Angels Among Us

by C. E. Barrett

  Morgyn half-rose. “I'll help, Beatrice,” she said, but Daffyd waved her back.

  “I'll do it, Morgyn.” Seren frowned as he went out the back door behind Beatrice. He hadn't put his rope back on and she hoped that Rapsim was still following him. She looked for the loop, but it had disappeared. I guess Rez or Rap pulled it back, she thought. She didn't notice that it had slid from the back of the couch, and was between the sofa and the wall. Rapsim had noticed Daffyd's departure, but assumed he would be safe with family.

  Daffyd followed Beatrice through the gathering darkness to a clearing some distance from the cabin. She had picked up a flashlight from the kitchen junk drawer on their way out, and she swung it from side to side as they walked. They entered the clearing. Beatrice showed Daffyd the pile of logs and the wheelbarrow. When he bent to pick up the first length of wood, she signaled with her light. A small crowd materialized out of the undergrowth. They surrounded Daffyd.

  He straightened, the wood forgotten. He looked at them warily, including Beatrice in his assessment. She smiled icily. He turned in a slow circle, looking for a way out. He hoped Rapsim was watching, and he wished he had put the rope back on his wrist. As it stood, there was nothing to do but wait and hope an opportunity for escape presented itself. His heart thudded heavily behind his ribs and he took a deep, slow breath. He couldn't afford to panic.

  A torch flared suddenly, and then another. The flames dazzled his eyes, accustomed to the dusk in the woods. The silence was unnerving, and the crowd closed in. He turned toward Beatrice, thinking he might be able to overpower her, but as he moved forward, something hard and heavy struck the back of his head. He fell to his knees, stunned. A second blow landed and he toppled forward. A booted foot took him in the side, another hit his thigh. He tried to rise, but was beaten down. He covered his head with his arms, hoping the crowd would tire of their sport and leave him merely beaten and bloody.

  Still the mob made no sound, except for the heavy breathing from their exertions. Daffyd felt a rib crack under the blows, and he coughed out bright blood. He clenched his teeth and refused to cry out when someone's well-aimed kick crushed his testicles. He would not give them the satisfaction of the smallest whimper.

  Something wet hit him then, and trickled down his neck. More splashes, and he was soaked from head to toe. He smelled the nauseating odor of gasoline and he knew Seren had been right to fear for him. He moved weakly, still trying to protect his face and head, trying to crawl with broken bones. His heart, his mind called out to Seren and a terrible sorrow filled him that they would never have the life together that they had imagined. I'm sorry, Seren. I wanted so much to be with you, love you. Forgive me, love.

  Beatrice took one of the torches, and with a hideous grin of hatred and loathing, she lowered it.

  With a great WHOOMPH, the fumes ignited. Daffyd was instantly engulfed in flame. He writhed in pain so enormous, so much worse than anything he had yet endured, that he screamed his agony into the night. His clothing burned briskly, his hair and beard flared and were gone. Beatrice watched, a grim smile on her lips. The others, beginning to be horrified by the reality of what they had done, torn between ‘knowing’ they were destroying evil, and the fear that maybe, just maybe, he didn't deserve this, began to fade away into the shadows. Whispers of laughter echoed through the woods just at the edge of hearing as Blagdur and Graz enjoyed the spectacle.

  Seren came off the couch, eyes huge with terror. Her heart was leaping in her chest, her throat had gone dry. “NO!” She shrieked. She turned this way and that, her terror overwhelming her ability to think. She fought it down and ran for the back door. She flung it open and dashed outside, searching the dark woods.

  There! What appeared to be a bonfire. “NO! DAFFYD!” She screamed until her throat was raw, and ran, stumbling, hysterical with fear and horror. Rhiannon followed, telling Morgyn to stay with Ria.

  Reznik and Rapsim suddenly realized their error and were frantically scanning for Daffyd. They saw the flaming bundle on the ground without realizing what it was. Suddenly Reznik shouted and leaped through the Portal. She landed close to Beatrice and knocked her into one of the abandoned gas cans. It fell and gasoline splashed. Beatrice stumbled and fell to one knee. She dropped the torch. Flames licked at her dress, liked what they tasted and began to feast. She batted at them with her hands and then ran.

