by Matthew Fish
“It will not heal,” Lily spoke quietly as she approached Bradley and put her hand upon the wound. She recoiled as though it burnt her palm. “How did the Ankou do this?”
“The blood of a Conductor,” Christopher said as he paced around the room nervously. He was a rather twitchy person. “He covered his scythe with it—made of the same material like the one Mark carries—and he just cut into Perpetuals...cut them into pieces.”
“What’s all the commotion?” Jenna said as she came into the room rubbing her forehead. “What the hell is going on in here?”
“Sorry…about that,” Christopher said as he rubbed her beard nervously. “Got you a little too drunk last night—they didn’t want you to have to face going to one of those meetings that turned into a massacre.”
“It was just as you said,” William spoke as he looked to the girl. She looked rather ill.
“Yeah…” Jenna added. “Well, thanks for leaving me out of that one. You could have just told me—not that I didn’t have fun…but don’t really feel like now is the time for fun.”
“Bad decisions all around,” Maddie said as she knelt down beside Bradley. “How are you holding up?”
“I’ve been in worse shape,” Bradley said as he coughed up a bit of blood. “Well…that’s a lie, this shit sucks….seriously.”
“You’ll be alright,” Maddie said as she smiled and a tear streaked down her cheek. “Remember that time that I filled you full of quarters and you got all shot up…you made it through that just fine. Or that giant hole in your head?”
“Don’t remember those events all that well, thankfully,” Bradley said as he attempted to laugh but instead coughed up more blood.
Emily and Mark returned. Mark pressed a glass full of whiskey to Bradley’s lips as he began to take large drinks until he spat up a large amount of whiskey and blood. “No…no more of that,” Bradley sputtered as he felt Emily cut away the bandage at his side.
“Oh fuck…” Emily whispered as she placed a large length of thread through a needle. “Sorry about this, big guy.” Emily added as she began to sew the large wound shut with tight and close stitching.
“I am sorry, Bradley,” Lily said as she placed her hand into Bradley’s bloody hand. “This is my fault.”
“It was our plan,” William said as he put a hand upon Lily’s shoulder.
“My plan…” Cain said as he nodded solemnly.
“All done there, big guy,” Emily said as she tied of one end of the stitching. She stepped back for a moment to put her needle away just as the thread caught fire and burned away. Bradley let out another shrill scream as his wound opened up even wider and his intestines fell out with a sickening plop.
“Everyone but…Mark, Maddie, and Emily—leave the room, please,” Bradley spoke as he nodded.
“We can figure something out,” William objected.
“Leave, my old friend, go and fetch Mark’s Standard,” Bradley laboriously spoke as writhed in pain.
“Of course, friend,” William said as he nodded and followed the rest of the somber group out of the entry room.
“What’s going on here, Bradley?” Mark asked as his mind was becoming well aware of the concept of what was about to happen.
“I ain’t getting better…” Bradley said as he coughed loudly. “Not from…this… I ask of you, for The Passing.”
“No,” Emily quietly spoke as tears began to stream down from her eyes. “I was just starting to actually like you…it’s not fair.”
“Surely Caesar has some medicine for this,” Maddie added as she bit the edge of her thumb and allowed tears to flow freely from her green eyes.
“Medicines for pain, for sleep—not for anything like this…I will go by coin.”
William returned and handed Mark his standard. Mark placed the belt over his jeans.
“I am sorry for what I did, back then,” Bradley said as he attempted to smile. “I should have never hurt any of you.”
“That’s all…forgiven,” Maddie said as he shook her head and continued to weep.
“I’m sorry for lighting your crotch on fire,” Emily said as he sobbed.
Bradley attempted at a laugh, but instead coughed up more crimson blood. “Mark, don’t leave me like this…goodbye my friend.”
“Goodbye, friend,” Mark said as he closed his eyes and tossed the old, worn 1806 quarter into the air. A tear raced down his cheek as he kept his eyes firmly closed as the loud bang echoed through the room. When he opened his eyes, Bradley was gone. A pile of ash lingered upon Caesar’s old couch.
