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Ten - Part 1

Page 13

by Sin Ribbon


  “She’s fine, though I assume you knew that. Just needs some time.”

  The brunette smiles. “I’m glad.”

  Silence. He’s at a loss for what else she could want.

  Sensing his reluctance, she instigates. “Can we talk?”

  He shrugs and continues down the stairs. “Shoot.”

  “I know all this is a lot to process.” She exhales, exasperated. “But can you try to be nicer?”

  He slacks his jaw with a sarcastic chuckle. “Mm, right, and is Allister getting this inspirational speech as well?”

  The brunette steps forward. “Look, it’s going to take more than sheer will to stop the Fates. I can’t emphasize enough that standing against them requires all of us working together.”

  Deadpan, Thane spins on his heels to head back up to the rooftop.

  She groans. “Remind me how it worked out the last time you refused to listen.”

  He halts and turns around, propping himself on the railing. “Fair enough. You have my attention.”

  “Thane, any shred of doubt or fear will only make it easier for them to take hold of you or Allister or Orion. You’re the strongest person here, and they need your support.”

  He tilts his head, skeptical. “And what exactly makes me so valuable?”

  She takes a deep breath as if to summon her resolve. “You know why. Few have endured the kind of trauma you’ve faced.”

  His grip tightens on the railing, expression withering. “You just know everything, don’t you?” He bites his tongue to suppress the scathing words boiling to the surface.

  She maintains a brave front, refusing to shy away from whatever emotional response may be set upon her. “Everyone here is suffering, Thane, but you know how to lead others through that fire.”

  He scoffs, averting his gaze. “If you’re aware of my past, then you know that’s not true. I failed. There’s not much comfort I can offer anyone.”

  “You do help. More than you know. Orion wouldn’t be the same without you ... and neither would I.”

  He huffs as he descends the stairs, approaching the door. “Stop talking like we’re old friends. It’s creepy.”

  Her tone firms. “I can’t stop knowing what I do. You think this is a lot for you? It’s a lot for them! And you know better than most that life will hit you with obstacles you couldn’t possibly prepare for!” She steps between him and the exit, determination unflinching. “You understand how terrified they are. You’ve kept going all this time because some part of you still believes.” Siha reaches for his forearm, fingers gracing his skin with a gentle touch. “They need that hope.”

  An exhale softens his demeanor. “I’ll work on it.” He pulls away and steps around her. She doesn’t follow, and the heavy door closes with a loud clank behind him.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  As he steps back into the apartment, a row of youthful eyes darts to his presence. Sebastian, Riya, Madison, and Sirius sit shoulder-to-shoulder on the couch while a British baking show streams on the TV.

  Thane glares at the pup. “Down!”

  Shrinking his ears back, Sirius jumps off the couch and curls up at the kids’ feet.

  The trio gape at Thane, hesitant to pry.

  He offers tepid optimism. “Everything’s fine ... By the way, that’s a pull-out sofa, and Orion has an air mattress in her room. Just check with her when she comes down.” The three of them nod tentatively.

  As he waltzes through the living room, a feeling strikes him. He pauses at the bookshelf. Ernest Hemingway, Stephen Hawking, Asimov’s Guide to the Bible, and next to that, a worn, black, leather spine with faded gold lettering: Holy Bible. He scratches over the leather, savoring its texture, before pulling the book off the shelf.

  Thane flips through the pages, many of them dog-eared and frayed from overuse, and stops at the twenty-third chapter in Psalms. He lingers on verse four.

  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

  He shuts his eyes for a moment, meditating on the words, before placing the book back on the shelf.

  “Thanks, mom.”

  Returning to his bedroom, he flops onto the bed, relinquishing himself to the image of Andromeda’s beauty.

  ~ TWENTY-TWO ~

  Riya

  The air is wet, heavy. It smothers and constricts her chest. She senses that she’s being watched but sees no one in the expansive limbo. A vaporous fog cascades across the landscape, creating an ethereal scene beyond the confines of day or night. Emptiness. A hot slab of earth and no discernible source of light.