  Reznik tore off her jacket and tried putting out the fire that was devouring Daffyd. Seren burst into the clearing and threw herself down beside him, ripping off her shirt to mimic Reznik.

  “Seren—grab him—Portal—no air,” Reznik gasped.

  Seren put her arms around his chest, his back against her breasts, ignoring the flames attacking her. Rapsim's head appeared behind her and he shouted to let her know where the Portal was. Reznik took Daffyd's legs. Seren pushed herself backward through the Portal, Reznik close behind.

  The moment of nothingness, breathlessness, extinguished the flames. Seren crept out from beneath Daffyd and looked at him, moaning in her throat. His chest rose and fell irregularly, weakly, as he gasped for air. Everywhere she looked was blackened, charred. There was nothing recognizable of the man whom she had come to love so much.

  Reznik had turned Devany's face away, and was holding her in a fierce hug. Rapsim was using the multi in its medi-scan mode, and shook his head at the readings. His eyes met Reznik's and he shook his head sorrowfully. Seren looked up at them.

  “Help him,” she pleaded.

  “If we could get him to a Recruit Base...” Reznik said, her voice trailing off. Rapsim's head came up suddenly, and he turned to the painting of his home world. He opened the Portal, muttering curses and imprecations on himself for being so incredibly stupid. He skimmed over the city quickly, pinpointing a large, squat building. The he searched upwards, past the atmosphere, praying to all the Kerialdan gods that the Portal would reach as far as he needed it to.

  A glowing dot appeared in the dark sky. He closed in on it. It resolved itself into a space station, with a symbol on the side that Seren recognized from the Recruits’ uniforms. The image zoomed closer, until they were looking at the corridors. A heartbeat later and they were staring at the medical bay.

  “Take him and go!” he said. Seren put her arms about Daffyd again, wincing with her own pain as well as in empathy at his pathetic whimper. Reznik grimaced as she took his legs, the smell of charred flesh revolting even her. They went through together. Rapsim gathered Devany into his arms and jumped into the painting.

  Medics stared in surprise at the sudden intrusion, then in concern as they realized the extent of injury of the man before them. As soon as Rapsim appeared, he began to bark orders.

  “Stasis field. Quickly! And tend to the woman.” His uniform and face were well-known to the medics. They hastened to obey. Seren was led gently to a bed and her body scanned to assess the extent of the injuries. A small device was placed on Daffyd's chest and a silver glow enveloped him. The medics nodded, satisfied.

  Reznik had submitted herself for treatment. Her hands and forearms were burned from taking Daffyd's legs. With thin gloves covering the wounds, Reznik left to report to the Station Head. “I'll be back in a flash,” she told her friends as she strode away.

  Seren's hands, arms, breasts, abdomen and neck were blistered and scorched from her closer contact. The medics were coating her in a cool gel that took the pain away on contact.

  She felt the physical pain depart, but she ached for Daffyd. She appealed to Rapsim with eloquent eyes. He gestured to her that he would be right there. He took Devany to one of the Medicos. “Give this one something to help her sleep. She's seen far too much for one day, and she needs to rest.” He stroked the little girl's hair. “It's going to be all right, now, Devany,” he told her. She turned vacant eyes to him.

  “I want Daffyd,” she said.

  “Have a rest for a while, first,” he said to her. “We'll see about Daffyd later.” He watched the Medico administer a sedative, an
d he himself carried Devany to a bed in a corner of the Infirmary where she wouldn't be able to see Daffyd's pitiful form. Then he returned to Seren.

  “The stasis field will keep him stable—exactly where he is—until we can transport him to Headquarters,” he told her.

  “Then what, Rap? Look at him! How can he possibly survive?” She bit her lips and let the tears run freely. “How do I survive? I need him.”

  He patted her shoulder. “We'll do what we can, Seren. Our technology is pretty amazing.” Privately, he agreed with her. Burns were among the nastiest wounds to treat, and Daffyd's looked as though they went deep. He smiled reassuringly. “Just lie back and rest. We'll come get you when we're ready to move him.”

  She lay back, keeping her eyes on Daffyd. The medics had used some sort of anti-gravity device and had moved him to a bed. Her eyes searched for a part of him that wasn't touched by the flames, but all was charred. She turned away, no longer able to bear the horror of seeing him so.

