Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane 6 стр.

Terrible headed for the stand of trees just outside the fence. She watched him tear a new hole in the chain links and slip through it. Odd how such a big man managed to move so stealthily, but then in his line of work hed need it. She wasnt the only person whod ever been surprised to find him standing right in front of her, just the only one for whom the experience ended without broken bones.

Terrible headed for the stand of trees just outside the fence. She watched him tear a new hole in the chain links and slip through it. Odd how such a big man managed to move so stealthily, but then in his line of work hed need it. She wasnt the only person whod ever been surprised to find him standing right in front of her, just the only one for whom the experience ended without broken bones.

Meanwhile she kept the light focused on the piece of gold, afraid that if she looked away it would change into something else or disappear. Some people might think such a thing impossible, but she knew better. With magic almost anything was possible; all objects had energy, and energy could be manipulated.

Funny how much cleaner the air tasted out here, only fifteen miles or so from Downside but away from the constant fires, the crowds, and the slaughter house. Even with the faint garbage odor wafting under her nose whenever the wind changed, it felt more like country than city, and she couldnt remember the last time shed been out of the city on her free time. For that matter she couldnt remember the last time shed been out of her apartment on her free time, save to buy food or score. What was the point?

The chain links jingled. Terrible headed back through the hole in the fence, his body a shadow that didnt appear to move but moved just the same.

Better tools existed to do the job, but the stick would have to work. Her body ached from trying to keep still and balanced as she leaned out over the circle, using the tip of the broken branch to ease the medallion closer.

It wasnt working. Maybe if she put one foot in the circle, kept the other outside, she could get better leverage.

Probably not a good idea. Her heart, already beating rapid time from the speed, gave a sick little lurch at the idea. But she had to have that piece of metal. Had to. It wanted her to have it, and she wanted it.

She lifted her foot and planted it inside the circle, as far forward as she could.

Pain swallowed her leg, sinking in with teeth like thorns. She screamed and dropped to the ground, heedless of where she fell, tumbling headfirst into the remains of the circle.

Black. It was all black in there, and so cold, so cold her bones felt brittle, so cold she could barely remember what heat had felt like. Voices echoed around her like shouts down a wind tunnel, they were saying terrible things, they were laughing about death and horror and something in front of her had giant black eyes like hunks of obsidian set in its bony face and teeth dripping with reddish saliva

Strength leeched from her body to pour into the dirt. She felt a hole opening beneath her, like the earth was becoming thinner somehow, and as it did the voice grew louder. Not taunting now. Cajoling, promising. For the second time in one night the dead called her, but this was seductive, not violent. If she let go she could have anything she wanted. If she gave up they would take care of her, they would erase all the bad memories and the pain and leave her light and free, filled with air.

She saw Terrible, his lips moving, but no sound reached her. All she heard were the whispers, words she didnt recognize but understood. She opened her mouth to scream, but instead of her voice what came out was shiny and red, a satin ribbon of air curling into the thick darkness around her. She could give in and it would all be over. All the pain, the misery, all of the memories, gone. What shed been trying to achieve over the years with pills and powders and hard knobs of Dream, she could have it now, she could cease to exist and find the oblivion she couldnt find in life.

She reached for it. Her fingers closed around something cold and hard, something that cut into her palm with its sharp fierce edge.

Fire shot up her arm. Her blood had activated the metal, fed it, whatever it had done, but the cold blackness turned to heat, unbearable blue-white heat.

Through the haze of agony she felt hands circle her ankles and tug. Shed started to let go of the coin, but now she grabbed it again, squeezing harder, the pain a blessing that kept her conscious in the seconds before Terrible yanked her out of the circle.

Her vision returned in a rush, going from nothing to a confused series of images that failed to imprint themselves on her brain. Terrible hoisted her up over his shoulder and ran across the field while her hand burned and her stomach protested. A sharp piece of chain link scratched her cheek when he dove through the hole in the fence; she almost fell as he wrenched the car door open and practically threw her into it.

Music blared and gravel spewed behind them as he tore out of the parking lot. Chess looked down into her clenched fist. Blood dripped through her fingers onto her black jeans, soaking through them. In her hand was a copper amulet.

