tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25721448507668970502024-02-08T07:41:14.128-08:00Blinding BlackRajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-54292335814867798292018-11-22T11:21:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:27.610-08:00Chapter Twenty-Seven<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise sat in the
blue Vauxhall, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, glancing every other
minute at her mobile phone, expecting it to ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A police car had passed by and her heart nearly
leapt into her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about the dead man lying in
the corridor of her flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything was
different now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn’t take it
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wouldn’t lose Celia because of
it, because of this madness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was
all she had now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was her world
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could never let it go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if there was no real love there was
friendship, companionship…and now that would have to suffice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In time she would make Celia love her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would force her to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d be the whore, the mistress, and
anything else that Celia wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d
dedicate her life to satisfying Celia’s desires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What else was there to do now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise slung the duffel bag across her
shoulder and stepped from the car, closing the door and walking away, pointing
the alarm-key. The Vauxhall bleeped and locked itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hurried across the street, to the glass
doors of Hades House Publishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
tugged at them but they were locked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
glanced at the intercom and saw a tiny camera watching her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed the buzzer and waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held her thumb to the button and it began
to buzz continuously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hang on,” came a man’s voice, slightly
strained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took her thumb away. The
glass doors buzzed and clicked open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise ventured inside and went to the
elevator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the carriage she kneeled, dropped the
bag, removed the gun, and slung the bag back across her shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was scared, although not as scared as she
should’ve been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weapon was
comforting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She clicked off the
safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doors opened and she stepped
cautiously into the well-lit hall, sweeping the gun like she had seen cops do
in the movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mouth felt dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hall was empty but there were spots of
blood on the polished floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something
had gone wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only one explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise glanced left and right, unsure
which way to tread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instinctively, she
went right and began walking quietly down the hall, gun aimed, held tightly
with both hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She strained her ears
for sounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard nothing but the
silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She half expected to see the
young twins she had witnessed at Litchfield, but she blanked it from her
mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a man that was the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia,” she called out tentatively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia…where are you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus Christ, Cee, where are you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And then a doorknob rattled faintly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise spun to face it, gun aimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She swallowed and took a step towards it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Baby girl, you in there?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring
at the doorknob, she slowly lowered the gun, inching carefully forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed her free hand against the
smooth wood and put her ear to the door, listening for wounded sounds on the
other side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something was driven clean through the
door and into her shoulder, piercing her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Like a lance of white hot steel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her mind seemed to implode and she tried to cry out in the worst agony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The release didn’t come and she gagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a vortex of flame spinning in her
shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tried to cry out again,
eyes bulging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her voice lodged in her
chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise began to spasm, gun
slipping from her hand, bag slipping from her shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was impaled, pinned to the office
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Images in her mind came too quick
to process, each one tumbling over the other and bleeding together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her voice dislodged itself and she let out a
guttural scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Agony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Horror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hands shot up and gripped the thing in
the inch between herself and the door – the coldness of a blade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh
Christ…</i>!” she managed, each tiny movement sending trails and spirals of
pain through her shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like acid in
her flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the pain she heard
the lock disengage, lolling forward as the door was opened, pinned to the smooth
wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise gasped and gagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone pulled the blade from her shoulder
and back through the door in one clean motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She cried out and collapsed to the floor, just inside the dark office. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She managed to look up and see a man, probably
Paul Drazer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was staring down at her,
grimacing, dressed in a shirt and tie, holding a bloodied hand to the side of
his head, a long dagger in his other hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A dagger smeared with her own blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please…don’t kill me,” she managed to beg
before her mind began to ebb and shift unsteadily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped past Louise and out into the
hallway, closing the door behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The darkness in the room was soon overcome by the darkness that began to
swell in her brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She prayed that
Celia was alive before she blacked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Hiding in her dark
corner, behind the desk, Celia heard Louise calling out to her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was too afraid to run to her baby girl,
knowing that Paulie was out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard
Louise cry out in agony and fear that drove deep into her head, but she still
couldn’t go out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why
is he doing this…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not Paulie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can’t be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It couldn’t be the Paulie she knew, the
Paul Drazer she’d known for six years, the man she dated and very nearly slept with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But of course, it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could think of nothing but the feeling
of the dagger slicing into her flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another sob burst from her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise wasn’t screaming anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fist slammed against the door and she
wailed involuntarily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why are you doing this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paulie…please!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m begging you – don’t do this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whatever</i>
you want!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fists slammed the door again and she saw
shadows in the slip of light beneath it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She couldn’t just cower there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Celia scrambled from her hiding place and pulled open the desk
drawer so hard that it crashed to the floor, scattering pens and papers and
paperclips around her knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh God oh God oh God…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snatched a fountain pen, yanked off the
lid and surged towards the office door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It blasted inwards suddenly, and Celia saw Paulie stumble through,
shoulder first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She leapt at him and he didn’t have time
to orient himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slamming into him,
her forward momentum sent them both back through the door and into the
hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She struck out with both hands
balled into one fist, catching him in the face with the nib of the fountain
pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sliced open his cheek as he
stumbled back against the wall, blinking rapidly, trying to raise the dagger in
his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She struck out again,
screaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time the nib of the pen
caught him deep across his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sliced open his throat in a thin red
smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia heaved herself backwards against the
opposite wall, hands still balled in a subconscious attack posture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer stared at her, the dagger
slipping from his hand and clattering on the hallway floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened his mouth, trying to speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His knees buckled and he fell suddenly,
gagging on his blood, hands pressed desperately to his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He made wet sucking sounds, writhing and then
shuddering, then twitching, then finally, stillness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia let herself slide against the wall
to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her fists were shaking,
like they had a life of their own. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
stomach felt empty and burning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where…” she murmured, “Where…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked again at Paul Drazer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pool of crimson was collecting on the floor
around his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to wretch
but didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking down at her hands,
she realised she was still holding the bloodied fountain pen in a tightly
clenched fist. She dropped it and screamed, “Lou…!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou, where are you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Louise</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Against the wall she struggled to her feet
and began to run, haphazard, down the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She rounded the corner and stopped, falling to her knees again in defeat
at what she saw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was standing there in the hallway,
without eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Empty black sockets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia slammed her fists uselessly on the
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, it’s not fair…it’s not
fucking fair...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was never going to
end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“None of this is fair,” Mr Finn said, “To
any of us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia began to laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A vacant, shaking laughter that seemed to
rise up from somewhere deep inside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“No,” she muttered, tears rolling down her blood smeared cheek, “No, no,
no.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed again, her face
shifting from sobs to grins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed
her hands to the sides of her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From a side office stepped the tall, bald
black woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth Renn; clad in a
long indigo gown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No eyes either, just dark
sockets in her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia doubled over
on her knees, pressing her forehead to the polished floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is it the end of the world…?” Celia asked
softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…not yet,” she heard the woman
say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Soon enough, but not yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll have to wait for that, for the War of
Miracles, when your mind is opened and the Elders flood through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The true serpents.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia looked up from the floor, so tired,
wanting nothing more than to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
black woman was holding a gun, casually, in her left hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She weighed it in her palm like it was an
alien thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is an ingenious device, designed for
the sole purpose of taking life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
remember these machines.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced
then at Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Namahey, do you
remember these machines?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lillibeth returned her amused gaze to Celia, who stared up
pitifully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The black woman extended a
hand and Celia took it, pulled to her feet like tightly-spun static gripping
her forearm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth pushed her to the
wall and stroked her face, brushed aside the edge of her jacket and cupped her
breasts through her shirt, peering without eyes to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t resist it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I remember this body…I remember this
flesh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The black woman leaned forward and kissed
Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like falling through
sweet, dark smoke. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hands reached
down, one holding a hip, the other pushing itself between Celia’s thighs,
rubbing at the crotch of her jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia didn’t resist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I remember <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was very
important to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes and listened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We were watching what you did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A savage display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember it being at all like
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need your brutality, don’t
you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a journey unless you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Come…</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For me it was slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hungered
too, but my Celia was played less forcefully than yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t it strange how we can be the same and
yet different?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You take this role more
seriously than I did, I’m sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
then…who’s to say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way I remember
it…my beautiful Louise was so hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
put a gun to her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never forgot
her, but I was angry that she’d moved on…and that I was too afraid to follow
suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was my baby girl and I thought
I’d lost her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But death is an open
circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death is just a door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we’re united forever and we take any form
we choose, without morality, without the confusions of flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fuck Namahey’s mind, his spirit, his
soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His very heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t sup at his cunt anymore…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An image came to Celia, cold like
ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring at a reflection through
silver water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth nodded, up
close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The dead moon, Miss Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I was never so vain.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were,” said Mr Finn from behind
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Perhaps.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia understood, recognising herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She exhaled, long and deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt darkness inside, deep and blinding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now you sense the edges of enlightenment,
yes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared at the bald black woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The white crosses for eyes…where are they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always loved the white crosses…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth glanced at Mr Finn, half-smiling
as if sharing a private joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Our sight
was taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the war that is to come,
your sight will be taken also.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And after
your physical death…you will be forced to see through the eyes of another.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn stepped forward and Lillibeth took
his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia,” Finn said quietly, “I love
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond the physical world you’ll learn how
much Louise loves you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our private myth…and later, after many quests
and wars, when you have seen many worlds – it will become your myth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where’s Louise…?” Celia asked vacantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth raised the gun in her hand,
glancing again at Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need to do
this, Namahey. Celia needs to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The proving of love.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went to
Celia again, leaning forward, whispering in her ear: “Take away the fire, the
dust…and what is left?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told you I
would kill her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re a murderer, Miss
Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…” Celia murmured, with what remained
of her strength, “No, please…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth turned and began walking down
the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watched her go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn watched Celia’s desperation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t let you leave me,” he told her
quietly, “I can’t, baby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice came
to see me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put her in a box but she
got out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says I don’t love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That if I did I would set you free…but you’re
all I have.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head, disbelieving, trying
to deny the truth that was dawning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou…?” she whispered, staring lazily at
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn stared back with empty black
sockets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breathe smoke forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Burn the world and save what can be
saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This snake-suit protects me from
harm, this demon lie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blood allows
me to create these worlds for you, baby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to understand…I’m
not really a monster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I crave the
freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both do, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t escape our hearts desires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t outrun the workings of the
soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if…even if we don’t have the
words.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou…?” Celia murmured again, her heart as
cold as death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Baby girl,” he replied quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia turned and ran, stumbling back down
the hallway after Lillibeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An office
door stood wide open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stopped in
front of it, her mind filled with sweet, dark smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was lying unconscious on the
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth was standing over her, the gun
aimed at her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Please,</i>”
Celia begged, spreading her palms wide, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Please…I
don’t want this to happen…I don’t…I won’t be able to live without her…Don’t do
this…</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth turned to Celia, cocking the
hammer of the gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You will – you’ll be
able to live without her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re a murderer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia dropped to her knees in the office
doorway, face twisted into a ravaged grimace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pressed her hands together, slowly, as if in prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Please,
Lillibeth, I’ll do anything</i>!<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gun aimed, Lillibeth said softly, “Define
Love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don’t
do this to me</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To you?” asked Lillibeth, “Or to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise began to stir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her head turned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She opened her eyes and saw Celia kneeled in
the doorway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But Lillibeth pulled the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A pulse of darkest red across the office floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise; eyes wide, still smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia screamed and screamed and screamed…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Take
it back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take it back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turn back the Clock and love her like she
deserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hold her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make her laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do as she demands, do everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bite her shoulder gently and tickle her until
she goes crazy, until she is content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Kiss her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kiss her whenever she
seems sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love her like she
deserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to her for release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take it back, take it back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Take it back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Home again, the
same night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cathedral was bathed in
a blue half-light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the altar they
were naked, Lillibeth resting her head on the shoulder of her beloved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey was singing to her, whispering things
from their native dream and other things that Lillibeth had yet to
remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled as she was held by
him, trusting, knowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Finally</i> knowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little ghost had vanished, disappearing
somewhere between here and there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
hardly mattered now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would devour
Namahey when the time was right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
longing in him would be sated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
the only gift that meant anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
only gift she could give him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about Celia; her fear, her
pain and hatred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth Renn
understood Celia’s love now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grasped
why she had done the things she had done, why she once shunned her baby girl
the way she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey squeezed her
shoulder, hearing her thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey Finn felt for the princess, for
Angel Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The things she would seek
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The revelations that she did not
believe could find her, but would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
illumination she would one day hold in the palm of her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She thought he cursed her that day…but he had given her a gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were things that Lillibeth still did
not understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was tainted, but
she would seek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would find it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And perhaps she would birth a new myth; a new
returning, a new Lillibeth and Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Was that too lush a promise?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Circles were never really circles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were something beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled somewhat hopefully to himself, and
held his beloved tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They had let her
walk out of there, parting for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
let her stumble, sobbing, into the outer darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was kneeled in the courtyard behind
Corpus Christi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was deep into the
night now, near dawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had wept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had wailed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had screamed at the useless moon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her body had been wracked with
convulsions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A black duffel bag was slung across her
shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was so tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to sleep, just for a while, to escape
this shock and numbness, slipping into something deep, dreamless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She would sleep on the plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
glanced up at the dark sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be dawn
soon, another November day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
can’t let you leave me…we leave tonight and never come back…</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew undoubtedly what her baby girl
would have wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would have wanted
her to go on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To fight; stubborn like
she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia thought she’d cried all
her tears tonight, but more of them began to roll down her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at the stone cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey, mum…I don’t have much time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Came to say goodbye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m…leaving
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll try to remember.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She climbed to her feet and hurried
through the courtyard, to her car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she drove she cried again, silently this
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her file from the Iris Medical
Institute was open on the passenger seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Angel Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at the
fake passport in her hand; a photo of herself with the name ‘Lilly
Geller’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The name didn’t turn her
cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t as afraid as she might
have been, too numb to feel terror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
fiercely wiped the tears from her cheek and pressed a little harder on the
accelerator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would take it all back if
she could…but she couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her broken body lay on the floor of Hades
House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would she never get to hold her again?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would find a way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would seek it out, move heaven and dream
and earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia burst into tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t know what was coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baby
girl…my sleeping beauty.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she
stared at the road ahead, she saw that a fine shimmer of snow was beginning to
fall from the dark sky – the first snow of the winter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> ************************<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-70381589466691623852018-11-22T11:12:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:27.632-08:00Chapter Twenty-Six<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She was searching,
seeking, but there was no meaning in this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeking truth meant discovering madness, chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there was a divine world beyond what she
could see, then it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a world of
chaos, in which there was no use for compassion or an understanding of human
suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia wanted to bear her frailty
with pride to that world, and to Louise, but she knew it would crush her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How was she any different from the women that
came before her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice Gray, the women
before that, all the way back to the first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eve; tempted by a fucking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">apple</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed and closed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she thought about any of it; her
life, her failings, she was overcome with anger, overcome with hatred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These demons, or whatever they were, they
wanted to take away any hope she might dig up from the cold, bitter ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wanted to ruin her completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And wasn’t that what she herself wanted?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be damned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be enlightened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be anything
but what she was; weak and afraid, hurting like a scared, confused child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why seek, why search?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no answers to be found, especially
when she could barely define the questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Was it easier for other people, or were they just better at hiding from
themselves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps they were cruel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps cruelty was the only salvation, the
only truth to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She saw it on
the news every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She saw it in her
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt it in her mind and she
wanted to know it in her heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from death, it was the only
protection she could think of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Complete
isolation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sacrificed to darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia would do that if she could; give
herself willingly to the demons, to the hatred, but only if there was no more pain,
never any confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she would
waltz through what came like a stage-play, and treat it all as it really was –
an illusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just
take this away from me…and I’ll be whatever you want me to be.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about Ryan, wondering if he
was dead or alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had those things
eaten him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed, sitting in the
driver seat of her black Ford, staring through the windscreen up at the dark
facade of Hades House Publishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
glanced at her watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>7: 04.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could only see two office lights glowing
in the windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul had said to meet at
Eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wondered what she would learn
from him, if he was still alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about Ben Foster and the Iris
Medical Institute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angel Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d trusted Ben completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved him, the way he brought her out of
herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And all the time he’d been the
one behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could she trust when
life gave her examples like that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
could she trust anyone, even Louise?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
ghost chasing ghosts…you’re disgusting…and you know it.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia opened the driver-side window and
lit another cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reached into
the bag and felt the cold steel of the gun again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She should blow her brains all over the upholstery
and end this nonsense – a click of the trigger, nothing more or less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Better
the devil you know, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She
laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mobile phone rang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She answered it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s me…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a tremor in Louise’s voice that Celia didn’t recognise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry, Lou.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re sorry…of course you’re sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia inhaled sharply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you want me to say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced up at the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m outside Hades House Publishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m meeting Paul in an hour. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not backing down on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was silence on the line, then, “I’m
coming to meet you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be there in
half an hour…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I need to do this on my own.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No change there then, Cee.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, I don’t want to get you killed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m coming to meet you…I don’t care what
you need right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afterwards we’re
getting on a plane to Paris.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What the hell are you talking about…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not safe for you here and you know
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not safe for me either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You said they wanted to kill me because of
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise sounded different and Celia felt a
stab of panic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What’s happened,
Lou?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell me what’s going on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not
over the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you love me, baby
girl?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia swallowed and tossed the cigarette
from the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tell me what
happened.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you love me, baby girl?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So you’ve found the words…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt tears in her eyes but she
forced them back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t need words.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment there was silence on the
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll meet you in half an
hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can prove it to me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise hung up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia snapped the phone shut and pressed
it to her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something bad had
happened. She could feel it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the Silent Gallery,
Lillibeth was clothed in a long indigo gown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wore it for Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indigo
had always been his favourite colour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She stood re-lighting the candles, thinking about her visit from the little
ghost that found a way to escape her box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice tried to frighten her, tried to make
her doubt what she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pathetic
attempt to break the circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Circles
couldn’t be broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice knew this and
still she would try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did the little
ghost think she could touch her with a mother’s hands, with a mother’s
love?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had been trapped in her box
for too long, fantasising about returning her once daughter to creative light,
dreaming of her masterstroke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the shadows beyond the candlelight,
Namahey stepped onto the Gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She
came to me, Lillibeth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned and regarded him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was dressed now in his favourite black
suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She came to me too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey went and stepped out onto the
portico, overlooking the hall. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth
sensed frustration in him, and anger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Very rarely was he angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We sealed
her box tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And still she got out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They always do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No ritual can hold a soul forever, you know
that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned and looked at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s the prayer ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They whisper sweet nothings in the little
ghost’s ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hitches rides on their
butterfly wings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much for
supplication.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It doesn’t matter,” Lillibeth told
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Butterflies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A childlike thing, poorly conceived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we meant to see innocence there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beauty?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unconditional love?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prayer
ones know they fight a losing battle, Namahey…that’s why they’re forced to take
such obvious forms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their self-styled
‘purity’ means that they lack the depth or darkness for genuine imagination.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grinned and laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Their images mean nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re weak and ineffectual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A butterfly can be crushed in the palm of a
hand, do that to a snake and it will bite the same hand.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey stared with his blank dolls eyes,
thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But each revolution of the
circle is different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our myth is always
threatened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot be killed, that
much is true, but we can be buried, burned, or frozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what concerns me now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can still be lost to ourselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth shrugged in the candlelight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Then we’ll dig our way to the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll let our burns heal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll wait patiently to thaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My memories have returned, mostly, and I
recall that we’ve done such things before.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey went to her and whispered, “I once
doubted your love for me and it broke my bones. It hurt me greatly, but you
were unconcerned.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You hurt me, but I don’t doubt you
anymore, and I will not let my certainty be taken from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I will
not lose you again</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth touched his cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were always a die-hard romantic,
always.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes…and now someone threatens our
romance.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia will not…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, not Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A supplicant…a man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A man who thrives in darkness but aches to be
seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to understand our
myth…and he’s willing to take Celia from us to do it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth closed her dolls eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A supplicant would never defy us like that…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This one has.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took the life of a cleric, the life of Mr
Haven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s impossible,” she almost hissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know,” said her beloved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In his office,
Paul Drazer sat in the leather chair behind his desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d switched off the overhead lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only a single lamp was illuminated, throwing
a small arc of yellow across the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was thinking about Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
lit a cigarette.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once his work was completed he wondered if
the Clock would descend on him like the winged eclipse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hoped so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He wanted to see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not their
monster masks, but their true faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They might glance at what was left of Angel Wine and then tear him
apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would laugh and spit in their
faces as they slaughtered him, welcoming them to Hades House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be very good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he smoked he drummed his fingers on the
desktop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waited silently for her to
come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia had smoked
five cigarettes in a row, sitting in the driver seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She frowned when she saw a blue Vauxhall pull
up behind her car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced again in
the rear-view and realised it was Louise behind the wheel, motioning to her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took her handbag with the gun inside,
climbed from the Ford, locked it and walked to the Vauxhall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled open the door and got in,
glancing at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where did you get
this car…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked vacant, staring wide-eyed at
nothing, a slight patina of sweat on her brow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pulled open a black duffel bag on her lap and removed a clear
zip-lock pouch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was filled with cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took a gun from the bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I loaded it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fuck</i>…what
did you do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stared at her, almost through
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t let you leave me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell have you done?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“At the flat…someone came, David, your one
night of passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia, he’s some sort
of secret government agent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said we
have to get out of the country. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s the
one that took the diary…the one that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stabbed
me.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he’s been following
you…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head, her mind reeling at
what Louise had just told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tried
to speak but couldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He said he was trying to do something
special,” muttered Louise, laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared down at the cash and the gun
in Louise’s hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise put the
zip-lock and the pistol back in the bag and suddenly grabbed Celia by the sides
of the head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could only peer into
Louise’s dark blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t let you leave me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, you’re scaring me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s two fake passports in this bag, with
our photos on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get out of the
country…wherever you want to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Far
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere far away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pulled Louise’s hands from the sides
of her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where is David now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s gone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He didn’t say.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned and regarded Celia again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We leave tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t ever come back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt a sickening heaviness inside
herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn’t think properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leaving London, leaving Britain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never coming back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind was spinning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She let him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fuck </i>her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know, Lou…I don’t know.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt Louise grip her under the chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were right in the beginning,
Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These demon creatures are real…and
if you stay here, if we stay here, they’ll kill us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pushed Louise’s hand away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wait, wait…I need to speak to Paulie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to see whatever he’s got. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to know as much as I can first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I’ll think about what to do next…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia inhaled deeply, wiping away tears that
had crept stealthily from her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
looked up at the facade of Hades House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Stay here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anything goes
wrong we’ll call each other on our mobiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ll…I’ll have my phone on vibrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I call you then you come up and get me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I’m not back in twenty minutes, you come
and get me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded
silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bring that gun with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia climbed from the blue Vauxhall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise snagged at her jacket and she
turned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I love you, baby girl, almost
as much as you love me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared for a brief moment and shut
the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hurried across the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entrance to Hades House Publishing was
plush but small, carpeted with deep reds and walled with dark blues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood outside the main glass doors and
buzzed the intercom for the fifth floor, wondering if the receptionist would
still be working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waited, moving
nervously on her heels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, Paulie…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without hearing a voice through the
speaker, the glass doors buzzed and unlocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pushed them open and stepped inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The doors closed and locked behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She walked across the well-lit foyer and glanced at the company logo on
the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An eye slashed with a red
cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed the elevator button
and waited, stepping inside when it arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pressed for the fifth floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The carriage began to ascend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
reached into her handbag, gripping the gun inside it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer was standing in front of the
reception desk when the doors opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
sighed and smiled, shaking his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, thank God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was holding a manila folder in his
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s fucking good to see you,
sweetie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
went and threw her arms around him, grinning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“It’s good to see you, Paulie…You don’t know how good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled nervously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can imagine…come on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They hurried down the hall and he handed her
the folder as they went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Someone tried
to run me off the road,” he told her as they slipped into his darkened
office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only a lamp on the desk was lit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I thought they might’ve got to you,” she
told him, pulling up a chair and holding the folder under the light of the
lamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Black-Light. Eating-Tree SCI; CG116- Gray,
Celia</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She opened it whilst Drazer was perched on
the edge of the desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
transcripts of conversations between she and Ben Foster; conversations she
didn’t remember taking place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
scanned quickly, her pulse beginning to rise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Conversations recorded under hypnosis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re not going to like what you find,”
Drazer told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where did you get this…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“From a guy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared up at him, “Which guy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A friend, a supplicant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head, not
understanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Supplicant…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A follower of the Clock.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt her blood go like ice-water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her stomach seemed to twist. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh shit, no, no, please, not you…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Paulie…you’re scaring me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded seriously, “Sometimes I scare
myself.”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt cold tendrils of fear touch at
her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re one of them…” she
murmured, feeling the fear become terror, pinning her to the chair on which she
sat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not even close, sweetie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll never be one of them.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned in to her, whispering in her ear,
“Angel Wine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I trusted you, Paulie…I fucking trusted
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laughed with you…oh…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her breath trembled, “…you bastard…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s gonna kill you, girl…he’s gonna hurt
you really bad…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hand moved to the bag hanging from her
shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer clamped down on
her wrist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She flinched at his strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You got something for me?” he asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is it a musical thank-you card?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a sudden, violent move, Celia swung the
bag at the side of his head. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weight
of the gun inside was cushioned by the suede, but it connected at his temple
with a hard, flat crack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gun went
off; a sharp spike of sound, orange muzzle flare tearing through the bag – a
spray of blood back-lit by the lamp. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer’s right ear was blown apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hand snapped to the side of his head,
blood spilling immediately from between his fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stared wide-eyed at Celia for the briefest
moment before screaming and staggering backwards, tumbling over the corner of
his desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He screamed and screamed,
writhing on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t
think to run, transfixed by the suddenness of what had happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her breath trembled in her throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His screaming became a twisted moaning and
he lunged up suddenly, grabbing at the side of the desk, trying to pull himself
to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An oily sensation was
surging through Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shivered in
the chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind then told her to
run, just run, but she was unable, watching Paul Drazer grappling at the
desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go…move, move now…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his left hand he suddenly had a
syringe, jabbing it quickly into his own throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pressed his face to the desk, breathing
tremulously with blood trickling across the polished wood from his ruined ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia finally bolted upright from the
chair and snatched inside her bag, tearing the gun free, swinging it in his
direction and pulling the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another sharp spike of sound that cracked through the office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hole was blown in the desktop beside his
left hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He flinched but continued
hugging the edges of the desk, on his knees, moaning softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pulled the trigger again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It clicked on empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She let it fall to the office floor with
the bag and raced to the door, flinging it open and fleeing down the
corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She slammed up against the metal doors of
the elevator, smacking her fist against the button.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fuck</i>!”
