by Sin Ribbon
“Sebo?”
“There’s something about them ...” The younger Brit trails off, voice softening as if lost in a daydream. Riya’s expression changes as well; she watches the onlookers with quiet contemplation.
“You okay there, mate?” Allister nudges his brother to snap him from his trance.
“Oh! Yes. Yes, let’s go.” He blinks a few times, regaining awareness.
The brothers set off down the road for Schenley Park. Tentative, Riya lingers for a moment before following.
◊ ◊ ◊
After two miles of navigating through the Steel City, the wanderers enter Schenley Park. They walk the sidewalk of a four-lane road—a bridge that leads into a sizeable patch of trees. A steady breeze pushes and thrusts the branches into a twirling dance, the rustle of their leaves beckoning the newcomers inward. Paying little mind, Sebastian and Riya chat about their interests; Riya shares her tattooing experience while Sebastian divulges his love for horror movies and death metal.
Beyond the bridge, the road separates into sprawling pathways that extend throughout the park. As the trio enters the grassy fields, the cloud cover returns. Its looming presence casts away the sun and invites a grey overtone. Allister feels a twinge of tightness in his chest but shakes it off.
“Damn! Cloudy right as we arrive.” The Indian-American huffs.
“Still, it’s beautiful here,” Sebastian adds. “Not sure where to begin. This place is enormous.” With an abrupt stop, he whips to the right, fixating on something in the distance.
Riya pauses. “What’s up? You hear something?”
“Uh, no. Guess not.” An ambivalent Sebastian stares for a moment before moving his feet. Allister remains quiet, absorbing the view. He can’t seem to bury his apprehensions about their father and the familial feud that awaits.
Riya probes Sebastian with more questions as they walk, and Allister reads a trace of concern in her voice, though he has no idea what could be troubling her. Another half-mile of exploration takes them to the park’s more scenic areas beyond the parking lots. Hiking trails, picnic tables, playgrounds, and even a community pool fill this massive expanse of land. Cyclists, power walkers, and families mosey about, enjoying their day.
An androgynous teenager sits on top of a picnic table some thirty feet ahead, buried in a book with headphones in his ears. He bounces his head to the beat, unaware of their approach. Though the youth appears unassuming, Sebastian stops mid-sentence when he spots him. His eyes widen as if recognizing the boy.
“What’s wrong?” Riya halts the moment she sees the bewildered look on Sebastian’s face.
Allister presses into his brother’s shoulder, but he doesn’t waver. “I-I don’t know,” Sebastian stammers. “I feel like I know that person.”
“What, like some internet celebrity?” Allister quips.
The young Brit shakes his head. “No. He’s like the other two we saw, but I don’t know how. I can’t explain it.” His breath quivers as he speaks.
Anxious, Riya tugs on his arm. “C’mon, Sebastian. We should go.”
Allister studies his brother’s rigid stance, his focused intensity, his dazed responses—suddenly, the young woman’s concern becomes clear. He yanks Sebastian’s sleeve. “Sebo. Let’s go.”
As Riya leads the younger Brit away, the boy tilts his head. His hazel eyes follow them surreptitiously. Allister catches the subtle observation, spurring the youth to cast his gaze downward.
The elder Brit stands firm, watching. Sensing the scrutiny, the boy taps his fingers on his book and avoids eye contact. Something is afoot; Allister cannot help but wonder if their arrival was somehow anticipated. On a hunch, he scans the area for the black-clad man and young brunette. No one else in sight. Unsatisfied, he moves to catch up with the others.
Sebastian takes a few deep breaths to calm himself.
Riya rubs his shoulder. “What was that back there?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been having these strange sensations lately—powerful feelings about places, people. It’s why we came to Pittsburgh.”
She steps back. “I thought you flipped a coin?”
The young Brit nods. “We did, but I proposed Pittsburgh, and when it came up heads, I suppose it confirmed my feelings. I think I felt this way when I saw you too. At first, I thought it was because you’re beautiful, but there’s more to it ... Something’s happening to me.”
