“Ironically,” Alex said, “people say it’s haunted.”
They weaved through the rickety end tables and metal hospital beds of an old infirmary, complete with bloodstains in the outlines of human forms, and Alex couldn’t help but wonder if the hospital was flooded with lunatics and banshees lurking around every corner.
Alex tried to make her voice sound determined, but it shook uncontrollably. “Let’s just find the boys and get out of here.”
A greenish glow tinted the hallway. The overhead lights flickered like dull strobe lights and buzzed at them in warning: Someone had been here. It stunk like a science lab, acidic and pungently chemical.
Alex trembled, and her pride blamed it on the chill, not her fear. They floated down a hollow hallway, passing dozens of identical black doors with tiny rectangular windows. Solitary confinement.
“Look,” Skye whispered, pointing to the ground. The dust they were sifting through had already been disturbed. Unfortunately, there were not footprints lining the dirt, but two solid lines. Alex pictured the way banshees traveled, dragging the tips of their toes, and the hairs stood up on her arms.
The hall seemed to stretch behind them for a mile. Each time the lights sputtered out, they were momentarily engulfed in darkness, and each time the hazy glow flooded them again, Alex was terrified there would be a monster standing before her. The horrible stench of burnt embers became stronger the more they walked, and Alex concentrated so hard on ignoring it that she almost didn’t notice Skye stop.
“Do you hear that?”
It sounded like flapping bed sheets, but it was impossible to tell from which direction it came. Suddenly, the lights zapped, and they were swallowed by blackness.
“Alex,” Skye whimpered, clutching her.
“Shhh.”
The lights pulsed on, slowly reappearing and going out again. In and out, in and out, like a morbid game of peek-a-boo.
Lights on. Alex saw Skye, her chin quivering.
Lights out.
Lights on. Skye’s eyes were darting every which direction.
Lights out. Flapping …
Lights on. An open door down the hallway.
Lights out.
Lights on. Shadows dancing. Alex’s breath escaping in short gasps.
Lights out. The sound of something dragging softly across the floor.
Lights on.
Alex slapped her hand over Skye’s mouth before the bloodcurdling scream could erupt from her throat. A dead-still form of a banshee slumped like a cat held by the skin of its neck. Strings of hair covered most of its sallow face while it cocked its gruesome head in question, no doubt wondering what they were doing, though it never completely lifted its black eyes.
Lights out. The bone chilling sound of its toes dragging across the dust covered floor.
Lights on. It was several feet closer. Its pallid hair fell back, and it slowly lifted its head. It was a little girl. Alex could see the purple circles under her macabre eyes, which rose and seemed to stare directly through Alex’s pupils and into her terrified soul. The corner of the banshee’s mouth sagged in a way that made Alex picture her pleading for mercy during her last few moments of sanity. Alex kept her hand over Skye’s mouth and began to back up slowly.
Lights out. Alex could feel the girl’s presence, her charge. It was moving with them, creeping closer.
Lights on. She was inches from their faces. Alex could hear the dulled hum of energy. The girl’s eyes rolled back in her head as her mouth opened in a wide O. Alex could practically see down her throat into the depths of hell. And then her head snapped up straight, narrowing those devil-black eyes. She lifted one hand, and Alex braced herself.
Lights out. ZAAAAAP! The electricity was so painful that Alex couldn’t hold on to Skye. A blue current erupted between them, and her ears were filled with Skye’s agonizing scream. The icy fingers of electricity grabbed Alex’s mind and twisted it, suffocating whatever life was left in her.
Somehow it hurt all over. She didn’t have a heart, but it constricted. She didn’t have a torso, but it burned. She didn’t have breath, but it stuffed her throat, asphyxiating her. And then blackness.
Lights on. The banshee’s bony hands were still lifted, ready to shock the girls again.
Lights out. Skye whimpered. Alex heard the stomping of feet against the unforgiving metal floor.
The girl electrocuted them again, and in the brilliant steak of the blue lightning, Alex could see shadows running towards them.