  Rapsim spoke to the Chief Medico. “How is she?” he asked about Seren. “Will she be all right?”

  “Oh yes. I'm quite certain the burns will heal without mark. I'm not sure about this, though. See here?” Rapsim looked at the read-out and pursed his lips. He looked over at Seren, who was beginning to drowse as the medication in the gel began to take effect. He looked back at the reading.

  “It's very early on,” he said. “Let's give her a few days before we tell her. She has enough to worry about without that. Leave it to me.”

  The Chief nodded. “She seems very strong, psycho-emotionally, I mean.”

  “Yes, she is,” agreed Rapsim. “In fact, when she's well, I want her psi-tested.” The doctor looked at his scanner.

  “You might want to put that off,” he said to Rapsim. “Until this is resolved, one way or another.” He indicated the anomalous reading.

  “Would that affect the results?” asked Rapsim.

  The Medico shrugged. “It has been known to. Best to wait.”

  Rapsim nodded. All he wanted right now was to get Daffyd to Headquarters Medical Center. Then he could see to Seren and Devany, making sure they got the healing they needed for their minds and spirits.

  “Call me when transport is available,” he said to the Chief. He climbed onto one of the beds and was instantly asleep.

  * * * *

  Rhiannon saw Beatrice running, flames flaring up from her blazing skirt. She saw her drop and roll back and forth to smother the fire. She glanced to where Seren and a stranger were struggling with a burning pile of something she couldn't recognize. She hesitated, gagged when she saw them pick it up, and realized it had legs, was human in shape. Oh dear God, that can't be Daffyd, she thought. She wavered, not knowing where to go, when Seren and the others vanished. She hesitated a half-second and then ran to Beatrice.

  Beatrice lay on her side, moaning in pain. Rhiannon knelt beside her, wondering what terrible thing had happened out here.

  “Triss? Are you all right?” She looked at the scorched clothing, the charred flesh at leg and hip. Half of Beatrice's face was badly burned from the flames flaring as she had run. “Who did this to you?”

  To her amazement, Beatrice giggled. “I don't know,” she said. “Someone bumped into me, and I fell on one of the gas cans.” She giggled again, horribly. “But I got him for you, Anna. Got that wretched twist! He won't come bothering you ever again.”

  Rhiannon stared in growing horror as realization crept over her. She looked back at the clearing where small fires still blazed brightly near the spot where the thing—Daffyd—had been. Oh, sweet God above! It had been Daffyd, and Beatrice had been responsible. She backed away from the terrible tittering, turned and ran. She met Morgyn at the edge of the clearing.

  “I called the fire department,” Morgyn told her mother. “Where's Uncle Daffyd and Beatrice? Where's Seren?

  Rhiannon could only gag and point. Morgyn heard the chilling laughter. “What is that?”

  Rhiannon found her voice. “It's Triss. She ... she killed Daffyd.” She looked into Morgyn's eyes. “She set him on fire, Morgyn. I saw Seren and someone else trying to help him—they all just vanished. It ... it must have been that Portal thing—but, Oh Morgyn! He ... I ... it didn't even look human anymore ... just black and burning!” She burst into tears at the horror of it all. Morgyn put her arms around her mother and fought her own tears.

  “Maybe they'll save him, Mama,” she said. Rhiannon shook her head. She couldn't imagine Daffyd wanting to survive; the pain he would endure, the surgeries he would need to make him look remotely human, the stares from strangers for the rest of his life, and the pity in Seren's eyes. No. It would be better for him just to be gone. Poor Seren, too! She imagined Seren's anguish when she found Daffyd ablaze. Rhiannon wept for her lost brother and the dreams of happiness gone in a searing flash of flame.

  Beatrice's giggle sounded closer. The two women turned to see her shambling toward them, grinning obscenely. Rhiannon moaned in revulsion and hatred, and taking Morgyn by the hand, she ran for the cottage. They slammed the door behind them and locked it securely.

  The whoop of approaching sirens announced the arrival of the fire trucks and rescue team. They doused the fires in the clearing, cursing whoever would use gasoline to start a fire in the woods, especially during such a dry winter. Their spotlights made the clearing bright as day. Beatrice shuffled into the light, searching for Daffyd's body.

