by Carver Pike
Hawks turned to see a heavy set black man, balding with a beard, wearing sweat pants and a Chicago Bears jacket. The window cleaner turned, saw the other guy approaching, and threw his hands up in the air.
“Hey, Preacher. Windows are clean. This guy came rubbin’ his hands all over ‘em.”
Hawks looked at Preacher and shoved his hands into his pockets.
“You homeless?” Preacher asked.
Hawks had to think about that one. Technically he was homeless. Preacher seemed to sense that he wasn’t ready to tell his life story.
He patted Hawks on his back and said, “Come on. I’ll get you somethin’ hot to eat. Then you can be on your way.”
Hawks glanced at his reflection in the mirror once more and wondered again how he was going to get back to his friends.
***
Changeling stood on the Clan ship, looking over the few remaining slave rowers. He had no idea where Vincent planned to take them, but he was glad they’d stopped for a moment. The guys needed to rest.
Vincent stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, staring out at the scorched earth. He’d aged to mid-twenties right before Changeling’s eyes. How was it possible to age that fast? And not only had he aged, he’d seemed to grow wiser too. Like he hadn’t missed all those years between.
Changeling wouldn’t have been surprised to see the grown man sitting in a corner somewhere playing with his boogers. But this guy wasn’t an infant trapped in a man’s body. He was an evil mastermind well beyond his years.
Changeling’s feminine side took over and tried to judge Vincent as a man. Was he sexy? He wasn’t bad looking. But she had a strange feeling that trying to bed the man, even if she used all of her power and made sure she remained a woman through their sexual romp, would be a grave mistake. He didn’t seem like the loving or giving type. He was a taker and that scared her. Changeling’s masculine side took over again and wished he could shake some sense into the feminine side.
“What are we waiting for?” he asked Vincent.
Vincent looked at him and raised an eyebrow. It was enough to make Changeling understand he was being warned to shut his mouth.
“They’re coming now,” he said as he turned and stared back out into nothingness.
That’s when Changeling saw them. Four women walked toward the ship in a zombie-like state. They were dragging their feet, their heads hanging at awkward angles like their muscles weren’t strong enough to keep their heads up straight. Then, coming from a completely different direction, were four men, or what looked like men. They were completely black, slick looking, like ninjas in latex, but with no facial features.
“What are they?” Changeling asked.
Vincent turned and smiled.
“My children,” he said. “The women are mothers of mantra. They live to serve me. They’ll build my empire, one brick at a time.”
Changeling watched them in awe. His attention kept going back to the black soldiers marching his way.
“My soldiers are approaching as well. Mantra, my dark knights. They will spread like the plague and my army will grow. Nothing will stop me.”
Lord Shiva wasn’t going to like this. Somehow he didn’t think Vincent would care. He was a whole new breed of master and Changeling knew who he’d be following. The mantra moved forward at a strong and steady pace while the mothers crept along, all moving towards the ship. Changeling hoped they weren’t going to be boarding.
“Make room,” Vincent ordered.
***
Haylay left the cabin and stepped back out into the woods. He’d found a pistol on the dead man, a rifle beneath the bed, and he’d kept the spear that had been used to murder the man. Whatever Hollis was going through on the other side of the mirror, he would definitely be more comfortable than Haylay.
Now that he’d finally made the decision to ditch his shelter, Haylay found himself undecided on which direction to head. He had no idea where he was and no idea where anything else was. He was a hood rat from the Slums of York. A damn good-looking hood rat, but a city slicker nonetheless. His only experience in the wilderness was back at Sanctuary.
If only he still had his wig. Going bald wasn’t ideal, but since the cops decided to keep his hair, he didn’t have a choice. He put his hand in his pocket and rubbed at the blue jewel.
“Come on baby. You didn’t bring Mama back just to leave me stranded. Where you want me to go?”
Nothing.
“Well, you ain’t no seein’ eye dog, I suppose,” he snapped as he followed a narrow path.
Somehow he just knew it was the right way to go.
***
Gabe helped Ayana to her feet. She looked so much better, like she’d been given a second chance at life.
“I’m sorry about what happened to Lisa,” she said.
Gabe shrugged and looked back at where they’d left her body, just barely buried in a field of dry earth. He’d wanted to take her from there and put her somewhere nicer, but Vision convinced him that she was gone and that where she was now, she would never again be looking back at that body. There was no place better to bury her.
“I don’t know why, but I’m not sad,” Gabe assured Ayana. “Not anymore. I could feel her when she wrapped around me. She was happy and more full of life than when she was actually living. She took away my sadness.”
“Do you really mean that?” came a soft, tired voice.
Emma stood there with tears streaming down her face. She had Bronc’s rifle in her hand and his knife belt slung over her shoulder. She’d found her dead husband.
“We went for a walk. He wanted to leave, to go find the boat, and head back to Sanctuary. I told him it would be wrong, that we were here to help protect the boys.”
She dropped her head and wiped away her tears.
Vision, who’d been watching the sun rise above the destroyed buildings, made his way closer to them and put a hand on Emma’s shoulder.
“Bronc was a brave man,” he told her.
Gabe knew Vision wouldn’t offer much more in the way of comforting words.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“He’s one of the boys,” Gabe said.