Emily and Maddie collapsed against Mark as they embraced.
William rubbed Mark’s back as he wiped away a single tear from his eye. “He will be missed. He was a good man.”
Emily gestured towards the couch as a little dust devil swirled around and carried Bradley’s ashes away scattering them amongst the dusty shelves of the large room. “He’ll always be here in a way…I suppose—kinda like Caesar.”
“I know that now should be the time to grieve,” William said as he looked to the group. “But, we’ve figured some things out—we should hold a meeting.”’
“Let’s be done with this Ankou fuck,” Emily added.
“Right,” Mark said as he nodded. “Call everyone down to the dining room. We should be expecting a visitor soon as well…if Lily’s plan went right.”
“It did,” William said as he looked to Mark. “We were followed.”
“Well,” Maddie said as he continued to wipe away tears from her eyes. “At least, he didn’t die for nothing…William, make it count for something.
“The Ankou is near,” Lily whispered from the hallway. Mark looked to the young girl. Her short, small form was shaking as her hands trembled against the entry. “I know that I was sent away, but we are not alone… I had to come back. It is nearby…I can feel it with every bone in my body.”
“Are we safe?” William asked as he placed his hands upon Lily’s shoulders and attempted to shake her from her terrified state.
“We are as long as we are near the house,” Lily whispered.
Justin emerged from the large door, giving everyone a good jump. “Lily…Sun and Leaf have been forced into their human forms—they are huddled behind the house. They sense a great danger nearby—there is a man just on the perimeter.”
“The map…?” Mark said as he walked over to Lily and held his hand out.
“Of course…” Lilly said as she nodded numbly. Her hand trembled as she placed the small folded map into Mark’s hand.
“Are you sure that this spot is the best place?”
“At the bottom of Lake Falls,” Lilly said as she still remained in a rather unhelpful state.
“Right here…?” Mark asked as he pointed to the end of the canyon on the map.
“Right….”
“Snap the fuck out of it,” Emily said as she walked over and pressed Lily against the wall. “I know you are fairly new to this whole, being human thing—but do you know what kind of shit I endured when I was sixteen? Do you know how hellish my life was? There’s a time where…it’s okay to be afraid and let your feelings take over—but right now, you have to acknowledge that you are old enough to fight those feelings.”
“Yes,” Lily said as she attempted to steel herself and harden her resolve. She took in a large breath of air and closed her eyes. “I have been tasked with destroying the Ankou—I just…forgot how it felt to be near it. That is the correct spot. You must speak with the man he has sent and agree.”
“That was the plan,” Mark said as he nodded.
“I’m coming with you,” Emily added.
“I’ll gather the others,” William said as he nodded. We will all go out to meet this man, just in case there is danger.
“No,” Mark said as he shook his head. “The two of will manage just fine—besides, we don’t want to let the Ankou know how big…or small our force is.”
“That’s smart,” William said as he nodded.
“Be safe, deliver the terms and do not linger too long outside of the safety of the manor.
“Thank you, Mark…Emily,” Lily said as she rested her back against the wall. “I am sorry for letting you down. When the time comes, I will be strong. I promise.”
“We will all have to be,” Mark said as he turned to Emily and let out a short sigh as they began to walk to the open large metal door. “You know who it is going to be, don’t you?”
“I have a feeling…”
“Knock, knock?” Tany Zampa shouted as he banged his hand against a shimmering wall that prevented him from getting any closer to the Red Manor. “What is it, piquer—am I not welcome here? Such poor manners boy…!”
Emily pulled up her hood as her fake cat ears playfully bounced atop her forehead. She brushed her long pink hair away from her eyes and balled her hands up into fists as she and Mark walked closer to the shimmering border, she met eyes with her father.
“Hey dad…” Emily said quietly as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a lighter. She swiftly tossed it towards Zampa. It flew through the air for a short distance and exploded against the barrier causing it to waver and shimmer brightly in a brilliant display of rainbow colored hues.
