The Wash
Page 24
“What is it you see?” he asked her.
Ruth was still looking at him, boring into him with her eyes and her expression twisted as if differing scenes were playing out before her; sometimes sad, sometimes frightening, sometimes joyful.
“You aren’t all there,” she said. “It’s hard to describe exactly. You are here, in front of us but there is another part of you that isn’t here. It’s on the other side of the stone. That’s the place where you’ll be able to find peace. It’s where you’ll find the thing that makes you feel complete, not just feel complete but also actually be complete.”
“The thing is I think you’re not supposed to be complete. I think you’re supposed to be like this and that as long as you are everything stays the same. It all stays the way it is now, but if you decide to go over there, then everything here changes.”
“And you got all of that from looking at me?”
“It’s not like I can see any of that clearly, but I can see you. I can see what’s on the other side of that stone and you look like you belong there.”
Robert pushed back from the table and went to the window. The landscape was white with snow except for where the driveway had been shoveled out. The trees beyond the lot line looked caked in it and try as he could, Robert couldn’t make out the line of the cemetery wall or Anderson’s house from here.
“How do you think J.B. gets back if he wants to?” asked Robert.
Ruth looked over at him surprised, “What?”
Robert turned around and faced the three of them, “Well, you said that J.B.’s fingers were in the other world but not the rest of him. How does he get the rest of him there if he wants to go?”
There was a moment of silence as the three sat and thought. Then Ruth broke the silence.
“Anderson said there were three stones. The other two are hidden in The Wash. This was the only one he knew the location of,” she said. “My guess is the way to get to that other side has something to do with having all three.”
“Well, we found this one in what was practically the foundation of the house,” Robert said. “The best place to look would be another house just as old as this one.”
“Like my house,” Cindy interrupted.
Ruth nodded, “The Walker house. It’s every bit as old as this one.”
She turned to J.B., “Let me ask you something. If we got all three stones and they allowed you the opportunity, would you go?”
J.B. didn’t know how to answer. All his life, he’d been an outcast and the closest he’d ever come to being accepted was being part of the small band of brothers he’d forged with Robert and Javier.
“I don’t know,” he said. “This is all completely crazy you know. We’re talking about magic stones like they’re real.”
“They’re real,” Cindy said softly. “And for some reason, I think we really do need to find the other two.”
IX
It seemed like it had been forever since there was a day with no wind and no clouds, and the first day of the New Year was no different. It was cold but at least the sun was peaking out occasionally and that made the urge to go for a walk all but irresistible to Sara Cohn. It only took a little nagging to get Steve to go along and soon they were headed down the driveway.
“Should we call Cindy?” Sara asked.
“Sure. Did you bring your cell?”
“No, let’s just go knock. She’s got to be up by now.”
It was only a little more than a block to get there and within a minute they could see her house with the driveway empty.
“Wonder where she went to,” mused Sara.
“Knock anyway. Maybe she left her car somewhere.”
Sara walked up and knocked hard on the door. She cupped her hands around the small window and peered in but saw nothing.
“She’s definitely gone,” she shrugged as she walked back to where Steve stood.
The two continued down the street, past the Ogden pond, ice forming on its surface but not thick enough to skate on yet. The air was just above freezing, but with no wind and the sun out it felt warm enough. They made their way to HWY 89 and then walked along the side of the road until they got to the gas and tackle store. There was a “closed” sign in the window, just as Steve knew there would be. Nothing in The Wash would be open unless Bethany Ann had convinced someone to work the pump for part of the day. Generally, traffic was light on New Year’s Day so the possibility of someone coming through and spending any money in The Wash was almost zero.
“You want to head straight home or do you mind taking a detour back by Cindy’s?” asked Sara.
“I’m fine with either,” Steve replied. “You’re worried about her, huh?”
“Well, she didn’t say she was going anywhere for New Year’s Eve. I expected she’d be home is all. I just want to see if she’s back.”
They turned down another little side road that ran back toward Ogden Pond. In a few minutes, Cindy’s place was in full view.
“Whose car is that?” Sara pointed.
“Javier Quintana’s. I guess that answers the question about where Cindy was.”
Sara shook her head, “No, this isn’t right.”
“Maybe he just gave her a ride or something.”
Sara started up the driveway with Steve reluctantly following. The bell brought no answer. Sara turned and began to trudge through the snow toward the back of the house.
“Sara, wait,” Steve said.
She paused and looked back at him.
“Give them some privacy for crying out loud,” he said. “Cindy’s a big girl. She’s probably in there with him after a long night and the last thing she wants is two nosy friends banging on her doors and windows.”
Sara turned to face him, “Something’s not right about this. She’s never talked about Javier.”
“Maybe Robert borrowed Javier’s car.”
Sara paused for a moment longer.
“Look, if I embarrass her or something, she’ll get over it. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
Steve sighed and trudged out to meet her. Together they walked around the side of the house. The snow was knee high on Steve, up to Sara’s thighs and their pants were soaking through as they made the turn to the back yard. There was a cement slab Cindy kept salted just ahead and the two made it there and brushed the snow from their pants. Sara walked over to the glass sliding door and looked inside. There were no lights on. All she could see in the light from the door was the empty living room.