Riya blushes at the compliment, her lips pursing to hide a growing smile, but before she can respond, Allister approaches.
“You okay, mate?”
“Yeah, sorry. Haven’t been myself lately it seems.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll talk about it later.” Allister rubs a supportive hand on his brother’s back.
The trio press onward to their sought-after highlight: the view of the skyline. They trek up a modest hill and find a brilliant expanse of evergreen grass before them. A thicket of trees outlines the perimeter of the field with a large maple growing in the center, a signpost for those who wish to bask in the view. The Pittsburgh cityscape hovers in the background. With the work day nearly over, the sounds of rush hour traffic are beginning to emerge.
Allister, Sebastian, and Riya marvel at the view. Although miniscule compared to London, the elder Brit can appreciate the shape of the office buildings mixing with the downtown cathedral. Even against the dismal cloud cover, the small city radiates with picturesque charm.
With all the subtlety he can muster, Sebastian places a nervous arm around Riya’s shoulders and pulls her closer. She rolls her eyes at his suave attempt but leans in anyway. Allister shakes his head and smiles, cynical but proud. As Sebastian rubs her shoulder, basking in the view, her muscles tense. She yanks away and snaps to Allister.
The blond reciprocates her troubled gaze with a bemused expression, but before he can open his mouth, the chest pain returns—this time with ferocity. The Brit grabs his chest and inhales sharply. He staggers backward and hits the trunk of the maple. Alarmed, Sebastian rushes to his side.
“Allister! What’s wrong?!” Sebastian grabs his brother’s shoulder, trying to discern the cause of the issue.
Allister fights for air. Rapid breaths expand and contract his ribcage as he grapples at his own chest. Eyes wide, beads of sweat, heaving breaths—the elder Brit struggles against an invading force. He can sense an immeasurable will clawing its way to the surface, swelling just beneath his skin. His vision dims as his awareness fades.
Midnight black billows into his irises, claiming the once brilliant sky blue. Allister collapses to his knees and falls forward. He braces himself on one arm, still clutching his chest with the other.
“Oh my God! Riya, get help!” Sebastian kneels beside his brother, terrified. He places a tentative hand on his back, trying to offer whatever comfort he can.
Riya stands frozen, too terrified to move.
“Riya! Are you listening?! Get help now!”
The young Indian-American trembles. Sebastian screams at her to go, but her gaze won’t break away from Allister. Her lip quivers. She fights to form the words. “That’s not Allister.”
“What are you talking about?!”
As Allister chokes and strains for air, tendrils of black vapor start to pour from his mouth. Specks of black dust escape with it and swirl into the air. Riya steps back, body rigid with horror. Sebastian’s eyes grow wide. He can’t believe what he’s seeing, but he remains by his brother’s side, hand still on his back to aid him through the pain.
The grass below Allister shrivels and dies in seconds. As the dark cloud spreads, the diameter of death branches outward with it, climbing its way up the maple and claiming all the plant life in its path. The tree’s leaves wither and tumble to the ground in dried, fragile remnants.
Riya clasps her hands over her mouth, unable to process the events unfolding before her. She inches backward just out of range of the dispersing particles.
Sebastian now yanks on Allister’s shoulders. The yo
ung Brit’s eyes are red and watering. He implores his brother to respond, shaking with wild anxiety.
~ FOURTEEN ~
Madison
Trees zip past the teenager as he tears through the woods. He can hear the frantic screams in the distance as well as the chastising words of Siha in the back of his mind. She had urged him to stay close to the newcomers. Kicking himself for losing sight of them, he sprints with every ounce of energy at his disposal.
Entering the clearing, Madison skids to a halt when he glimpses the scene developing up the hill. A cloud of black tendrils reaches skyward in a widening radius of death. Though he had been warned what would happen, the sight is more overwhelming than he could have imagined.
With no time to waste, he races up the hill towards the trio. The Indian girl barely acknowledges his presence as she stands paralyzed with fear. The younger of the two Brits is in pieces; he kneels beside his brother with his arms wrapped around him, drowning in anguish and worry. Neither he nor the young woman has any idea what to make of the situation, but thankfully, Madison does.