Lights on. Whooooosh! Boom! The banshee slammed into the wall and collapsed to her knees, lifting her head to snarl.
Chase jumped high into the air, his leg flying out directly in front of the banshee’s mouth. The force of it created a sickening thwack. Before the banshee could retaliate, Jonas swung his right arm down on her, immediately followed by his left fist. He ducked so Chase, behind him, could push the full force of his energy at the girl.
The banshee fell into the nearest room and bellowed in surprise while her body began to convulse in spasms of electricity. Chase slammed the door shut, containing her.
Jonas cursed loudly. “What are you doing here?”
Skye shook so violently it was like her body was seizing.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Chase murmured, but he pulled Alex into his arms. His embrace was like a drug, injecting courage into Alex’s soul.
“We need to get you two outside,” Jonas replied, looking around frantically, maybe waiting for another monster to appear. “Now.”
“What about you guys?” Alex asked.
Boom!
Alex jumped away from the door.
Boom! Boom! The banshee hurled herself into the metal door. The hinges creaked and popped. They heard a screeeeech of electricity from inside the room.
“Why doesn’t she just go through the wall?”
“She isn’t that smart,” Jonas murmured.
“Is she smart enough to use the knob?”
Silence.
And then they heard a tiny click.
“Run!” Chase commanded, already in motion, yanking Alex behind him. The others were close at her heels.
She heard a squealing roar of rage. Alex didn’t know exactly where she was going, but the hallway twisted and sloped upward and sooner or later there wouldn’t be anywhere to go. The stench from the charred debris ahead burned her senses. When would the damaged structure give way?
At the peak of the rising ramp several yards ahead, finally, Alex could see the murky, gray sky above, but a mountain of rubble guarded the gateway to freedom. Crooked metal wheelchairs meshed together into a grisly jungle gym. They rusted against jagged piles of floorboards and fragmented doors speckled with chips of paint, slashes of wallpaper, and shards of broken glass. It stretched beyond what would have been the ceiling if the building still existed.
“Up!” Chase yelled when they reached it.
Alex’s fear hindered her concentration. She tried to climb the remains but couldn’t focus away her weight. The objects teetered under her. Her hands grasped pieces that crumbled or clattered, and her feet slipped against the glaze of ashes.
Jonas projected himself to the top of the mound, and he circled his hands, urging them to hurry.
Alex couldn’t stop gravity from pulling her down. She turned to see the banshee climbing the ramp of the hallway on her hands and knees, thrashing her body around in rage so violent her features blurred. The whips of hair lashed about in nightmarish snaps. She opened her mouth, preparing to shriek.
Chase reached for Alex. What do we do? They might be able to save each other again, but what about Skye and Jonas? How could they possibly survive this?
A flash of red whipped past them. Skype slid down the mountain of junk. She held out a handful of smooth, gray rock. She curled it into her fist and winked at them somberly.
“What is she doing?” Alex tried to grab her, but it was too late. Skye launched herself back down the ramp, skidding toward th
e banshee.
“Skye, no! Don’t touch it!”
Alex lifted her arms, but she couldn’t shove the space between them to separate them, as she had with Jonas in the clearing. The hallway was too narrow. Skye connected with the banshee, and the impact cracked like thunder before they flew apart. The banshee crumbled at the foot of the ramp and lay on her belly, blubbering in aftershocks of voltage. She began to drag herself away and disappeared into the abyss of darkness.
Alex rushed down to Skye.
“What was she thinking?” Jonas asked.
“She was thinking of us. She saved us. Darby said he lived through his banshee encounter because he ran at it. You tried to the run at that banshee in the clearing!”
“No. I was trying to get that banshee to chase me from the clearing. Touching a banshee is like hugging a bolt of lightning.”
“But Chase kicked it!”
“I never actually touched it,” Chase said. “I just aimed for it. An actual punch can’t hurt it, only the energy from it can.”
“She’s not dead, right?”