Zampa began to laugh loudly as he feigned fear at the sight of the small fire upon the surface of the barrier. “Did you really think that would work you stupid twat? It works both ways.”
“Fuck off,” Emily muttered as she stood a mere few feet away from the man she deeply hated.
“You here to talk…?” Mark asked as he paced along the edge of the border as he kept his eyes on the man.
A smug little smile washed over Zampa’s face as he ran a hand through his messy, curly hair. He reached into his gold suit and pulled out a handgun. He gestured the gun towards Mark’s Standard. “You have my coin in there—don’t you? Think you got me, you little shit? Well step through the barrier and let’s talk. I’ll have my gun in case you decide to use that coin, that way we’re both safe.”
“Alright,” Mark said as he passed through the shimmering field. He looked at the gun as Zampa raised it and pointed it to Mark’s chest. It then occurred to him that Zampa did not actually know that Mark was a Perpetual. “Let’s talk then.”
“You’ve got balls, little piquer,” Zampa said as he nodded and let out a short laugh. “Too bad you ended up with that waste, one of my other daughters would have suited you much better—much more talented…in every way.”
“Then where are they now,” Emily said as she folded her arms and spoke in a rather amused tone. “Where is Eva? Dead…that’s right.”
“Shut up, trash,” Zampa said as he turned his attention to the girl he no longer considered a daughter.
“I thought we were here to talk,” Mark said as he placed his hand near his Standard. “So, you speak for the Ankou then? For someone who prides himself on being a step ahead, you’re pretty stupid.”
Zampa quickly turned his attention back to Mark as he pressed his gun to Mark’s shoulder. “The death bringer speaks through me—he can hear everything I say, and I can hear his words in my mind. I was chosen for this. How is it stupid to be on the side that will win?”
“You’ve made a bond with this creature,” Mark spoke as the realization washed over him. “What did you wish for?”
“What does any of my kind want?” Zampa said with a laugh. “I’ll tell you, because it amuses me—I asked for one of these fancy Red Manors full of wealth, a safe house to hide from dickhead Conductors like you, and a beautiful new wife…who would provide me with a Perpetual son.”
“Risky thing to do,” Mark said as he nodded. “So that’s what is in it for you?”
“Yes, piquer,” Tany Zampa spoke mockingly. “What did you get from that girl of yours? Does she give you good sport? She’ll be dead soon…sad thing…is it not?”
“I wished for your life to end in the most painful and drawn out way,” Mark lied as he let out a little laugh.
“You lie poorly, piquer,” Zampa said as he shook his head. “I bet you did not even wish for your own safety—to live through the battle that will come if you do not hand over the girl to me.”
“So is that why you are here?” Mark asked as he ignored Zampa’s little jabs.
“Why the fuck else would I be out here in the middle of nowhere,” Zampa said as he allowed a bit of frustration to show before smiling once more and laughing. “You’ve not got many people on your side—we’ve got over a hundred.”
“A hundred hired Perpetual thugs…” Mark said as he nodded. “I’ve dealt with worse.”
“We have two White Stags of our own, a few conductors—and the death bringer. You should see the work he does, it is like an art,” Zampa said as he pressed the gun against Mark’s shoulder roughly.
“So now we know what we face, thank you.”
“Didn’t tell you so that you’d feel better about your shit situation,” Zampa said in a grim tone. “The girl, give her up and your little band of twats will live.”
“Alright,” Mark said as he handed Zampa the map of Matthiessen State Park. “You know where this?”
“Of course I don’t,” Zampa said as he laughed. “I live in the city…in fucking civilization—not this bug and backwater shithole.”
“The canyon at Lake Falls, beneath the long bridge…the Ankou and your force will await us there,” Mark said as he pointed to the spot on the map. “Tomorrow morning, say…around ten. I’m a mortal after all…I need my sleep.”
“And you will hand her over?”
“We will do battle,” Mark said as he felt the gun press even more firmly against his right shoulder. “Will the Ankou agree to these terms?”