she cried, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fuck…</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was fear, this was terror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like being nineteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like finding your mother was dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like finding that your life, as you once knew
it, was over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her heart was beating
forcefully against her breastbone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Celia,
you bitch</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the corridor she saw Paul
Drazer, propped up in the doorway of his office, a bloodied hand pressed to the
side of his head, a syringe jutting from his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was gripping a long-bladed dagger in his
fist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fucking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dagger</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reached round,
pulled free the syringe, tossed it to the floor, and clamped his hand back to
where his ear had once been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bitch, I’m deaf! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m fucking deaf!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slashed his dagger-clenching fist at the
air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You fucking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whore</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m gonna fuck you
senseless with this knife…!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears rolled like streams down Celia’s
face and she turned and ran flat out, down the hallway, around the corner
towards the stairwell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where the fuck are you going!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She slammed up against the stairwell
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced down and saw it was padlocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No, no,
no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She was going to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was going to die in here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hear him moaning and screaming
intermittently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia, do you know what I’m gonna <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> to you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First I’ll fuck you with this knife, then I’ll
slide myself inside you…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lost all cohesion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wailed and sobbed, tugging at the door
even though she could see it was padlocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She beat her fists against it, forced herself away and ran towards an
office door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She swept inside and slammed it shut, twisting
the lock on the knob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Backing away from
the door, her pulse beating like a tribal drum, she nearly stumbled over the
chair near the desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bolting around it
she dropped to the ground, wedging herself into a corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hooked her knees up under her arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waited in the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mad screaming had stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From behind the desk she shivered and
trembled, watching the thin slip of light from under the office door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her phone…she’d left her phone in her
bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her bag was on the floor of
Paulie’s office. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh Jesus…Oh Jesus God…please let me live,
please let me live…Lou, baby girl…where are you…?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer started screaming and moaning
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia heard him in the corridor
outside, rattling at the office doorknobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not about evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hear me, bitch?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i>
about evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a bullshit lie so you
don’t have to face what people can really do.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia pressed her eyes tightly shut in the darkness, trying to fade away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Supplication is an Art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poetry and Philosophy and even Biology…It’s
written in the blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s in your genes,
Angel Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compared to you…I’m nothing,
I’m a bad joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where the fuck are you</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t know she had so many tears,
but she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She whimpered and flailed
in her dark corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a troubled
child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-1547720501324973532018-11-22T11:10:00.002-08:002018-11-22T11:40:27.536-08:00Chapter Twenty-Five<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Twilight was
beginning to take the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was
kneeled in the courtyard behind Corpus Christi, at her mother’s grave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rose she’d left before was withering
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took it in her hand and began
silently picking off the petals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
glanced at the inscription on the stone cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alice Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Artist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hope you’re proud of me,” she muttered,
“I hope you’re proud of what I’ve done to the woman I love…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She watched as the rose petals crawled in the
breeze, across the courtyard, amongst the other graves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She climbed to her feet and wandered back
down the path and round to the front of the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main doors were open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stepped forward and stopped, stepped
forward and stopped again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed
then and went inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just above the
inner doors there was a portrait of Christ in blue and gold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His right hand was pointed at the heavens, in
his left he held an open book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
the pages read, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I am the Light of the World.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stepped through the inner doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The church was empty and dark, save for a
few tiny electric lights and candles burning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She walked into the main aisle and saw a
priest in the far corner, extinguishing tall candles and organising leaflets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned and saw her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He walked towards her, smiling, an old man with a full head of silver
hair and a craggy but handsome face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia thought briefly, inanely, that he looked quite dashing in his
tailored black suit and robe, distinguished by the small white square of collar
at his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grinned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Father Cairn…do you remember me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sure I remember you, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the prettiest faces to come through
this place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re not looking bad yourself, John.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I haven’t seen you in, what – six
years?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was I really that boring?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not a chance, John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was me…it was all me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded and glanced away, “I was just
going to do my rounds and then go home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clara has cooked roast beef.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
wants us to go to the pictures afterwards.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To see what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Fortunate</i>; she says it’s about an Iraqi man living in modern America, the writer
son of a soldier.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve seen it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s really good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Father Cairn glanced sideways at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sure I’ll enjoy it then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you okay, Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You look troubled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m having flashbacks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled and stared at the statues that
thronged the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of them she
could identify.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick, Francis, Archangel
Gabriel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I came to visit her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded and asked, “Did you ever get
married?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Girl like you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shocking.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You still smoke, John?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, unfortunately.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled the pack of Lincoln’s from her
jacket pocket and shook it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You want to
have a sly cigarette with me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced at his watch and looked up at
her, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sure, why not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clara would kill me if she found out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Clara won’t find out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s between you, me and the Lord.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay, just let me do my rounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be five minutes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The two of them
stood on the steps of Corpus Christi, staring up at the last streaks of
twilight in the darkening dusk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Father
Cairn had his arms crossed, taking deep drags on his cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve missed you, John.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve missed you too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clara still talks about you and Alice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your mum did a lot for this church.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She was a wonderful woman, Celia.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re a lot like her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve got her eyes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They smoked in silence for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Father Cairn uncrossed his arms she put
her hand in his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He squeezed it gently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you think we’re living in the end times…like
the prophecy of Revelations?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know
society has always seemed like it’s on a knife-edge, but to me it’s like that
now more than ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought about it for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It seems that way sometimes, that everything
is increasingly apocalyptic, but no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t think it’s the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the
end of days is allegorical…it represents the inner world, the wretched,
beautiful soul of humanity.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But how do we explain all the suffering; the
war and murder and rape?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we explain
genocide, or hacking a baby to pieces with an axe?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it the will of God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you look yourself in the mirror every day
and believe that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t believe in a
creator who would allow us free will just to abuse each other so spectacularly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Father Cairn pulled on the cigarette,
exhaling smoke into the breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think greed and simple selfishness
accounts for the horror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the lust
for power and control over others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
the Church falls prey to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is our
world to make of it what we will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Free
Will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gives us that gift because he
loves us unconditionally.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded and sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t understand, John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the Devil walking amongst us?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is he?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes I fear that Evil is a literal presence in the world, in the
human heart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled and tossed the cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m a learned man, but I can’t say without
doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think any of us can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked the same questions when I was training
at seminary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every priest has done the
same, every man, woman and child.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you believe?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not as a priest but as a regular human man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stared deep into her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could see that he’d missed her terribly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m a Catholic who puts his faith in
Jesus Christ. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen his divine love
manifest in my life, but I also believe the Holy Spirit is present in the lives
of all religious creeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps I’m a
minority among my peers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do believe in
the presence of evil, but I also think evil is just a twisted form of love, not
the absence of love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The devil is
lonely; we all know this deep down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your
questions have to be answered by looking inside yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Church might get frightened by the idea
that the kingdom of God is within us, but it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His light and love, all his works…they’re
within each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it sounds
trite but that’s what I fall back on when the world pisses me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the best wisdom I can give you, Celia.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded and dropped her cigarette,
crushing it beneath her heel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can I get a hug, Father Cairn?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed and hugged her, rocking her
gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her ear he whispered, “Am I
going to see you back at church any time soon…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I doubt it, John.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled away and kissed her cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Then you take care of yourself, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia walked away, into the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Namahey Finn was
kneeled, naked in the darkness, before the Telling Stones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had left Lillibeth alone in the cathedral
to contemplate the feast they gorged themselves on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could feel strength deep inside himself
now, bloodfire that scorched his heart and mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the native dream he’d been afraid and
didn’t understand the meaning of dust and fire, flesh and blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his native dream he wanted to flee the shackles
of the corporeal form, he wanted to run his flesh into the ground, salting the
earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He licked at the boy’s life that still
lingered on his lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before, there had
been too little sleep yet far too much dreaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had turned that to his advantage now. The
sound of footsteps came from behind him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t turn, already knowing who was there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I knew you’d come, little ghost…you’re
nothing if not predictable.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The voice of a young girl whispered in his
ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If you love her so much why are
you doing this?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled at her
words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew the answers to all her
questions, but they both understood it was put upon her to ask them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She murders me, Alice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Murders me with her love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And each time she cuts my heart from my chest
we are drawn closer, deeper in love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Obsession, not love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey realised he was almost afraid to
turn and face the little ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, I
cannot,” he said sharply, “I will not let them be who they are…I will not let
them be who we were.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
felt small hands on his shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How
many times will you destroy yourself?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Until we become One.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Will that actually satisfy you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is trite, Alice, this attempt at a last
healing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot heal her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go away now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I never liked you anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl walked around him and he
saw that she was naked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She climbed atop
the Telling Stones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She watched
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know why you do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You think she never really loved you, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey looked away from her and into the
darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She never did, little
ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had to kill me to learn to
love me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll never let that go.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glared at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you understand, mother-in-law?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll never let that go…it’s all I really
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All else is a dream</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl frowned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Because of this you want to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">destroy the world</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re nothing if not predictable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many times will you confuse this violence
for poetry, confuse these petty holocausts for romance?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey rose to his feet, and went to her,
snatching a fistful of her long dark hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“This is our story, our fairest tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the fair tale of the whole world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will not let you take it from us, Alice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t let you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He clasped his hand around her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
touched the hand that gripped her and it burned him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He recoiled instantly, staring wildly at
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You want to hurt me,” he muttered,
“I like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum’s got claws.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why are you so terribly afraid of doing
what is right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed out loud and threw his hands up
in disbelief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This was never about
doing what was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Space and Time mean nothing to me, I’ve told
you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> this before!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve transcended that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always refugees, countless shores that are
always the same fucking shore!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In your
heart of hearts you know – you know that I love her…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl pressed her hands together
as if in prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know that, but all
of this will start again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll seal
yourself inside your own petulance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Namahey, please, if you love her…if you truly love her then set her
free.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, never.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey Finn kneeled again before the
Telling Stones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he looked up at the
little naked girl there were tears rolling from his glass eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If I set her free…then…I will be lost to
myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl came down from atop the stones and
went to him, slapping him hard across his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It burned him and he winced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So that’s it, ‘Mr Finn’?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what keeps you here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all your godlike posturing, you are afraid…to
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">die</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You are in great need of healing,
Louise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked up at the child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I am not Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am an angel of light.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl kneeled and whispered in
his ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I pity you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pity you both.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll burn the earth away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’ll be the end of days; a war of
miracles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then you can pity us all…the
serpents and the mortals alike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now go back
to your box, little ghost.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She rose to her feet and turned from
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began to laugh, listening to her
footsteps as she walked away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The dead man lay
out in the corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise had been
sitting cross-legged on the floor of the front room for what seemed like hours,
watching him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spots of red on her
hands had dried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d killed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Murdered him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She didn’t regret it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her mind she saw the image of him
fucking Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She closed her eyes to
it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the windows she saw that
night had come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced back at the
money and passports on the coffee table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Feelings of unreality were groping at her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This couldn’t have happened…and if it had,
it couldn’t have any consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise turned away from the image of the
dead man in her corridor and scrambled on her hands and knees to the duffel
bag, pulling it wide open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
two packs of cigarettes, a mobile phone, a black book with no title, and a
photograph in a plastic sleeve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
pulled the photo from its sleeve and stared down at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two boys, one with sandy hair, the other a
redhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She recognised the boy with
sandy hair as the dead man in the corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She tossed the photo away, pulled the black book from the bag and opened
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were hand-written pages
inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the diary…Alice Gray’s
diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned quickly and stared
into the corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the man that had stabbed her, the man
in black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise tore the pages from the diary,
ripping it all to shreds, breaking the spine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She rose to her feet and stalked into the corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Son
of a bitch…” </i>she murmured and kicked the dead man that lay at her
feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kicked him again and the
corpse rocked with the impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Son of a
bitch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You son of a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fucking</i> bitch!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise kicked and kicked, as hard as she
could, slamming her foot into his gut, into his crotch, into his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stopped, smoothing her hair down with her
hands, holding the back of her neck and breathing deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck you…” she murmured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dead man said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kneeled and began searching his
pockets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An open pack of
cigarettes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wallet filled with
identifications that said ‘Simon Plath’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An electronic car-key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took
the key and raced into the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
washed the dried blood from her hands, staring at her reflection in the
mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t look insane, only
tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were spots of blood on the
hem of her sweatshirt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the bedroom she quickly changed
clothes, hurrying back into the front room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She grabbed the duffel bag and swept the zip-locks, passports and her
mobile phone inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gun was lying on
the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took it too, tossing it
into the bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the corridor she stepped over the dead
man without glancing at him, double-locking the front door behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left the building and raced down the
steps, pressing the button on the key in her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A blue Vauxhall bleeped twice and its
headlights flashed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ran to it and
unlocked the door, climbing inside and slinging the duffel bag onto the
passenger seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stabbed the key in
the ignition and started the engine, pulling sharply away from the curb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the motion of the moving car, her
hands gripping the wheel, her pulse began to slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tried not to think about the man lying
dead in her flat but it was the only image in her mind’s eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck!” she cried, “You’re fucked
now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> fucked…</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man was dead
but she didn’t care about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cared
about the consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t going
to cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t going to cry for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-75166938378416152862018-11-22T11:07:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:27.654-08:00Chapter Twenty-Four<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Only half
realising it, Celia had driven into Kentish Town towards Tom’s flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The car was parked now, outside his
block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat silently in the driver
seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t in control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was slipping away from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d find a way to draw her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wouldn’t survive without Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wouldn’t survive on her own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of this was such a mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of it made any sense; Clockhost, Dollmen,
Angel Wine…what bullshit, what complete nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What in God’s name was happening – why had
the fates bestowed this on her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Am I
being punished…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at the bag on the passenger
seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a gun inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be so easy, and Louise would cry
herself to sleep every night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
unzipped the bag, reaching inside, feeling the cold steel, curling her fingers
around it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So easy, simplicity
itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t let them touch you, or do you like it when they touch you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t over-think it, just put it to your
temple and pull the fucking trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise would never be able to forget you…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia withdrew her hand quickly and zipped
up the bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gripped the steering
wheel tightly and slammed her head against it, hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sighed and began to chuckle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lighting a cigarette, she took the bag and
climbed from the car, locking it behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She walked the stairs instead of taking the lift.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom answered the door in jogging-bottoms
and a bare chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a thin slick
of sweat on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She studied his body
for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face softened as he
stared at her, as if deciding something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Back again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Were you having sex?” she asked, “Is
there a girl in there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I was on the exercise bike.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed out loud, an empty
smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have</i> got a girl in there…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you want?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know what I want.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed and wiped his chest with the
t-shirt in his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t you have any
pride?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or shame…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go away, Cee.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I will not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck off…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” she said, dark-eyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Then come in, just don’t stand there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stepped into the flat, shutting the
door behind her, following Tom into the front room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The painting he’d been working on was
finished; angry swirls of colour with a girl-child hidden at the centre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you going to try selling it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He went into the kitchen and returned with two cans of beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He handed one to her and cracked open his
own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How’s Lou?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hasn’t been to work in days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doctors say she’ll be fine.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia opened her can of beer and took a deep
swallow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You look healthy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom shook his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You surprise me, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’d all the subtlety go?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck subtlety,” she muttered, taking
another swallow of beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I forgot what
you looked like without your clothes on, Tom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Actually…that’s a lie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus Christ…” he said, rolling his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You look good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Healthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lean.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom nodded and said
nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lit a cigarette, sat on
the sofa and took another sip of beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Have you been thinking about me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He nodded again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What have you
been thinking?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“About you,” he said quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared at his painting as she smoked
and drank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Seeing anyone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Girlfriend?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Does it matter to you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not really.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I didn’t think so.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom stared from the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s a girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’s not you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s not Celia
Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watched him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you love her?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed, “No…we’ve only been going out
a few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s nice, like I
said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m nice,” said Celia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah…when it suits you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kicked off her shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’re
a coward, Celia…you’re so childish it makes me sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She took off her jacket and shirt,
pulling her camisole up over her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Leaning forward on the sofa, she unhooked her bra and tossed it on the
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She unbuttoned the front of her
jeans and pulled them down to her knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tom watched in silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and set the beer down on the coffee
table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She exhaled a thin stream of
smoke and said, “I’m begging you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
is begging.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded, downed the rest of his beer in
one go, and went to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While they fucked she forgot, but only for
brief moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom was more mechanical
than she remembered, his identity as an artist betrayed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was turned-on but a step removed from what
was happening, like he was fucking her in his head, rather than there on the
sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was rhythm, hard and soft,
there was variety, but as she held him she didn’t feel him there, she didn’t
feel Thomas, only something thrusting inside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment she was disgusted, and wanted to
shove him off her, beat him senseless with the easel in the corner, but she
didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, she made him fuck her on the
hallway floor with the front door wide open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nobody passed by, nobody saw them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It felt the same as the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later still they fucked in his bed and it was the same as the first two
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t complain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom lay beside her in the bed, staring at
the ceiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia, that was not…that
wasn’t something we’re going to do again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shut up,” she told him, “Just shut your
fucking mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m tired.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lit a cigarette, laughing sadly to
himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You amaze me, girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia climbed from the bed and walked
naked into the front room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gathered
her clothes and dressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got up and
stood in the doorway, naked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She put on
her shoes and jacket, snatched her bag and walked past him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bye, Tom.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tom said nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She drove around
for a while, thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though she’d
just had sex, she felt dry between her thighs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She thought about the diamond that ‘Mr Finn’ had pushed inside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about the way that Louise could
go down on her for what seemed like hours, and yet was never enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way Louise would pin her wrists to the
mattress and smile down at her, making her laugh, the way she cradled the back of
her head with one hand and held her throat gently with the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of all Celia would miss watching
Louise naked; her curves, the fullness of her, the almost imperceptible ridges
down her spine, so different to Celia’s own pale frame. She could’ve watched
Louise naked forever, but she would probably never get a chance to again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baby girl,
I’m sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Celia began to cry and laugh, in silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the altar of
the cathedral Lillibeth Renn lay naked and alone, basking in a soft blue
half-light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind shimmered and
whispered playfully, bleeding fantasy and memory together in an extravagant
work that seemed to envelop her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
tightly-spun static that was her life seemed to be rushing around inside,
throbbing like birthing worlds in her veins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The blood of the boy was still wet on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grinned and laughed, her teeth stained
pink from the feast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Entire worlds inside, and she saw what
Va’el had seen, what Va’el had felt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held her bloated belly and rolled onto
her side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fires…she saw fires
burning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Screaming to be allowed consumption
of flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind swirled and shifted, the boy’s blood
inside her growing so hot that she began to tremble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cried out in joy, crossing her hands
against her chest and cupping her breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was too hot, far too hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
thrust her hands between her thighs, inhaling a shaking breath that tasted like
sweet smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Namahey…where…are you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her beloved didn’t answer but she didn’t
care, for she was enraptured by the blood, the fire that was loving her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She twitched and shuddered there on the
altar, laughing, glancing sideways at the statues of Celia and Louise that
thronged the entire cathedral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Icons of
the past…native dreams that lay destitute, except in her imaginings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth thrust her hands inside herself,
thighs parted, blood burning faster and deeper, immolating her conscious mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the far corner of the cathedral a
little girl was secretly watching her, watching Lillibeth go mad, naked and
filled with bloodfire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl
was naked too; pale skin, long dark hair, crouching behind a statue in the
shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She rose abruptly to her feet
and stepped into the aisle, moving carefully towards Lillibeth Renn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl’s naked skin seemed to glow in the
cold blue half-light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth heard the approaching footsteps,
turned and saw her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began to laugh
and looked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl
continued her approach, stopping at the altar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t touch me, little ghost,” said
Lillibeth, pressing a hand to her throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The naked girl shook her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look at you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth turned suddenly, staring at the
child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thinking outside the box,
Alice?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go away, little ghost…I’ve no
need for you anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re a liar, Celia.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth scowled, laying her head back against
the cold stone, staring up at the vaulted beams of the cathedral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t call me by that name…you have no
right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl peered with dark eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have every right; I’m your mother.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Once, a long time ago…not anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please,” the little girl murmured,
“Please listen, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s dark and sexy
and fun, for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understand
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But eventually, this will destroy
you, this turning away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth laughed, lying prone on the
altar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m already destroyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a beautiful thing, Alice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no confusion here, no guilt, no
pointless morality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get to feed and
fuck and kill…and shit wherever I want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Come on, how can I turn that down?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The girl touched her shoulder and she flinched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You lie to yourself, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve thrust yourself into a living horror.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth brushed the girl’s hand
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I love him now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loves me too…that’s all I need or
want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would’ve thought <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you,</i> of all people, could understand
that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The naked girl climbed up onto the altar
and lay beside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She whispered in
Lillibeth’s ear, “This snake-suit doesn’t scare me, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor does it convince me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t care, little ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not Celia…I am an angel of light.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She drew a hand around Lillibeth’s
waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“All this fear…all this fear,
Cee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of an illusion?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you see how lonely it makes you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Everything is illusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I’m damned, then so be it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m at peace now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m anything but lonely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey and I; we’re at peace.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s a lie,” the girl whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes…like everything, but it’s a more
beautiful one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m beautiful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl pressed her cheek close to
Lillibeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were always beautiful,
you needn’t hide in this doll’s body, behind these doll’s eyes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth turned and regarded the naked
child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re not my mother, Alice,
you’re a little ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no need
for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot reach me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m buried deep inside her and I’m waiting to
be born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot stop what is
written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t remember, but then I saw her and
now I recall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her sickness will be my
release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s always so, no matter how
many times you try to make it otherwise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl pulled away and climbed from the
altar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced back with
resignation, at the naked black woman gorged on bloodfire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go little ghost…go dance with the prayer
ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t any need for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Softly the child said, “You break my
heart, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sense so much suffering in
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I knew it could be no other
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll always love you, no matter what horrors
you conceive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth grinned and chuckled, strangely
exhilarated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She listened to the
footsteps of the naked girl as she walked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The faded blue
Vauxhall pulled up in front of the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Myers killed the engine and glanced down at the address written on the
back of his cigarette packet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt
uncertain, as though Christopher peered at him with watchful eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was never sure if Chris was mocking or
encouraging him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t want to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to flee, but he knew he had no real
choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had tried Celia’s house again
but there had been no answer at the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He hadn’t broken in, knowing somehow that she wasn’t there, that she was
too afraid to be there alone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would
be with her lover; the woman that impaled herself on his knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt an abstract anxiety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After what he’d seen within the burnt-out flat,
he wasn’t surprised at his own fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crucifixes instead of eyes…something
manifest from the mind of Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus, he’d never imagined something like
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why was he so eager to help her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it, indeed, because they’d slept
together?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because she loved books like
he did, because she wrote like he used to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe it was as simple as something like redemption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps he wanted to be redeemed, like the
men and women of the stories he was fascinated with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to be the flawed hero of those
paperback novels, but he could think of nothing in his life and career that was
remotely heroic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, he had a chance
to at least make a gesture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it
would save Celia, though he doubted it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now,” he muttered, a dark irony filling
his mind for some reason. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers climbed from the car, slinging the
black duffel bag over his shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise held a
photo of her and Celia, peering down at it whilst she smoked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were standing in the playground of
Chainley Secondary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was grinning
like an idiot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was giving a
thumbs up, winking at the camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sighed and tossed the photo to the
foot of the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t been into
work since the hospital and she wondered if she could ever go back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved teaching, but now she wondered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled deeply on the cigarette and
coughed, stubbing it out in the ashtray on her bedside cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The future seemed desolate now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Celia was off chasing her demons she
was sat here, alone, wondering how she could ever be alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to destroy something, to take away
the beauty of something and make it ugly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wanted to scar herself but she didn’t have the nerve to put a razor
to her own flesh, unlike her baby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about Matthew…her gorgeous
Scottish guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d had a few months of
passion with him before cutting him loose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was beautiful, but she never wanted him as much as she wanted
Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the hell did she get so
dependant on another person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did she
plunge headfirst into all those romantic lies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before Celia, she thought she was stronger than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously she wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was lonely and needy and aching like the
rest of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise laughed silently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a knocking at the front
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took the kitchen knife with her and
tread slowly out into the corridor, peering through the spy-hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a good-looking guy with sandy-brown
hair, wearing jeans and a black hooded-sweatshirt, a duffel bag on his
shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked tense and strung
out, as though he were on some serious drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise opened the door, leaving the security-chain engaged, gripping the
knife tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can I help you?” she said, watching him
through the crack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please, are you Louise Simmons?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who’s asking?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My name’s David Myers, I’m a friend of
Celia’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m trying to find her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sudden anger shot through Louise and she
struggled to control it. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">David</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the guy…the one who Celia had
fucked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While she lay unconscious in a
hospital bed this guy was screwing her baby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell do you want?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shook his head, “Please, I think
Celia’s life is in danger, this isn’t a joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I need to talk to her, I have information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is she here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Could you please let me in?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This man, this hard cock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An image forced itself into Louise’s mind, of
him and Celia writhing about together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You can tell me whatever you have to tell
her, on that side of the door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look, I’ve got money and passports for
both of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you let me inside I can
show you everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Passports?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fake passports, to get you both out of
Britain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look, just let me in and I’ll
explain everything to both of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise closed her eyes, gripping the
kitchen knife in her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two of
them writhing around, his dick inside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She shut the door, removed the security-chain, and then opened the door
wide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw the knife in her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not going to hurt you, love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pointed the knife down the
corridor, ushering him into the flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
glanced at the blade as he passed her, walking into the front room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shut the door again and followed him in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where’s Celia?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know where she went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s not here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He scowled and sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Could you put that knife down, please?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t think so.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sat on the sofa and put the duffel bag
on the coffee table, unzipped it and reached inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise tentatively raised the knife a
little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dropped two passports on the
table along with two clear zip-locks filled with cash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s nearly eight grand there in
fifties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You won’t be able to take all
of it, but you and Celia should take as much as you think you can get through
customs and get on the next plane to Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve given you an address of a woman there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’ll hide you for a few months at the
most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’ll give you an address of a man
in Berlin, Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll stay with him
for another few months – he’ll give you another address and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know how long you’ll have to do
this…but it’ll be a fairly long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the only option to keep you both safe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stared at the cash and passports on
the table, then at him, and began laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Is this a sick joke…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who the
fuck are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David Myers looked up at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This isn’t a joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the money, take the passports, find
Celia and go to Paris.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shook her head and stalked forward,
raising the knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who the fuck are
you, mate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You tell me this and you
expect me to just swallow it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You think
I’m crazy?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pressed the kitchen
knife to his cheek and he sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m trying to help you, Miss
Simmons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You and your girlfriend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You fucked her, didn’t you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Didn’t
you?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t say anything and she snagged the
duffel bag from the table, stepping away from him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked up at her with cold blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You don’t want to look in there…I’m not
going to be able to explain what you find.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rose to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise thrust her hand inside the bag and
felt the cold metal of a gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
snatched it out, dropped the bag and aimed the gun square at the man standing
in her front room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kept the knife
tight in her other hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tell me who you’re working for…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s no bullets in the gun, Miss
Simmons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re in the glove of my
car.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who’re you working for?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David Myers closed his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look…I’m trying to do something special
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give you and Celia a chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s got to be worth something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just take the money and go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll never see me again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears began to roll down Louise’s
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You fucked her didn’t you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded grimly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why…?” she hissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It doesn’t matter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pulled the trigger of the gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An empty click.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stared at her, walking slowly towards
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She trembled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He passed her, moving carefully into the
hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the gun was empty she
kept it trained on him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The address you’ll need is in the
bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise dropped the gun and lunged into the
corridor, knife raised high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David Myers
pivoted away, snatching her arm and throwing her up against the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Too fast. The wrong arm. The </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18.6667px;">m</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">istake cost hi</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18.6667px;">m</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Louise drove the kitchen knife deep into his
stomach.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stared at her, up close, still pressing her
to the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gave a broken gasp and
stepped away, pulling himself off the blade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise drove it deep into his stomach again, and then again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt softer than it should have, almost
like butter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She twisted the knife in him and left it
there. David Myers fell back against the opposite corridor wall, moaned, and
dropped awkwardly to his knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
gripped the handle and pulled out the knife in one quick motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dark red began to pump onto the carpeted
floor. Louise backed slowly into the front room, watching, breathing deep. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced at her, opened his mouth, trying to
say something, and fell sideways to the carpet that was soaking in his own
blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard his laboured breathing,
for what seemed a long time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally he grew silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wide eyed, Louise pressed red spattered hands
to her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly, she sat down on
the floor of the front room, trembling, crossing her legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dead man didn’t move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-37276647066032487292018-11-22T10:56:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:27.569-08:00Chapter Twenty-Three<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They retreated,
inevitably, back to the flat, sharing cigarettes through the drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise had been deeply introspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silent, shaking her head occasionally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia had removed both their clothes and
Louise hadn’t stopped her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled
her into the shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water was hot
and they held each other, their bodies pressed together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amidst the rushing water, in Celia’s ear,
defeated, “I just wanted you to love me completely, without reservation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Baby, I…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shhh, don’t lie to me, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please don’t. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just hold me, okay?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held Louise beneath the pounding spray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Simpsons</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
flashed brightly coloured images on the television screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise had it on mute so the images were
silent and garish; a schizophrenic, elastic world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise had an empty smile on her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes looked tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“God, I love this show,” she said quietly,
“You love it too, right Cee?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was sitting in the armchair, a copy
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i> in her hands,
weighing it absently like a tome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do love it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Homer Simpson is a great dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia hurled the paperback novel across
the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rustle of moving pages and
a dull slap as it hit the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise
looked blankly at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll prove it to you,” she almost
hissed, “You understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll prove it…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How are you going to do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced away, pressing her lips
together tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When all this is
over, I’ll prove it to you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise returned her gaze to the primary-coloured
silence of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Simpsons</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When’s it going to be over, Cee?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Soon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How soon is soon?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I matter that much to you, do I?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes,” Celia told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll prove it to you, completely, without
reservation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise closed her eyes to the television
screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ever since we first met, Celia,
all I’ve wanted was you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve wanted
more than me, you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recognition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Alice Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You fuck me but you never come to me for
that…and it hurts…it hurts like a bitch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This
is all falling apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right in front of
my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to lose everything.