“We’re all dead, Alex,” Jonas said dully. “Believe me, Gabe withstood much more than that. The doctors at the medical center said the mind shuts itself down for protection.” He pulled Alex to her feet. “You need to take Skye back to Eidolon.”
Chase scooped Skye from the floor and cradled her in his arms. They didn’t dare go back the way they came, but luckily they turned a corner to find a crater in the wall, leading to fresh air. They stood in the middle of ruins, on what was formerly the roof, collapsed to the first floor. A step to the left and Alex would be out in the overgrown lawn again.
Jonas nudged her in that direction. “If you want Skye to be okay, you need to go.”
“Are you coming, too?”
His gaze shifted into the darkness. “Yes. After we either find Van Hanlin or find some other sort of witness.”
“The Jester said everyone is gone.”
“Jester?” Chase’s head snapped up. “You saw him?”
She nodded.
“Maybe he knows something about last night.” Jonas said hopefully.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Alex said. “You guys are coming back with us.”
“No, we’re not.”
“Jonas—” Chase began.
“I’m not leaving.” Jonas’s eyes darted around at their surroundings.
“What are you looking for?” Alex shouted. “You’ll hear it before you see it. That thing is pissed off.”
“Get out of here Alex,” Jonas urged her, but Alex remained rooted to the ground.
Chase stepped closer to Alex, holding out Skye. “I’ll stay here with Jonas. But I need you to go. You’re too much of a distraction.”
“If that’s true, then you shouldn’t have told me where you were going.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Why would you tell me where you’d gone if you didn’t want me to follow?”
Chase glanced at Jonas, who shrugged. “Al, I didn’t tell anyone where we were going.”
“You told Jack! He left me a note.”
“No.”
Three things happened at once. Chase shook his head. Alex felt several warm snaps of electricity. And a sharp cry of pain erupted from behind them. Jonas’s body arched back, suspended in midair before plummeting down to the dirt and ashes.
“What the hell?” Chase shouted.
Lights began to appear at various points atop the debris. Was it the Patrol again? Here to save them from the banshee? The logical part of Alex’s brain knew better. The Patrol wouldn’t have attacked one of them.
Dread filled her as, within seconds, they were surrounded.
Despite Alex’s inability to pull her attention away from their invisible company she couldn’t quite look at them. She wouldn’t. It would inevitably show her what or who they really were, and she wasn’t prepared for it.
Alex!
The desperation in Chase’s voice startled her back to reality. She watched him place Skye’s hazy form behind what was once a nurse’s station. Alex was sure it wouldn’t protect Skye if a spirit wanted to attack her directly, but it would keep her out of the line of fire.
Jonas had managed to pull himself to his feet, pressing his palms against his temples. He and Chase stood on either side of Alex.
“Can you see them?” Chase asked, but Alex shook her head. “I know you don’t want to. I don’t blame you. But you need to try.”
She didn’t want to know, but she opened her mind to see them nonetheless. Silhouettes appeared one by one, turning into full projections. They were children, newburies. They were her peers. Joey Rellingsworth sat on the top of a demolished wall. A large boy named Hecker Smithson, who never spoke a word to anyone, folded his arms and glowered at them. He stood next to Reuben Seyferr, and … Jack? Alex’s initial reaction was to call it a hoax. A test orchestrated by Ardor Westfall perhaps, to punish them for leaving campus.
Chase inched closer to Alex. “What’s going on?”
Alex couldn’t help herself. “Jack?” she exclaimed, lifting her palms upward in question.
His name acted as a chain reaction. One by one, the heads of the attackers turned to gawk in surprise at those who joined them.
Jack stood proudly and squared his frail shoulders. “Is it gone?”
Alex looked to Chase, who looked to Jonas, who opened his mouth to respond but hesitated, evidently surprised that Jack was addressing him. Finally, he offered a stiff nod.
Please get behind the desk with Skye, Chase commanded again. His head shifted slowly, scanning the disadvantage of their unfortunate positioning with trepidation in his eyes.
