and took off, it was obvious you knew about Mayfield. We couldn’t let you reach it.”
“So you ambushed us.”
“We made the decision too late, as it turned out. We were already too close to town, and people heard the gunshots. Sound travels these days, especially gunfire, as you well know. When I got the radio call about the shooting from Kelloway, I knew we had to change plans on the fly. So I told Kelloway and Mitchell to meet me outside of town. Of course, they didn’t know I was already out there.”
“They don’t know about this. About you. Kelloway and Mitchell.”
“No.” He smiled. “Why? You plan on squealing to them about me, Ana?”
She didn’t answer him, not that he seemed to mind.
“As the saying goes, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” Gabriel continued with a heavy sigh that she wasn’t sure was affected for her benefit.
“So what happens now?” Ana asked. “Are you going to kill me, too?”
“I already told you, I don’t know. I haven’t decided what to do with you yet. That will likely depend on where I decide my future is. Truth be told, I’m not sure I want to stay in Mayfield. I mean, it’s a great town and all, but things have become a little stale.”
“Boring?”
“Exactly. I might end up joining the others out there after all. See what the rest of the world has to offer. Or what remains of it, anyway.”
“You’ll like it out there, Gabriel.”
“You think so?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s full of pieces of shit, just like you.”
He laughed, but she thought it was just a little too forced. “Cute. That’s real cute, Ana.”
“I’ve met plenty of guys like you out there.”
“Have you now?”
“You know what always ends up happening to them?”
“I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.”
“They get stepped on. Because that’s what happens to pieces of shit.”
“Now that’s what I call flowery prose!”
“Just wait for it. It’s going to happen to you, too. It’s inevitable.”
He waved a dismissive hand. “If it does happen, can you promise me one thing?”
“What’s that?”
“Promise me that it won’t be boring.” He grinned as he stood up. “I think you know by now that no one’s going to find you down here. You can scream all you want, but no one’s going to hear you, so you might as well save your breath.” He walked to the stairs. “I’ll be back with some food in a few hours. Be a good girl, and don’t hurt yourself in the meantime.”
“Fuck you, Gabriel.”
He chuckled. “That’s still a possibility, too, but we’ll discuss that later. It’s not like you’re going anywhere. Me, on the other hand, well, there are still options…”
“I’m going to kill you, Gabriel.”
He stopped halfway up the stairs and looked back at her. He didn’t say anything for the longest time.
Five seconds.
Ten…
Finally, he said, “You mean that, don’t you?”
You’re damn right I mean it, Ana thought, but she only glared back at him.
“You’re a dangerous woman,” Gabriel said. “A wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“Look who’s talking.”
“I guess we both have that in common.” He leaned against the banister and peered down at her through the shadows. “I’ve had a lot of practice, and from the looks of it, so have you. How many people know about this?” he asked, taking her knife out from his back pocket. “Do the slayers know just how dangerous you really are? Probably not. I bet they think you’re just a poor little girl they have to look after. But that’s the idea, isn’t it? That’s the story you sell. Successfully, and for a long time now, from the looks of it.”
She clenched her teeth back at him. “Just remember what I said. Before this is over, one of us is going to be lying on the ground
in a pool of their own blood.”
“You really think you can take me?”
“I know I can’t take you. You’re bigger, stronger, and probably faster.”
“Probably?” he grinned.
“The problem is, when I make my move, you won’t see it coming.”
“Is that how it works? With the others? How many have you dangled that innocent Little Red Riding Hood persona in front of, only to gut them with this little blade of yours?”
More than you’ll ever know.
“When the time comes, just remember that I gave you fair warning,” she said.
“Noted.” He turned to go. “But let’s see if you can survive the rest of the day first before we start looking toward the future.”
If I can survive the rest of the day first? What the hell does that mean?
But she had no chance to ask that question, because he was gone and the basement’s lone LED light buzzed a second time and went dark.
She was alone again, with just her thoughts.
They were dark thoughts, full of blood and murder.
I’m going to kill you, Gabriel.
If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to kill you…
Eleven
She couldn’t have been unconscious for very long the first time. A few hours, maybe, since Gabriel knocked her out in Lucy’s Cafeteria. Which meant it was probably still night outside, or early morning when she initially woke up.
She wasn’t sure when she (dozed off) went back under the second time, but when she opened her eyes, it didn’t look like anything had changed. The basement was still as dark as last time, though it had gotten noticeably colder. And there was something in the air that hadn’t been there before.
What is that?
She couldn’t concentrate because her head was throbbing even louder this time, and it became her central focus almost right away. The pain from the blows she’d taken felt even fresher now, which didn’t make any sense.
What is that?
She concentrated on her surroundings, trying to gauge how long it had been since Gabriel brought her down here. Not that knowing the answer was going to do her a lick of good at the moment. She was still taped to an armchair in a soundproof room, because Gabriel wouldn’t have bothered to lie about that.
He’s a liar. That’s what liars do. They lie.
To test out that theory, she screamed as loud as she could:
“Hello! Is anyone out there! I’m down here! Hello!”
Then again:
“I’m down here! Hello! Anyone up there? Anyone?”
And again:
“Help! I’m down here! Help!”
Nothing. No one opened the door, and no one came down the stairs to check on her. Her throat was hoarse by the time she gave up. And there was that consistently pounding headache, overwhelming pretty much every sense at the moment, including that new something in the air with her.
What in God’s name is that?
So, Gabriel hadn’t lied about the room being soundproof after all. It might not have been designed that way, but the combination of thick blocks of concrete and what was probably a heavy door had achieved the same result. She was stuck down here, and no one was going to find her.
That was bad. That was really bad.
Sonofabitch. I’m going to kill you. I’m going to fucking kill you.