I’m going to lose her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s going to
walk away.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all I can say…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m so sorry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More tears threatened to break free but Celia
held them back, nearly trembling in the armchair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise opened her eyes and looked at
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t get to live in a dream, even if
it’s real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to live here…in the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s cold in the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded, fighting the tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cold here too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise sighed and Celia watched her clench
her fists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at her again, eyes
almost as dark as Celia’s own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why
aren’t you in love with me, Cee?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a long time Celia was quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally she replied, “I’m afraid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of not having the words.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise closed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re killing me, Celia,” she whispered
shakily, “Jesus wept, you’re killing me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia opened her mouth to speak but the
words caught in her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her nostrils
flared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to gag. With clenched
teeth and a heart that felt like it was boiling, Celia rose to her feet and
walked steadily from the room, trying desperately not to look at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the corridor she pulled on her jacket and
took her bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gun was inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her belly felt hollowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her chest heaved with sorrow, anger, and a
disturbing hatred for Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She fled
from the flat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She was standing
at the Wishing Well, peering down into black pitch, endless darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the Abyss, towards the City of
Lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could feel them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were patient, yes, but so hungry for the
green and blue, just as she hungered for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was her pretty little weakness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lillibeth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned and saw he was standing in the
vault doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come to chastise me, Namahey?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn turned away, glancing back down
the Well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I thought you’d come to break
my bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shame on me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, Lillibeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You tried to hide your thoughts from me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded, “I knew I’d be unsuccessful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He approached her but she didn’t turn to
face him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slipped his hands around
her waist, speaking softly in her ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Then why hide?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed without humour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ashamed, I suppose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afraid that you’d think I was weak,
foolish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That you’d think I don’t trust
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kissed the back of her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Do</i>
you trust me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes,” she muttered, “Sometimes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sometimes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I grow jealous.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tightened his embrace, resting his head
on her shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come, Lillibeth, it’s
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a priest, not a god.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one you love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A smile crept into her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sharing of fire and dust, thus bound beyond
the veil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hate her,” she told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hate her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He placed his hands on her shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She reminds you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded and turned, taking his hands,
staring into his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to her and she made me remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I despise everything I was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was so vain, so guarded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blindness is my only refuge, but when I look at her…I see again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t wish to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Memory is torture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me she can love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lies, Namahey…she fucking lies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kissed her softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lillibeth, there’s nothing to fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s only reflected pain; lost and hopeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whilst they are starved of purpose we are
bloated with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It matters little that
we were once as they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whilst they
play desiccated men we shall play their decadent gods, yes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let Celia and Louise chase their romantic
fictions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let all of Man do the
same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our love is real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So hear me now, okay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our love is real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we make them suffer, it’s real.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was smiling now, gripping his hands
tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your tongue convinced me long
ago…that I do remember.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed, a glorious laugh, something he
rarely did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But I still hate her, Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sickens me to think of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can never be like that again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you gave her a pen this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You always give her a pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She always writes with that fucking pen…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s
always written, but with words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You,
Lillibeth, have learned to write with your heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, her sickness will be your
release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s our myth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such things, beyond contradiction, always
find a way to return.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn smiled at her lover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of course,” she muttered, “Yes…of
course.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise sat alone,
weeping silently – stupid, pathetic tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wanted and needed but she was denied, in nature’s absurd wisdom, and
it hurt, Christ, it hurt more than she thought possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt like a foolish, wounded child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, she would have spared Celia all of
this if she’d known how.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through her sweatshirt she rubbed at the
scar beneath her left breast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
would’ve proudly displayed a dozen of these scars if Celia could only…but
no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were too far apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her need, it wasn’t Celia’s need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shuddered and doubled over on the sofa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d give you everything, anything…and I’ll
wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God forgive me, I’ll wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just to be near you, with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if your heart rejects me; your hands,
your lips…those can still find me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll
offer myself up to you like a plaything…I’ll be your mistress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be your whore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please…” she murmured, alone with her
bitter tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The sister-twins
watched from behind the crucifix-eyes of the Eidola, concealed inside their
hollow images.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could see the boy
down on his knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson & Ebony
were side by side, in a circle of blinding black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy seemed to be there with them, bathed
in red light, though he was not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>High
above them a Phoenix soared, revolving in the space without windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Phoenix too was counterfeit, an image
plucked from the recesses of Va’el, the deepest strata of his imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They watched it keep vigil above them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony glanced at her sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Mr
Finn will know, Crimson…he will seek us out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Punish us for out terrible transgression…I am afraid.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson took her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“We
cannot die…our mortality has long since departed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are more like them than ourselves now.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony nodded, fear in her large, clear
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Yes, we are like them…they are our kin, we cannot betray them.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, Ebony, they are not kin, they are our
jailers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you not wish to be free?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony smiled sadly, in the blinding
black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We can never be free, my sister…that I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can never be free.” </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson stared at the boy before them, on
his knees, bathed in red light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Our freedom can be found in another…in the
boy, Va’el.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony looked away, frightened,
unconvinced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“He is a murderer and a thief…before this boy-flesh he betrayed his
friend to save his wife; gave his friend to the Scarlet Council.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew they would torture him and still he
let it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see no honour there.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson turned to face her sister as the
Phoenix revolved above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“He loved Seriah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have done the same for you,
Ebony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, his friend has forgiven
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why they are friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be easier to see Ryan the Boy as one
not worth helping, as a cruel man…but he is not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a lover.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony sighed and nodded, turning back
towards the boy before them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the Silent
Gallery, Ryan waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His knees hurt
badly but he didn’t dare to try and rise to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The metal cross-eyes continued to watch him
from the semicircle they had formed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
much longer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The candle flames seemed to
grow brighter suddenly, rising from the candles themselves and floating up
above him in the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His eyes went
wide as he watched it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Eidola raised their heads, watching
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flames seemed to swirl above
them in a circle, like many fireflies in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like magic, it seemed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tiny flames dipped low then, growing into
swelling orange spheres and spinning around the Eidola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The metal cross-eyes opened their mouths as the
lights brushed past them, moving faster and faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan knew immediately that this was not meant
to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was something Mr Finn
hadn’t made to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A surge of panic
filled his throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He watched as the spheres of light plunged
into the chests of the many Eidola, bursting into firestorms that enveloped
them instantly; a mindless shriek of clicks and taps that drove straight into
his brain like spikes of sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
thrust his hands to his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of
the metal cross-eyes leapt to their feet, stumbling around him in flames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fire was everywhere, but Ryan could feel no heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dropped prostrate to the floor, pressing
his eyes shut, hands clamped to his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He could still hear them, clicking and tapping, screaming and shrieking,
for what felt like forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, silence seemed to take hold
around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lay prostrate on the cool
stone floor, terrified to open his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When eventually he did, he saw that he was in complete darkness, candles
extinguished, alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The metal cross-eyes were gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from his breathing it was utterly
silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment he thought he might
be dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emily…?” he called out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He wasn’t dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could hear his
own breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emily?” he called again,
“Em?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone would come for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now was his opportunity to run, to find some
way of escape, but there was darkness everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t see his own hand before his
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan felt tears on his
cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Em?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt hands take both of his own and he
flinched, two people on either side of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He couldn’t see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to
pull away but their grips were tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Who’s there…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Crimson,” whispered a voice to his
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ebony,” whispered the voice to his
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the sister twins that had
lulled him to sleep on the floor of the Circle Room, the girls that got inside his
dream somehow and showed him a garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Help me!” he pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We will,” the voice to his left told him,
“But you mustn’t let go of our hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without light to guide you there is no time or space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Run with us but don’t let go of our
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you understand?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes,” he blurted, trembling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to get of here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What have we said?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t let go of your hands.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why?” the voice barked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Because there’s no time and space.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The voice to the right of Ryan said,
“Whatever you see while we run…it’s in your mind…something drawn from your pain
to trick you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So don’t let go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay,” he said, nodding in the blackness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Good,” said the voice to his left, “Now
we run.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ran, through darkness, through
blinding blackness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan moved as fast
as he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At one point it was almost
as if he were flying, wind whipping and howling around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sensed the girls either side of him,
careful not to let go of their hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The darkness seemed infinite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
then, ahead of him in the distance, he saw the huge complex of the Colony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trees and hills that surrounded it were
gone and it floated there in the dark, growing bigger and bigger as they raced
towards it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No!” he cried, “No, please!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to pull his hands free from their tight
grips but was unable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Colony filled
his vision and the main doors swung open of their own accord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No!” he screamed as they raced through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The image of the Colony shimmered and then
there was nothing but darkness again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They continued to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To his left he saw his father in the
distance, running towards him with a gun in his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ryan!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ryan you son of a bitch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re
dead, boy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You fucking hear me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re dead!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How could you do that to me…I’ll kill you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was closing in and Ryan felt his heart
begin to pound beneath his ribs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
father fired a shot and he felt the bullet whistle past his ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then his father leapt at him, sailing through
the black, dissolving just as he snatched at Ryan’s throat, face looming and
twisted with rage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heard one of the girls scream at him,
“Close your eyes, now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Close your mind!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Ryan could do neither.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To his right he saw his sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was in chains, weeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
looked up at him and cried out, “Ryan!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Help me, please!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His stomach twisted and
dropped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cold fist closed around his
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan tore his hands free…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">…skidding on his
side across cold stone, Emily vanished, a massive door ahead of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slid to a stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cold blue light swelled from nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sat up, eyes darting about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was inside a cathedral; a womb of spider-webbed
stonework.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were statues of Celia and Louise,
everywhere. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His eyes went wide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh no…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beneath a stone arch he saw Mr Finn,
holding one of the sisters with a dagger to her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned and saw a bald black woman in the
opposite arch, doing the same with the other sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t hurt them!” he cried out, but it
was too late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a synchronous motion
they slit both the sister’s throats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were twin flashes of light near the blades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mr Finn and the black woman simply let the girls bodies fall to the
floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan burst into sobs, climbing to his feet
and racing to the massive door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
metallic seal that looked like two naked women, entwined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slammed his fists uselessly against it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let me out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let me out!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned suddenly,
pressing his back up against the seal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were standing only a few feet away
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Va’el, we’re sorry…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just do it!” screamed Ryan,
tearfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just fucking do it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran forward and slammed his fist into Mr
Finn’s belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Stop talking and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do it</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They fell upon him, embraced him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan kept his eyes open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was pain, bursting across his throat
and up into his head, but it didn’t last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A soft sleepiness overcame him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cold blue light seemed to receede into darkness, taking the
cathedral along with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drank him dry, as Ryan slowly
died…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…Beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ryan reached out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone took
his hand</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-81936862445957139312018-11-22T10:53:00.001-08:002018-11-22T11:40:27.678-08:00Chapter Twenty-Two<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ryan was trembling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped from the doorway of the Circle Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A corridor made of stone, with skylights of
stained-glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sunlight through them
made colours shimmer across the dark grey walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The corridor was long, swimming with tiny
points of red, orange, green and blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Someone – something, was bound to catch him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not Mr Finn then something else that
walked these halls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was very scared, but he didn’t want to
die in here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he hurried down the corridor the
coloured lights played on him from above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He swept left, around the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A tall oak door stood there, looking almost as heavy as the stone that
surrounded it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He fit the small iron key
in the lock, doubting it would work, licking his lips with anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A strange feeling was now moving through him;
a disturbed mix of fear and excitement, brushing away thoughts of his own
death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, the tall door unlocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan pulled it wide, grinding his teeth to do
so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a staircase of the same
grey stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It curved down and to the
right, out of view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went quickly to the low wall on the
landing and peered over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t see
properly, the angle was too sharp. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
moved swiftly down the stairs and crouched, sneaking a glance around the
corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone was kneeling with their back to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His breath quivered in his chest
and he told himself to be brave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a woman in a black suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could see
the curve of her breast beneath the clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was holding a spear in her right hand, her face obscured by a raven
cloud of hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her head suddenly
swivelled in his direction, and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan saw
her nightmare-face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two metal crosses where her eyes should
have been.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t run from bad dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d seen things like this before, in his
nightmares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reared up from her
kneeled crouch, snapping her head left and right like a cobra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She whirled the spear effortlessly, pressing
it to her forearm and pointing it at the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Softly, she spoke in a series of clicks and taps that left Ryan
cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Click-tap-click.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sounds twisted into vaguely human
speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thiss formm pleesess yooo?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His stomach seemed to spasm and he jerked
forward, racing past her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran, young
muscles pulling taut in his slender arms and legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t think, just run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slamming up against another tall door set in
stone, he glanced back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was racing
down the corridor towards him, spear in hand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…clickclicktapclicktapclick…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amidst a wave of groping fear, Ryan
stabbed the key in the lock and turned it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The door opened slightly and he grabbed it, pulling as hard as he
could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She slammed into him, a hand
snaking around his waist, plunging forward through the door, the tip of the
spear slicing a breath from his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
furious clicking scream in his ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was tumbling, falling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His body hit cold stone, like a black bolt
of lightning in his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily, please hold
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just hold me for a moment, please…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consciousness returned quickly, enhanced
by remembered fear – Ryan jerked awake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He shook his head, blinking and turning, hands against the cold
stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He scrambled backwards and to his
feet, the side of his head bleeding, his left knee ringing painfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman was lying at the foot of the
staircase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d both fallen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spear had snapped in half as they
fell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its wide, razor-edged tip was
clean through her shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan
flinched as she began twitching, strange silver blood pooling around her
neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh God,” he muttered, realising
he was crying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to stop, doubling over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tears rolled mercilessly down his
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was he sleeping right now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was he lying unconcious on the floor of
Irwin’s lounge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His ringing left knee
gave out and he dropped awkwardly on it. “Oh God, oh God, oh God…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something in his mind said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They’ll hear you if you don’t stop…don’t
cry, don’t think, just move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He climbed painfully to his feet again,
turned away from the twitching woman, and hobbled down a hallway with stone
arches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, it opened up onto a massive
dark space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t judge how vast
it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No windows that he could see, just
space and darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mind was
assaulted by the sense of scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
far left, slightly elevated, Ryan spotted a gallery of tiny lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He squinted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Candles were burning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone was
there, looking out from among them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His blood went cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something was standing behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yesss, we arh monstirrs…Ryanne thaa
boi.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned but was somehow unable to
scream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were many hands and many
faces, all of them with metal crosses where eyes should be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There had been a
young girl who looked like Celia, or perhaps Alice Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She walked backwards through burned trees and
broken stones that looked like words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She whispered, David the Spider knows I can’t hide her, David the Spider
knows I can’t hide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had turned away then, and saw
Christopher watching him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers jerked awake on the floor of the
burnt-out flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He swallowed and pressed
a hand to his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was almost used
to the smell now. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slim shafts of cold sunlight slipped
through the wooden slats across the window but it was still dark in the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were sounds, he realised, coming from
out in the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The waking world
immediately sharpened around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
hand snaked past his duffel bag and reached for the gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The veins in his arms went taut as he rose
from his makeshift bed, pointing the Beretta with tightly clasping hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sounds were strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it possible they’d found him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He walked slowly across the room and
carefully rounded the corner, aiming into the corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a blur of black against black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone slammed into him and the gun went
off, echoing a sharp crack of sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Myers grabbed at the figure, turning, shifting his weight against them
and they both crashed to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Myers rolled away, jutting the gun forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t fucking move!” he spat, steadying
himself up against the wall, “I’ve got a clear shot!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The figure was hunched on the floor, in
the gloom, a suited man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned
forward and a slim shaft of light played across his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a wrong face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were two small crucifixes where its
eyes should have been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It opened its mouth slightly, “Klick taap
klick?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers felt his stomach twist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
the fuck…</i>?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He fired four shots into the thing in a
sudden frenzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sound gave way to a strange
ringing silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crucifix-eyed thing
spluttered, coughed and twitched in a pool of almost luminous silver fluid, as
though it were bleeding mercury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
strange clicks and taps issued from its mouth in a broken, laboured way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gun aimed, Myers moved closer, his pulse thudding
in his ears now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stared down at the
thing, incredulous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sorree, mye frehnd,” it managed before
growing still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers dropped carefully
to his knees beside it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He touched the
crucifixes that should have been its eyes, fingering the tiny embossed surfaces
of the twin Christ figures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked like a young man…it looked
almost real.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No way,” he murmured, “no fucking
way…they’re making monsters.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wave of revulsion engulfed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put the gun in its mouth and pulled the
trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The back of its head exploded
in a slick of silver mush across the scorched floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers exhaled shakily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It had come for the diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Somehow he knew this, he felt it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had slipped into an even deeper darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t wait to gather his files or his
laptop; he slipped the duffel bag across his shoulder, put his gun away and
pulled on his gloves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He left the dead
thing in the gloom and crept from the condemned building like a spider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Into cold, clear daylight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They marched Ryan,
their hands clasped tight around his wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He expected them to be cold like the dead, but they were warm like the
living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was candlelight on the
gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They shoved him to his knees,
drawing around him in a semicircle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
waited as they watched him with their metal cross-eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he heard the voice of Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you afraid, Va’el?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My name…is Ryan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn was waiting just beyond the reach
of the candlelight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you afraid,
Ryan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The metal cross-eyes glanced to the
concealed form of Mr Finn, all at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On his knees Ryan clenched his hands into fists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn stepped casually into the candlelight
and then kneeled, glancing across the gallery at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Although we speak, Va’el, although we
have voice, this place is a place of silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lay down your dagger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan could only shake his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t have a dagger…I don’t have
anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lay down your dagger, Va’el.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan pressed his eyes shut. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t…I don’t know what you mean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn’s voice became harder, colder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is a place of silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lay it down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On his knees, Ryan opened his eyes and
screamed, “I don’t have anything, you moron!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You took what I had, remember!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You took her from me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn rose to his feet, crossed the
distance between them, kneeling again before the frightened child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You can’t win this war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This boy-flesh will betray you, but I need
what you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need your courage and
strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all there, in your
blood.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan looked away but Finn grasped his
face, forcing him to return his gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Look at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This face is much
like yours, these eyes too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He snatched
Ryan’s hand and pressed it to his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“This heart is much like yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan pulled his hand away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re a liar and a monster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t get me to believe a single word you
say…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn glared deeply at the boy, his
glass eyes reflecting candlelight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,”
he whispered, “I suppose I can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good
for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan scowled there on his knees, a fear
mixed with angry hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a boy,
yes, but he’d killed once before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
would’ve killed again if he had the power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn whispered to him, “Shall I tell
you a secret, fugitive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Power is an
illusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pomp and ceremony; a special effect of
perception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t tell the Eidola.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn glanced at the suited figures with the
metal crosses for eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They’re shades, you see; the Eidola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phantom images born of lower
consciousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They think I’m their
master, that I make them what they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s better, for all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Better to be of service, don’t you agree?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rose to his feet and stared down at
Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Any questions?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re gonna kill me…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll drink you first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need what you have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve got to be strong for when the Elders
arrive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan pressed his eyes shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just…tell me how long I have to wait.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Until Emily?” asked Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Not long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll be reunited
with your wife – sister…whatever, soon enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Swelling chorus and dappled sunlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’ll be exactly as you imagine it only better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We won’t follow you into that world, in case
you feared such a thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be
good, Va’el.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be very good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank you,” murmured Ryan, through
gritted teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t thank me,” Finn said coldly, “I
have nothing to do with that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank
Seriah – Emily, when you see her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until
then simply wait to die.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced at one of the Eidola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It tilted its head, metal cross-eyes
gleaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Find the guardian that let
Va’el loose, and kill him in a gruesome way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rest of you guard the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lillibeth has returned and I need to speak with her.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn drew back into the shadows, away
from the candlelight, and was gone from the Silent Gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Eidola knelt in a semicircle around
Ryan, linking hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seemed to
watch him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon it would be over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-37518498872039250892018-11-22T10:49:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:27.590-08:00Chapter Twenty-One<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ryan had been awake
for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no more ham
sandwiches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was warm in the Circle
Room, but still he felt cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d been
thinking about Emily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the clerics
had taken them to the mountains once, and he and his sister played in the snow
for the whole day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the clerics
watched over them they almost forgot about the Colony, as if it were only a
stupid dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d wished that day continued
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hadn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he waited to die, doubting that the
loving angels even knew he existed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Surely Em had been abandoned by them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’d have that in common with her when they were finally reunited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just hoped it wouldn’t hurt…he hoped they
killed him before they began to eat him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amidst his tears he glanced to his right
and saw that the door was wide open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a man leaning casually against
the frame, watching him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A naked man
with milk-white skin, eyes like silver, and long blonde hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan felt himself go taut with apprehension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man watching him was incredibly tall and
painfully thin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shape of a cross had
been cut into the base of his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
didn’t cover his genitals as he stared at the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped into the Circle Room, closing the
door behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan felt his body
quicken and he scrambled backwards on his hands and heels, up against the
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bright white man turned and
pressed his back against the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please don’t hurt me!” Ryan heard himself
cry, “I’m begging you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man’s blonde hair fell forward,
obscuring his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan heard him speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They took down the Sun.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a wave of dark chill, Ryan realised the
man had spoken in his own voice; the voice of a twelve year old boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They took down the Sun, in Man’s eyes,
and replaced it with the false star of annihilation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seek to flood the mind of Man with this
false light, merciless and isolating, so that none of them remembers what they
were.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He walked carefully towards Ryan like an
ivory tower, his bright white skin almost aglow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan raised trembling hands before his face,
“Please don’t hurt me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man kneeled nearby, speaking again in
Ryan’s voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m incapable of hurting
you, Ryan the Boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m only a guardian,
a keeper of keys and corridors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
you’re right to fear me, I suppose, for anything that speaks in the voices of
others must have something to protect or hide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They shared each others gazes for a
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What are you…?” Ryan muttered
finally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The naked man cupped his hands,
nodding at something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes,” he said, in Emily’s voice now, “I
am a monster.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He moved forward across
the floor on his hands and knees, like a huge white lion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy locked into his mirrored stare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you remember me, Ryan?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia Gray’s voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan couldn’t shut his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I am forgotten then, lost to the false
chaos of time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man blinked and Ryan
was able to press his eyes shut, keeping them shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re not gonna help me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They would have me draw you down the
Well, fatten you up with their boring wishes, yes, yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you remember when the stars fell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan shook his head, eyes closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They’re going to eat me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Gobble you up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was silence for a few moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, Ryan opened his eyes and inhaled
sharply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bright white man was lying
beside him, blonde hair fanned on the stone floor of the Circle Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“An entire realm consumed by black
fire.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced up at the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“An entire race blinded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eyes of glass now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was afraid but his heart wasn’t
racing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He listened to the lilting words
spoken in his sister’s voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They’d
have you believe they are gods, but they had eyes, you see. Horror…yes, it’s
the only thing they really remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They would have it as the fate of your kind as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because your kind is their kind and you both
grow so bored.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan stared down pleadingly at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please, don’t let them eat me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Help!</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t free you but I will help you, Ryan
the Boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he watched the man sat up, reaching
into his own mouth, and pulled something from his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened his wet, white palm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small iron key lay there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan stared wide-eyed at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man held out his palm, offering it to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment Ryan was frozen but
then he snatched it, gripped it tight in his fist and held it close to his
chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the man spoke again it
didn’t seem to be in a borrowed voice, it seemed to be his own; quiet, rasping,
laboured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That
key…it opens all the doors to all the corridors here…Try to reach the main
doors…beyond the black hall…only through them can you escape this place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man coughed, clearing his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If you don’t reach those doors and break the
seal, well, they will drink your blood and consume your flesh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the key held tight in his fist Ryan
said, “What about you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bright white man closed his silver
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll be destroyed and
redesigned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lost once again to the false
chaos of time, I suppose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
worse things, as you no doubt suspect.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan stared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He made you, didn’t he?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn; he created you...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“His beloved,” muttered the man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Once, a long time ago, she did that very
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I was born to this House,
born to its rules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seek to erase
the Sun, the true memory of Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
they are merely reflected pain; lost, hopeless, hateful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This I’ve learned of my creators and the
clerics who serve them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the stars
fell I watched the old city burn, thinking that this must be what it was like
for them; to see your world destroyed in a holocaust of cruelty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They plan it for this circle too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bright white man rose to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I must leave now, or I will soon be
mist.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed as if he had made a
private joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan felt a chill in his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why are you helping me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this…a trap?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man shook his head and went to the
door, opening it and glancing back at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I knew you as Va’el.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A thief and
fugitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A long time ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would roll me tobacco and your wife would
stitch my clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were good
friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They burned the libraries and
you told me that they intended to control knowledge.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled at the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were right, Va’el.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door slammed shut and Ryan was alone
again in the Circle Room, afraid, clutching the key in his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise was staring
at her as they drove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was silent,
shaking her head and laughing lightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Are you going to tell me what the hell happened, Cee?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You wouldn’t believe me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared at her, at the bruises she had
put on her friend’s cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said
nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I saw the cuts on your back
vanish like they’d never been there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
saw those girls in Litchfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell me
what happened, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were
freezing...like someone dropped you in an ice bath.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She came to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Alice…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise clasped her hands with
frustration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Then who came to you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A woman…a black woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never saw her face, just her hands.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head and laughed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I thought she was you at first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s one of these Dollmen creatures, I
think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was there, Lou, I swear to Christ she was
there, on the balcony with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it
felt weird, almost like a dream.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise raised her eyebrows, pressing her
hands to her mouth. “Oh, man...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She sucked the heat right out of me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked at Celia, shaking her head,
fingers trembling on her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t
know what to say to this…I believe you, but…how the hell can you protect
yourself against this – I mean, fuck…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia changed gears on the Ford, feeling
tears in her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was so tired of
tears. “She didn’t want me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise lay back against the head
rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What’re you saying?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She said she wanted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>…to kill you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise
closed her eyes, murmuring something that Celia didn’t catch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She said she wanted to kill you to
understand if I loved you…she called you my mistress…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise kept her eyes closed, saying
nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re not my
mistress…okay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not going to let
anything...I’m not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was crying now, eyes pressed
tightly shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, Cee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the hell are you going to stop her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">demons</i>…you
said it yourself…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what the fuck</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could only stare at the road ahead, as
Louise trembled and cried in the passenger seat, turning away from her, beating
a fist against the dashboard, screaming suddenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fuck this, Cee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus Christ,
what the fuck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why! All I’ve done is
love you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What the fuck…</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, stop…please.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pressed her lips together, shaking,
her eyes wide and full of rage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
breathed deeply, forcing herself to remain silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears streamed down the bruises around her
right eye, down her swollen cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What
the fuck,” she muttered finally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This
is bullshit…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia’s hands gripped the steering
wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drove in silence for a
while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let’s
get this done…soon…just spare her all this…please?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be whatever you want me to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be a vessel for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just spare her.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why did you want this, Celia?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I didn’t want this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Seeker,” Louise said quietly, “What the
hell have you done, Cee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did you
bring them here?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A morbid scowl cut Celia’s girlish
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bring</i> them here…I didn’t create this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They</i>
did it to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no damn choice in
this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise closed her eyes again, absently
wiping the tears from her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
winced when she touched the bruises too hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“These things want to kill me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Kill me because of you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re
not worth that – you’re not worth my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia took a hand from the steering wheel,
pressing it to her forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“In the
hospital you said you’d do it all again for me, in a heartbeat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise took an open pack of Lincoln Silver
that lay on the dash and lit one, inhaling the smoke as deep as she could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I was talking shit,” she said as she
exhaled, “Romantic shit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t do this, Lou.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More silence in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually Louise spoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know, my mum used to go to church all
the time before I was born, but after me she didn’t go so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember riding in the car though.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dad there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Me here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum and Alex in the
back.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was silent again for a few
minutes, touching a hand to her mouth, gently rubbing her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“World seems big now,” she said at last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They were parked
up at a McDonald’s Restaurant. Families and eager kids with Happy Meals crossed
the tarmac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia took a long, slow
breath, watching the children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Anything?” asked Louise without looking
at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Some fries maybe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shut the car door and Celia watched
her walk towards the building, disappearing inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia opened a window and lit a cigarette,
smoking in silence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Smoke too much, way too much…it’s not
glamorous and it’s not cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
another vice for the vice-girl.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
laughed vacantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She should have expected Louise to react
the way she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was a sign that
at least now she believed in the reality of what was happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was something wasn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although, Louise didn’t want to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who in their right mind would?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia jumped at the electronic beeping
that came suddenly from nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mobile phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reached over and snatched it from
underneath some folders on the back seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’d thought she’d lost it in all the madness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She flipped it open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hello…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus, where the hell have you been!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been trying to reach you since yesterday
morning!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought you were…dead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia frowned, “Paulie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, listen to me Celia…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer sounded twitchy and afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Have you seen the news?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They guy you asked me about, Irwin Shaw –
he’s dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s on the news, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They cut his fucking throat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She listened to the fear in the voice of her
assistant editor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were there, weren’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” she said, a little too quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was desperation in his voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look, I know more about this than I told
you…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia started laughing, shaking her head,
anger beneath the laughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh I’ll bet
you do, Paulie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone seems to know
more about this than me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d known
Paul Drazer for six years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d
considered him a friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So tell me
what you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell me now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want a piece of me too?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everybody does.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, Celia, for fuck sakes, a man is
dead!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has that registered with you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just listen to me…I’m pretty sure that
Richard Hobbes was your father.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It cut her like a scythe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She winced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I know,” she murmured into the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She glanced and saw Louise returning with a McDonald’s bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Listen, Celia…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he might still be alive.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise opened the passenger door and got
inside the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was numb,
momentarily frozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought had
paralysed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee?” Louise said,
frowning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could only stare
wide-eyed at her lover, the phone pressed to her ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did you hear me, Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He might still be alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have files you need to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Documentation of something called ‘Angel
Wine’; an illegal project by the Ministry of Defence, run by a Dr Benjamin
Foster…your name is in these damn files…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears slid across Celia’s pale cheeks as
she looked at Louise, anxiety written across her lover’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ben,
Ben you fucking bastard…Ben I trusted you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You of all people…how could you do that to me…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh…damn you…I hope you fucking burn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could you do that to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved you…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a pinched monotone Celia said quietly,
“How the hell do you know all this, Paulie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know this is going to sound like
bullshit, but…there’s a guy, and…I don’t think he’s human…I swear I’m telling
you the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll have to trust
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said he’d kill me if I spoke to
you, said he’d kill my mum too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are things you need to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world
isn’t like we thought it was.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes, overcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why didn’t you tell me any of this before,
you spineless, gutless…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard his voice tighten, “Look, I only
met him the day before yesterday – he wanted me to lure you into some kind of
trap…I was scared, okay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The things in these files, Jesus Christ…it’s
like something out of an acid flashback.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s going to kill me whether I talk to you or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he’s
not human</i>…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was silent for a moment, then, “We
need to meet, now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, not now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not safe for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be in my office at
Hades House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia…if I’m not there then I’m dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be careful.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The line was disconnected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snapped shut the mobile, glancing at
Louise who was staring expectantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia didn’t say anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You trust him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise only nodded, opening the bag and
removing a cheeseburger, glancing away from Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I forgot the fries.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-14390882524130313012018-11-22T10:47:00.001-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.842-08:00Chapter Twenty<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunlight broke
across the sky in ribbons of powder pink and lemon yellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Louise woke she found Celia turned away
from her on the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her bare back was
smooth, unmarked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee, babes, wake up…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stirred and muttered, “What…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise touched her shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The cuts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They’ve gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus</i>…it’s healed itself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What?” Celia said again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The fucking word on your back; Seeker –