“It doesn’t look like they’re here,” she said.
Steve walked over and looked inside also. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow move. It was coming from the hallway that led to Cindy’s bedroom.
“Someone’s here,” he said as Javier rounded the corner and locked eyes with him, his expression changing from determination to pure hate.
Steve turned to Sara.
“Run.”
“What?”
“RUN!”
Sara turned and began slogging through the snow as the glass door shattered. She turned to see Steve running hard after her.
“Go!” Steve yelled. “Keep going!”
She rounded the corner with Steve right behind her. The nearest house was a quarter of a mile away. She screamed anyway hoping someone, anyone would hear her. The world seemed to narrow and she focused on reaching the asphalt. There was at least twenty yards to go before she would get to the road.
The sound of Steve falling broke her focus. Sara turned to see Javier on his back, manically punching the back of his head, driving it into the ground. Steve struggled to push up, he turned his head to get air and Javier brought a crushing blow down on his temple. Steve’s legs went limp as Sara spun around and began pushing toward the road again, screaming at the top of her lungs for help. She was almost to the driveway when she pulled up short. There at the end was a coyote. It sat on its haunches staring at her, then pulled back its lips and snarled. Javier’s hand clamped over he
r mouth and his other arm wrapped around her waist. He hauled her backwards through the snow as she struggled against him. She bit at his palm and kicked backwards, trying to make contact with a shin or a knee and then suddenly she was laying in the snow pack, the wind knocked out of her. Beside her was Steve, his temple turning a violent purple and his eyes open but dazed. She screamed and felt a vicious boot crack her ribs. It took all of the breath out of her. Javier hammered her again and again with kicks until she lay still, whimpering and holding her arms around her middle.
“Fucking stay,” he grunted and then left her. She turned to look at Steve, his expression empty.
“Please be okay. Please,” she whispered to him.
Ignoring her own pain, she reached a shaky hand out to feel for his breath and felt Javier’s boot on her wrist. Above her, he held two large knives. Foot still holding her arm down, he straddled Steve, pulled the man’s head back and slit his throat. Blood pulsed weakly out onto the snow, steaming and pooling beneath him. Sara tried to scream but the pain from her cracked ribs turned it into a whimper. Javier stepped over Steve’s body and focused on Sara. He pushed her onto her back and sat on her chest. The pain was immense, her ribs burning as she struggled to get a breath. For the first time, she got a good look at her attacker and realized, Javier was almost completely naked. There was something draped over him like a leather shawl, with a hood. It looked wet and sticky.
He grabbed her left wrist in one hand, pushed it down to the ground and slammed one of the knives through the palm and into the frozen ground. Sara found her voice. She screamed loud, her ribs aching like fire and as she did so, Javier punched her in the mouth. She felt her lips split and front tooth chip with the blow.
“Why? Why are you doing this?” she sputtered.
In answer, he pulled the second knife from his belt and drove it through her other hand. Sara screamed again and this time Javier let her. She lay with both arms spread like a bird whose wings were pinned to the ground. The blood from Steve’s body had begun to pool near her right armpit and Javier’s bare legs and feet were covered in it. He stood up, looked at his work for a moment, then turned and walked inside. Sara kept screaming for help, despite the pain wracking her body. She turned and saw Steve and the screaming turned to sobbing. With each hitch, her chest burned and pain rocketed through her hands and ribs.
“Why?” she whimpered as Javier returned with another knife in hand. He bent down and rolled Steve over so his face was exposed. Then he stood up again, faced out toward Ogden Pond and chanted. When he turned back toward her Sara noticed his leather cape had eye sockets. It draped over his head, the eye holes staring out from his forehead. She could make out the wrinkles in the skin that hung down in long strips on his cheeks. A long red ponytail hung down over one shoulder.
She screamed loud again, ignoring the pain in her ribs and hands, pushing the air out of her lungs with everything she had.
Javier knelt in front of her, his face slick with the gore of his garment. He leaned so his nose was mere inches from hers.
“Do you realize the role you play?”
Sara didn’t respond. She couldn’t take her eyes off the hood. Across the shawl’s right shoulder she could make out a tattoo. She began kicking her legs weakly against the ground trying to push herself up.
“You will give birth soon.” He moved so he was sitting on her knees, pinning them to the ground and then ripped Sara’s jacket open. He used the knife to cut through her sweatshirt until he had exposed her abdomen completely.
“You will be the mother of a GOD,” he said.
Sara screamed out for help as Javier stood up and repositioned himself behind her, his knees cradling her head.
“The mother of a warrior gives birth in silence. She bears her pain through her child so he can feed on it in battle.”
Javier dipped his fingers in Steve’s wound and then turned back to Sara. With the same hand he drew what looked like two ovals on her forehead and then touched the bloody finger to her lips. She tried to bite at his hand but her mouth wouldn’t open. She strained but could only spread her teeth apart enough to fit the tip of her tongue between them. Instead of feeling the opening where her lips should be, she felt only unbroken skin. Her mouth was fused together.