“You think you’ll have us trapped in this canyon?” Tany Zampa said as he began to laugh. He then gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes as he fingered the trigger on this handgun. “You’ll all be slaughtered.”
“Does this, death bringer of yours agree then?”
“He does, piquer,” Zampa said as he squeezed the trigger of the gun. A loud bang filled the quiet air as the crickets grew quiet in fear.
Mark grabbed his blood soaked shoulder as Emily dragged him back through the shimmering barrier. He winced in pain as he found his right arm nearly useless.
“Conduct now, you little shit—that was for Eva and Lola.”
“See you tomorrow, asshole,” Mark muttered through the pain.
“Lola’s dead then?” Emily asked as the man walked away. “Both of your favorite, loyal daughters turned to ash—such a fucking pity.”
“Matters very little really,” Zampa said as he walked off into the darkness. “I’ll have what I’ve always wanted, cunt.”
“Are you alright?” Emily asked as he wrapped her arm around Mark and helped him back towards the house.
“Yeah,” Mark said as he nodded. He was in a great deal of pain, but he knew that he’d be able to sleep it off. “It was worth it, he thinks he just increased his odds of survival.”
“Smart move, Dickbutt,” Emily said with a nod. “Not the getting shot part—but playing up the whole mortal thing…”
“Dickbutt…?”
“I’m trying to cheer you up, you just got shot point blank in the fucking shoulder,” Emily said as she pressed her lips to Mark’s cheek. “I know that shit hurts.”
The entire entryway was full of people standing around waiting, as Emily helped Mark into the room.
“What the hell happened?” Maddie asked as she placed her hand on Mark’s bleeding shoulder.
“Ouch…” Mark muttered as he shot Maddie an off look. “I got shot.”
“That man has no honor,” Lily said as she shook her head.
“No,” Mark said as he shook his head and winced in pain. “It’s actually a good thing…for once. Zampa just told me the size of his force in an attempt to intimidate me; he then placed a bullet through my arm because he still believed I was a Mortal. Figured I wouldn’t of much use in the fight tom
orrow—which the Ankou agreed to. Lake Falls…at ten in the morning…he’s got about a hundred hired Perpetuals, two White Stags, and a few Conductors.”
“Which may be held against their will,” Cain said as he nodded.
“I’ll get in touch with the Mortal authorities and see that the park is closed off—I’ll have it chalked up to all the rain we’ve been having,” William said as he began to pace around the room as he attempted to formulate some kind of plan. “I’ll have police cruisers block off all the possible entrances.”
“Three conductors and a Perpetual that can kill other Perpetuals,” Christopher said as he rested his back against a bare spot on the crimson wall. “I think we should be able to handle a hundred hired thugs.”
“A lot of rocks and sand down in a canyon,” Jenna added. “I can cause a bit of trouble with that.”
“I can block any Conductors from knowing our birth years,” Cain said as he rubbed his rough chin with his hand. “That will prove useful to the Perpetuals among us…it is the Ankou that troubles me—when we attempted to take it down today, the creature was able to create some kind of field.”
“It’s like a passing,” Lily said as she reached for Mark’s dagger and pulled it from the sheath beside his Standard. “It’s a lot like the barrier that protects the house—it distorts time, sends things that would cause harm to places that they are rendered harmless. This dagger was created with the feather of a Chimney Swift buried in the core of its hilt…just like the fletching on my arrows—they can pass through this time barrier.”
“Do we have anyone else we can call in on this?” Maddie asked. Everything seemed to be lining up rather well…but with Bradley gone, they were a man short.
“As the new Captain of Perpetual Affairs,” William said as he looked down to the ground and shook his head. “I have no resources amongst the Perpetual community—I could bring mortal police force onboard. It might not go over well with the rest of my kind… it might expose us.”
“They would be nothing more than fodder for the armed Perpetuals,” Cain said as he shook his head. “All of my contacts are too afraid of the Ankou to act.”