it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gone</i>…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia turned in the bed and stared at
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hope that’s a good thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
incredible</i>…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes were dark and
searching, flitting about the room as if looking for answers there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia rubbed at her face and breathed
deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I told you, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think I have a say in this
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s kind of a relief.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A relief…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s all fate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a dream…it’s
all fate.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise swallowed and stared
at nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s nice that you’ve seen
for yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to believe me
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a relief, you know?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded very slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I guess it must be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lay her head on her lover’s thigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was fear in her voice now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia turned away, returning her head to the pillow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was too tired to fear it, but eager
enough to get it done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise had
pressed something against her back; soft and slightly sticky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was drawing something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What’re you doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A little counter-curse,” said Louise,
“Something to protect you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She drew an
upright pentacle on Celia’s back in lipstick; the five-pointed star, encircled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Feels weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe it’s working.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They weren’t white witches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
would never lay naked together in a rose bed, at least not without getting cut
by thorns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thanks for that,” muttered
Celia, “It helps, you know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise smiled and kissed her
shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t believe the cuts are
gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s like…like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t believe it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I suppose it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Magic.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you think it means?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nothing good, I’m sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t rub it off, okay?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t say anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay, Cee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a counter-curse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t rub
it off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise left the bed and disappeared into
the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia heard the shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled on Louise’s jeans and shirt and
went to the kitchen, pouring a glass of orange juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared through the window as she sipped
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the cuts on her back had
healed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could feel the lipstick
there beneath her shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise deserved
more than this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared at the trees beyond the
window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t wished a stabbing on
Louise, surely?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t wished a
punctured lung.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, it seemed wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn’t imagine the metaphysics of it,
even the most scholarly aspect of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wanted to be responsible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would be beautiful if Lou really meant that much to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did she?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This isn’t my world…Fuck if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I </i>created this…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fuck trying to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understanding was fighting and she wouldn’t
fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she suffered gladly, then
perhaps they were not really hurting her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps they were only giving her something she could no longer refuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the balcony, she lit a cigarette,
staring out across the tops of houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She tried to blow smoke rings but the breeze was too strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pare of hands slid around her waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled, glancing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were brown-skinned hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia’s blood went like ice-water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hands were holding her, gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cigarette fell from her fingers, a
replenished fear rising through her body, near paralysing her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t scream,” said the female voice, “I
needed to see you…I needed to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve forgotten, you see.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia couldn’t move, couldn’t think;
realising what was holding her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
shivered suddenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why…are you doing
this to me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could only stare, too
numb to turn and face the woman that was behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The voice whispered in her ear, almost
tender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re Angel Wine, the vessel
that will return us to our forefathers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears welled in her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn’t speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The presence of the thing was all
consuming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood transfixed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hands left her waist and grasped her
shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are you…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What gives you…What gives you the right?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman laughed gently in her ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We are the progeny of serpents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are the descendants of the true Sons of
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ours is the divine right of
kings.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like shards of glass inside her
head, shards of ice, freezing her ability to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Names, names, names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pathlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nephilim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rakshassar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nosferatu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Golem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dollman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many, many more besides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only words, Miss Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simple fictions.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hands left her shoulders and slipped
around her waist again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia winced at
it, her eyes closing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Your real name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard the cold reply in her ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have no ‘real’ name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I call myself Lillibeth Renn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you like it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Wren is a bird, you know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
do you want from me, Lillibeth?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt lips kiss at her neck and she
flinched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I want to remember you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, I’ve forgotten and I wish to
remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I want to know if you
really love your whore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one taking a
shower as we speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you love
her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really want to know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If
you hurt her I swear I’ll…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ll what, Celia Gray?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What will you do?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman lowered her tone and whispered
again in Celia’s ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Namahey wrote it
so you would know him through words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Made
you a writer, like himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
pretend to understand why.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears spilled from Celia’s eyes like
clear-bleeding wounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t care…what you are. You’re both cowards.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cowards?” the woman retorted, almost
hissing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You say this when your
strawberry-blonde whore offers you her precious love; when she is brave enough
to open arms to you against her fears and you refuse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You call us cowards?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t deny our hearts desire, neither one
of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t cage our tears and our
hatred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t make light of our lust or
our joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shall tell you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hand left Celia’s waist and snatched at
her throat, squeezing gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sometimes
I fear that you’re all he sees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He holds
the key of my memories. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only that could
sate him for the way I broke his bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But you…and then the jealousy comes, is remembered, but only fragments
of my native dream…yet always you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
he touches me, I smell your cunt on his fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d destroy you if I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But not yet, you’re our ticket to ride the
returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t understand but
Namahey does…he’s seen entire worlds eat themselves alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says each time we destroy what we were;
black flame, black star.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the End
comes, you’ll recognise enlightenment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do you love her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That thing
between her legs; the way you sup at it, is that your definition of love?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman squeezed tightly at Celia’s
throat and whispered in her ear, “The whore would die for you, princess, and in
death…still she’d ache for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you
refuse her in your vanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that
mortal love?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ice cold and trembling, Celia opened her
eyes, and said, “I do love her…so fuck yourself, bitch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman responded with thoughts, not words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
only love yourself, Celia Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know…yes,
I know now who you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It fills me with
disgust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realise I never wanted my
memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could you give her the key to
your heart and your mind, give her your very selfhood?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You couldn’t even understand the
concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would rather break her
bones and search for your mother to put her fingers inside you instead.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if I killed your whore, your mistress,
then mightn’t I understand your love for her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is this not a valid line of reasoning, Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know that mother weeps for you, seeing
you so afraid of heartbreak?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The voice in her head was silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The presence seemed to withdraw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia trembled on the balcony, eyes wide
and sore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t dare to move, to
turn around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her whole body was rigid
with fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She closed her eyes and took
a shaking breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hands slipped around
her waist and she flinched, letting loose a ragged gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee, what’s wrong?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus…you’re freezing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happened?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could smell the rose-scented shower
gel on Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh Christ…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise embraced her from behind, “What
happened?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re freezing…how the hell
did you get so cold?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her
eyes as Louise held her, feeling the warmth from the hot shower eventually
seeping into her trembling flesh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">He could feel the
jealousy in her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sense of inadequacy
turned to quiet rage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She feared that he
loved another, that the princess enchanted him with images of things past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She feared that Celia made him lustful, in a
way that perhaps she could never duplicate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was truth in her fears, of a kind, but it was not as she
believed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth fooled herself,
gazing into the reflecting pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
couldn’t die, but if she convinced herself that he loved the princess her heart
might be burned away – and that was perhaps a kind of death, certainly a kind
of passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had slipped away from
him in the early morning hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted much for Celia but he knew that
his wanting was not a key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was the
key, and his hopes for her to turn in the lock like a dancer were too romantic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth hated her; the delicacy, the utter
patience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But most of all she hated the
vanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a truer image than
Lillibeth could ever allow herself to know, such was her fear of recollection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her thoughts he saw she felt cheated
somehow, as though he didn’t touch her the way he touched Celia, like a sacred
text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This of course was a lie, but lies
could be powerful things…he still remembered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Far too little sleep, yet too much
dreaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shape and form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeking release from such shape and
form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tasting and being denied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>False light, before the black flame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much false light, burning with pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood and flesh; fire and dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much fire and dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He remembered that he wept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It terrified his beloved, seeing in Celia
the finite of her own infinity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such
things, beyond contradiction, always found a way to return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many called them circles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth was kissing a ghost through silver
water, like the dead moon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tasting in
him all of Celia’s genius, she feared, thus she also feared the depth of her love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The depth of all love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love lay beyond entropy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once, during a massacre, she’d whispered
to him: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Only when all this comes to pass,
beyond the War, beyond the destruction of all false light; only then will I
allow myself to prove how I yearn and hunger for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be devoured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you understand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will devour you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such is my love, my love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond words, beyond any tale that may be told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will devour you, Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And behold, you will be made void before my
lust.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It touched him, more than she would ever
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made him see a place for them
in forever…the returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the
fire and dust there was nothing of them to be dreamt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let Lillibeth swim briefly in the reflecting
pool, touching native images.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of
that would pale once she drank from Angel Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then both women would remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then it could begin again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
she would love him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would love them
both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
thought she was going to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would
not die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth feared she would be discarded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would not discard her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were parts of him of which his beloved
knew nothing, older than Pathlight, softer than the butterflies, darker than
the blinding black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-71269829527350380232018-11-22T10:45:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.994-08:00Chapter Nineteen<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia stared from
the living-room window at the afternoon sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise handed her a burning cigarette and she pulled deep on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know I told you all this last night,
but it was so insane…they just cut his throat, his eyes were still open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s probably still lying there now, cold and
stiff.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He was lying on his back, on the damn
kitchen table.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise said nothing,
simply staring at her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“God knows
what they’re doing to Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said they
ate children, his sister, him too probably.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I remember.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed, “That’s like the most
horrific thing I could ever imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
wait to end this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She opened the
window, tossing the cigarette into the wind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What are they?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t know, baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ancient, I think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said
Arcadia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Remember Arcadia.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded, “The fields of heaven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He said I was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">writing</i> this, all this suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said I loved stories, told me I was fascinated by the dark side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he was trying to imply that my soul was
somehow creating all of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My madness
is in the real world now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stared down at her hands
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not your madness.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The madness of mankind then, played
through me…given form through me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia wanted to be responsible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted the pain of that burden because
then it meant she was in control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
she didn’t really feel responsible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
didn’t believe she was in control of any of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shook her head and picked up the
diamond from the coffee table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He
really put it inside you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“As some kind…of ritual?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I guess so.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gem was obviously priceless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was rich, Celia realised with a certain
ice-like amusement, richer than she’d been before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Beneath the Silent
Gallery, beneath the black hall, they stood before the vault door; at the Mouth
of Weavers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn watched Namahey pass his hand
across the sigil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gilded metal
thorns on its surface interlaced and the vault opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped inside and she followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room was lit by a pink half-light that
seemed to have no source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the centre
was a hole that plunged deep into the ground, more a window than an
opening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was ringed with small
stones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They called it the Wishing
Well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place where she often spoke of
fears and desires, her voice carried down into the City of Lights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not long yet, my love,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled as he placed the old silver coin
in her palm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You do it for me; I don’t
have the resolve.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went to the well’s edge, glancing back
at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Prince of lies,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced at his feet, looking for the
briefest moment like a boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I want to
see you graceful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hopeful you mean,” she retorted quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s the same thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed, “No, Namahey, it’s not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s never the same thing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The coin fell from her hand and she watched
it turning, falling, deep into the well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Softly,
Finn said, “Mr Haven didn’t come back.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned away from the hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you certain?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“He’s dead, I think, ruined by mortal will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls will have no bedtime stories now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll read to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t worry, baby, there’s bigger
things.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hugged him and he pressed
his face into the curve of her neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m tired, Lillibeth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tired of this isolation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a monumental fraud, as are you, my love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held him tighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“These reflections hurt my eyes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You have no eyes,” she told him and he
laughed softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forget.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kissed him and peered blindly, into
his blind gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her voice was a coaxing
whisper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When I look I see you at
peace, even amidst all this theatre for the dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s why I love you, Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see you as you really are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m blushing,” he said with a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I see us returned,” she whispered again
in his ear, “I see us beneath the bluest sky, and when I look at the earth that
we’ll walk upon…I see that it is luscious and green.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took her hands and nodded silently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dusk was drawing
translucent blues and indigos across the canopy of sky, and the night was
slowly painted into life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the dream Alice Gray stands at a
window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behind it the sky is splashed
with red and black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is writing
intently upon the glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a darkened
doorway, Celia is watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a
girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She struggles to read the words on
the glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">…everything…shares…one
soul…even the imagined beasts…of the dark places…you…my daughter…are
a…seeker…of ages…you have done this all…before…you have only… to remember…</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Alice turns from
the window, looking down at little Celia, mouth moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-you have only to remember-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia steps forward, watching her mother’s
lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m afraid to remember.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-it is a false fear-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nods; dark eyes like Alice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know,
but still I’m afraid.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-everything dies…there is no death-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia falls quickly to her knees, silently
pleading for her mother to cross back through the circle, to join her in life
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-I am no longer human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My love is to leave you-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia doesn’t want to believe this, she
cannot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is too cruel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Please come
back to me…I’m blind without you.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice Gray kneels suddenly at Celia’s
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-you have only to
remember…daughter…hero…villain…you are-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No…mummy,
stop.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-lover-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No…I want you back, come back to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Her mother strokes a quick hand against
Celia’s cheek but she cannot feel it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: right 415.45pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-a child’s false hope…my love is real but
I shall not return to you-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia looks up at the window; at the words
there, at the black and red sky beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I fucking hate you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hate fucking you…</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice leans close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She whispers in her daughter’s ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">-</i>suffering
aside…it is put upon you to remember-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia screams, tearing herself back into
the waking world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Her arms and legs
were twitching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shivered in the bed,
beside Louise, who was deep in sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia swallowed and pressed a hand to a forehead slick with cold
sweat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her stomach was churning, as
though there was something hot swirling rapidly inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus
Christ this is fucked…</i>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed
her head against the pillow, taking long deep breaths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When her mind and body had somewhat stilled
itself she turned, nuzzling close to Louise, who absently drew an arm around
Celia’s waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With their bodies close,
in the dark, Celia felt the heat inside her begin to cool and fade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her fear did not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She moved yet closer to Louise, and listened
to the silence.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
blindness they speak, of eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
silence they ask, of voices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In longing
they take, of blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bright shadow, burning
beneath a waning moon, wanting of its home again, the green earth, no longer
its empty sphere of bitter dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Appellation and rebirth, into flesh, watchers no longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In such promise, children of Man, inheriting
a ruined world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the war they speak
of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A War of Miracles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bright shadow, calling to me, a princess, a
taste of angel wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am the girl; a
child, the place of ascension.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rising back towards the green and
blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of eyes, of voices, of blood.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Last night the
handsome Paul Drazer had taken an axe to the corpse of Mr Haven, dismembering
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a long process and he
sweated in his basement, placing bits in clear plastic, wrapping them, storing
them in bin liners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He drove to
Hollander Green with the bags in the boot of the car, and buried them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t fearful of being stopped by police,
or of any other man-made law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact a
strange calm descended, not unlike hearing the distant sound of the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like the time with the homeless
teenager, except this was even more sating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bunker was his hidden place, the touchstone for his faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he had murdered Mr Haven at home, a place
previously separate from his supplication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was strange; his surface life and his
secret self had now blurred, crossing over, sharing deeds and energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt switched on, vital, as though his
life, his initiation, all his naïve fumbling with darkness, had been only a
prelude to this defining experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
hadn’t killed a child, or an animal, he had killed a teacher of the
supplication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mentor, a cleric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such things were forbidden in the literature
he’d read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So yes, he had truly crossed
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Haven would rest well beside
the bones of the Carriers, knowing they were forever patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, he had removed Haven’s
ink-black eyes, for his own consumption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, in the night, as he lay in his bath,
Paul Drazer wore an odd smile on his lips, pouring water onto his back from a
plastic cup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richard Hobbes had been a
romantic, a modern renaissance man; profoundly intelligent, but also to Drazer
the old man had been a fool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Confounded,
he shook his head in the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He twisted the tap and let the hot water
flood into the lukewarm, caressing his toes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hobbes often told him about his dreams of angels; the prayer ones, he’d
called them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drazer laughed silently in
the bath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no angels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no demons, therefore angels were
unnecessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were only things that
seemed to be one or the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nature
didn’t give names to its creations, no, that was the predilection of Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only the infinity of energetic
interplay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Power</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">, in a word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded to himself and sank into the
water up to his neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richard had been brilliant, possessed of a
natural genius that Drazer admitted was lacking in himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But his gifted imagination had also been
something of a curse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mind had been
cinematic, epic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw things in
sumptuous colours, heard lilting memories that echoed off his soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But poor Richard had never understood real beauty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Clock did, and Drazer believed that he
did too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Complete, terrifying freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No need for the fanciful dreams of a child
in the inhuman cosmos…no need for angels at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But still the old man would wax lyrical about
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drazer would see the hope in his
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope blended forever with
suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pitied Hobbes, never
revealing his disgust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these names,
these labels, they were loaded with mythical allusions, but they didn’t even
begin to scratch the surface of these priests of men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The language of children exposed the
arrogance and the intellectualism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monster.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If monsters walked the earth alongside men – and they did – then it was
next to men who were occasionally more insidious than the monsters themselves,
monsters that crept into the councils of earth because men found them
fascinating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dark things wore masks,
allowing Man to imagine that it was his own face beneath the mask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monsters were, by their very natures,
ingenious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The unknown; often discussed, little explored,
the place where divine light didn’t seem to reach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer wanted to touch these
places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to embrace the
monsters and force them to turn to his gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hatred kept him strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t
glamorous, but it kept him attentive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The promise of violation; it was a knowing beyond <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All evolution, spiritual and otherwise,
was a form of rape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his mind he saw Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There had been a time when he had got so
close to her, so close to simply forcing himself inside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to touch and taste her, but to do
it against her will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He held his cock
gently in his left hand and felt it swell, stiffening as he thought of
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get the monsters to listen to
him he would have to hurt her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
couldn’t bare the charade any longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
would have to hurt her so badly; throw away the mask of his life, discard all
that was weak and served anything other than him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would bleed her just a little, enough to
taste, then he would take her, over and over and over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could do that now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a personal initiation of nearly
seven years, but now there was no fear of living his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer wondered what Angel Wine would
taste like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-6481512883060348432018-11-22T10:43:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.970-08:00Chapter Eighteen<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the darkness of
the Circle Room two shafts of moonlight intersected, creating a cross of silver
above them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony was kneeled and
praying, head tilted, hands behind her back. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson went to sit beside her twin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their hands found each other, interlacing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We went to the Garden, didn’t we?” Ebony
asked with her inner voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We saw what
we had never seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Chapel was built in
the midst?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Their faces turned
and met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were tears on Ebony’s
cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson touched them silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We are a part of them, aren’t we, my
sister…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson closed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, but…we are together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small solaces<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She touched her own forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Here we are free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You believe it don’t you?”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked tired and doubtful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, I believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I fear so much.”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Crimson
stroked her sister’s blood-red hair then crossed her hands, making the motion
of a bird in flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Remember the Phoenix, even from the ashes
of death?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ebony nodded and spoke with her mortal
voice now, frail and whispered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But
this chapel is a ruined place, a tomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps even the Phoenix cannot soar into the skies from such a tomb…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson shook her head, gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, sister, it is written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death is not death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is as Mr Haven once told us: Inside every
skull grows a flower.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes,” muttered Ebony.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson rose to her feet, turning towards
the boy that was hiding<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She moved
towards him like a ghost of black and red, and then at once she was like a girl
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hear him crying,
nestling in a wraith of shadow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My sister, Ebony, she prays for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She prays for the three of us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy’s breath was an unsteady
tremble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Leave me alone…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson glanced at her twin and kneeled
beside the hiding boy. “Boy?” she whispered, “Boy, please tell me your name.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment there was silence, then,
“Ryan…Ryan Fisher.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She traced a hand near the boy’s
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes,” she murmured, “Your sister
is dead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the wraith of shadow the boy doubled
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ate her; the Dollmen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson looked up at the cross of
moonlight high in the Circle Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You
are wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was taken by the prayer
ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is safe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy shook his head in the
darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They still ate her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ate her body…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” she told him softly, “The prayer
ones made it such that her flesh was consecrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they had consumed it they would have grown
very ill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why you are here; to
be consumed in her place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be for them
what she was intended to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A feast of
flesh and blood.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face surfaced from the shadow in which
he hid; wild eyes, a hateful, fearful thing, caged and powerless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Help me…Help me…Please…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson passed her hand before his face
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We cannot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are slaves; my twin and I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t fear, Ryan the Boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you finally die you will welcome it like
a real father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be slaughtered and eaten, yes, but
you will pass through the circle of your death intact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And fearless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Imagine such a thing, or do you lack the required imagination?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surrounded by love, by possibility.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From across the room Ebony turned, looking
at the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There will be no pain.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She rose to her feet, moving towards them
like a ghost of red and black, and then at once like a girl again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kneeled beside Crimson and the boy. “Unlike
this coil, you will see that all things are possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will meet your sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will embrace you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan began to weep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson & Ebony held him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lay him on the floor of the Circle Room,
resting on either side of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lay
between them, staring up at the cross of silver light above them in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sister twins stroked his hair, kissing his
face gently, kissing his tears, lulling him to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the morning
light Louise pretended to be asleep, when in fact she’d barely slept all night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia wanted to disconnect completely and
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bye-bye to hell on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she couldn’t do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was forced to take part in some vast and
cruel game that she didn’t even understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cuts on her back weren’t throbbing anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went to the closet, dressing in a
black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans that were loose on her slender hips but
fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was far curvier than her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Skinny,” she heard Louise say from the
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t have the sexy figure like you do,
babes…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pressed her cheek into the pillow,
bleary-eyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mi casa, tu casa.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Then I guess, what; my boyish good looks
are yours too?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise raised her head from the
pillow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You don’t have to say things
like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re a woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re beautiful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think of you as a dyke.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared at her, nodding, “But I guess
I am though, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What does it matter?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes and remembered the
blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you hate me?” asked Louise from under
the sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had said it so
matter-of-fact that it stunned Celia, despite the nightmare images swirling in
her head from the previous night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throat slit from ear to ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why
is she doing this to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why now?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, how can you even ask me that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise yawned and shrugged like it was any
other morning, “Do you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or do you hate
the fact that you care about me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think
you should be some other kind of person?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t look at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I saw someone die…for fuck sakes don’t do
this, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is so crude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to entertain you like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m hanging on by a damn thread…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise ignored her pleading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Entertain me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well I’m sorry if it’s clumsy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not a writer like you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sure you are,” said Celia through
clenched teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was staring intently, fierceness in
her face framed by strawberry-blonde.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why
do you hide all the time, Cee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not
like you’ve got anything you can keep from me anyway. After what happened last
night, you should be throwing yourself into my arms…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
sat on the edge of the bed and touched at Louise’s hidden feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not a child, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not a damn child.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise scowled, “I never said you
were!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just forget it – do what ever the
fuck you want, bathe in blood!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
threw back the sheets, left the bed and stalked past Celia towards the
bathroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shouted suddenly, “I thought he was
going kill me last night and I’d never see your fucking face again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know how much that hurt…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hurt like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hell</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shut the bathroom door behind her
and locked it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She smoked a
cigarette out on the balcony, holding the letter from Richard Hobbes in her
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw wanted her to believe
that Hobbes was her father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed
the black envelope to her forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dearest Celia, my beautiful daughter.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn’t trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to but she dare not believe these
were the words of her father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her
mind her real father was defined only by his complete absence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now that negative space was filled with –
what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The image of a schizophrenic
writer, a keeper of dark secrets?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No,
such a revelation didn’t offer itself up naturally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt tricked, manipulated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something was trying to confuse her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was that branded Celia Gray
double-speak again; circles and rhetoric, a form of dubious self-control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>George Orwell would be proud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Mr Finn wasn’t a delusion…he’d cut
into her back with a blade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d shot
him again and again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dollmen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clockhost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They felt like delusions though, like they were living inside her head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would either die eventually, or she
would be crawling on her hands and knees through the smoke forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeker…there are no answers…thus, you’re
beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the tall bald man placed the knife to
her back like divine silver, Celia felt like her fate had been sealed; thrust
headfirst into a destiny that was going to crush her completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise would never grasp this, nor would
Celia want her to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No choice in this
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He called me Angel Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know they’re going to drink me dry…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bright shadows in her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hand drew around her waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise kissed her cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could smell the rose-scented shower gel
on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It scares me, Celia…it really
scares me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s still me, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She of the pen and cigarette.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise laughed from behind her and said,
hesitantly, “I still think you need the police. They might find out you were
there and get the wrong idea…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise gripped her shoulders and turned her,
staring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What if this guy comes
back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Odds are that he will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I mean, you said you shot him and he didn’t die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you going to…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pressed her hands to the sides of
Louise’s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I shot him in the
eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bits of glass should have shredded
his brain but it only knocked him unconscious…no man could survive that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shot him again and again and he didn’t even
flinch…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, Lou, I need to hear you say
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, I need to know that you
believe me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t be the only one who
knows…I can’t.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia took her hands
away and Louise hugged her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, a man
couldn’t survive that, could he…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia’s voice trailed away into nothingness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sagged into her lover’s embrace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” said Louise, holding her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A man couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has to be something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She held back tears again and was silent, rocking Celia gently from side
to side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Morning light
sheared between the wooden planks across the windows of the burnt-out
flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amidst the blackened walls, Myers
had his legs crossed and his laptop open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Documents were scattered in a semicircle around him; transcripts,
university details, photos of Celia, photos of Louise Simmons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Work details from Hades House Publishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew enough to recognise that Hades was
an ancient Greek name for…the god of the underworld?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He frowned, put the pen in his mouth and
flipped through the pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hades House was formerly Tempest Press,
established in 1948.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He flipped back
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer, Celia’s assistant
editor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers trawled his mind but
couldn’t remember Mr Finn ever refer to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the same company that had published
the books by the mysterious Richard Hobbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Myers often heard his name traded in whispers at B-Chapter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roman-a-Clef, they muttered
occasionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Novel of a Key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hiding in plain sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His novels were underground classics, with
entire chat-rooms on the Internet devoted to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The literary community once regarded him a
self-publicising hermit trying to cloak himself in an enigma to help his horror
fiction to sell better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At B-Chapter, Hobbes was regarded as a
visionary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, no one spoke his
name too loudly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers wondered; a house
of Hades, lord of the hidden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If taken
literally it would be a very dark place indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lit a cigarette amidst the rank scent
of old smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone at Hades House obviously knew of
the Clockhost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone had grasped the
fractured mythology and seen beyond the fiction to the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wondered how many amateur students of the
occult a publishing house would produce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not many who would have the patience and desire to take it beyond poetry
and into science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, he wagered that
studying the hidden was a far different thing to touching the hidden; feeling
its power, its own reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn was this kind of man – or would
have been if he were a man at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the hidden itself, playing priest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn wasn’t simply a cleric of the
Clockhost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was an object of their
worship because they feared he was actually some kind of demon, or angel, a god
hiding in flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And to this secret
society, to these men so addicted to power; to have a genuine angel walking
amongst them…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers almost shivered as he inhaled the
smoke from the cigarette, hearing the screaming in his mind again, almost
smelling the burning flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smoke in his
throat, his eyes, his nose, even his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did the Clockhost engineer that tragic night; his separation from real
life and into the ghost-light realm of the Colony?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He already knew the answer, though nobody
would ever confirm it for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In truth
he knew the answer soon after arriving in France as a boy, and realising
quickly what the Colony had in store for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a proof-reader from eighteen years of
age, he’d been fed lies about democracy, idealism, protecting freedom and
sovereignty at any costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course he never
believed those lies, he’d seen them for what they were, but they were there as
an essential skeleton to perform his function with his sanity intact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lies allowed him the option of disbelief,
escaping into books and films for comfort and the only real contentment he had
known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of that was gone now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No benchmarks, no rules of thumb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers felt himself staring into the
awesome face of his own imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wanted the ebb, flow, and eventual salvation that fiction had taught him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt none of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps he should’ve killed Celia, even if it
wasn’t what the Clock wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he had
cut her throat in bed, Louise’s too, then maybe he could have gone on living in
blissful ignorance, as a slave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he
couldn’t hide from this anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he
felt responsible for Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He closed
his eyes and laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ryan woke on cold
stone, squinting up at afternoon light that filled the Circle Room from two
small windows high up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His back ached
and he rubbed at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The twin girls, they were gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in the night they’d entered his dream
somehow, hadn’t they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He closed his eyes
and saw fractured images – a garden, a small church, the girls amongst the gravestones,
Emily, her lips moving without words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ryan shook his head, quickly tucking his knees up under his arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would be the hardest part, the
waiting to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Em…oh, Em, I miss you…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the huge oak door he realised there was
a silver plate on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On it was
a tall glass of water and what looked like a big, tasty ham-salad
sandwich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan started laughing, and
then his laughter became tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
shuddered and wept, there on the floor of the Circle Room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-34067964202018679912018-11-22T10:41:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.863-08:00Chapter Seventeen<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Beneath the hot
water of the shower Louise touched the ugly scar just under her left
breast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had been crying; stupid,
weak tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was happening?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was happening to Celia, to both of them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secret childhood experiments?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monstrous demons?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dissolution of their beautiful dependency?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something dangerously real was happening to
her baby girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made Celia feel in control to protect
her; then she didn’t have to face anything. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia talked to her like a goddamn writer, and
made love to her like a writer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stepped from the shower and dressed
in the bedroom; tracksuit bottoms and a Chainley school t-shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at her reflection in the mirror,
at her swollen cheek from Celia’s scared little fist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began combing her wet hair; careful
strokes with the brush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her minds eye the girl-twins appeared
again, a weird duality of red and black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She remembered their knives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
seemed so completely fucking real, but she wouldn’t stretch her mind to where
Celia lived much of the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too
tiring, ultimately too far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Human evil
was what she could understand, the lust for power and control, exploiting the
weak and vulnerable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She saw it on the
news every day, a power-elite creating a society of profitable victims.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before she met Celia her life had been so
much simpler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet she would never take
it back, despite sometimes telling herself she would if she could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, she wanted Celia for too long, teased
unbearably by her intelligence, her warmth, her coldness, her uncanny
intuition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That quality she possessed,
through which she seemed to escape definition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the fusion of the alertness and creativity of a child, and the
sly grace of an almost wanton woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
had made her a wonderful teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
had been enough of a child to inspire the teenagers, and enough of an adult to
direct it effortlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t hurt that many of the boys and
some of the girls held secret crushes for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A number of them held torches for Louise but Celia had always been the
silent star, the genuine object of fascination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the capability and almost spectral vulnerability that made Louise
begin to fall for her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet Celia didn’t need or want her half
as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just thinking of it pitched her
forward towards that place again, where she would rather cut out Celia’s tongue
than hear her whisper during the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cut them both open and hold her down, until their blood began to mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a heavy thudding at the front
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise hurried down the corridor and
glanced through the spy-hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
Celia, clad in a leather jacket, bare breasted beneath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Face and hands smeared a reddish brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quickly, she unbolted and unchained the door,
opening it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise’s baby girl fell
sobbing to her knees, covered in dried blood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Miss Renn was waiting
in the Silent Gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson &
Ebony were in the Circle Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cleric
was reading to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Haven, they
called him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been their chief
storyteller when they were younger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
loved and feared him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
intelligent, the sister twins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
glanced out across the black hall, seeing nothing but feeling so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many had gathered, unseen, waiting patiently
for their Initiate to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wondered absently of the times before,
and whether Namahey had grown to love this writer girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sliver of hatred cut through her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Namahey cared too much, she felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cared too much for the girl’s ‘pain’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He admired her, the bleeding princess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillibeth Renn was priesthood, of
Pathlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved him since before
and after the birth-death of this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She slapped a candle across the gallery with the back of her hand. It
was always this girl…Angel Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
perishable, fading, and yet so beguiling, so enchanting to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was also a writer, a maker of dreams, death
and mythology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was why Lillibeth
loved him so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had once hurt him,
long ago, and so he bound them beyond illusions of selfhood and identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would weave them their own private myth;
the eternal returning, always deeper into love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She would make up for how she hurt him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’d followed him into hell, and in it she found the only peace she
ever knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had made Celia a creator like himself;
a stroke of incomprehensible genius to edify the returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cared for the princess because she
dies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She dies again and again like a