She tried to scream again but only a faint muffled noise came out as Javier got back to his feet. He stepped away from her and straddled Steve’s body. Sara’s eyes went wide as he raised both hands high, closed his eyes and stood, chin to the sky. Then he bent down and plunged the knife into Steve’s stomach, sawing and ripping until he created an opening from the belly button to the arch of the rib cage. Forcing his hand inside, he began working it up toward Steve’s chest. He was almost to his elbow when Sara saw his expression change to a sickening smile. He yanked hard, blood and gore mixing with stomach fluids seeping out of the wound.
Sara’s tears caught in her throat and she choked trying to get breath. Beside her there was an audible snap and Javier pulled a round, bloody mass from the opening. Torn bits of tissue hung ragged from between his fingers. He looked down at Sara and she could see the whites all the way around his eyes. The pupils themselves seemed to be inflamed. He held the organ to his mouth and bit into it, blood pouring over his lips as he ripped a piece off and swallowed without chewing. Javier took his right hand and stuck it deep into the hole he’d bitten into Steve’s heart. Kneeling down, he drew a bloody symbol across Sara’s lower abdomen. When he finished, Sara saw the world change.
She lay naked on a stone. It was long and flat. Beside her, Steve was gone.
“Do you see?”
She turned to look at Javier. He was still above her, his feet on the stone but now his body was painted from head to toe. Symbols and pictures in black, brown and deep red covered his torso and legs. Across his back Sara saw what looked like a tortoise shell, like a warrior’s shield. In his right hand he held a spear that was as long as he was tall. In his left hand he held the remnants of what could only have been Steve’s heart.
“We have both been chosen,” he snarled at her. “What we were has gone. I am no longer Javier Quintana. I am the protector of Xolotl.”
He knelt down next to her again and this time, when he bent down he put his face so close to hers she could smell Steve’s blood on his lips, “And you are no longer Sara Cohn, you are the mother of a God.”
He cradled her head and lifted it so she could look down at her stomach. It was huge, the size of a basketball and without warning strong cramps shot through her abdomen. She watched in agony as the shape of hands pressing out from the inside stretched her belly. Her legs instinctively spread and she bore down, trying to push out whatever was inside her. Ghostly apparitions swirled around her. She struggled to catch her breath as they passed close to her; their faces brown with large sad eyes and no mouths. Their arms were white as bone. long flowing hair surrounding them and dissipating into nothing at their waists. They gazed down on her with empathetic eyes shining like golden light.
“The Ciuapipiltin… the honored women… they have all done this before. They look upon you with great respect. Soon, you will join them,” Javier grunted into her ear.
Sara turned her attention back to him. His face was dark black and swirling with muddy gray blooms. Another cramp hit her and she bore down hard, feeling something rip as the child began to pass through her. She wanted desperately to scream, to let out the pain but the air had no where to go. Above her, Javier was standing again with his arms raised and head back. He was screaming something she couldn’t understand.
Another wave of cramps hit her and this time she felt bones crack as she bore down. Her pelvis was shattering. Something was pulling itself out; something large and black. She felt something wet and warm rushing down her thighs and as the blood left her, blackness crept into the corners of her vision. Just before she blacked out she saw Javier kneeling down. His head was bowed before the thing that had crawled out of her.
The sky was filled w
ith crows.
X
It took a little more than ten minutes for Robert, J.B. and Cindy to get to Cindy’s house. The streets were all but dead and as they pulled around the corner by the pond, they noticed Javier’s car in the driveway.
“Why is he here?” Robert asked.
“I don’t know,” Cindy said.
Robert swung the door open and stepped out before J.B. even had the car in park. He pulled his phone from his pocket and began dialing Javier’s number.
“There’s a trail through the snow there,” J.B. pointed out. “Maybe he’s around back.”
“His phone’s gone to voicemail.”
Cindy pushed past Robert to the front door and pulled out her keys.
“Hold up,” said J.B. He pointed to the door jamb where it was splintered next to the knob. J.B. reached past her and pushed the door open with a gentle shove. Inside the entry way were wet footprints.
Cindy shuddered and stepped back from the door, “Oh my, God. Javier broke into my house?”
“We don’t know that,” said Robert. “Maybe he saw someone breaking in and went after them.”
J.B. looked inside then turned back to them both, “Wait here.”
He walked back to his truck, opened the door and reached under the seat. He came back with two pistols. He passed one to Robert.
“They’re loaded,” he said. Robert nodded and flicked the safety off.
“I want one of those,” Cindy said.
“Sorry, I only have two. Robert and I are going inside. You can follow us or stay out here. It’s your call.”
“I’m with you.”
J.B. led the way with Robert close behind. They moved through the entryway and into the living room before Robert spotted the blood trails. He threw a hand back to stop Cindy but it was too late. She let out a startled gasp and pulled up close to him.
“Glass sliding door is shattered,” J.B. said.