  The fog billows up, enticing her forward in swirling waves. Each tendril seems to curl into a beckoning hand.

  She follows.

  As she walks, she hears the damp patter of her feet grazing the surface. A quick glance downward reveals that she’s walking on water. Each footstep births a new series of ripples along this dark sea of possibility.

  In the distance, she glimpses shadows dancing out of view—unknown people running parallel to her path several yards away. Their silhouettes flicker through the fog, disappearing before she can get a proper look. To her left, one figure, then two running side by side, then nothing. On her right, a short figure skipping alongside a tall one. Never more than four. She darts to the echoes of their footsteps as they appear and vanish, their presence teasing her peripheral vision.

  Then the sounds cease, and the atmosphere returns to silence. Ahead, the fog parts to reveal a clearing. She once again sees four shadows, but as she approaches, their forms seem dissimilar from the previous fragments. Standing with their heads down and eyes closed are Sebastian, Madison, and two others she doesn’t recognize—a woman and man, both older. The woman has pear-shaped curves and the weathered face of a survivor. She stands shorter than Riya, East Asian with shoulder-length, black hair. The man is tall, six feet at least. He has rich, umber skin; a buzzed head; cropped beard; and a honed physique despite a few age lines. He wears introspective glasses and exudes a resolute nature even while asleep.

  Riya reaches out to touch one of them, but the abrupt sound of shriveled breathing catches her attention. She whirls to find Allister standing behind her, his broad shoulders looming in a tar-drenched silhouette. He stands some twelve feet away, his outline obscured by an armor of dripping darkness. Even still, his eyes remain discernible—glistening, black orbs that churn with furious intensity.

  Though he keeps his distance, she feels his presence bearing down on her, choking her body with terror. A vast, primal knowledge of time and space pours into her mind, thoughts from the abyss itself. While it may wear Allister’s flesh, this thing before her is not him; it is beyond the reaches of human comprehension.

  The shadow opens its mouth, and the same black cloud she saw in the park wafts into the space. Tendrils twist outward from within the beast, reaching for her. She clutches her head and collapses to her knees as the plague of darkness surrounds her. Howls of agony are stolen from her lungs, his aura crushing her mind until awareness fades.

  All that remains is oblivion.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  Riya stares at the ceiling of Orion’s room as beads of sweat pour down the side of her face. She heaves in massive breaths, eyes frozen open. A ceiling fan rotates in steady cycles above. The only source of light emits from the streetlights outside, painting the bedroom walls with thin slits through the blinds. The world outside has fallen dead silent.

  She sits up and checks her phone: 2:23 a.m. Orion slumbers next to her with a drooling, open mouth. A peaceful Madison sleeps on the air mattress bedside the bed.

  Riya rubs her temples for reprieve, only to jerk when she hears floorboards creaking in the living room. Cautious, she slides her feet from beneath the covers onto the floor. Angling herself around the air mattress, she creeps towards the door.

  The sudden pierce of Sirius’ barking nearly sends her out of her skin, but the dog’s woofs are quickly followed by yelping, then
silence. She grips the door handle, terror washing over her as the image of Allister’s coal-black eyes returns to her mind. Their consuming nature is not easily forgotten. With a courageous breath, she cracks open Orion’s bedroom door and peers into the living room.

  Nothing, though it’s difficult to see through the near pitch darkness. She wiggles through the narrow opening and peeks around the corner to get a proper view of the living room. A figure lies on the sofa bed, limbs sprawled in all directions, but the second brother remains out of view. She listens. More silence. Then she notices it—the subtle whisper of wind.

  Sliding her feet along the aging wooden floors, she scoots from the hallway into the living room to investigate. It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust, but she spots a trembling Sirius huddled underneath the dining room table. She breathes a sigh of relief, then turns her attention to the corner of the living room. One of the windows has been flung open. The blinds are raised, and hunching over the rim of the window is the ominous figure from her dreams: Allister.

  Tentative, she inches towards him, the pounding of her heart drowning out all else. He grips the windowsill, back spasming as if choking up something from the pit of his belly. As she draws nearer, what she thought was wind builds into a shrill sigh. Then she sees what is writhing out of his mouth—black particles dispersing into the air of the city.