fading angel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was so young, so
theatrically tragic, such a beauty to behold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn stepped through an arch and into the
Silent Gallery with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went to him
and grasped his hands. “They’re waiting for you, as eager as innocents are...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t meet her gaze but he said, “I
hear your thoughts, you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust in
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such jealousy is for the perishable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s unbecoming of you, Lillibeth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A smile touched her lips and he traced a hand
across the dark, bald skin of her skull.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Suppose you, I’ve been here too long?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grinned at that, something he rarely
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What’s ‘too long’?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust in me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded modestly, wondering if she
beguiled him as much as the bleeding princess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Angel Wine was the work of his life, thus it was unsurprising if he was
obsessed by it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put his mind and soul
into all of his books; she would do well to remember such insight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kissed him gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The legions have gathered from the lower depths.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Inform them, Initiate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell them
the good news.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded and stepped out of the portico,
overlooking the empty hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His dolls
eyes searched the bright shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood and stones, the seeker’s bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My predilection for poetry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Legions of Khaldis, serpents of the lower
depths; I’ve cast the rites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The labour
and design is almost completed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rest
assured, now it can begin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I have a
personal stake in this; my own little romance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But for you the hour is near.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
more Man as God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tick-tock is almost
ended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon enough the War of Miracles
will consume this dream, and Gaia will know what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i> have long known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Notre Dame de Sous-terre</i> will open our
window and lead us all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will guide
us into the New World, Arcadia reborn…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn glanced back at Miss Renn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…And we will be refugees no longer, burning
the world.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beneath them, there was something akin to
the echo of silent applause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the soft
lamplight, Celia was sitting naked with her back to Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fire there had reduced itself to a quiet
smouldering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew the tall bald man
had marked her, cut into her with the knife as though she were a piece of clay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard Louise inhale incredulously,
“…Oh Cee, my God…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at her
and saw tears rolling down her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Does it hurt…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course it
hurts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia, my God…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What is it, Lou…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it a symbol?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise could only shake her head, wide-eyed
and silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Babes, what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise closed her eyes and said, “Seeker.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pressed a trembling hand between her
breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It says ‘Seeker’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cut it into your back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They fell into silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tucked in her knees and pulled her arms
around them, sitting on the bed like a naked child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seeker?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He marked me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She felt Louise touch gently at the cuts
on her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus…Oh God, Celia, I’m so sorry…I
should’ve never left you alone…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise
was trembling now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m so sorry…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia couldn’t think of anything to say so
she said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced down at the leather jacket on the
floor, and the gun nestling there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Irwin
Shaw is dead,” she said finally, “I saw him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They cut his throat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The blood on your jeans, on your cheek…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m calling the police, this is crazy…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia snatched her wrist, “No police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re not going to help me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t care!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is madness – I’m not going to wait for
them to murder you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No police!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you heard what I said?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re not going to hurt me…they need me for
something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m alone in this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at her friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We </i>are
alone in this…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise couldn’t say
anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shook her head in
silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced away, staring
through the bedroom window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think – I
think they also killed Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tried to
fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, I shot him in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t kill him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glass eyes, baby…he had two fucking glass
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How insane is that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned and stared at Louise, dropping
the large diamond on the sheets between them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise opened her mouth but there were no words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pressed a hand to her crotch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He put it inside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know why.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could see the look in Louise’s
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally it was dwarfing her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He put it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">inside </i>you…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hunted gaze, intense and
burning, descended on Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a tiny
voice she said, “This is real…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lay carefully on the bed, turning
away from the strawberry-blonde.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
don’t know what’s real…do you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise lay quickly beside her, kissing her
shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was completely still,
unflinching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her friend was kissing the
cuts on her back, careful and soft, gentle lips against wounded flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood touched at Louise’s mouth as she kissed
and she could taste it on her tongue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, maybe you shouldn’t try to love me
so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might end up destroying
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pulled sharply away, careful to not
let Celia’s words crush her completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They lay together on her bed, not facing, not touching. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia fell into a sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise listened to her breathing, shallow and
perturbed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe her fears about love
and trust were true; that ultimately they were useless against pain, that human
suffering would always eclipse human compassion. She would have spared Celia
all this, if somehow she possessed that power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She
tries hard, little Celia, to resist it, to resist the veil of lies; story after
story after story, but she cannot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
is an imaginative girl, afraid that the darkness harbours villainous secrets, strange
images that, in her fear and excitement, speak to her of herself; the weave and
turn of her carefully crafted soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
is drawn, written, nearer, like clock-work.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are Men of Renown, Men of the Crown,
Men of the hidden; the Sight and the Sound. Suppose you, knowing such, to
glance upon a true angel?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Witness to an
ancient monarchy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To dream and bleed as
fools do…as an emissary of the divine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Such is your witness, amidst fire and ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such is your heart’s desire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speak for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Seek, for us…for we are the imagined Shadow of Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such is my witness…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The handsome man
had been watching a crow circling above the bunker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d seen it spiral from the sky and fall dead
on the grass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took it, slipped its
wings back against its body and put it inside his coat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still warm against his chest as he
walked across Hollander Green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There at
his feet he found another one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one
had fallen from a greater height; its head and wings twisted in unnatural
ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put it in his coat next to the
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two symbolic Carriers were dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He alone had found them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Something was happening, a message of sorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was smiling as he wandered Claremont
Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His eyes greedily searched the sky
for stars and found none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the Clock
could be capable of such things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
eyes were lit with quickening fantasies of what might be coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt suddenly like a boy, waiting
eagerly to hear the greatest story ever told.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The newest cat was a small tabby that he
injected and took from a back garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’d caged it soon after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he
wondered if it would be dead too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr
Haven would know the truth; he had seen the Clock with his own obsidian
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Haven would contact him soon
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He feared Haven yet considered
the man his mentor; murderer and teacher, always an apt combination for a
supplicant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What he enjoyed most was
that Haven wasn’t without a sense of humour and hadn’t lied to him yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He entered his house, disengaging the
expensive alarm system, and went straight to the sub-basement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lighting the candles, he saw it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cat lay dead in its cage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a feeling like an icicle in his
throat, piercing his lungs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled
open his coat, placed the two crows on the table, and hurried to the cage,
gripping it, staring down at the dead animal inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a dawning realisation in the
handsome man’s eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Clock…They’ve come for me…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hurled the cage across the basement and
it hit the wall, breaking open, the cat’s corpse sliding onto the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its eyes were open, as if it watching his
childish rage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned away from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Haven was standing at the foot of the
wooden staircase, in the flickering candlelight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hello Paul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You look terrified.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer pressed himself up against the
wall, an arm before his handsome face in the hope of shielding himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Haven stepped over the corpse of the
feline, looking at him with ink-black eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So you’re here,” Drazer said quickly,
averting his gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ll kill me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll kill me now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought, I thought we had…you know, an
allegiance?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowledge for service…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Haven only smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why, why kill me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please…you taught me things…a successor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I used you,” said Haven, “Like they use
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life begets life…the reverse is also
true.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took a casual step towards
Drazer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“These are old, old ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eyes may suggest differently but I’m a
Man, like you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve a greater power, but
I do as I’m told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Light does fade in the
eyes of genuine monsters, Paul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
guard this knowledge without human mercy because it’s the fire of illumination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They think, in their arrogance, that your
soul would be blinded by such a revelation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Consciousness alters blood-chemistry…you knew that, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer watched as Mr Haven held a
hand over the table where the dead crows lay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He flexed his fingers slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
of the birds trembled and began flapping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It came upright and beat its wings and left the table, landing on
Haven’s offered fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The breath left Drazer’s lungs in an
almost silent gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Resurrection…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never in all his darkened fantasising did
he think such a thing was actually possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“My God…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dropped to the
ground against the wall, “My God…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Haven stroked the crow, glancing down
at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The bird was dead, Paul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And I’m just a mortal man, but the Clock; they possess greater magic
than this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They make me tell stories,
you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They love their fucking
stories…tales of romance, tragedy and comedy, drama…and horror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, they’re fascinated by our capacity for
horror.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pressed against the wall, Paul Drazer was
crying now – strangely bitter tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
knew what Haven had come to do to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
he wanted to live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was more to
know, much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been craving it
all since his self-styled initiation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Faith and Self and World; he had only just tasted it and already it
would consume him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I wanted Celia,” he trembled with anger, “I
wanted to split her wide open with my cock, rape her into the next world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Broken, like her ridiculous father…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked up at Mr Haven with wildness in his
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know he thought he could save
her?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His voice hissed with
violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fine!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let them carry me away if they demand
it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slave…you fear them but they’re the
foolish ones.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed with jagged abandon as Mr Haven
stared from behind black eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They
want to go home, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’ll be no fucking need for
priesthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Home will consume them,
can’t you see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like they consume Man;
it’s perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s fucking poetry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The serpents are going to devour them all!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that moment he lunged madly at Mr
Haven, striking him with a fist, striking him again, quicker and harder than
the first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Haven lost his balance in the
onslaught and they crashed to the cement floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Paul Drazer was screaming, clawing at Haven’s obsidian eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crow cried and beat circles above them in
the candlelight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Haven thrashed beneath
Drazer’s weight, muttering an incantation on his breath, but Drazer clamped a
hand over the man’s mouth and head-butt him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly he snatched a screwdriver that
had fallen from the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He closed his
eyes, lifted it high over his head and brought it down deep into Haven’s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stabbed again and again – the face, throat
and eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The face was soft and
yielding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His heart was beating fast
beneath his ribs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drazer could hear his pulse
throbbing in his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hot blood of
another man was on his face and neck and hands…knowledge of the gods, running
through the veins of men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened his
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mutilated visage of Mr Haven lay beneath
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death had claimed another slaughtered fool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He inhaled deep and long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took such little time to kill a man, a
matter of moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drazer’s pulse
eventually slowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blood on his
hands soon cooled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the dead man’s ear he murmured, “Can
you resurrect yourself, mentor?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you
have that kind of power?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crow continued to beat circles near
the basement ceiling, and then it fell suddenly to the blood-spattered floor;
dead once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rose to his feet and chuckled, throwing
his head back and spreading his arms like a Christ, the screwdriver still
clenched in his bloodied fist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Damn
charlatan…trickster!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let the monsters
come…I want to see the morning light fade in their genuine eyes…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Clock came for him themselves, so
be it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be as he stared into
the face of a divine eclipse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe then
he would earn their belated respect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-54135093128383687162018-11-22T10:37:00.003-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.927-08:00Chapter Sixteen<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She opened the
door and Ryan was standing on the front step wearing a hooded Parker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked up at her with sleepy eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know it’s late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to see you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came on the tube.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise padded down the stairs as Celia
ushered him into the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled
forcibly at Louise, noticing tears and bruises on her swollen cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hello.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Does
your grandfather know you’re here?” she asked him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s a quarter to ten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re too young to be roaming the streets at
night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy only nodded at Louise’s
comment, took off his Parker and sat down on the sofa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know you don’t believe about the
Dollmen, but it’s for real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your dad
really did write you that letter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise glanced at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What letter…what’s he talking about?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared back and said, “Richard
Hobbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was my real father.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shook her head as her eyes went
wide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“For fuck sakes…this is
bullshit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you believe that old
man…baby, are you really that blind?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s true,” Ryan said quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise glared desperately at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, honey, it’s not true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your grandfather is an irresponsible guardian
– and a pathological liar.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You don’t know anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe
you do but you’re too scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia broke Louise’s gaze and sat beside
Ryan on the sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How old are you,
Ryan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m twelve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m smart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have an IQ of 196.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin says I’m a child genius.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked up at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So I don’t care what you do or don’t
believe.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise sat in the armchair, wiped her
cheeks and lit a cigarette, coughing on it, staring at the tired, desperate boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia,” Ryan said quietly, “Mr Shaw isn’t
really my granddad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He worked for the
Colony.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was silence, then Louise asked
blankly, “And what’s ‘The Colony’?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sighed, staring at his hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s a special boarding-school in France, in
the hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s for orphans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a fucking horrible place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me and Emily, we weren’t even really orphans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad sold us to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t a nice man…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at Louise, who looked away
and smoked her cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He used to
beat me,” Ryan continued, “And he used to do stuff to Emily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know….sex stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hated him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was silent for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This
boy…this sweet, handsome young boy…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ryan, where is your dad now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked up at her with a sad half-smile.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I killed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s dead now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at
Louise and saw tears in her eyes again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“He wanted me to be a slave but I’m stronger and cleverer than he
thought.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What did you do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy looked down at his hands
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He tried to kill me so I shot
him…with his own gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was really
heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only luck really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lots</i>
of blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than you’d think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They never show enough blood in the movies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia took his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where did this happen?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“In France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the Colony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that we ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they got Emily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love my sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t have a sister do you, Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin never talked about one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise glanced tearfully at her, pulling
on the cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No Ryan, I don’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A brother?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Must be lonely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always felt sorry for the kids at the
Colony who had no brothers or sisters.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan closed his
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emily was my favourite thing in
the whole world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t know how much
I miss her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep seeing horrible things
in my mind; what they might’ve done to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Me and Irwin, we tried to save her…I miss her so much, every day I’m
alive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the hell…how is he not completely…God,
this is horrible…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Angel Wine,” Ryan intoned softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced at Louise and then up at
Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The scientists think it’s about
science, but really it’s about black magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>‘Inside the Clock the Dollmen work the gears’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin taught me that.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared into the boy’s face, but she
couldn’t even begin to fathom what was going on behind his young eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They tell stories about secrets they
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Colony they don’t exactly
lie to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your world is make-believe,
Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you dream they follow you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know because they’ve been inside <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my </i>head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Irwin says that even when you die they can still find a way to follow
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all about energy, he
says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used to be a secret scientist
for the German Navy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s the only
grown-up I trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saved my life
but…he’s dying of cancer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was listening from the armchair, her
eyes closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia touched Ryan’s
chin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did the Dollmen give Irwin the
cancer?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shook his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just cigarettes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he dies I’ll be alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t have anybody to protect me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia kissed the boy’s hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If it comes to that, Ryan, I’ll protect
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know,” he said quietly, “I know that
you would try.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes
and took a deep breath.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>“A man will come for you,” the boy added
suddenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“His name is Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s the manager of this Angel Wine project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen him at the Colony lots of
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s got a secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s not a human sorcerer…he’s a Dollman, a
demon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Christ,” muttered Celia, in the tiniest
voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan grabbed her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Listen to me now; this man is older than
the whole world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angel Wine has been done
lots of times in history, for real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’re right in the middle, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’re the key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are </i>Angel Wine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked darkly at the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And what does that mean…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But whatever they did to you, I can bet
you’re not like us anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not
like any of us now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin was afraid
you’d kill yourself when you found out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said you tried once when you were younger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you really?” Celia stared at him and then
nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He narrowed his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What did you see – tunnels and light?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Anything…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I bled…but my heart didn’t stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t see anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan grabbed Celia’s hands again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But do you believe in Heaven?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i>
kind of better place after we die?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tried to smile, and nodded,
“Sure…why not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned in close to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I do, because if there was no Light there’d
be no Darkness, and so things like Mr Finn couldn’t exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he does exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how I know there’s a better place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s a nice idea,” Louise said from the
armchair, her eyes still closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even some scientists think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Energy can never die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sister is probably there now, in the
loving energy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia saw Louise smile and
shake her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She cooked some
frozen pasta & chicken for Ryan and was watching him as he ate the food, a
copy of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i> beside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise sat in silence, watching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Simpsons </i>with the volume down low, the murmurs of Homer, Bart, Lisa and Marge
emanating from the television.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was tall for his age, young in the
face, but with broad shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
noticed a scar on his top lip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I like
this cartoon,” he said, swirling the pasta on his plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They used to let us watch it sometimes at
the Colony.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who’s your favourite character?” Celia
asked him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shrugged and so she said,
“Mine’s Homer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s Louise’s favourite
too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded without looking at
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Were they really like a real family?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had more adventures than most families
though.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan laughed with coldness in his
voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Adventures…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watched him mess around with his
food, apparently not as hungry as he’d claimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She asked him, “How did you get that scar on your lip?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put a forkful of pasta in his mouth,
chewed and said, “I fell one day, nothing too exciting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia opened the book beside her, flicking
through randomly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need to ask you
something, Ryan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“About what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This man, Mr Finn…is he the same person
as the villain in this book?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, he is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where did he come from?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan glanced at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Simpsons</i> on the television screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Homer was being blasted into space as an
astronaut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a made-up story.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lit a cigarette, exhaling a thin
stream of smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t understand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s magic,” Ryan told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He can do what the hell he likes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a hateful type of energy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pursed her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A hateful type of energy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise finally turned from the television
and stared at them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a tired,
perplexed expression on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, Ryan, but I can’t believe there are
monsters, real monsters, creeping around London in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your grandfather has a lot to answer for.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan just laughed and shrugged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t care what you think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m here for Celia, not for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t matter what you think, but it’s real,
you know…and if you wait too long to understand, bad things will happen to both
of you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked pointedly at
Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">both</i> of you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pushed the
plate away and rose to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m
going now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wait…you shouldn’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wait – do you need any money?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have money,” he said, pulling on his
hooded Parker, walking towards the front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wait!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan turned and stared at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I told you everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll give you a lift back, okay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not letting you go home on your own.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought about it and then finally
nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia quickly pulled on her
leather jacket, glancing sideways at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Babes…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked exhausted, tears in her
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drive me home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia folded back the collar of her jacket
and said, “Not abandoning you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise smiled, touching at the swollen
bruise on her cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You really hurt me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know,” Celia replied, feeling the
jacket pocket for car keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise rose
from the armchair and walked across, staring her in the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You really did hurt me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia had to look away this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise reached out and ran her fingers through Celia’s dark hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She leaned in and kissed her, but as Celia
began to lean into it she pulled away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Drive me home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise was
clutching Lola, the black doll with the white crosses for eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan sat in the back, not saying a word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All three drove in silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The black Ford eventually pulled up in front
of Louise’s building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan waited in the
car as the two women walked up the steps together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise glanced at the night sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No stars,” she muttered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia couldn’t look at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lock the doors and windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have something nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m serious, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia knew Louise was thinking of the girl-twins
they had seen in the darkened halls of Litchfield College.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll…I’ll call you tomorrow morning…yeah?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Absolutely.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise disappeared into the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia went back to the car and got
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lit another cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan leaned forward from the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You two are girlfriends, aren’t you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at the boy in the rear-view
mirror and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I thought so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do two girls have sex…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes and began laughing
sadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come sit up front.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan climbed over to the passenger seat,
squirming until he was comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So…how do two girls have sex?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked up at Louise’s bedroom
window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know, Ryan.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He watched her smoke absently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cigarettes are bad for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know that, little man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She started the car and pulled out onto the
road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind wandered as they
drove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew how much it hurt for Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hurt her too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I need
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t fuck this up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I think she’s unclean – spiritually?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Alice Gray, despite her deep Catholicism,
had never made Celia believe those ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise wasn’t dirty to Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
was radiant in a way Celia could never be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maybe I’m the unclean one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe if I let Lou inside, really inside, I
might…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">No, just self-created anxieties; to
distract her from the painful business of being alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The world’s not all bad,” said Ryan, as
if reading her thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are angels here too, you know, loving angels.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weak lights…scarce on the ground…asses
should get made redundant…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled thinly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tell me about them.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan frowned, his young face tightening with
concentration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, it’s like a mirror made from
energy; the angels and the Dollmen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They’re both made up stories but they’re also both real.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They’re like magical reflections of each
other.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, exactly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Magical reflections…they need each other to
exist. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like in that film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You ever see it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed but Ryan just shook his
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m explaining it as best as I
can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just like in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Force is the same but it’s how it’s used that makes it good or
bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you get angels and you get
demons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know what I mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So who am I?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke Skywalker?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not a joke, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But yeah, you’re like a Jedi, training to be
a Jedi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe you’re remembering your
training from before.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Before when?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Before you were born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before you came here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why do you think that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know,” he muttered and shrugged,
“You seem like a hero, like you wouldn’t give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heroes are magical; they bring messages, like
angels do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia parked the
Ford in the driveway beside Irwin Shaw’s Jaguar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They got out and Ryan put a finger to his
lips, keys dangling in his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s
asleep, so don’t make any noise when…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The boy’s words trailed off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The front door of the house was ajar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan glanced wide-eyed at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh no…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No,
no, no…</i>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He darted into the house
before she could pull him back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
hurried in behind him and the door slammed shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The open lounge was dark and silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia had a sudden feeling of nausea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could smell blood, lots of it, fat and
coppery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Irwin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Irwin!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan took a few paces
forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia grabbed the hood of his
Parker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ryan, no.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Irwin!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled him close and slipped a hand
across his mouth, whispering in his ear to be quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned and pulled at the door
handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wouldn’t move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A distinct kind of fear was beginning to rise
up inside, closing her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could
hear the trembling terror in Ryan’s breathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia hurried with him across the darkened
lounge, their shoes squelching on the rug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was blood
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She raced with him into the
kitchen and her stomach dropped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan
cried out with strangled recognition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The light from the open refrigerator was illuminating Irwin Shaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man was lying on his back across the
kitchen table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His throat had been slit from ear to
ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood washed the kitchen floor
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia had to press a fist to her
lips to stop from gagging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Knew it,” murmured Ryan, “Can’t run from
bad dreams…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything was different now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t in her head anymore, the ghosts and
pain and fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was right there, written
in red.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She dragged Ryan past the old
man on the table and tugged at the handle of the back door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wouldn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck!” Celia shrieked, slamming a fist
against it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy’s face twisted with tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We’re gonna die now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snatched his arm and hurried back into
the living-room. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia caught a glimpse
of someone standing in the corner, half concealed by shadow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t break her stride and raced up the
staircase with Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second floor
was a long, wide hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She finally glanced
back and saw a figure step into view at the foot of the staircase, a tall bald
man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Princess,” he called up to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did you think was going to
happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan quickly led her down the hallway and
into Irwin Shaw’s bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes
searched the dark and she grabbed at a chest of drawers, Ryan too, gritting
their teeth as they dragged it in front of the bedroom door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind was spinning away from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Ryan pulled at her arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s a gun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a shoe-box on top of the closet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go, go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia instinctively snatched the box down
and clutched inside it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An automatic
pistol with a silencer attached; more frightening than a normal gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She clicked the safety off and whirled,
aiming at the bedroom door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hands
were trembling amateurishly, like the air was alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her pulse sounded like a manic drumbeat in her
ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a voice from the other
side of the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Princess, I don’t want to hurt you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia squeezed the trigger and her
shoulders jerked, blowing a tiny hole through the door with a compressed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fffttt</i> sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Princess,” the voice continued unabated,
“I need you to be afraid, that’s true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I need you alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the
boy I want, for the feast, to quicken my calling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it horrifies you but I need him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes met Ryan’s and she saw tears
streaming down his thin young face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please…don’t let him hurt me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This isn’t a trick, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re the key, baby girl, a key that took us
a long time to craft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t damage
you now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just let me have the
child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia, please, I’m begging
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll take him, regardless…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She fired two silenced shots through the
bedroom door, leaning into the recoil this time and pacing forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glimpsed an eye through one of the holes
in the door and shoved the barrel through, immediately squeezing another
shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her arm jerked back to the sound
of shattered glass, a twisted moan, and then silence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly her pulse levelled out as she listened
for sounds beyond the room. With the gun still in hand, she dragged the chest
of drawers away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan helped her, breathing
fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She flung open the door and inhaled
sharply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tall bald man had fallen,
slumped against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His right eye was a gaping black
hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other was open and still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s alive,” Ryan whispered beside
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They can’t die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded, grabbed the boy’s hand and
they raced past the fallen man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
scrambled down the staircase, across the open lounge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tugged madly at the front door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cried out and shoulder-barged it to no
effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia turned her face and shot at the
lock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire door seemed to shimmer
briefly, faintly rippling like water.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were trapped like words on a page,
but with none of the eloquence and beauty that her pen could sometimes
instil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the life that the boy
knew, chaotic and brutal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Celia’s
life now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan hugged her suddenly and
she felt the quick rise and fall of his chest against hers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry!” she wailed with Ryan’s face
crushed against her breast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She beat her
fists uselessly against the door and sank to her knees, cradling the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the dark they heard movement from upstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, oh Christ, please…don’t let this
happen…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tall bald man padded softly down the
staircase, stopping halfway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
remaining eye glinted in the shadow like a Halloween jewel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pounced at the light switch to her left
and sank to the floor again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let me see
you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the brightness he was watching them
from the stairs, his right eye-socket empty and black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tilted his head at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lights flickered and died, plunging them
again into even darker shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sat
on the stairs and sighed, regarding them both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re making this more complicated than
it needs to be,” he told her quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“You’ve always done that, spun a drama out of everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On her knees by the front door, clutching
Ryan close to her, she raised the gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Stay
the fuck away!” she screamed like a banshee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pulled the trigger and the silencer spat a bright orange flare in
the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You won’t let yourself remember, like
your mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice was the same;
fighting tooth and nail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on,
Princess, think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t the
first world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won’t be the last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your mind exists outside of time and space,
but this resistance – it’ll tear you apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ve very nearly ripped yourself clean down the centre.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck yourself!” Celia screamed, pulling
the trigger of the gun again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Remember Arcadia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember when we spoke of myth and madness
and revelation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angel Wine; you wrote it
this way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It needn’t seem so dark to
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rose to his feet and descended the
remaining steps, looking down at Celia and Ryan hunched by the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You so love your stories, Miss Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan screamed at the bald man, “You’re a
liar!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s all you are!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn stepped close and sat on the floor
beside them, crossing his legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
silencer of Celia’s gun was inches from his face, like an accusing black
finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He brushed it aside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She dropped the weapon and embraced Ryan,
tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Stay away!” she hissed, “You fucking stay
away from me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what you did to
me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t let you hurt him!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned across, brushing a few strands
of hair from her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shuddered
when she felt his fingers touch at her forehead like tightly-spun static.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You wrote me this way,” he told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You wanted me to be like this and so I am
like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This form was to please you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You forget this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Even Lillibeth forgets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You bury
your memories in me, both of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
it’s no wonder that you beg and plead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had no choice in taking this shape.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared into his face, into his
remaining glassy eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You tortured me and I was a child…this boy is
an innocent child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what you
are but you’re no part of me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Humans cannot bear too much reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, it’s better to live in a fantasy of
heroes and villains, salvation and damnation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s just – I suppose I expected more from you, Princess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Notre
Dame de Sous-terre</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Lady of the
Underworld.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia said nothing, gripping Ryan tightly,
staring at this thing’s absurd one-eyed face, fearing and hating him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Search then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Search high and low for what you already
understand, if you will it so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we
both know who you are, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both
know who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I </i>am.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like an optical illusion, lightning fast,
he struck her face with his fist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
whirlpool of pain opened up in her head and she felt another fist in her
gut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was torn screaming from her
embrace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then suddenly Ryan was
silenced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh
God…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hand was at her throat, squeezing
mercilessly, slamming her to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shifting black spots seemed to slide around her vision like
photo-negative fireflies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need to turn you on now…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her jacket was pulled easily from her body
and tossed into the shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her shirt was
ripped wide, buttons popping all at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was the flash of a silver blade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The knife cut away her bra, exposing her breasts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt her knees being forced apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please no…I’m begging you, don’t let him…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt a hand on her crotch, sliding
into her jeans, into her underwear, forcing itself inside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was something cold and hard in the
hand, left inside of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hand withdrew
from her sex and suddenly she was flipped easily onto her front, her face
pressed against wet blood on the rug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our-father-who-art-in-heaven-hallowed-be-thy-name…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was too strong to struggle
against.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She remembered then, that once
she’d been raped like this before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
heard his voice in her ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shhh, I need to turn you on, baby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a flick of the switch…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then she felt the cold blade begin to cut
into her bare back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A shock-wave of
blackness detonated in her mind, trailing silver stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silver stars like heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mum…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Help me…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Alice
Gray, my mother, is sitting at the kitchen table, watching her daughter pulling
up plants in the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the
window she sees her little girl fall against a broken stone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stands immediately, squinting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact I run from the garden into the bright
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am Celia. Celia is grinning,
hiding a hand behind her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What surprise have you got for me, sweetheart?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look, says Celia, showing her mother the
hidden hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl’s palm is
bleeding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look Mummy…blood, my
blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stares at her palm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice wipes away the blood and puts a bandage
on her daughter’s hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mummy, does
everyone bleed?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice regards her child and nods, with a
smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, baby…everyone bleeds.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is lightning
and silver scalpels, doctors and machines that burn her mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Technological rape, then deep down into a
place where light cannot reach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is safer
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If only she could kill all the bad men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breathe smoke and burn away the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a storybook girl; strong, strong,
strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a burning torch and she moves
close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flames nod and grin and
whisper, leaping down her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She swallows
the flames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A shock-wave of light
detonates inside her, trailing black shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shadows, like death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
have her eyes…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia woke with a
twisted gasp, taking the deepest breath possible.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She felt her pulse thudding
in her ears like exploding bombs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lying
on the floor, topless, she was pressing her hands to her head in agony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain contorted her girlish face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She struggled and shivered against it,
subsiding slowly but surely, her mind coming to rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grimaced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My back is on fire…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could feel the wounds; cut at,
lacerated with a knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia rolled
awkwardly onto her side, gritting her teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eventually the fire on her back cooled into an intense throbbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears spilled silently down her cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn had left something inside her,
between her thighs, something cold and hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She crawled carefully across the floor, through the thin wash of sticky,
drying blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the kitchen
doorway she saw that the old man was still there with his throat open in a mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kept crawling, agonisingly slow, towards
the sofa and hauled herself up onto it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She slid a hand into the front of her jeans and removed the cold, hard
thing from her vagina. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her breath seemed
to ice up in her throat as she stared down at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large, perfectly cut diamond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear and disbelief made her stomach twist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, this is…absurd…no…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her fist around the gem,
feeling it press into the soft skin of her palm, and climbed carefully to her
feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She swayed slightly in the darkness,
stumbling back across the room, arms crossed against her bare breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She found her jacket on the floor and put it
on gently, but her back began to sting as the leather touched her skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She winced and took a deep breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw is dead…Ryan too,
probably.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get out, now…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The silenced pistol was lying beside the
door where she had dropped it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took
it, throwing open the door and stepping into the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The street was empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her Ford was still parked in the driveway
beside Shaw’s Jaguar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The November air
was cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting in the driver seat, she inhaled
deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could feel blood trickling
down her back against the leather of the jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she leaned against the seat her back was
on fire again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She clenched her teeth
and stabbed the ignition, starting the engine and pulling away rapidly into the
empty road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She drove carefully but
fast, silent tears washing her cheeks and rolling down her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had shot him in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was more alone than ever now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How was it that he didn’t die?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She screamed suddenly, gripping the steering
wheel until her voice cracked, at this new real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Resurrection