The teen extends his hand, palm open and facing the heaving blond who convulses as the vapors spiral out of him. Focusing his power, Madison can feel the darkness being drawn back into the man. The process appears painful for him. He bellows and claws for air as the ominous tendrils recede into his body. Madison winces, remorseful, but he has no other choice.
The Indian girl and young Brit are baffled. They watch as the remaining bits of black dust disperse into oblivion, allowing their blond companion’s breathing to stabilize. Within moments, the elder Brit collapses to the ground, unconscious. Madison can do nothing about the dead flora, but the situation is contained. He exhales a sigh of relief.
Mystified, the couple stare at Madison, then each other, then their motionless companion.
“A-Allister?” The young man shakes his brother with gentle concern.
“He’s fine.” Madison offers a supportive smile. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”
“Who are you?” The Indian girl labors to speak through her tightened throat.
“Madison. Sorry, we’ve been expecting you. I had to use my power to suppress the thing inside your brother, but he’ll be back to his normal self when he wakes up.”
She quivers, eyes still gaping with shock and disbelief. “What ... What the hell is going on?! What just happened?!”
Distressed, the young Brit follows suit. “Whoever you are, we need to call an ambulance right now! We’ve got to get him to hospital!”
Madison raises his hands, pleading them to calm down. “No, no, it’s okay! I promise!”
The young man climbs to his feet and rushes at the unprepared youth, grabbing the collar of his hoodie and pulling him to within an inch of his face. “My brother needs help right now!”
“Let him go, Sebastian!” a distant female voice calls.
The young Brit whips to the ring of his name. Several yards away, the petite brunette from earlier strolls up the hill with the tall, dark-haired man at her side. He releases Madison and returns to his brother’s side, taking a protective stance between the unconscious blond and the approaching strangers. Riya scurries behind him, unsure how to process the bizarre circumstances unfolding before them.
“Madison, are you all right?” Siha asks as she enters the circle of dead grass. Her calm demeanor somehow casts a blanket of tranquility over the situation.
The teen nods to reassure her before motioning to the apprehensive travelers.
Sebastian stands defensive, unsure of what to expect. “You’re those people from earlier. How the bloody hell do you know my name?!”
“My name is Siha,” she replies with a sympathetic smile. “I’m clairvoyant, and I’d like the three of you to come with us. I promise that I’ll explain everything, what happened to your brother and—” She leans in. “What’s happening to you.”
Sebastian jerks back, surprised by her insight.
Thane leans down and reaches for Allister. Sebastian quickly swats his hand away which doesn’t pacify the intimidating man. His eyes narrow into annoyed slits, but the Brit remains firm.
“Please, Sebastian. We won’t hurt him,” Siha pleads.
“She’s the reason your brother is okay,” Madison adds. “She knew what was gonna happen and had us stand by so we could help.”
Sebastian locks eyes with Siha to gauge her honesty, and Madison recognizes his softening gaze, the realization of a supernatural knowledge lurking behind those mismatched eyes. Tentative, Sebastian relents and allows Thane to roll Allister into his grasp. Riya takes refuge beside her British friend, still wary of the newcomers. Allister winces through gritted teeth as Thane moves him. The blond twitches, his body reconciling the lingering pain, though he remains unconscious.
“All right you cocky son of a bitch, time to go.” Thane squeezes his hands underneath Allister’s body and lifts to hoist him onto his back. Seeing him struggle with his brother’s two-hundred pounds of muscle, Sebastian helps push Allister onto Thane’s shoulders.
“Jesus, this guy is heavy,” Thane laments.
“Maybe you should hit the gym more,” Siha chimes. Thane shoots her a flustered glare as he finds his balance and begins to move forward. She and Madison share a muffled chuckle behind his back.
“I heard that!” he gripes.
The brunette waves Sebastian and Riya to join. “Come on, you two.” Both hesitate with stunned, ambivalent stares before following.