Joey Rellingsworth swung his feet back and forth on the wall. “Why is there an extra?”
“Jonas,” Chase murmured, “what is he talking about?”
“She came on her own,” Jonas responded loudly. “I tried to get her to leave.”
“No, not her.” Joey pointed to Chase. “Him.”
Jonas frowned. “What?”
Hecker Smithson leaned down to Joey. “You know who that is, right?” He pointed his fat finger in Alex’s direction.
“Of course I know. I think that’s the whole point.” Joey glanced over at Jack apprehensively, and he wasn’t the only one. Many of the attackers didn’t look quite so confident now that they’d opened their eyes.
“That’s her,” Jack affirmed. “That’s who they want.”
“Hold on.” Jonas took a step forward. “I thought I was supposed to bring my brother.”
Chase cursed. “This is why you didn’t want to tell Kaleb where we were going?” He glowered at Jonas. He led me here.
What’s going on?
Chase shook his head in disbelief. I can’t believe he did this.
Jack studied Jonas’ face with interest. “The only reason you needed to bring your brother is because we needed Alex to follow. You didn’t think she’d come all this way to follow you, did you?”
Something inside Alex chilled.
Jonas’s mouth hung open for a mere second before his expression turned colder than Alex felt. “Why do you need Alex?”
“The message appeared this morning, but you probably can’t see it anymore. I’m guessing you no longer want to see it considering you ran way last night.”
Alex wondered why all these spirits weren’t running away now, now that they’d seen Jack among themselves. Everyone hated Jack! They ridiculed him! It felt like some alternate universe. But glancing at their faces, she realized that everyone hovering above her was similar to Reuben and the Bonds. They were each quiet, or meager, or misfit, or eager to get ahead.
“There is much knowledge to be had when you have ancestors to tell you what teachers will not.” Jack beamed proudly at Joey Rellingsworth, who shifted uncomfortably. “Blood runs thick, Jonas, something you don’t understand.”
Alex’s head was spinning. Why did Jack need to arrange this rendezvous at Eskers?
He could have set her up easily at school.
Because he needed you off campus, Chase answered for Alex. He has no power there, but here it’s a different story.
“You’re absolutely sure she’s the one they want?” Hecker whispered to Jack.
“Oh, it’s her. The ghost of a prophet. I’m definitely right. And so”—Jack pointed to Chase and Jonas—“you two may go.”
“You expect us to just leave her?” Chase asked.
Jonas stood statue-still, his face blank, staring at nothing.
Hecker spoke quietly. “You have to do what you have to do. And so do we.”
“Am I supposed to know what that means?”
“We don’t have a choice anymore. If you won’t step aside, we will force you aside.”
“Step four,” Jack added quietly. “Harrowing.”
What is harrowing? Alex thought to Chase.
Chase’s voice came out steady and confident. “Harrowing? Do you realize how long it takes to break a mind?”
“Of course,” Jack muttered. “We were witness to it last night.”
He’s dead. Chase’s voice pounded in her mind. Van Hanlin is dead.
“You’ll have to beat us for hours? Do you realize what the repercussions are?”
Jack huffed through his horse teeth. “There won’t be any.”
“You aren’t exactly charmed,” Chase said. Alex agreed and wondered why the newburies around them, who knew the Bonds were hardly a symbol of good luck, remained at his side now. Her bewilderment must have leaked into Chase’s head because he pointed at the halo of attackers who stood above them. “What about the rest of you? You would sacrifice your morals, your afterlife, to be a part of this group?”
“The groups on campus are encouraged,” Jack replied. “They’re designed to rally those who are similar. And this is greater than all of those combined.”
Is that why he was doing this? Alex wondered. Was this his way of fighting back? Of reversing the curse he’d been betrothed with? “And you don’t worry at all about the consequences of your actions?”
“What do I have to lose?” Jack crouched down on the jagged wall on which he was positioned. “We’re damned now. We can’t go back to Eidolon.”
Of Breakable Things Page 27