and the Life…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-78883265558789974872018-11-22T10:35:00.004-08:002018-11-22T11:40:04.016-08:00Chapter Fifteen<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">All things
fed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything consumed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things ate their environment, others ate
themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blood tasted like
everything else he’d tried, slightly sour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Standing in the basement, in the square of twilight from the small strip
of window, the handsome man watched the blood run down his left arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d seen the image many times in movies, but
this was darker than movie-blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
placed his hand inside the dead cat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d cut its belly wide open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strange…it got so cold so quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cats could often shift their attention
into the astral plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d seen them do
it, staring into that fabled chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d
watched them affect peoples dreams, seen them alter brain-wave patterns in
sleeping children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their abilities were
vast and not well understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
legends in satanic literature, themselves based on earlier pagan myths of
Carriers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carriers were said to be divine
messengers, covert agents of other realms living within this world and acting
as a bridge between the natural and the unnatural.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The earliest references to Carriers that he’d
been able to locate spoke of the Cat, the Crow, and the Wolf; a trine of living
symbols, guardians of the worlds of dream and death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they were cold to human suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carriers were not part of mortal illusion,
they only appeared to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had taken
him a long time to truly understand this about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were much like Celia, in a way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his dream he’d seen a vision, and he
wasn’t one prone to such things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thousands
of crows in the sky, as if the night itself were boiling and shrieking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hundreds of cats weaving through an abandoned
London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The howling of wolves; filling
the city, the world, touching the moon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It spoke to him of holocaust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Carriers came in such numbers because many would be taken at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He suspected Celia was a key to this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tasted the blood on his hand again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was what he wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was what the light-bearers of the true
Church demanded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, many had seen
The End and had been deceived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
regardless of whether the dream was prophecy, delusion, or a blending of both,
he knew that eventually the dragons would escape their bondage and the precious
priesthood would no longer be needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In truth, he had little power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were those within the Clock possessed
of power that could numb the human imagination, power through which societies,
entire worlds, were built.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when the
serpents bled the stone he knew that even the Clock would stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the priests would die, falling prey to
the Carriers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The priests knew this
though, and they were waiting for the glorious promise of
self-destruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such was their love of
the snake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The handsome man had wrapped the dead
feline in tarpaulin and left the basement, left his large, plush home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He drove to Hollander Green, walking through
the overgrowth to where the old bunker was located.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bunker was a forgotten relic from the
First World War, the location of which had been given to him by his friend Mr
Haven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside, the handsome man kept
tools and icons of his secret faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
unique series of ritual daggers, goblets and talismans, gilded symbols designed
to focus psychological energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was
the key, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the key to
all things; the vigour of psyche.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
the ground-spring of all manifest phenomena.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Icons and talismans themselves contained no inherent occult power, aside
from an attendant cohesion pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was the intent of consciousness, the desire of the supplicant, that connected
them to the hidden levels of the energetic world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once he had murdered a teenage boy in this
bunker, a homeless runaway he’d seduced with the promise of food, money, and a
warm body to take away the chill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had
cut the boy’s throat from left to right, and then gutted him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He fancied that he saw signs in the boy’s
entrails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, after the rites had
been cast, he’d watched the boy’s blood roll around the floor of the bunker in
patterns and movements that seemed geometric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’d been entranced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a sight
that he would never forget and he’d realised in that moment, without doubt,
that there was an intelligence that listened to his prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It provided him with proof that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had wept for hours, with gratitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the handsome man buried the dead cat
just outside the bunker, the last smears of twilight were leaving the darkening
sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bones of eleven other cats were
buried beneath this patch of overgrowth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of them had been kittens he had raised to maturity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others were strays and missing pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were six crows buried here too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wolves, he’d obviously been unable to get
his hands on a genuine wolf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
two dogs however, in homage to the third Carrier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pat down the disturbed earth and
stabbed his shovel into the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lit himself a cigarette, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Morning Star.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Mourning Star.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prince of the
Air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shaitaan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only names, fictions of a newer age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were older fictions too; Moloch,
Belial, Set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless one was a supplicant
one couldn’t even begin to fathom the intricate web of deceptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were serpents in the astral, yes, but
they were beings, not deities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
entities that could think and feel, and they were not abstractions, not
entirely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People thought they understood but they
knew only echoes of a thing beyond perishable climes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The faces shown were never the true faces;
for man or beast or god.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing had
ever openly revealed itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One had to
look beneath the surface to truly understand something, and to do that was to
become a part of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowledge, real
knowledge, could not be gained from a distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, the dark had always placed its priesthood
posing as keepers in the halls of light; during the Crusades, ancient Rome and
Greece, Kehmet of the Nile, Sumeria, all the way back to Arcadia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was simplicity so transparent as to be
invisible to a ‘rational’ mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Circles within circles; as only madmen,
children and fools could grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The handsome man chuckled and yawned in
the cold November air, spectral breath climbing high on the wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wondered how much Celia suspected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t matter in the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the awareness to control his
perceptions; in hatred he felt more freedom than he’d ever done in trying to
‘love’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so it was simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt anointed to know of the invisible
eye, the bright shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would act
and play as though he were like other men if he must.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they didn’t believe what he
believed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t fear what they
feared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they could never love what
he loved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In his dream David
Myers was pinned to an altar, looking up into the misshapen face of his
childhood friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a ritual dagger,
Christopher cut open his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
removed David’s heart, sliced it open, and a large black spider crawled
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christopher ran around blindly,
trying to catch it in a jar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building was once a house that had
been converted into three separate Highgate flats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it stood condemned after a fire had
broken out, burning through it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
council hadn’t yet torn it down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
smell was thick, as if it still smouldered, clinging to everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were blackened walls, scorched floors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like his parents house had been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here there was no scent of burning flesh, but
when he closed his eyes Myers could make believe that he could smell it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His stomach knotted horribly and he placed a
hand on his belly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had never seen their bodies, thank
Christ, but he heard them screaming and then later he smelled them burning, even
amidst the smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smoke in his eyes, his
ears, his lungs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought he was going
to die, and later still, for a long time, he’d been unable to speak
properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now every time he lit a
cigarette he fought against remembering that night, and the other nights of numbness
that followed it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in the ground-floor flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Structurally it was the safest place to
stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d salvaged a mattress from the
third floor and now sat cross-legged on it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Removing a small tub of decongestant from his
bag he smeared some under his nostrils, dampening the foul scent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He checked the chamber and pin on his
Beretta, pressing the gun quickly to his forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn and his glass eyes…dolls
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers doubted that the bald man was
dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was what scared him; his
doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he could doubt that a man
could be gunned down twice and survive…how was he supposed to protect himself
from something like that, from a knife-edged world?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was staying for Capable Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not because he’d slept with her, nothing so
obtuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was alone and blind to the
real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody else would care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he could at least give her a running
chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise had locked the
bathroom door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lay fully clothed in
the empty cast-bronze tub, gently rubbing the ugly scar beneath her left breast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God, she was tired of trying and reaching and
waiting and trying again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This joke they’d both let themselves fall into?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled on the burning cigarette and
coughed, pulling again, deeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
could hear Celia pacing around on the landing outside the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a bruise rising slowly where her
lover and only friend had punched her, the right side of her face swollen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had no more tears left to cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too far to reach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the beginning she’d been thrilled, so
happy and hopeful, that she let herself believe all sorts of ridiculous
fairy-tales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love, and such.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What hurt the most was that she had tasted
Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Gray let it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was better to never know how close you
were to something good, so that you didn’t torture yourself with what might
have been, taunt yourself with what could never be enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Celia had let Louise taste her and now
she wanted to cut it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cut out
Celia’s taste, and the memory of it that still lingered on her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise would rather starve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia paced the
landing on the other side of the door, chain-smoking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t have the courage to call out to
Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat on the top of the
staircase, staring at Lola in her hand; the tiny black doll with the white
crosses for eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baby Girl…I don’t know who I am, let alone
what I do…</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bathroom door opened and Celia glanced
hesitantly at Louise standing in the doorway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was smoking too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Didn’t mean to attack you like that,”
Celia said quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes you did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt good, didn’t it? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why do you…want to hurt me when you know how much I…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pulled quickly on the cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t want to hurt you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to hurt myself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hurting you was just the easiest way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not glamorous, I know. ”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise sank to her knees in the bathroom
doorway, watching Celia through the wooden railings of the staircase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How the hell can you be so cold…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia gave a laugh that was almost a
sob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not cold…babes, I wish I was.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sometimes I think I understand you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sometimes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You make me crazy, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make me want to die, and then…and then you
hold me, you kiss me and…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sighed,
unable to continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe you should go,” Celia said bluntly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She flicked her cigarette butt to the bottom
of the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe you should fuck yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bananas, cucumbers, broken bottles…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed at the suggestion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You messed up my pretty face,” Louise added
quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Still prettier than mine.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia held out the black doll in her hands,
through the wooden railings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Here, take
her, I want you to have her.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise
reached out and took it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Does she have a name…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lola.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Scary,” said Louise, staring down at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You need to be gentle with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s old and fragile.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have to tell you something important,
Lou.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So tell me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I cheated on you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slept with someone.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She watched as Louise grit her teeth,
inhaling deep and nodding slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“While
you were in the hospital…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pressed her eyes shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Was it a girl?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t…handle that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No…no, it was a guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was scared. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just needed – I
needed to be weak.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pressed her
palms against closed eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m so sorry,
Lou.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise laughed, “I’m sorry Lou, I’m sorry
Lou, Lou, I’m sorry…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I was scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
opened her eyes and stared tearfully at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Was he good…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared back and then nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, he was okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“His cock…inside you…was it better than
these hands?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, Lou…No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t fucking lie!” exclaimed Louise, hurling
the tiny black doll over the banister and down the stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just stop lying, Celia! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s what you want, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be
filled, plugged up good and proper.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
climbed to her feet, glaring over the banister at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“With me it’s not right, doesn’t feel right…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s not true.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I make you feel hollow…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia leapt to her feet, shaking her
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reached out, trying to embrace
Louise who pulled back and spun away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Don’t fucking touch me…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia whispered, “You rather I never told
you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Should’ve kept it to yourself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What the fuck are you doing to me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia said nothing and Louise pressed her hands to the wall, turning her
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise’s voice was tiny and
tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It disgusts you, how I feel about
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it seem wrong to you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia reached out and touched Louise’s
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She flinched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It doesn’t disgust me, Lou. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t feel wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t feel like much of anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I love you, baby.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise remained silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a sudden thumping at the front
door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Better answer that, Cee; it might be the
Devil…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go answer the door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia hurried down the stairs, into the
kitchen and took a knife from the sharpening block on the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went back to the door, wiped at her eyes
and peered through the spy-hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
turned and saw Louise at the top of the staircase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s the boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-5580290970064641492018-11-22T10:33:00.002-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.949-08:00Chapter Fourteen<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise remained in
the car and Celia walked back up the pathway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ryan had his cheek pressed to Irwin Shaw’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They made me so afraid,” said the old
man, “To know it, not to simply believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It drives a person literally crazy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She just nodded, standing there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“What’s it worth, Celia, if the love goes away?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s worth something…answers are always
worth something.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It drove Richard to his death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The car horn beeped twice and Celia turned, glancing at Louise scowling from
the passenger seat. “Come back inside,” said Shaw, “I have something to give you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come back inside.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced again at Louise in the car and
stepped into the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan stared at her as Shaw went to his
bookcase and removed one, wandered back and handed it to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an old copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i> by Richard Hobbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Open it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside the front cover of the book there
was an old photograph, of a five year old girl with dark hair and eyes, a
photograph of Celia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…what is this?” she muttered, “How did
you get this…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw stared into Celia’s face, his eyes filled
with tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your mother gave it to
Richard before he left, and he gave it to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the only photo he had of you…he said it was too painful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia’s mind was swept blank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He asked me if you really were that
beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loved you, both of
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why he left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it’s not what you wanted to hear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world was suddenly made ice, and she,
stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, you’re lying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mum never knew my father, she told
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a one-night stand…a man called
Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t even know his last
name…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man shook his head, sadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Alice lied to you, to protect you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Richard left to protect both of you, but he failed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was haunted by what they did to you as a
child…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…it destroyed him that he couldn’t help
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia hurled the book across the living-room
and struck the old man with a balled fist, hard across the cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Liar!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You cheap fucking liar!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Stop!” Ryan cried, stepping between the
two of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked up at Celia,
pleading, “I know you’re upset, I get upset all the time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s true, you can’t hide!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hugged her suddenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They won’t let you hide, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a boy and even I know that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realised tears were streaming down her
face and she could do nothing to stop them, like she wasn’t breathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She dropped cross-legged to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted her mother now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strange letters, always foreign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can never read them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw sat down on the carpet beside
her, nursing his cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i>
sorry…he begged me to try and push you away from knowing, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He begged Alice too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t psychologically stable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d ruined his mind and he lived in fear
of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was only trying to protect
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan kneeled behind Celia and embraced her
shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This isn’t happening,” she
murmured, “None of this…how can I live like this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can I?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shadows…Shadows in my mind…Oh…Christ…help
me…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man touched her knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I didn’t know Alice well, but I know she
loved you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure she did all she
could…to stop what they did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a tiny voice Celia asked, “What did
they do…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were an experiment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Angel Wine’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To what ends I can’t say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richard
tried to find out but he was blocked at every turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sorry, Celia…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Angel Wine…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The wine that angels drink,” offered
Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bad angels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dollmen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw left Celia on the living-room
floor, Ryan draped around her shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When the old man returned he was holding a black envelope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Richard prayed you’d be spared this
insanity, but when he learned of your mother’s death…well, he knew you were
already a part of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced up at him with eyes of a
little girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did they kill her?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He closed his own eyes and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thought so,” she muttered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mum…Mum,
I wish I could’ve joined you. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shaw kneeled beside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Richard said writing this was the hardest
thing he’d ever had to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he loved
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to know it too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He handed her the black envelope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like death but it wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like she couldn’t do it again,
suffer, open wide and suffer again, finding that the truth was not the truth, again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She opened the envelope and removed the
letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, she began to read
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dearest Celia, my
beautiful daughter,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
know you ask why and I know that now you hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could say so many things in my defence, tell you so many stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could write until there was no ink left in
the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And still, it would never be
as it should have been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only excuse
is the solace of sorrow; binding myself to what I have witnessed, and in doing
so, binding you to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s all I’ve
ever wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice and I tried to keep you safe and we
failed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She paid for that failure with
her life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia, please don’t become consumed by
hatred and fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The darkness is real
and it has built our world, and many more besides – but they can be
fought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are not gods, they only believe
themselves to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather they are militant
illusionists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t understand the
spider of the heart, only the spider of the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can use this against them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may hide behind the world but don’t
let them hide behind your fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not
powerless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems they are limitless,
that they control everything – but in truth they control nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We give them power, our power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only through this means can they rule over
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth be seen; there is no ‘world’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you and I share a knowing, that which we
dare not speak, but must.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A revelation;
that they are figments of our imaginations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you so much Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please forgive me for what I have done and
for what I will do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please forgive me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 5;"> </span>Your
father, Richard Andrew Hobbes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">He ached for it again,
the black flame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It burned without heat
and consumed without pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had taken
away his suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was aching to
show his beloved how it had been, for she couldn’t remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She closed her blindness to all that once was
for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He understood why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She feared things; a vestige of another form,
her native dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was cold there and
she begged to be delivered, even as in her fear she would turn from him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ached to show her his love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was patient.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn was kneeled before the Telling
Stones, listening, in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pressing
his hands to them, he called to his memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Isolation, anger and hatred, lack of sleep yet too much dreaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A desperate embrace of the winged
eclipse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Touching flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flesh as dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn stepped from nowhere, into the
shadows behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why don’t you remember,
Lillibeth?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Telling Stones don’t speak for me the
way they do for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t pine for
the memory, nor do I regret burying it in you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’re my beloved, Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hate all of them, but I trust in you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn turned his head in the
darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you?” he asked, “Do you
trust in me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kneeled at his side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mostly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I trust in you, Lillibeth…even though you
once broke my bones.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why did I do such a…horrid thing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced at her, only her dolls eyes
visible in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were afraid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally she spoke in careful tones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s been a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl, Emily…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” said Finn, “She’s down in the
Citadel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What possible problem could
there have been?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn said nothing
and he sighed, his palms gripping the Telling Stones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They took her didn’t they, the others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Came for her, yes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snatched her away…took her off on their
butterfly wings to the land of the fucking fairies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She touched his hands in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“An Eidolon found her, dead, in the
oubliette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sorry, beloved, but they
came for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Took her before we could
have our wicked ways…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This isn’t happening,” he murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The young are protected, but they’re
pitiful victories, Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
Christ on our side, and London is full of children.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn eased into her embrace beside the
Telling Stones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We needed her, Lillibeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed her strength, to open the door in
the coming years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed her
courage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held him in the shadow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Her brother, Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll suffice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled, nodding to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Va’el the Fugitive…yes, he’ll suffice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn stroked his bald head, hunched
over him in the dark, whispering in his ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“See, I don’t need memory when I have you, when we’re together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The others can’t save them all; they’re bound
by form like we are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you and I,
Namahey, we’re older than the light.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">No words had been
spoken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drove in silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia told Louise nothing about the
letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared blankly at the road,
hands gripping the steering wheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What did he say?” Louise asked eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee, talk to me. What did he say to you?”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nothing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise slammed her fist against the
dash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just tell me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He said I should leave it alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced sideways at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re lying to me…why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just leave it alone, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I won’t – tell me the truth for fuck sakes!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t do this anymore,” Celia muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia looked her in the eye as they
drove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t want to be here
anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell did he say to you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He said I’m not going to escape
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou, this is going to kill
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want this anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This life, I don’t want it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia parked the Ford in the gravelled
driveway, switching off the engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
pressed her forehead against the steering wheel and closed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt Louise’s hand on her back but said
nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did you ever want to be here…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What about me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t care about you,” muttered Celia
and then looked up at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t mean
that, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t mean that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re the only thing I want.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked away and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She got out of the car, leaving Celia sitting
in the driver seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat there for a
few moments, feeling sick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside the house the last hour of sunlight
cast ribbons across the walls, through the blinds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were bloodied bits of glass on the
living-room floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia picked one up,
feeling her heart plummet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It cut
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She winced, sucking at her
finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Someone’s been here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise traced a circle around a tiny hole
in the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee, there’s a bullet here
in the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shuddered slightly and then
screamed, “Fuck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For fuck sakes!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snatched at the Degas reproduction and
pulled it from the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It fell and she
kicked holes through it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stop it…!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tore another painting from the wall
and tried to throw it but it fell awkwardly from her grasp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise tried to grab her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia punched her hard in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise staggered backwards into the hallway,
stumbling over the chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No…!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stalked towards her, leaning forward
and striking her again, eyes wide and dark, pulse racing through her ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She raised her fist to strike Louise
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou had her hands covering her
face, cowering on the floor, sobbing beside the hallway chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please, Celia…don’t…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment Celia stared at nothing,
before slumping to the floor beside Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“…baby girl,” was all she could say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shot forward and grabbed Celia’s
face with both hands, turning her, slamming the back of her head into the
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You can’t do this!” she cried and
slammed Celia’s head again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bitch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t do this to us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love </i>you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was gripping her face, staring into
her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You can’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry…” managed Celia, as if she were
staring through Louise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silence between them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise slammed Celia’s head against the wall
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia did nothing to stop her, merely
wincing in pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise let her go and
jerked away, scrambling across the hallway floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed her face to the hardwood,
sobbing, trying but failing to stem it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry…” Celia said, again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They remained that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia listened silently to Louise’s
tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at the stained-glass
eyes that framed the front door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
light played through them, casting shimmering patterns near Louise’s feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much of this is real…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much of me is real?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Burn the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breath, like smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breath, like smoke, forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no revelation…there is no
recovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no healing for me…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia wasn’t sure
how long they had been that way, until the light in the hallway began to turn
an ethereal blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twilight was here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had been sitting like that for almost an
hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Baby Girl,” said Celia, finally, breaking
the silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked up at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For almost a minute she just stared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t…care anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m too tired, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just not enough…for me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded and began to cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-37153652212186298512018-11-22T10:32:00.003-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.884-08:00Chapter Thirteen<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The house was
huge, bigger than Celia’s, set back slightly from the road, with a long driveway
and an overgrown front garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
a Jaguar parked outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They walked up the pathway and Celia
glanced at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed the
doorbell and waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually the door
was opened by a frail-looking old man in a worn house coat, reeking of cigarette
smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced at them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, can I help you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His accent was cultured, mannered, with a
slight German twinge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It spoke to Celia
of wealth and privilege.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She extended a hand and he shook it
dutifully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you Irwin Shaw?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes,” he said, frowning slightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were a friend of Richard Hobbes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Richard is dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His face was pinched with mixed emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m also a writer, my name’s Celia
Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping we could talk
briefly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man glanced at Louise, then back
at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re Celia Anne Gray?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman who wrote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leaving Her</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded, “I won’t take much of your
time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He closed his eyes, muttering something
that Celia didn’t catch and ushered them both into the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The living-room was massive, almost twice the
size of Celia’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were dozens of bird
photographs on the walls – perching birds, feeding birds, birds in flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wow…” said Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A passion in my youthful days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can I get you ladies anything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A drink, something to eat?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have cold-cuts in the refrigerator.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They declined and he shrugged, lighting
himself a cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lit one too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you married, Mr Shaw?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Standing at a photograph of a soaring
falcon, he nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes I am, but my
wife is dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sixteen years now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He coughed on the cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise caught Celia’s gaze and frowned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you okay, sir?” Louise asked
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you ill?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded without looking at them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cancer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We’re sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Condolences, condolences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of us can escape time, ladies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We can’t run from the clock,” said Celia,
“can we Mr Shaw?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed, looked at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m afraid not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise glanced between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mr Shaw, I’m not here to upset your life
or to bother you needlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m here
because I’m afraid.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He made himself comfortable in a leather
armchair and motioned for them to sit on the sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please, call me Irwin,” he asked after they
had seated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know who Mr Shaw is
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just Irwin now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded and there was a brief silence
between the three of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Irwin,” Celia said quietly, “I need
guidance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to force your
hand but…I’ve seen things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I’m
in danger; part of something, something you might know about.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was appealing to any honour or
chivalry he possessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw looked
flatly at her, thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally he
said, “You know, I’ve lived my life – writer, businessman, photographer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only death scares me now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And part of me welcomes it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had excellent doctors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing can be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richard was my best friend, a very
complicated but brilliant man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my
humble opinion he was the definition of Genius.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Only in my opinion.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at Louise and said, “I’m
interested in his two novels; the mythology he based them on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw said nothing and Celia shifted on
the sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sir…I need to know what he
knew.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Clockhost?” he asked quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dollmen?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia nodded and he laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Miss Gray, Richard was a very unhappy person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lost his parents in a tragic rock-climbing
accident when he was seventeen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw
them fall, both of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It affected him
greatly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It nearly destroyed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was incredibly sensitive, you see.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But he believed in the occult, didn’t
he?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought the myths were true?” She
hoped now that they were on the same page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She searched his face as he pulled on his cigarette.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Richard was diagnosed as paranoid
schizophrenic when he was twenty-two, Miss Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought that demons secretly ruled the
world, through occult black magic societies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fallen angels</i>, to be more
specific, fallen angels pretending to be men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He thought they existed by using the collective unconscious of human
beings and the subconscious of individuals like himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He really believed these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">genius</i>…but
these ideas, they warped his mind, turned his creativity against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lived his entire life in fear of these
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His books were an attempt to
deal honestly with that fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let him
rest, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were his friend?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
loved him like a brother…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You considered him a genius,” said
Louise, thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Richard…he was…he didn’t want to be on
this Earth, believing what he believed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He saw things that other people didn’t choose or want to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He made connections, brilliant deductions
about art, myth, physics and psychology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s sad to see an old man kill himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes…he was my friend.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw
coughed repeatedly and stubbed out the cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at Celia, into her eyes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to grab him and shake his
deepest secrets from him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m begging you, tell me what you
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Help me understand, Irwin, please,
I’m begging you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A voice came from the hallway, the voice
of a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dollmen.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia turned and saw a boy standing there;
eleven or twelve, with dirty-blonde hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man barked at him, “Go back to
bed, Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy shook his head and Irwin Shaw glanced
at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My grandson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very headstrong young boy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shot the boy a warning look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You need your rest, Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t want you falling sick again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me speak with these ladies alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” said Ryan, quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia rose from the sofa, staring at the
boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ryan,” she said sternly, “What do
you know about the Dollmen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t listen
to your grandfather, you must tell me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i> important.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look here, you can’t…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the boy interjected the old man’s words. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Dollmen are real.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia and Louise turned in Shaw’s
direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silently, he sat back down in
the armchair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell is going
on?” Louise barked suddenly, “Who the hell are you, Mr Shaw?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fools rush in,” he muttered, staring up
at both of them and shrugging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia went to the boy and kneeled in front
of him, taking his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m Celia…I
used to be an English teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your
name’s Ryan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t like teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re cruel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sometimes they can be, yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m not cruel, I promise.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I didn’t think you were,” said Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You got a nice face.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan, what do you know about the Dollmen?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy glanced at Irwin Shaw sitting in the
armchair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They’re real…well, kind of
real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a dream you can touch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They live underneath London, in the City of
Lights.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t know if the chill she felt
was her imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The City of
Lights?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s where they’re keeping Emily.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emily…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My sister,” he muttered, pulling his
hands from her grasp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s probably
dead by now…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He disappeared into the
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at Louise who was almost
frozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned to Irwin Shaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He fumbled with his pack of cigarettes and
Celia stalked forward, slapping them from his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You better tell me the fucking truth…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled humourlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What I said about Richard was all true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m trying to protect you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Protect us from what?” Louise barked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think your friend already knows.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His eyes met Celia’s and he stood up without
breaking the gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You want
guidance?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s some guidance: There’s
things in this world that our sense of logic and reason will deny at all
costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re true nonetheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To accept these things…well, kiss goodbye to
the comfortable nature of your prior perceptions.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t have a choice,” she told
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I want answers for what they did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old man nodded, “Then you don’t need
me to tell you anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You already
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How you deal with that knowledge –
that’s the real mystery.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carefully, he
bent down and retrieved his cigarette packet, then lit one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Welcome to the loneliest club in the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head and backed away,
hurrying into the kitchen, Louise following behind her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was sitting at the breakfast table
with a glass of orange juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t
make me tell you if you’re not gonna believe me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia quickly took a seat next to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I believe you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy gestured at Louise in the doorway,
“Does<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> she</i>?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at Louise and she nodded
slowly, wide-eyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tell me, Ryan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell me so I can understand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were tears in the boy’s eyes but he
smiled. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dollmen are like monsters,
demons – like they teach at church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They’re really old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re
snakes actually.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Snakes?” murmured Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lizards – is that what you call them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ones with arms and legs. Scary, huh?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes they drink blood.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia’s mind wanted to repel at what the
boy had said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are they vampires?” she
asked him quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shook his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…they’re men – and snakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not like you think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can act like vampires because their love
went away a long time ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re Bogeymen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They live in your head, inside your mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced at Louise, who had both
hands over her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How can they be
real then, Ryan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They’re very clever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just move about like you tune a
radio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Dollmen can do all that
stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seems like magic…but it’s
not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He finished his juice, taking big
gulps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They can be there and you won’t
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They like to hide, behind pretend
faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They took my sister…they take <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lots</i> of kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw stepped into the doorway behind
Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They steal children,” he told
them quietly, “just like in fairy-tales.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They glanced at him and then back at Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy was nodding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They take them down into the City of
Lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They kill them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And eat them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They’ve probably eaten Emily already.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise whispered, “This is fucking
madness…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia bolted from the chair, past Louise,
and snatched Irwin Shaw by the throat, slamming his head back against the
kitchen cabinets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She squeezed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sick</i>
son of a bitch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the fuck have you
done to this boy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tell me</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Leave him alone!” cried Ryan, “He hasn’t
done anything!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s my only friend!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia released her grip on Shaw’s throat
and shoved him away, glancing at him sideways with eyes like dark whirlpools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve had enough,” she said shakily, “Tell me
the truth or I swear to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christ </i>I’ll
beat you down right here…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
looked at her, rubbing his throat, smiling with empty resignation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Clock and its associates control
everything, Miss Gray; politics, religion, art, even our concept of
mythology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that what you want to
hear?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re the engineers of the mind
of Man, the priest-kings of ancient times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Richard knew it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know it now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watched him carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Secretly they rule over us by wearing our
faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not their true shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can change form…I don’t know if they
have any form, apart from what we give them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are quite simply the Shadow of Man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is completely fucked,” muttered
Louise, “Cee, he’s telling you lies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” said Shaw, “I wish I was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You wanted an answer and I’ve given you
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are supreme occultists and
they hide the fire of illumination, for the purposes of coveting dark power.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise narrowed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dark power?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shut your ugly mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re a
liar…you’re not even a good liar.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He continued unabated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ritual and children are used, sacrificed,
consumed, to create a vibration-connection to the lower astral plane; the place
where demons of legend were said to reside.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sick nonsense, I
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The depraved fantasies of weak
minds, and true nonetheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clockhost
hand, Clockhost eye, we will be free when the Clockhost die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want the same thing that you want, Miss
Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise glanced at Celia and went to Ryan,
taking his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tell me the truth now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has your grandfather hurt you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has he…touched you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” Ryan said quietly, “I know what you
mean – he’d never do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d never
hurt me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saved my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who told you these things about the
Dollmen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it your grandfather?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Colony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen them
myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m telling you the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Clockhost trick the world and the Dollmen
trick the Clockhost.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed
sadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Their love goes away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shook him suddenly, forcefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s impossible, Ryan!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hear me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God would never let something like that be true!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy pulled away and scowled at her,
“Well he did!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He let it be true!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran to Irwin Shaw and the old man hugged
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There was no need for that!” he spat at
Louise, real anger in his voice, almost hatred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He looked at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re both
extremely stupid, rushing in where angels fear to tread.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded at her, staring her down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Get the fuck out of my house, and go think
about what you’ve heard here today.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise brushed up against Celia, glaring darkly
at her; reaching into her jacket pocket and snagging a set of keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll be in the car…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stalked from the old man’s big
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw rubbed Ryan’s back and looked
expectantly at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You got your
truth, for what it’s worth to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
leave me and my grandson alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Leave now!” he exclaimed and began
coughing madly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan ran to the sink and
poured him a glass of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
backed away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sorry…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left the old man’s house, hurrying quickly
to her Ford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia climbed into the car.