Down the hill, Orion leans against her forest green Elantra. She taps her foot, awaiting her friends’ return, and calls out with an excited holler as soon as she spots them. Madison notices Sebastian and Riya exchanging looks of confusion and whispering concerns about the eclectic nature of their crew. To his surprise, a smile crests his lips as he watches them. Despite the traumatic events that have unfolded, he feels a small peace growing at the realization that their little circle has just expanded.
~ FIFTEEN ~
Olivia
Qiu gawks with her face planted against the window as the Queen City’s towering skyscrapers emerge from behind Kentucky’s hills. Leaving the Bluegrass state behind, Olivia drives north over the Ohio River on a two-story bridge, enjoying the sight of the eager child soaking in the skyline. Saturday morning traffic congests the roads, but to Olivia’s gratitude, the spring morning is mercifully warm as if nature herself has grown weary from winter’s reign of death. She veers northeast and exits the highway, passing blocks of office buildings and historic remnants. Cincinnati is not unlike other metropolises she’s visited. After years of chasing leads, compiling research, and sleeping in roadside motels, the cities and their peoples have started to blend together.
The two head into a district on the fringe of downtown, a neighborhood in the midst of an urban revival. Trendy, locally-owned restaurants and novelty shops line the streets. Vivid murals decorate a few of the buildings’ brick walls.
Qiu is already restless in her seat, undoing her seatbelt before Olivia even parks the car. Passersby saunter down the sidewalk towards the clamor of some nearby event.
“Where are we?” Qiu asks.
“Cincinnati. There’s a farmer’s market near here, and we need to pick up some food.”
They exit the vehicle. Olivia pauses to stretch, arching her back with arms in the air. Qiu surveys the area before wandering to Olivia’s side.
“You sure are trusting. How did you ever survive this long?”
Qiu groans. “I told you, I’m protected. Why don’t you believe me?”
Olivia eyes her, skeptical. “You haven’t exactly been forthcoming about the details.”
“I’m still thinking about it.”
The woman sighs, relenting to the child’s stubborn resolve. It would seem Qiu has concerns far beyond the foster system. Strangely, the girl carries herself with a cool confidence, as if she’ll get where she needs to go with or without assistance.
Olivia offers her hand, but the proud
child waltzes by it. Chuckling, the woman follows.
The farmer’s market bustles with newcomers and locals alike. It extends from an indoor, flea market-style plaza through to the outside parking lot. Spices, meats, fruits, vegetables, and baked goods are all out on display. The tantalizing smell of pecan pie brings Olivia to her toes. She bites her tongue to resist the temptation.
Qiu pauses at the entrance, gaping with an open mouth as if she’s found the Promised Land. She waddles to a nearby dessert eatery and faceplants into the glass of the ice cream display. With pleading, puppy-dog eyes, she looks to Olivia for salvation.
“No. You’ve had four months of junk food. We’re getting celery.”
Qiu breaks out the quivering bottom lip.
Her tone firms. “I said no.”
The poor child is crushed. She hangs her head, defeated.
Outside, an array of fruits and vegetables has been set out on display. Olivia grabs a bag and carefully chooses her finds. She picks a few apples, a stalk of celery, a bushel of carrots. As she peruses the assortment, she looks back at the curious Qiu. The child holds an apple in her hand and gazes at it as if it were a precious artifact. Perplexed, Olivia approaches but stops in her tracks when she notices the fruit rotting. Mold spots cover the apple in seconds while the skin turns brown and shrivels. It collapses in on itself, transforming into a crumbled, fuzzy ball of black fungus.
Qiu continues to stare at the fruit, observing the phenomena with cold, academic interest. Olivia steps towards the girl, cautious in her movement. Looking to her caregiver, a milky white color has replaced the green-brown mix of Qiu’s irises. Head tiled, the girl watches Olivia with stoic neutrality.
Tentative, the woman looks around, checking to make sure others won’t be drawn into this bizarre development. No one seems to notice the strangeness unraveling just a few feet away from their carefree conversations.