  The dark man stands before her, a hulking mass of plague and death who vomits with raised veins and tendons. Her mind dims, claimed by the telepathic link connecting her to this monster. She fights to regain her thoughts, to remember this shadow is a threat and not the wry, cocky soul who radiates fearlessness.

  Pulling free from his influence, she spins and races towards Orion’s bedroom. The abrupt noise alerts the creature to her presence. He groans with a baleful cry as she flees.

  “Wake up! Wake up! Everyone, wake up!” she screams, skidding into Orion’s room and falling onto the air mattress. “Madison! Wake up!” She shakes the teen whose eyes snap open with bemused alarm.

  “Wha-what’s happening?!” he stammers, not fully conscious.

  Riya yanks the half-asleep youth to his feet. “Orion! Get the fuck out of bed!”

  The redhead moans in response. As she props herself upright, she gasps. Riya whips behind her to find the Allister shadow standing in the doorway.

  She curses under her breath. “Madison! Come on!”

  A black cloud hovers around Allister like a curse. His eyes glimmer in the darkness, paralyzing Riya as the haunting image of her dream flashes into memory.

  Now fully awake, Madison freezes the minute he sees the looming silhouette. Allister reaches towards them, fingers spread wide with hungry desire. The teen quivers, seemingly unable to conjure his power from the shock. In an instant, Orion flies to her feet and moves between Allister and the kids, readying apprehensive fists for an oncoming battle.

  Without warning, Thane slams into Allister and shoves him against the hallway wall. Sebastian rushes to his side, as both men strive to pin the towering Brit back. Sirius joins their ranks and barks in defense.

  “Madison, now!” Thane demands. Allister struggles with ferocity, arms flailing with wild fists until a punch lands squarely on Sebastian’s jaw.

  With trepidation, Madison raises his palm and focuses his energy on the possessed Brit. Thane and Sebastian press against the thrashing Allister with gritted teeth, grunting as they attempt to hold him still.

  Gradually, the elder Brit calms, breaths stabilizing as the shadow recedes into his body. Freed from control, he flops forward in an unconscious heap. Sebastian grabs his legs, and with Thane lifting under his shoulders, they carry Allister to the sofa bed.

  Thane flips the lights on and braces himself against the wall to catch his breath. Riya hurries to Sebastian’s side, inspecting the welt on his chin from where Allister struck him.

  “I’ll get some ice,” Thane murmurs and makes for the refrigerator.

  Madison wobbles into the hallway, still reeling from the experience. Orion places her hands on his shoulders to ease his trembling. A concerned Sirius moves to the redhead’s side, nuzzling her leg with a whine.

  Thane slaps a plastic bag filled with ice into Riya’s hand. As she nurses Sebastian’s bruise, her eyes avert to the troubled teen. She resists the want to be angry but can’t hide the disappointment painted on her face. Ashamed, Madison lowers his head.

  “I’m so sorry. I froze. I’ll do better next time! I promise!” The innocence in his eyes is enough to dissuade Riya from resentment.

  “It’s all right,” Sebastian replies. “Isn’t it, Riya?”

  She nods, still recovering from the trauma of the experience. She hands the young Brit his ice pack and moves to embrace Madison. The teen wraps grateful arms around her, pulling her close.

  Riya whimpers, allowing some of the pain to leave her. “Everyone’s okay. That’s what matters.”

  Orion rubs Madison’s and Riya’s backs, meeting Thane’s gaze as he leans on the support wall that divides the kitchen and living room. He stands with crossed arms and a hard expression.

  “Sebastian, take my bed. I’m going to watch him tonight.” He gestures towards the unconscious Allister.

  Sebastian holds the ice pack to his jaw. “Are you sure, mate?”

  “I’m sure. If anything happens, I’ll wake Madison right away.”

  The teen nods. He takes a breath to bolster his resolve, but his timid demeanor reveals the latent fears still lurking in his mind.

  Thane eyes the group. “Go back to bed, guys.”