“Vision,” Emma said, as if seeing the baby-turned-grown man was a normal thing. “Yes, Bronc was a brave man. And I was his woman, so I will honor him with bravery of my own. Whatever happens next, I’m in.”
Gabe hugged her.
“I’m sorry about Lisa,” she said into his shoulder.
He pulled back and smiled.
“I miss her, but I’m not sorry, and trust me, you shouldn’t be either. We’ll miss Bronc and Lisa together, and we’ll help Vision finish this, with the knowledge that we will see them again.”
Ayana picked up a piece of broken car window and held it up to look into the reflection. Gabe walked away from Emma and approached her.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “Hawks is out there.”
“But Vision said he’s on the other side of the mirror. He can’t come back.”
“He will come back,” Vision said with his back to them. “But for now, I have plans for him on the other side.”
“You knew he was going to get trapped over there?” Gabe asked.
“Nothing is a mistake,” Vision replied. “Everything happens for a reason. He has his own journey ahead, and it has already begun.”
Gabe pointed at Traven, who was lying on the ground. A pool of blood had formed around him and he breathed in and out heavily, either still unconscious, or too injured to move.
“What about him?” Gabe asked.
Vision turned to look at Gabe, and then looked over at Traven.
“He’s not your brother, Gabe.”
“I know. But what if he can help us?”
“He’s one of the enemy,” Ayana argued. “We’re better off without him.”
“She may be right,” Vision said.
“No, he’s an image, but so were Bronc and Tact. He can change, Vision. I know
it. I saw a glimpse of it when I was fighting him. Deep down, just like the rest of us, he questions his role in life.”
Vision smiled.
“Very well.”
Gabe was surprised when Vision agreed and walked over to Traven’s near lifeless body and crouched down next to him. Traven raised his head and glared at Vision. He lifted part of his lip and snarled at Gabe.
“Colossus will take care of you all,” he threatened.
Ayana kicked Gabe’s foot.
“Are you sure about this?”
Gabe nodded and squatted next to Vision.
“I’m asking Vision to heal you,” he said. “You’re the closest thing I have to a brother, and I know you have good in you. I saw it.”
“Fuck you,” Traven said.
Vision looked over at Gabe and raised his eyebrows.
“Yes,” Gabe said. “Just do it.”
“Time to lighten up,” Vision said as he placed his open palm on Traven’s forehead.
A white glow emitted from his hand and surrounded Traven. Traven’s head fell back the way Ayana’s had when Vision touched her stomach. White light made its way into the wounds and seeped out of his eyeballs, ears, and nostrils. His wounds healed. The man’s dirty, angry face slowly transformed into a clean, handsome, lighter version. It was as if he’d grown younger without the weight of Colossus’ evil plans upon his shoulders.
Vision pulled his hand away and the light followed, drifting back into his open palm. He then stood and walked away, returning to the spot where he’d been watching the sunrise.
Gabe walked over to Vision and stood by his side.
“What did you do?” he asked. “Is he still dangerous? Is he still an image?”
“He is what he is. I cannot change his will, but I made him see. Just like you. I cleansed him and I think you will see a difference.”
“And if he’s still dangerous?”
“He’s your responsibility now, Gabe.”
Gabe looked back at Traven, who smiled as he looked at Vision and the sunrise. Gabe walked over to Traven and kicked his foot lightly.
“You good?” he asked.
“What did he do to me?”
“He showed you how much of an asshole you’ve been.”
Traven nodded and held out his hand. Gabe helped him climb to his feet.
“You can hang with us,” Gabe told him. “Or you can leave and go back to your old ways.”
Traven chewed at his lip as he pondered the offer. He looked at Ayana and smiled at her, then passed what Gabe thought might be a flirtatious wink. She scowled at him, with obvious mistrust.
“She’s part of your crew?” he asked.
“Are you with us or against us?” Gabe asked.
He nodded in Vision’s direction.
“Do I have to wear white? Is that like your gang color or somethin’?”
Gabe laughed.
“I’m in,” Traven added. “But you have to know in advance, I’m a wisecracking, mean-spirited, loyal son of a bitch. You won’t like me. Trust me.”
“I’m counting on it,” Gabe said as he slapped Traven on the shoulder.
He felt good, surprisingly great considering he’d lost his wife. Somehow he knew everything was going to work out and he’d see her soon. He returned to his place by Vision’s side.
“Quick question,” he said. “Why don’t we go touch all the bad guys like you just did to Traven? Seems like an easy way to win the fight.”
Vision turned and looked at him with one raised eyebrow.
“It’s very draining on my energy, and ultimately, the person has to have good in them, like you say you saw in Traven. Free will is still theirs, so, again, Traven will be your responsibility now. I do not need him for this mission. If he lives or dies, fights or flees, that’s all on you now.”
Gabe chewed on that for a moment.
“So what now?” he asked.
Vision took a deep breath and patted Gabe on his shoulder.
“Now the real journey begins. We must find the Jewels of Eden before Vincent does.”
Emma, Traven, and Ayana joined them and as they all stood side by side watching the sunrise, it finally peeked out from behind the building and bathed them in its warm glow.
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE EDGE OF REFLECTION BOOK 5: REPRESSING RAGE.
Stay tuned for the next Carver Pike horror or dark fantasy. If you happen to like erotica, you should check out my other pen name, Chris Genovese, where I write everything from erotic romance to erotic comedy to erotic poetry.
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Carver Pike
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