  “He was right here,” she said querulously, whining to anyone who would listen. “I burned the evil out of him right here! Where did he go?” She looked at the shocked rescuers with her good eye. “Can you help me find his body? I need to show Anna....”

  One of the paramedics took her unburned arm and led her away. He exchanged glances with the firefighters, one of whom made a gesture that indicated the woman was quite mad. He agreed wholeheartedly.

  A firm knock at the door roused Rhiannon from her grief. The fire chief told her the fires were out and they had taken a badly burned woman to the hospital.

  “Do you know who she is?” he asked.

  “Yes. Her name is Beatrice Lowell. She's my spouse.” She looked past his shoulder into the forest. “She killed my brother, and accidentally set fire to herself.”

  “There's no body, Ma'am,” he told her.

  “She had accomplices, I'm sure,” she said. “I doubt you'll find him. But I saw him burning on the ground. He was dead.” She couldn't allow herself to believe he might have been alive through that. It was just too terrible to consider.

  “The police will be out later, Ma'am,” he said. “I'm sorry for your loss.” He left.

  She closed the door and returned to the couch. She sat, numb now, too overwhelmed to cry any more. Soon she would have to call Llewellyn and tell him what had happened, but not now. Not now. Morgyn cuddled Ria in her lap, and let her tears fall where they would. She thought of the tenderness in his face when he looked at Seren, and the love in Seren's eyes when she looked back. Her heart ached for everything he should have had with Seren, the happiness he had deserved. He had always been so good to his family, so loving and giving. She had never realized how alone he had been until tonight. She put her face in Ria's hair and wept.

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  * * *

  CHAPTER 38

  Seren sat at the window of the observation lounge at the Galactic Recruits Headquarters. Gerri Reznik dropped into the next chair.

  “Hey, there,” she said to Seren. “You okay?”

  “I will be,” came the reply. “Six months is a long time to wait.”

  “It'll be over before you know it,” said Reznik.

  “What if he changes while he's in that ... tank?” Seren's worried eyes fastened on Reznik. “What if his feelings change ... or his mind ... or the essential him?”

  “You'll have to deal with that then,” Reznik replied sensibly. “Right now, you have to take care of you.” She studied Seren for a moment. “Are you ready to go
home? Your kids are waiting.”

  Seren smiled slowly. “Yes. I'd like to be bringing Daffyd and Devany with me, but I suppose this gives me time to prepare the kids. At least Devany will be able to come in another week or so.”

  “She's doing real well. Good thing Rap is her counselor. He already knows what she's been through, and he is one of the best. You know he'll be keeping in touch with you.”

  “So he said,” Seren smiled again. “He's a funny little man. I like him a lot.”

  “So do I, Seren. He's the best!” She stood. “I have to get going soon. The Taravalan should be arriving to pick me up for my Mission.”

  Seren looked up at her. “That was odd timing, that we returned only ten minutes after you and Rapsim disappeared, but more than a month for me.”

  “Don't get me started on paradoxes,” laughed Reznik. She held out her hand. Seren rose to her feet, and hugged her instead. “Come visit sometime.”

  Reznik grinned. “You kidding? Try to keep me away. Love you, Seren. I hope everything works out okay for you and Daffyd. He's an awful good guy.”

  “Thanks, hon. So do I.” They embraced again. “Love you, too, Gerri. Be careful.”

  “I will. Bye, Seren.” She left the lounge, her long legs carrying her swiftly away.

  Seren watched her go and sat down again. She returned to her contemplation of the stars. Home! She was going home sometime today. Her burns had healed, her mind was intact. She was A-OK, or so they claimed. She wasn't certain they were right. She didn't feel A-OK. She felt a deep emptiness that was worse in its way than what she had felt when Terry died. She wished Daffyd could be coming home with her. She wished she knew for sure that he would be with her again some day. She sighed heavily, and went to see him one more time before she left for Earth.

  He was submerged in a big tank of pale greenish-blue gel, floating motionlessly. The first time she had seen him in it, she had asked how he was breathing, how were they feeding him. He had no intravenous lines, no oxygen mask.