She thought about Emily, waiting for her return at Kanter 11. She wasn’t too worried about Em. She was in good hands, with good people. Marie would take care of her, and there were the other women from Newton to talk to if she needed it. But knowing Em, she would have already ingratiated herself with the people of Kanter 11 by now. It wouldn’t have been on purpose. Her sister was just that naturally likable.
I’m sorry, Em. I might not make it back after all.
She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. What was she doing? Was she really giving up?
No.
She couldn’t give up. She hadn’t given up when Mathison took Emily, when those mountain men ambushed her and Wash on the road, or when Mathison captured her. And she’d be damned if she gave up now.
Hell no.
The problem was doing something about it. She’d had help dealing with Mathison. Wash had been there, and he’d proven to be an amazing ally. God, was that man good with a gun. If he’d been in Lucy’s last night, Gabriel wouldn’t have stood a chance. Wash would have shot the man dead from ten feet—hell, from fifty feet away.
Too bad you’re not here now, Wash. Too bad you had to run off on me and make me have to chase you down.
You asshat. You big, dumb asshat.
But she didn’t really hate him. She couldn’t. After everything he had done for her, for her sister, she couldn’t bring herself to dislike the man even a little bit. Maybe there was even something else, another reason why she was down south looking for him when every instinct told her to turn north with Em, to go home.
She remembered the last time they were together. Their first night. Their real first night. There was kissing, and cuddling, and she’d wanted to do so much more, but he was hurt because of her. Because he’d helped her rescue Em when he didn’t have to. He’d done so many things that he didn’t have to.
And that was why she was down here, looking for him. Even if she could brush aside her feelings, there was no denying how much she owed him. God, did she ever owe him. More than she’d ever owed anyone in her life. That thought was scary, but it was less so because it was Wash, and he hadn’t asked her for payment. He’d simply left.
She sighed and leaned her head back. It was really the only part of her body that she still had any control over. The tape around her chest, literally sticking her to the chair, seemed to have tightened. She hadn’t been able to move her arms and legs in so long she wasn’t sure blood was even still flowing through them. Every part of her was tired and hurt, not just the bruising from her temple and face—
What is that?
She had gotten a whiff of it earlier when she first opened her eyes, and now that she was able to push the pain into the background, it had started to grow, to reassert itself against her senses.
It was a smell. A lingering odor that hadn’t been there when she was first awake but was there now.
What is that?
Had Gabriel brought something down here to torment her? Spoiled food, maybe, because that was what this smelled like. It was strong and clung to the air like physical fingers slowly reaching from the back of the basement toward her. Then, wrapping around her, invading her olfactory senses, and refusing to let go.
My God, what is that smell?
It was an awful stench. How could she have ignored it when she woke up? It was everywhere, seemingly coming out of every corner, from every inch of the room. She gagged a little, and if not for the fact that she hadn’t eaten anything in—What? Hours? A day?—she might have thrown up.
“I was wondering if you’d wake up in time,” a voice said.
Her head snapped toward the stairs, then up at the heavy patch of shadows near the top. She still couldn’t see the door from her angle, but she could make out the outline of a figure somewhere up there. She had missed it the first time because it was so dark, and even now it was incredibly difficult to see. If not for the voice, which was evidence that someone was up there, she wouldn’t have been able to confirm anything at all. The mind had an amazing ability to fill in missing clues.
“You shouldn’t have screamed,” he said.
Gabriel.
When had he come back? Even better question: What was he doing, sitting in the dark watching her?
“You’re back,” she said. After all the screaming she’d done earlier, her words came out with some difficulty. She relaxed her throat, moved some saliva around, and tried again. “What did you mean, you were wondering if I’d wake up in time?”
“You shouldn’t have screamed,” he said again.
“Why not?”
“Look forward.”
She did, but there was just the ugly tarp and the blocky objects underneath it. Boxes of various sizes.
“What am I looking at?” she asked.
“Look closer.”
“I can’t get any closer. I’m tied up. Maybe you can untie me, and I’ll get right on it.”
Amused chuckling from the shadows at the top of the stairs. “It took a lot of effort to get it down here, you know. Luckily, we had a couple of them saved up in the old mines. The boys and I.”
“It?” she thought, and was almost afraid to say what came to her next out loud, but she did it anyway. “What are you talking about? What did you bring down here, Gabriel?”
“Looks like it took all that screaming you just did for it to finally make it out of the bag. I was wondering if it could smell your blood, but I guess it must be a lot weaker than I thought.”
“What did you bring down here?”
“But it’ll do. It’ll do…”
“What will do, Gabriel?”
He didn’t answer, and she continued staring at the tarp at the far end of the basement, too afraid to look away. Something flickered in the corner of her right eye, and she turned her head in that direction. The smell she’d detected before flared up, invading her nostrils and threatening to choke her.
I know that smell…
“Gabriel,” she said softly, “what did you do? What did you bring down here?”
“Oh, I think you know.” He remained hidden in the darkness, and though she couldn’t really see him, she sensed that he was watching her carefully, like a child waiting for a big fireworks display.
But he was right. She did know what he was talking about, what he had brought down here with her. It was the familiar stench, and the clues were in the way the air had changed as a result of its presence. It was harder to detect them by smell alone when you were out in the open, but in here, surrounded by four walls, a floor, and a ceiling, it was impossible not to. Even the pounding headache could no longer keep it from her.
“There it is,” Gabriel was saying. “There it is…”
It crawled out of the thick patch of shadows.
Slowly. So, so slowly.
She almost stopped breathing altogether at the sight of its domed head, just barely visible in the semidarkness of the room. She waited for more of them, but there was just one that she could see. That should have made her feel better, but it didn’t. Not even a little bit.