  Orion pushes past the kids to give Thane a hug. She then ushers Madison and Riya back into her bedroom. Riya pauses at the doorframe, offering Thane a grateful smile before disappearing into Orion’s room. She hears Sebastian give Thane an encouraging pat on the shoulder and hopes the two are bonding.

  Before long, all has returned to quiet. Riya climbs into bed next to Orion as Madison takes refuge on the air mattress. Remnants of the foreboding atmosphere persist, but nevertheless, everyone attempts to invite rest.

  Riya pulls out her phone to re-read the last message sent from Cassy, “Hope you’re doing well! Miss you! XOXO.” With a sigh, she tucks her mobile away and interlocks her fingers behind her head, losing herself in the spinning fan blades above.

  ~ TWENTY-THREE ~

  Madison

  “The cause of the disease is unknown. Thus far, eight individuals have been hospitalized. While they remain in critical condition, doctors believe they will make a full recovery.”

  Madison sits on the re-folded couch, hypnotized by the television screen. He hunches forward with elbows propped on his knees, nibbling on his knuckle. A dozing Sirius sprawls at his feet.

  “If you’re just joining us, a strange illness has claimed several citizens of Pittsburgh. Last night, nearly a dozen adults collapsed and were taken to Mercy Hospital, all exhibiting symptoms of severe coughing, vomiting, fever, and inflamed throats. Reports are that individuals were coughing up some kind of dark matter. At this time, it’s unclear if this is due to a virus, airborne toxin, or a foodborne illness. While local authorities are investigating, residents are encouraged to stay current with their vaccinations, wash hands thoroughly, and ...”

  The newscaster continues to drone in the background. Madison glances towards Orion who prepares breakfast in the kitchen. The foggy lighting of the overcast morning fills the living room with a dismal grey hue.

  “Still going on, huh?” Riya asks, only half-invested as she texts on her phone from the dining room table.

  “Yeah ...” he replies, voice withered. “It’s hard to believe ... that it was—”

  “It was.” She shoots Madison a firm stare. “I saw it. Who knows how long he was standing there at the window, puking that black cloud onto the city. I’m just glad it doesn’t seem fatal.”

  “Yeah, thank God.”

  Orion clears her throat as she sets out the eggs and bacon. “Let’s change the subject, shall w
e?”

  Riya huffs in agreement then riffles through her pockets. She throws a small wad of cash on the table. “It’s all I’ve got, but figure it can go towards food. Housing four guests can’t be cheap.”

  The redhead smiles, touched by the gesture of gratitude. “I appreciate it. We have some savings, but don’t worry too much. We’ll figure it out.” She stuffs the money into her pocket. “As long as you’re here, you’re taken care of.” She winks.

  Madison slumps between his shoulders. He has nothing to offer other than his mystic ability, and despite its usefulness, a growing sense of guilt churns his stomach. Reluctant, he drags himself into the kitchen to eat. Tired from the stressful night, Sirius remains by the couch.

  Sebastian emerges from Thane’s room with a purple welt on his face. Riya moves to inspect it before taking her seat.

  “How are you feeling?” Madison asks.

  “I’ve been better.” The young Brit touches his chin. “Allister packs a punch, but I think the swelling’s gone down. How is he anyway?”

  “Sleeping in my room,” Orion replies. “We moved him there this morning.”

  “He still hasn’t woken up?” Within seconds, Sebastian is at the redhead’s door, peeking into her bedroom. Madison hears a sigh of relief followed by a closing door. The Brit meanders into the kitchen and pulls up a chair, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, he’s still breathing at least. Where’s Thane?”

  Orion fixes herself a plate and starts munching. “Out.”

  Madison, Riya, and Sebastian exchange a curious look, but none dare to probe. They each help themselves to breakfast.

  As he does, the teen eyes Orion. “What about Siha?”

  The redhead shrugs. “Beats me. I think she left last night.”

  A stifling discomfort congests the air as they each focus on their meals in silence. Madison pokes at his eggs, replaying the previous night. He studies his delay in action, the gripping fear that resulted in Sebastian’s bruised face.

 

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