Chapter Five

Her skin crawled just touching the thing, but she wanted to try and see if she could make out anything of the complex pattern around the edge. Runes, maybe? They werent supposed to memorize the runespart of their power lay in the concentration it took to copy thembut it was impossible not to recall some of them, and a few of these symbols were familiar. The rest could have been invented, placeholders to confuse the curious or those unlucky enough to stumble across the copper piece, but somehow she didnt think so. The amulet was too powerful for that, and there were many magical alphabets Church employees were forbidden to learn.

Edsel might know, but she couldnt go to him until Sunday. Tomorrow was Saturday, Holy Day, and shed need to be at Church for most of it.

She tucked the coin in her black box on the bookcase and said a few words of power, hoping it would be enough. Usually magics edge of unpredictability fascinated her, but it didnt seem so much fun when it came to items like these. Who knew what energies might be manifesting in the amulet, how they might affect her and her home?

Okay, she said, turning. Has it stopped bleeding?

Aye, looks like it. Terrible peeled the thin towel away from the wound on his arm and inspected it. I be right, Chess. Aint you worry.

Let me see. The bleeding had stopped, but the gouge in his skin from where the fence had caught him, too, looked deep and ugly. Hed saved her life. The least she owed him was some antiseptic.

An almost-full bottle of it rested in her bathroom cabinet. The sharp medicinal scent stung her nose as she soaked a clean cloth with it and pressed it against his wound. His arm twitched but did not move as she finished cleaning it and put a fresh pad over it, taping it into place.

Sorry about the pain.

He shrugged. Had much worse.

Which reminded her. She crossed back into her small, dingy kitchen and grabbed a fresh bottle of water from the fridge, then another for Terrible.

Awkward silence descended as they sat and sipped their water.

But what was she supposed to talk about with him? She barely knew him. Nobody really knew him. Nobody really wanted to. Better to run when they saw him coming.

He cleared his throat, gulped his water, cleared his throat. Nice place.

Thanks. It wasnt, really. It was bare, and plain, and dull, except for the enormous stained-glass window taking up one entire wall. But if shed been forced to spend most of her time in the gynecological horror chamber that was Bumps place, she probably would have thought it was nice, too.

He cleared his throat, gulped his water, cleared his throat. Nice place.

Thanks. It wasnt, really. It was bare, and plain, and dull, except for the enormous stained-glass window taking up one entire wall. But if shed been forced to spend most of her time in the gynecological horror chamber that was Bumps place, she probably would have thought it was nice, too.

So what you think, Chess? You think Chester haunted?

She shook her head. I dont know. Id like to look at it during the day.

On the morrow?

I have church. Saturday.

Right. You not there they miss you, aye?

Yeah.

He nodded slowly and got up, taking his water with him. I talk to Bump, give him what happened. Come to his place on the early. Hell front you.

Thanks.

Sleep was out of the question when he left. Looked like shed be pulling an all-nighter whether she wanted to or not. She shrugged and started chopping out another line. Might as well enjoy herself, watch some movies, dye her hairher reddish roots were starting to show under the blackbefore Church in the morning.

Normally she arrived at church before the Reckonings started, in order to avoid having to watch. This morning shed been busy organizing her CDs, so citizens with bags of ripe fruit and sticks greeted her when she finally stepped onto Church property at five to nine.

They werent looking at her. They barely even noticed her, but she still felt exposed, as if they were all watching her from the corners of their eyes, waiting for her to turn her back so they could curse her and beat her. It was hard to remember sometimes that they wouldnt, that that part of her life had ended the day she entered the Church training program.

Two Minor Elders led the first Penitent into the square, a large man with a heavy beard. His bare, dusty feet shuffled across the pavement toward the stocks, but the look on his face belied his bodys reluctance. He couldnt wait to be abused, couldnt wait to be cleansed by filth. Easy answers made everyone happy. Idly she wondered what hed done. Broken an oath, told a lie? An information crime, perhaps? He didnt wear the gloves of a thief, so she guessed his infraction was a moral one; adultery, or lying, perhaps.