Louise was looking at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee, I don’t know what the hell is going
on but that wasn’t the truth in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That man has put some vile rubbish into that boy’s mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia knew they both believed what they’d
said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They love each other.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise winced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That just makes it worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That kid’s completely innocent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes me feel sick…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t say anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was about to start the engine when she
saw the boy and the old man step into the front doorway of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Irwin Shaw looked like he was crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked defeated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan motioned her back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-51026858182509907192018-11-22T10:31:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:40:03.906-08:00Chapter Twelve<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the blinding
black; time without clocks, space without windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn leaned forward into the
candlelight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were dark holes now,
where his dolls eyes had been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stood
in the Silent Gallery, alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Form was a strange thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain was even stranger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could remember it clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could understand how they had been
entranced by physical sensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain and
pleasure…both were addictive in their own ways, though for him there was no longer
any enchantment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Form was cold, slow and
brutal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consciousness, that font of
illusory light; it was limitless, without rules or mercy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pondered, eyeless in the
candlelight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frequencies were sometimes too much, even
for him, like a lightning strike down the spine, and he could feel himself
losing cohesion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shape and form was
often hard to maintain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was no longer
his native dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn entered the Silent Gallery, bald,
black and beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She approached him,
touching his cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can see into your skull, Namahey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t look your best.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wiggled her fingers in the holes of his
sockets and kissed him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raising two
glass eyes in her hand, she pushed them into his empty face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He blinked, smiling sadly at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There,” she said quietly, “Much more
attractive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a true Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You bring glory, you know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll bring victory, I’m telling you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But I…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pressed a finger to his lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David hasn’t bested you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The real
warriors in this world are the children, remember?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You told me, baby.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn touched his head against Miss
Renn’s chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stroked his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You comfort me and I love you for it,” he
whispered, “but I hunger for this, Lillibeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ve forgotten but I still recall.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pecked his cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re at your best when your mind is
calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blue and green, my love, the Earth
is blue and green.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wonderful smile
crept across her face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn chuckled at her humour, took her
hand and kissed it in return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When we
finally stop this tick-tock nonsense, and we show them the War of Miracles…then
I’ll rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll rest because you’ll be
deeper in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’ll be deeper in
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn shook her head, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Rest with me now, baby, I’ll quiet that
screaming inside…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together in time without clocks, in space
without windows – on the floor of the Silent Gallery, in candlelight, she took
him inside her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There were times
in her life when she thought she’d seen beyond physical reality, to some
awesome power that seemed to speak in symbols and associations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether this power was Christ; the Lord
Almighty, like her mum had believed, Celia didn’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her reason told her that all religion was
myth, created because people needed something to believe in, an axis for their
brief but painful existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she had
at least felt the presence of this power, seen evidence of it at times, like
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It went beyond science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes she feared it went beyond love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Night had fallen beyond the hotel
windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia and Louise lay side by
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">London:
An Occult History</i> lay open on Celia’s lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She leafed through its pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise hadn’t spoken much for the whole day, merely drinking and eating
and watching TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared now at the
screen, half asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t want
to watch TV, but she didn’t dare ask Louise to switch it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia turned the pages of her book, the
Myths & Legends chapter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strange
images stared up at her from glossy pages; etchings and paintings of gruesome
scenes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Witch-faced old women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wolf with a star in its mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A girl wrapped in a snake that disappeared
into her vagina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia frowned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An old man on his knees with rope binding his
hands and a large crow perched on his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She turned the page again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was large pen & ink drawing,
intricately detailed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tall man dressed in a Victorian
overcoat, his face turned slightly, shadowed by the brim of a top-hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had talon fingers and razor teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under his right arm he held a bundle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia squinted and realised the bundle was a
baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tall man was disappearing into
a stone archway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beneath the drawing was the word
‘Dollman’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked again at the image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was perverse and gleeful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She read the text that accompanied the
drawing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Dollman was a very popular myth, amongst Victorian schoolchildren and academics
alike, a Bogeyman that was said to live in ancient tunnels deep beneath
London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His particular delight was
abducting and murdering naughty youngsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He preyed upon adults too, but for more specific reasons; terrifying and
slaughtering children was his first pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Dollman could often be found in the
‘Penny Dreadfuls’ of the late nineteenth century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Whitechapel Murders of 1888; the infamous
Jack the Ripper, this was often portrayed as the handiwork of the Dollman, in
the more lurid fictions of the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
mythologies of various Bogeymen have their origins in Germanic and Scandinavian
fairy-tales, where non-human beings preyed upon children and lost travellers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia glanced up,
feeling cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually her eyes
returned to the page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Dollman can be traced back to at least the middle ages and seems to be a
precursor to the later Sandman, popularised by the German author ETA Hoffman,
in his tale of the same name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
Bogeymen evoke fears of castration and violent death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their genesis can be ascribed to primal
terrors in both the young and old alike; fears of sleep, dream and
imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the modern scientific
age the prevalence of these ancient fairy-tale predators has declined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we have reason, to banish the shadows – and
electric light, to illuminate the dark corners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia looked up
from the page again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed
suddenly, glancing at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes
were closed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lit a cigarette and
took a deep pull.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could something be
both real and unreal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It stretched her
reason, trying to embrace it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On an
intuitive level she grasped it irrationaly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a halfway place between fantasy and reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow they were using mythology to give
themselves form, cloaked in old stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She frowned, looking through the hotel
windows at the night sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was
Truth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did it even exist?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt the spectre of Madness near her
shoulder, like a Bogeyman itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
line between the real and unreal could be removed briefly, for artistic and
poetic insight, but to remove it forever was schizophrenia; a complete
fragmentation of the psychological system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perception was everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
her mind’s eye Celia could see the imaginary nun from her dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t really existed, when Celia woke
there had been doctors – and yet the nun was now more real than the actual
memory of waking up from her failed attempt to die, showing Celia her own
wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look…please look at what you’ve
done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Later, in the dream, her mother stands at
the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond, the sky is splashed
with red.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watches her writing
intently upon the glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strange
letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are foreign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia cannot read them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The darkness was
heavier than ever before. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily Fisher
blinked but she couldn’t see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps
the blackness had blinded her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt
so weak, so utterly alone; eleven years old, forgotten, a lost blonde girl in
heavy chains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something flickered in the warm, wet
black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A luminous butterfly, just like before,
leaving soft trails of light in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Stay with me,” she murmured, hoping it
would hear her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It danced around high
above her head and then dipped low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
heard the rapid fluttering and saw weird free-forming patterns in its glowing
wings, strangely beautiful patterns that seemed to be showing her things,
things she could only begin to grasp<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…oh my God…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butterfly pulled away from her and then
dipped forward again, close enough to light Emily’s face in the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…how can you ask me to not be afraid?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its luminous wings brushed her cheek and
Emily saw a place, vast, indescribably complex and yet shockingly simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too powerful, far too powerful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began screaming hoarsely in the
darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please no!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t wanna die!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t wanna
die!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she wailed and sobbed with the last
strength she had, the butterfly drew trails of light around her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It flew quickly into her mouth, plunging deep
into her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It detonated in her
chest like a painless bomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
shuddered, her eyes flaring with luminescence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And then Emily Fisher’s suffering and fear was lost to the Light, brighter
and softer and warmer than any she could have dared to imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I had a nightmare, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dreamt he stabbed me again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were sitting in the dining hall of the
Pont de Franca, eating breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were circles around Louise’s eyes and her skin was almost as pale as Celia’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed sleep had sapped her strength
rather than replenished it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry,” was all Celia could say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded from hooded eyes, taking a sip
from a cup of coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It was so real…I could smell him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smelled like decay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I’m terrified.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So am I.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">London:
An Occult History</i>, Celia found the name of someone who had contributed the
drawing of the Dollman, along with certain source materials.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Special thanks to my good friend Irwin
Shaw, without whom this text could not have been compiled.’</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia had to find him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had to get answers from him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left Louise in the room and went down to
the foyer, snagging an ashtray from the other side of a glass table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She dialled Hades House and asked to speak to
Paul Drazer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waited, lighting a
cigarette.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I thought I was done – jeez, you must
really love the sound of my voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
do you want now?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need a guy named Irwin Shaw, a friend
of Richard Hobbes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So, is he alive, is he dead, or
what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He helped Hobbes on his occult
textbook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you’ve got some kind of
information on him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell do you want from me
Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t it enough that I helped you
out yesterday?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You threw our
relationship back in my face.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We didn’t have a relationship, Paulie – we
didn’t even sleep together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A month of
dating, that was all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought you said
you were over it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get a grip, man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waited for him to respond, the phone
pressed to her ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We could’ve had – okay fine, fine, you prick-tease.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a smile in the sound of his
voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look, I can’t go giving
information about our clients to everyone that asks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a publishing house, not directory
inquiries.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tried to put a damper on her
impatience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please, Paulie…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard him laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey, screw you motherfucker, you don’t get
to call me Paulie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re acting like a pissed off teenager,
Paul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, help me out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell is this about, anyway?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An idea hit her out of the blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s for a new book I’m planning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted Hobbes to help, but seeing as he’s
dead, Irwin Shaw is the next best thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When were you going to run this by me,
Celia?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Once it’s all clear in my head I’ll give
you a full proposition.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A proposition?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was another smile in his voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus, Paulie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get your head out of the damn gutter – it’s never
going to happen. So drop it, fuckhead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard him sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fine, fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A bloke has got to try, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Give me a second.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard his fingers tapping at the keyboard
of his computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay…Irwin Shaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right here in London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>68 Lomas Road, Holland Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No telephone number listed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happy now, sweetie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia immediately switched off the mobile,
committing the address to memory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She told Louise
where they were going and her lover hadn’t said a word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia drove in silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stared from the passenger window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Say something, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You think
this is a bad idea?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I just think this might be a big fat anticlimax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t want to see your hopes dashed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not going to hide from this,
Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this guy knows something, anything, I’m
going to make him tell me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise reclined the seat slightly, closing
her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I get it, but what possible
answer are you hoping for?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a while she said, “Lou, I know you
don’t want to believe what I told you, but I think someone really did hurt me –
a long time ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m telling you,
it’s all connected to everything that’s happened.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise opened her eyes and looked at
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You don’t believe me?” asked
Celia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shrugged, “I do believe you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t change anything.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drove the rest of the way in silence. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-12289064651537456372018-11-22T10:29:00.000-08:002018-11-22T15:35:53.707-08:00Chapter Eleven<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was almost midnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They hadn’t spoken much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They left Highgate and drove down into
Westminster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually they found a
hotel, the Pont de Franca, not far from Charing Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia paid in cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room was pale blue and white, with a
regal bed and lavish furnishings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
was a mini-bar and Louise sat on the edge of the bed, downing a tiny bottle of
Malibu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watched her, trying to
quiet her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is crazy,” said Louise, going to the
bar for another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could only
nod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked at each other and Celia
could feel her fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Were they even real
people?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t know what to tell
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sweet God in Heaven<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">,</i>” Louise murmured. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually Celia joined her in raiding the
mini-bar, downing tiny bottles of Smirnoff and Jack Daniel’s in virtual
silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise lay flat on her back on
the grand bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia listened to the
sound of her lover’s breathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After nearly half an hour Louise was
asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t even feel mildly
tipsy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gently, she took off Louise’s
trainers and left her sleeping on the bed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stripped and climbed into the hotel
shower, hot water beating down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t have the energy for this…I
don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>The way the girls had moved,
like phantoms, and yet they had been solid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the stuff of drug-induced hallucinations, the stuff of horror
movies and bad dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Can’t do this…I can’t.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left the shower, dried herself off and climbed
onto the bed, beside Louise still fully clothed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was naked on top of the sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room was very warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She quickly passed out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She had vanished
from a moving train, so quickly that Myers wasn’t even sure what occurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t utterly cold and fearless, like
some of the other proof-readers; those who had cast off the last vestiges of
their compassion to protect themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, he could still feel, and sometimes it made him naked to things that
burned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could still be afraid, his
fear an uncomfortable bedfellow with images of centre-punched foreheads and
smothering pillows held down by his own hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He parked the car in a Highgate back road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned away from the vehicle and vomited,
staring down at the discoloured mess at his feet and then glancing up at the
black sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The walk didn’t take long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>36 Seaver Road stood imposing and faceless in
the dark, Celia’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her black Ford
was gone from the gravelled driveway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Myers banged his fist against the front door, crouching and shouting
through the letter-box, “Celia!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
David, from the other night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re
there open the door!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s an
emergency!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waited for a few moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When no one came to answer, he reached into
his jacket and removed the keys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stepping into the house, he listened for
sounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled the Beretta despite
the silence and went into the living-room, glancing about in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Capable Celia had run away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned forward, switching on a lamp with a
stained-glass cowl that cast a murky orange across half the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above the fireplace there was a
painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The colours used were dark and
he squinted to identify it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Virgin
Mary and the Baby Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had Celia – no,
this had been painted by Alice Gray, painted by a mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something moved out in the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers snapped round on his heels, gun
sweeping the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a
series of flickers in the shadows; fractured images of someone stepping through
the living-room doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mind went
almost blank with shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fractured,
flickering thing froze, and Myers realised Mr Finn was standing in the room
with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that moment mental images tumbled over
one another, fusing together, like he had stepped into one of those novels
where sorcery was commonplace and men could come back from the dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wave of sour confusion turned his
stomach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jutting the Beretta in Finn’s direction,
he murmured, “No, I killed you…” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
Mr Finn had a chance to utter a word Myers squeezed the trigger and a shot
flared, almost white against the orange murk of the lamp, a stab of air through
the silencer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn didn’t move, only stared with
blank eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers felt his mind shift suddenly as he
watched the bald man, as though he were not watching a person at all, but an
abstraction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How was this…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another sour wave of terror churned in his
gut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d read scenes like this many
times, and had seen them depicted in countless movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The realisation hit him that he was completely
powerless, and that his gun was a feeble weapon against whatever Mr Finn really
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His knees almost sagged with a new
fear that coursed through him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re…fuck…you’re not a…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His gun was trembling so slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The austere sense of infinite possibility
began to envelope him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d heard the
rumours but thought they were little more than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men secretly adored the supernatural.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of them wanted to exude a sense of
almost divine power; clothing their fragile humanity in myth and mysticism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers realised this went beyond the games that
men played.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m a priest, David,” said Mr Finn, “I’m
a door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ardour.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then Finn seemed to phase slightly, to
shift and blur, flickering forward. In a compressed moment of time Myers
pictured himself from the outside; a minor character about to suffer an
inventively gruesome death scene, a cruel money-shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ, please, no...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instinctively he squeezed another shot but
the flickering thing swept up close to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From nowhere a solid fist caught him hard across the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers was spun sideways by the strength
and shock of the blow, squeezing the trigger accidentally, lighting Mr Finn at
a weird angle above him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was the
sound of exploding glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers hit the
hardwood floor, his left cheek buzzing like it had been electrified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn collapsed on top of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a few moments it was like they were
both frozen in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers realised he
could hear his own pulse thudding through his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of him, Finn lay unmoving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was uncertain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the fuck had just happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He expected to be dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heaved Finn away and scrambled back across
the floor, jutting the gun again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
tall bald man lay unmoving, his head tilted towards Myers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of Finn’s eyes was gone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A black socket rimmed with red, bits of
bloodied glass on the floor around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This wasn’t…this couldn’t be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David
Myers shot him again, thrice in the chest, watching as his body jerked slightly
on impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly, very slowly, he moved towards
Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reached out, hesitant, and then
dug his fingers into Finn’s remaining socket, pulling a polished glass eye into
his palm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers clambered to his feet
and back-stepped, clutching the orb in his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened his mouth but there were no
words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn’s eyes had been glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An icy certainty that Myers couldn’t deny
began to close his throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He realised
that the worlds of the books he adored were closer to reality than most people
would ever know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring down again at
the glass eye in his hand, a violent sob escaped him, his face twisting with
tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He almost fell to his knees again
with terror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He forced the sobbing back
deep into his chest, shaking, taking long tremulous breaths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers turned, and fled from the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When Celia woke in
the morning Louise was still asleep on the hotel bed, fully clothed beside
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou was deep in her own head
somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia dressed and scribbled a
note, leaving it on the mini-bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Gone out for a few minutes, don’t
worry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay here, love baby girl.’<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left the Pont de Franca and walked
down The Strand, eyes hovering on the faces of pedestrians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could smell baked bread and coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Across the road a large bookshop had just
opened for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia hurried across
the road and inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She found the horror section against the
back wall of the store, scanning the shelves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dollmen</i> wasn’t there and
she cursed to herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Mythology/Unexplained
section she found <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">London: An Occult
History</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled it from the
shelf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a hardback book but there
was no photo of Richard Hobbes on the dust-jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She paid for the book and smiled a thank-you
at the clerk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking back up The Strand, she stopped in
a convenience store and bought a pack of Lincoln Silver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside she lit one, dialling a number on her
mobile phone, eyes searching the faces that passed her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hades House Publishing, how may I help
you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s Celia Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put me through to Paul Drazer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia…I haven’t spoken to you in a
while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’d the love go, sweetie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Listen, Paulie, I need your help,
okay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not still bitter are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The voice on the phone just laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Get over yourself, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You going to help me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah…shoot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You ever heard of Tempest Press?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, we’re Tempest Press – we were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Changed our name in 1976.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia frowned in the morning light,
pulling on her cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the fuck…how
come I didn’t know about this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know, because it’s completely
unimportant?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay, fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know a man named Richard Hobbes then?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Drazer didn’t take long to respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I did for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s dead now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you care?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What can you tell me about him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
heard him laugh, “Why the sudden interest in a dead man.?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Paulie…you’re really trying hard to annoy
me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay, okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He, uh…he lived in Berlin at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Germany.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve got an Atlas at home, Paul…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, well, we spoke extensively on the
phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only met him once face to face,
in ’96 I think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very shy old man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes for a moment, the
phone pressed to her ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did he ever
talk about the occult?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could almost
hear Paul Drazer frowning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you mean…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just what I said, did he ever talk about
the occult?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a few moments there was
silence on the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I guess so, sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s what his books were about, so yeah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What did he say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia, you can’t expect me to remember
something so obscure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Try,” she said and waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He said the mythology in his books was
solid, going back to biblical times and even further, blah blah blah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a real hard-on for all that mystical
crap.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded to herself, glancing at the
morning sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did he ever say he
believed the myths were true, I mean, literally true?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What, monsters and demons and serpentine
conspiracies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a good imagination
but he wasn’t foolish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were just
inspiration for his yarns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s up
sweetie, really?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did he ever say anything else to you?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard him sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Uh…well, he said mostly that he studied
ancient mythology because it was beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Said he liked how people were fascinated by the occult because it gave
them hope – gave the world some illusory meaning.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt her shoulders tense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is that it, Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got work to do, am I done…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia switched off the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a scowl on her face, distorting her
youthful features.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She walked back to
the Pont de Franca, licking her lips with controlled anger, taking long, hard
drags on the Lincoln Silver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was still asleep on the bed when
she returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia went to the
mini-bar, screwed up the note she had left and tossed it into the wastepaper
basket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no cider in the
mini-bar so she took a bottle of beer and opened it, taking three deep
swallows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">He slept in the
back seat of his blue Vauxhall, the Beretta concealed nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He expected nightmares but there was only
fitful sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Myers sat in an aisle
of the library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its ceiling was high and
its walls had intricate stonework painted white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Books were stacked beside him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He only skimmed them half-heartedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was far too numb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Previously he believed that only myths
could make immortals of men, only myths could make divine the cold, hard
sufferings of people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d believed that
the Host of Clock were not magicians but illusionists, master capitalists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he could believe in none of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d seen it for himself now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All those years that others whispered
fearfully, about myriad horrors that took place beneath the veneer of modern society,
he’d doubted the paranoid depths they mined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He knew what evil was, but in his experience it wore a distinctly human
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers stared at the glass eye in
his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he remembered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he had no choice in remembering; a past
that was always at his shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terrible rumours he heard whispered as a
boy in the halls of the Colony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d
never believed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He understood about
the evil that men did, and that the Colony was a place governed by such evil
men, but he’d never believed the rumours…to do so was to completely lose your
mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He remembered Christopher trying to kiss
him, touching him, whispering in his ear at night about demons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How demons walked the halls of the Colony
beneath fake faces, pretending to be their teachers, nurses and dorm-masters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chris had been recruited for proof-reader
and cried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were not allowed to
cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Haven eventually took him to the
Red Room, a place that the boys and girls had feared greatly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terrible things were said to happen in the
Red Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d been so scared for Chris,
hearing the echo of his screams as Mr Haven dragged him down the corridor,
their eyes locking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers remembered
he’d been unable to hold his friend’s gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even now he regretted it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Mass
he prayed, pulling his rosary through his hands so fast that it snapped,
scattering the beads across the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christopher was seen the next morning,
leaping from the bell tower of the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Myers hadn’t been there but he’d heard the screams and confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He raced from his dorm, across the causeway and into the church courtyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chris had been a dark scarlet mess on the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A shattered skull.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Limbs twisted in unnatural angles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A rib-cage like a bony claw from his ruptured
chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a lesson to all of
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even now…it still seemed like a
nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers
wished tears would come but they didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A girl browsing the nearby shelves glanced down kindly at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You okay, mate?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded warmly at her and she wandered
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stared back down at the glass
eye in his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Magic and fake faces. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ghosts brushing shoulders with the
living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew this before in a
symbolic sense, a poetic sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to
believe it literally was the province of children, madmen and fools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The implications were too massive, too far
reaching for his reason to embrace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
Mr Finn had two glass eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bullets had
done nothing until Myers had shot one of those eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proof-reader, the Colony…it wasn’t merely
a black-light protectorate of the Crown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’d been used to an even greater extent than he previously
believed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could he live in such a
place now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">live</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He lifted the glass eye above his head and with a furious cry he hurled
it at the library floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It shattered in
a feast of glinting lights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know what you’re thinking, Cee.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was reclining on the bed, hung-over,
clicking the remote at the television.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia had ordered room service – toast, croissants, jam, and orange
juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise had only picked at the
breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What am I thinking, Lou?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise settled a gaze on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not going anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my choice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded, pursing her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your choice?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He nearly killed you…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My choice, babes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not sure about that…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stared icily at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why is this about you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of course it’s about me!” Celia shot back
and then regretted it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re a fucking star, Cee, you know
that, don’t you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was more a
statement than a question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was
silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You want to get rid of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you can chase down your demons like some
armchair detective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see it
coming, believe me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia said nothing and thought she saw a
mild look of disgust play briefly across her lover’s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where am I in all this?” Louise demanded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where the fuck am I?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re everything to me in this, Lou…you
bloody well know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the hell did
you see last night – those girls, those fucked up twins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You saw it like I did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise said nothing, looking haunted,
stuffing half a croissant into her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-31778709658172017982018-11-22T10:20:00.000-08:002018-11-22T15:33:22.066-08:00Chapter Ten<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The sky was a
pinkish grey when they arrived at Litchfield College, a precursor to the
obscured setting sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the reception the
handsome African security-guard nodded at Louise and then smiled at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey there, goddess,” he said, winking at her
like usual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey, Joseph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How’s your girlfriend?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She liked the present?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He chuckled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, my goodness, she loved it…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia winked back at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“See, she’ll want you forever and a day
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re still writing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sure, every night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Good man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t hold out on me when it’s done.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As they wandered down the corridor Joseph called out to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Place is empty, only Amy and John are on
site.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No worries,” Celia called back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They walked Litchfield’s empty corridors,
towards the English Department, passing darkened seminar rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy Lubec was in the one with the arched
windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The small black woman was in
her early sixties, with glasses on a chain around her neck, searching through
papers on a desk. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were open
cartons of books everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
whistled and she glanced up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, hey there
honey,” she chirped, her accent a throaty French-Canadian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia introduced Amy to Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m thinking about firing her, Louise,” said
Amy with an arched eyebrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If you fired me…I’d come back and burn
this place to the ground.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy grinned at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t doubt it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I just came to use the terminal; wanted
to access the Writers Database.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that
okay with you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy Lubec shrugged and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You could’ve just logged in from home, but sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go for it. I’ll be setting off in a
moment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She returned to packing and
Celia went to the terminal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise stared absently at books on
shelves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nice selection,” she muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the keyboard Celia entered her
user-number and password.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She accessed
the database, typing in the name Richard Hobbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The screen bleeped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Richard
Hobbes – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i>, published in 1969
by Tempest Press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dollmen</i>, published in 1974 by Tempest Press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">London:
An Occult History</i>, published in 1996 by Hades House.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia frowned at
what she’d read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same company that published
both of her books had also published one of his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tapped at the keyboard again, bringing up
a small personal file.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Richard
Hobbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Born on October 22<sup>nd</sup>
1928, Berlin, Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the eldest
son of a displaced London banking family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A very wealthy man, not much else is known about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shunned publicity and press all his
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Clockhost</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dollmen</i> are his
only commercial works of fiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
1976 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dollmen</i> won the Dark Heart
award for ‘Best Horror’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">London: An Occult History</i> was his only
work of non-fiction and his last book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He died on October 21<sup>st</sup> 2002, a day before his seventy-fourth
birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Berlin Police found him hung
in a hotel room, verdict of suicide – a very tragic end to this elderly writer’s
life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia inhaled
deeply at the information on the screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was gruesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They didn’t kill you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You really took your own life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried and failed.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy Lubec put her coat on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m off then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll tell Joseph you’re still here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She winked at them both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bye girls.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise ignored her but Celia smiled in
confession, “Bye Amy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The older woman
left them alone in the room with the arched windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He killed himself, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And his last book was published by Hades
House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to talk to Paulie…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise turned from the bookcase and came
up behind her lover, staring at the computer screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tapped rapidly at the keyboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Dollmen</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">; Tempest Press, 1974.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A twisted urban fairy-tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Young Max dreams of Bogeymen, nightmarish
monsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A childish terror it would
seem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when a series of brutal
murders draw Max and his mother into an unholy secret world, he discovers that
the Dollmen have a reality all their own, and the boy must face the truth of
his darkest fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus, that’s fucked up,” Louise muttered,
reading the text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“These are some fucked
up people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was quiet, staring at
the screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This Hobbes, Cee, he was
obviously not right in the head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clockhost, Dollmen – no wonder he hanged himself.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A dark thought entered Ceila’s mind,
gaining credibility as it traversed her intellect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this was some kind of cult, a strange mix
of mysticism and Christian dogma – a psychological con trick to control the
weak and wounded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe Alice Gray had
gotten in too deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought made her
shudder lightly and she shook it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above Celia and Louise the electric lights
suddenly flickered and died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room was thrust into darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only illumination came from the glowing
computer screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell…?” Louise murmured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the arched windows the sun had set
and Celia felt a frightening sense of inertia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The computer bleeped, the screen faded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was almost complete darkness now, except for the faint sodium glow
of the security-lamps outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard Louise beside her, “Oh, God…did
someone cut the power?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise grabbed
blindly at her arm in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We need
to get out of here, Cee…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They hurried out into the darkened
hallway, alone in the emptiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Amy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was no reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
queasiness in Celia’s gut deepened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Come on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took Louise’s
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They moved quickly through the English
Department towards an emergency exit, a red sign glowing above it in the
shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia grabbed the metal bar and
pushed it but the door wouldn’t move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She pushed forward again, and then again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wouldn’t budge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Celia finally spoke it came out a
whisper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Someone’s chained it shut from
the outside…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh God…” Louise murmured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her face was cast in a red glow from the sign
above them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced down the
corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Joseph wouldn’t lock us in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to find another way out…Come on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They hurried back down the corridor,
turning a corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia froze for a
moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snatched Louise’s arm,
pulling her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further down the
hallway, in the moonlight through the windows, there were two girls standing
completely still, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls were twins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Identical faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them had hair that was dyed
blood-red, wearing a short black dress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The other had hair that was night-black, wearing a short red dress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The effect seemed designed to disturb or
amuse whoever they came across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise murmured, “Is this some kind of
joke…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pulled at Louise, taking backward
steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two girls watched them,
silent and still like mannequins, a duality of red and black, black and
red.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The twins glanced at each other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the moonlight, knives flashed in their pale
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Run,</i>”
came the word from Celia’s throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled at Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They both turned on their heels and fled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t look back, hurrying through the
library corridor into the Business Department, towards the furthest emergency
exit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were shrouded in darkness as
they ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise seemed to beg answers
with every breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia slammed up
against the exit door, shoving hard and shoving again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was chained from the outside like the
other one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…No…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia began kicking hopelessly at the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t want to die here…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise’s voice was ragged and trembling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the other end of the corridor Celia saw
them, back-lit like paper dolls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
began walking, fluidly synchronous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise had an expression on her face like she might shatter right there,
like she might never be sane again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia pulled her forward, towards the advancing duality of red and black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They carefully raised the knives in their
hands as though performing some grotesque stage-play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia jerked to the left, dragging Louise
into a darkened seminar room, slamming it shut and locking it behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The handle rattled and they back-stepped from
the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the fuck is happening…” Louise
murmured to no one but herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia’s eyes darted about in the
shadow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed a chair, lifted it,
and with a full swing she hurled it through the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glass exploded outwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go, move!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They scrambled through the empty frame,
past the chair, and began running across the grass beneath the black sky,
towards the car park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of them
broke the run to Celia’s Ford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they clambered inside, Louise let out
a ragged moan like a razor lodged in her chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The engine turned over smoothly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
reversed and pulled away fast, slicing across the car park.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The twin girls were somehow standing out
on the grass; red and black, black and red – the flash of knives in pale
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Celia glanced in the
rear-view seconds later they were gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh God…” Louise rasped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d seen it too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, when her adrenaline slowed and
she eased off the accelerator, Celia had to do all she could to keep from
sobbing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They drove for
half an hour before either one of them spoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise was almost shivering in the passenger seat, glancing at Celia
from hooded eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt sick inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her lover looked hopeless, leaning back in
the seat and staring through the windscreen at nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This isn’t happening…I refuse…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia’s mind was a blank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She struggled to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Those
girls, Christ…everything so wrong about them…so wrong…Jesus…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t believe this,” muttered Louise,
pressing her hands to her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That
was like something from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Shining</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is Madness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drove in silence until Louise finally
looked at Celia again, eyes wide as coins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Where’re we going?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head for a long time
before replying, “I don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The sister twins
were as intimate as two beings could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were connected but separate, united and also divided, two minds and
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They shared a dream from a poem
told to them by a Teacher of the Clock – a dream about a garden. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were good, always good, but the shared
dream remained a secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither girl
told Miss Renn or Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dream was
sanctified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together, lifting them above
the shadows hence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would never
tell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not Crimson, not Ebony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dream made them true sisters, almost
lovers…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I went to the Garden of Love,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And saw what I had never seen:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A Chapel was built in the midst,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Where I used to play on the green.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And the gates of this Chapel were shut<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And Thou shalt not writ over the door;<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">So I turned to the Garden of Love,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">That so many sweet flowers bore.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And I saw it was filled with graves<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And tomb-stones where flowers should be:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">And binding with briars, my joys & desires.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">…From ‘Songs of
Experience’ by William Blake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crimson
& Ebony heard it often when they were younger, read to them at bedtime by
the man with the black eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr
Haven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never questioning how he could
read with those eyes, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
would dream of compromised light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia, run away from here…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secretly the sister twins knew they were the
fingers of the fallen ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
the hands of those that lived in cruelty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Garden of Love really was filled with graves and tomb-stones where
flowers should be, sadly so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls were
sitting quietly in the half-lit Circle Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eyes lifted slightly as the door opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn stepped into the space with
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bald black woman approached
them with vague amusement on her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Crimson & Ebony were silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Well…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sister twins looked
up at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ran away,” murmured Ebony.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ran away,” murmured Crimson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman appraised the girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mr Finn will be upset now, won’t he?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miss Renn stepped forward, placing her hands
on their shoulders, her flat eyes gleaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“You did what was essentially required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t fret, you’re both good girls.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned, leaving the girls alone in the
Circle Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sister twins glanced at
one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor Celia, she was
good…always good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Crimson & Ebony
kept their sadness inside, far from the ticking of the Clock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They went to the Garden of Love, and saw what
they had never seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Chapel was built
in the midst, where they used to play on the green.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In her chains, in
shrouded darkness, Emily Fisher had sensed something. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something deep inside her mind that felt like
her brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could almost taste him, almost smell
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was </i>alive!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she had any
strength left she would have cried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was Ryan, she knew it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A brief
connection, but…he thought she was dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ryan,” she moaned softly amongst the
shadows, “Ryan, I’m here…I’m here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Emily was alone, deep in darkness
somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pretty glowing
butterflies hadn’t come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So she
waited for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them</i> to come, to kill her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-77804762222326123872018-11-22T10:19:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:39:01.229-08:00Chapter Nine<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A pale morning
light flooded the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia sat at
the table, picking at a bowl of cereal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was thinking again about selling the house, getting away from the
place that she loved and despised in equal measure – a chance at a new beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she could only do that once she had real
answers, not fragmented images and vague delusions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doctors who had hurt her terribly as a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it just fantasy, a hallucination that had
taken root because of the blackouts?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they created the blackouts as a
cover for what they did to me? No. Jesus, Celia, get a grip on that head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">These thoughts would end up making her
very ill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She remembered having these
thoughts even before mum died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This had
been with her nearly all her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the living-room she dialled the number for the Iris Medical Institute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I.M.I., how can I help you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s Celia Gray, one of Ben Foster’s
clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you put me through?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m afraid that Dr Foster passed away
last night, Miss Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia swallowed, gripping the handset
tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He suffered a heart-attack,” the
receptionist said bluntly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He was a
very large man, with a history of…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia gently placed the handset back in its cradle, unable to hear any
more of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood silently,
thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn’t really believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben was a huge guy, but he was so full of
compassion and laughter that Celia thought he would live forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed so damn wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A creeping fear, almost preternatural, was
overtaking her; a feeling that this was not a coincidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben Foster had been the best man in her
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She picked up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i> from the coffee table, staring at the cover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia hurried into the hallway, slipped on
her shoes and jacket, and left the house.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As she drove she
passed the tall iron railings that enclosed the cemetery, glimpsing crosses,
angels and tombs through the brambles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She parked the car and followed the
corridors of St Patrick’s through to the I.C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She half expected to see a charnel house, a scene from a horror movie;
Lou eviscerated on the hospital bed, the walls splashed with crimson, but
Louise was sitting up, watching a television high in the left corner of the bay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a half-eaten tray of breakfast in
front of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Baby girl, miss me already?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia went and sat beside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I was worried.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nah, the doctors say I can leave today,
whenever I’m up for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Filled out a
whole bunch of forms.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
brushed a few strands of strawberry-blonde from Louise’s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“In that case you’re leaving now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not losing you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise’s expression hardened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What happened?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My old psychologist – he died last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A heart-attack they said, but, I think he
was…murdered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t spoken to him in
ten years, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw him the day after
you…and then, then he dies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m getting
you checked out of here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally she said, “This is fucked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the black Ford,
Celia started the engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at
Louise who was now wearing the same white t-shirt and blue jogging-bottoms that
Celia had been given when she’d left St Patrick’s. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou had a clear plastic sleeve containing a
bottle of blood-pressure medication that she was supposed to take if she felt
faint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sighed and closed her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry I let him hurt you,” Celia told
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without opening her eyes Louise said,
“It’s not your fault, babes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
drive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drove, in silence, to Louise’s flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia sat on the bed, staring at the movie
images on her walls while Louise had a long, hot shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beneath the pounding water, where Celia could
neither see nor hear, Louise cried half-heartedly, kneeling in the cubicle, the
spray on the back of her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hand
pressed the ugly scar just beneath her left breast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her tears were invisible amidst the hot
running water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Shrouded darkness,
chains at her arms and legs – her voice and strength stolen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily Fisher was silent and still like the
dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so humid she could barely
breathe, and in the darkness she wondered if she was blind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wanted to kill her, but not yet; the
Dollmen, walking around with fake faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were waiting for something very important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was only a little girl, she couldn’t
fight these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were stronger
and smarter than her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they were
unbelievably cruel, like her bastard father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She knew that from the Colony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was yet again overcome with anger and hatred, at a world that would
pit her against these things when she had no way to fight them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her anger faded, replaced by the familiar
draining fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then Emily thought she saw butterflies
in the darkness, with faintly luminous wings, leaving fluttering trails of
light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so pretty but there was no
way it could be real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butterflies
danced in and out of blackness, strangely lit, then fading away and fluttering
back into sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them seemed to
dance down near her face, growing brighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In its wings Emily saw shimmering patterns of colour, each blending with
the others in a rapid infinity of light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And then the butterflies faded and were gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No…come back…please…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Darkness, shrouded all around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t even know if her brother was still
alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to save her but they
were just children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved him and he
loved her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t enough against the monsters of the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was going to die, she knew
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was going to die alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As they drove towards
her house Celia glanced at Louise in the passenger seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She held a black sports bag filled with
clothes on her lap, staring vacantly from the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked exhausted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, you sure you’re okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I just feel a bit wobbly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Need some real food.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was silence between them, and then,
“You really think someone killed your psychiatrist?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds stupid?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone broke into your house, twice, stabbed
me to get a fucking diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s plenty
stupid.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, I think that someone abused me…when
I was younger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A group of doctors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that sounds crazy, but…I swear I used
to have dreams about it even before mum died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I thought it was just psychological trauma, nightmares, you know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m not so sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something’s happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m officially insane, right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, please talk to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sounds like something you’d write.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know…believe me, I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the house Celia packed a bag, stuffing
jeans and tops and another pair of trainers inside, taking the hundred pounds
folded in the demitasse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was sitting
on the bed, arms loosely crossed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So…where’re
we going now, baby?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Somewhere to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll get some food, a real nice place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia didn’t tell
Louise about David; that she’d had sex with a stranger while Louise lay hooked
to a respirator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no way she
could tell her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drove to an Italian
restaurant, ordering at a table by the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise ate quickly but Celia could only pick at her food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was thinking about keys of destiny,
wheels of fate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She flicked through her
copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i> by Richard
Hobbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise watched her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I got this from the library, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s about a secret society within the government
that use black magic to control the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A reference to it was in my mum’s diary.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So nothing…it’s just creepy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ll make yourself sick if you take
nightmares seriously.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What he did to you was a nightmare,” Celia
said plainly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think I’ve got to take
that pretty seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think we both
do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou, I’m telling you, this is bigger
than us, bigger than what he did to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bigger than what they did to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ve never told me about this before…doctors
and secret tests.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What could I say?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise didn’t reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia traced the cover of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i> with her fingertips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What if this novel – what if it has a truth
at the heart of it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if Richard
Hobbes knew these people?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if my mum
knew these people?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Stop it, Cee, don’t do this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m trying to understand, babes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They nearly killed you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked hard at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Him, not They.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re talking about voodoo and satanic shit,
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re talking about conspiracy
theories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s connected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I need answers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise threw her fork onto her plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look, I just got out of the hospital, with a
damn perforated lung…just – just tell me straight, baby girl.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m telling you straight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise grabbed Celia’s face in her hand,
making her flinch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When are you going
to let her go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just tell me…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pulled Louise’s hand away, scowling at
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not about that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So what’s it about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enlighten me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise reached across the table and snatched
the novel, holding it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You won’t
find your answers in here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you bloody
listening to me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia remained
silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know why you’re doing this…to
get close to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All this is an excuse
to get close to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about me,
Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please hear me, babes, please.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed her eyes and nodded
silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s a cycle of grief,
Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when I first met you, I could
feel it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Questioning why and creating
answers that make you question why again…creating a never-ending story so you
can stay <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">addicted</i> to the pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need you here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s the only thing that makes me feel
more than worthless,” admitted Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise watched her, empathy and hurt mingled in her expression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We could have a life together, Celia, you
and me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of course I do,” Celia pleaded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were tears in Louise’s eyes, and she
took a deep trembling breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise only wanted
her to be well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d taken a knife for
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drove in silence on the way
back to Lou’s flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could think of
nothing to say to her, nothing to reassure her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She couldn’t deny what she was beginning to believe just to comfort her,
although Louise was in need of comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia wanted answers for everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wanted to stare fear and loss in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it all just some morbid theatre for a
cruel divinity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was she destined to
always live as only half…?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God, she hated it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could she embrace anything if it was
fated to be taken?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no
bullshit metaphysics to explain why people had to suffer the way they did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breathe smoke forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Burn the world and save what could be saved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They lay in
Louise’s indigo bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of them
wanted to be there but Celia didn’t want to go back to her house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stroked Louise’s hair, feeling her all
tense against her own body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought
briefly about David Myers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise would
die inside if she knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could
never tell her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t want Alice Gray to take you away
from me, Cee.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She won’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You want to watch <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Simpsons</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got some on DVD.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So have I.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve got loads of great old shows on DVD,
babe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, please...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s watch a movie then, one of our stupid
favourites.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t want to watch anything, Lou.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise jerked away from her on the bed,
got up, went to her dresser and removed a pack of cigarettes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lit one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You shouldn’t be smoking, not after what
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give it some time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck that,” Louise muttered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took a long drag and began coughing
immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia frowned and Louise
walked back to the bed, handing her the cigarette, pressing a hand to her
chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That was stupid of me.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat on the edge of the bed while Celia
smoked for both of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who…who hurt
you then?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Christ, I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doctors…I remember doctors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not even sure it was real but, Jesus…it
seemed real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still seems real.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re thinking someone murdered
Alice?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ran her off the lane into the
lorry?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that what you’re thinking?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It
occurred to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They never found the
other car.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And if you can find a reason for it, then
what – you’ll sleep better at night?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I doubt it…but it’ll give me something to
fight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise coughed again, staring at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s what you want?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something to fight?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know…it just feels like there’s
something happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something set in
motion, tied to my past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it’s
hard to understand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise looked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hmmm, I can’t walk around inside your head,
Cee.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You wouldn’t want to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah…” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise took the cigarette from her, another
drag, coughing again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the hell are you doing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re going to make yourself ill.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without looking at her Louise handed back the
cigarette and said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lou, I
think I’m going to go to the college,” Celia added softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We’ve got a writers database with some
universities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I can find out
something about this guy Richard Hobbes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus, Cee…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shook her head defiantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t want to stay here, and I need to do
something constructive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've already checked online. If I can find
out at least something about why that diary was so bloody important…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How’s researching him going to do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She got up from the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mum quoted it in the diary, you read it to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to know why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes no sense.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Babes…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia began pulling on her trainers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You coming?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe you should stay here and rest.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise peered sadly at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve been resting too long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I’m coming. You expect anything
less?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-46917499226439004202018-11-22T10:12:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:39:01.168-08:00Chapter Eight<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In a third-floor
corridor of the Iris Medical Institute, Dr Ben Foster fed change into a
coffee-machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today in one of the
computer labs a pretty intern told him that he had a wonderful smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>pleased him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was massive,
fifty-six years old, but the girl still flirted with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her perfume had smelled lightly of
roses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took his steaming coffee cup
and headed slowly back to his office, smiling to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he stepped into the room he froze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cup fell, spilling across the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn was sitting behind the desk, leafing casually
through a client file.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mr Finn, what’re you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without looking up from the file, Finn said,
“I’m appraising our assets, Ben.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Regarding our allies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A terrible feeling in his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shuddered, sat awkwardly in a chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve done nothing wrong, I swear it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He realised he sounded like a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Whatever information you’ve been given is
wrong.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn finally looked up at him, eyes dark
but blank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Angel Wine has you under
contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breaching that contract, well,
you know how serious that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It amounts
to treason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’d be held liable to MI6
and Locus Point; this is a Black-Light operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is beyond sensitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you break allegiance with Angel Wine you’d
be undermining the very sovereignty of the British Crown.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve done nothing of the sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can swear on a thousand Crosses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Supplication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Light of the
World.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn smiled at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“As long as we know where we stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia came to see you, didn’t she?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“You did terrible things to that girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Terrible, brilliant things.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I did what I was told.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, I know, but you did them with
artistry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A valuable asset, your skill
with the human mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m here to commend
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You discovered so much for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben allowed himself to relax a
little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t seem to be in trouble
with Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He remembered the feel of
Celia when he’d hugged her a few days ago, so slender. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It made us feel like…like we were on the
frontiers of consciousness research.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You were.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought of the rose-scented intern, her
kind flirting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t hold a candle
to Celia Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia had never flirted
with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia had loved him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Best years of my life, hurting that
girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monarch, Sliver…none of them
compares to Angel Wine – what we achieved in this building with Celia Anne Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still have dreams about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn looked sideways at him, nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You raped her, didn’t you Ben?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eyes went wide again, heart flushed with shame
and excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How could you possibly
know that…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know,” said Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tell me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tell me everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben pursed his lips, nodding slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It shouldn’t surprise him that Finn knew
somehow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man seemed to know everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn was undoubtedly the most intelligent and
frightening man that he’d ever met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was about to share his secrets with this man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A strangely thrilling sensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, one night we’d just finished a
trawling session and she was unconscious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of the medics were fingering her, making jokes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just looked so vulnerable lying there
naked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I told the tech staff to leave,
and…it’s the most turned on I’ve ever been.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn leaned back in the big chair, staring
at him with a blank gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How old was
she?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fourteen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You took her virginity…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben nodded, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How the hell did you find out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did Haven tell you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn got up from the big chair and walked
around the desk, standing over him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Why, Ben?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t your
instruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any of the other girls,
fine, but not Celia. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn’t we give you
enough pussy?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben almost winced at the grotesque
word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He realised he was trembling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a frightening thing to see Finn’s
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t look real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was
</i>in trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sir, respectfully, we took everything she
had…she was beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do apologise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only that once, I assure you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You treated her for nine years after
that, Ben.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You earned her trust and her
love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had a daughter’s love for
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You knew that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben couldn’t think of anything to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pictured her pale naked curves against
polished metal, supine, inviting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
was a sudden stab of pain in his chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ben screamed, jerked in the chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Finn leaned forward, pressed his palm to Ben’s chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surging pain he’d never felt nor
imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A talon fist crushing the
centre of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slumped from the
chair, fell to the floor beside his spilt coffee cup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gasped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn stared down at him, blank eyes unmoving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben realised with horror that he was in the throes
of a massive heart-attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia parked her
car and entered St Patrick’s, moving through its busy, brightly-lit halls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She recognised Nurse Peters altering a chart in
the hallway to I.C; the older woman with Dr Shah who tended Louise after the
paramedics found them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nurse caught
Celia’s gaze, remembered her and smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Good news, my love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your
friend’s awake.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t stop to ask questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr Shah and another nurse were at the
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was sitting up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned and saw Celia standing a few feet
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Baby girl,” she said in a soft
voice, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia ran to her and
grabbed her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank God!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat in the chair beside the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears began to roll shamelessly down Celia’s
cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I thought…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise shook her head, “Not a chance,
Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve got a novel to finish,
remember?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed, relieved but
still crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, Lou, I was so fucking scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise inhaled deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, I teach twenty-five kids each
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hard as nails.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Totally.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She leaned over, placing her head on Louise’s shoulder, closed her eyes
and sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank God…Oh thank God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other side of the bed Dr Shah smiled
warmly at them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s going to be
fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a strong woman, she picked
up very quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took her off the meds
last night, brought her out of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’ll be no real permanent damage to the lung, just a little
scarring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll need to keep her here
for a day or two, just a precaution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’s going to be fine.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor
glanced at Louise and winked. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re
going to be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We’ll give you two a little privacy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor and nurse left the bedside,
drawing a curtain around the space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise
turned to Celia, staring at the horrible bruise near her left eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He hurt you…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” Celia said guiltily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A few superficial cuts and bruises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He threw me around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just glad you’re okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise narrowed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did he come back again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He got what he wanted.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The diary?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fucking freak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a fucking freak…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed amidst her tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“At least now you can’t say a night with me
is boring.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise gave her an unsteady smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Give us a kiss, Miss Gray.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia kissed her, leaning over the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mmmm, now I know what I’ve been missing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed with her fingers in Lou’s hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sat together for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually Celia climbed up onto the hospital
bed and lay beside Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though they
were hidden by a blue curtain, she was unconcerned about staff finding them
like that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise smelled of soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nurses must have washed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise traced her fingers across the bruise
at Celia’s temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So…you were really scared?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of course,” Celia told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I didn’t know what to do, the doctors said
you’d be fine but, you know…you see so many movies where horrible things
happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to lose you in the
final hour or whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you dream?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did you dream, while you were asleep?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, at least…I don’t remember if I
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing I remember was
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a shadow, with a knife in his
hand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There was a policeman that took a
statement from me; Carpenter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
think it’s going to help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You said he got what he wanted, why ever he
wanted it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think he’ll come
back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Anyway, if he does come back – we’ll kill
him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We will?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a while they lay in silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee, I love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know that, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d do this again for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a heartbeat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wow,” said Celia, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m definitely not letting go of this one…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll hold you to that, baby girl.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia had driven
home feeling cautious but elated that Lou was going to be ok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She needed Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did it have to take something like this
to make her realise how precious she was?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lou was her silk thread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew
how naïve it seemed but Lou was her finest tether to this mortal world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without her Celia would have only mum’s
spirit, an adolescent haunting that was somehow a comfort now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps she could drape her mother’s ghost
around her own shoulders and be buried in the most perfect death shroud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that wasn’t life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a dark dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Lou
is awake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should be filled with joy
and yet I’m trembling as I type this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m grateful, so grateful that she’s going to be okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I know this isn’t over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a selfish bitch, but it’s like my world
is becoming – I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must be
fucking mad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clockhost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the hell did they do to me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia’s hands left
the keyboard of her laptop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring at the words on the screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She closed her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
did they do to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t fucking remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those blackouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those damn blackouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things were missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had realised that years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bits of her life had fallen into shadow, bits
of her soul…gaping black holes in her memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>They hurt her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had pieced that much together over the
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lightning and silver
scalpels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain so intense that it became
an echo of itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia shuddered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clicking
backwards, like a film projector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m at
the mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A shadow behind me, in the reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Razors, sharp and silver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sliced open my wrists…yes, I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something is wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Clicking backwards again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m in…the White & Blue Room with the
Doctors. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Older this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They burnt her
mind with machines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside she’d tried
to scream but she was limp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They stole my strength…my voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Celia opened her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shut the laptop, pressing her face into
her hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mum, what did they do to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the hell did you let them do…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It happened so
fast. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had been talking and then
they were making love. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d wanted
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d wanted someone too,
anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, he imagined, they
would have asked him to kill her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting on the edge of the hotel bed,
Myers found himself feeling quite sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia must have been so lonely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’d put her friend, her lover, in a hospital bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d done far worse things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was scared, that was why he leapt so
readily into Celia’s bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, he
was terrified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew he couldn’t go
back to B-Chapter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A proof-reader would
be waiting for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d be executed for
murdering Mr Finn and the other man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wondered for a moment why the diary was so important to them, before realising
he didn’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The clock on the
Charing Cross Underground platform read 11: 33.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He boarded with the other passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The carriage shook gently as blackness rushed past the windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was on his way to ask a personal contact
about Paris, for Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers himself
could never go back to France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He closed
his eyes, remembering a past that was always at his shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house fire, the Colony, the fear he
felt when he realised it was not a normal boarding-school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At sixteen years old the Colony recruited him
for ‘proof-reader’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they taught him things he’d been afraid
to learn but terrified to ignore, he had never forgotten the smell of burning
flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he tried to forget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God knew that he’d tried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pushed the memories and the vivid scent
deep into the back of his mind, aware that pining for a fictional idyllic childhood
would only make him feel more helpless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers didn’t want to feel helpless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he stood amidst other passengers,
swaying gently back and forth, he realised a bald black woman was staring at
him through the window in the adjoining carriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was statuesque and formidable, wearing a
heavy red coat and sunglasses like a mad rock star. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d seen her before somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman was hard to miss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it came to him with a jolt of fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tore open the carriage door and stepped
through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hand moved snakelike into
his jacket for the Berreta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stalked
towards him, brushing past other passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly she screamed, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">David fucking Myers</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fluorescent lights in the tube-train
flickered and died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The carriage was
immediately plunged into darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Screams filled the moving train and he
fired a single shot, blindly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Red blood
flared in the darkness like molten neon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Someone slammed into him, knocking him off his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced up as bright light sheared through
the train as it pulled up to the next station platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His gun was quickly in his jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other passengers were silent, many of
them trembling, eyes darting everywhere for a man with a weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bald black woman was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He scrambled to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tube doors opened and Myers hurried off
with the other shocked people, moving swiftly down the platform, up the
escalators, and out of Leicester Square Station.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She had vanished from
an underground train – unless she’d got into the next carriage somehow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, nobody could move that fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers felt icy, not just from the frigid
November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t know her name but
he’d seen her before on two occasions, with Mr Finn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was tall and bald like him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He suspected they were lovers at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d shot her, he was certain – red blood,
oddly luminous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, how could she have
vanished like that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had she wanted the
diary or wanted to kill him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both, he
decided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers was very cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-83716093215170902462018-11-22T10:07:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:39:01.249-08:00Chapter Seven<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia’s black Ford
was parked on Hollander Green, overlooking the railway lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sat on the bonnet of the car, glancing
up at the night, watching the occasional train pass by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They shared a cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt excitingly uncomfortable about
this curious stranger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t yet
sure of his intentions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d said very
little in the car during the drive, though he’d suggested the Green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It probably would’ve scared most women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t felt this wired in a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s been a while since I wrote anything,”
he told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I used to write stories,
poems, little essays on philosophy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Never grew out of my teenage thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Me neither,” smiled Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And now I get paid for it, can you believe
that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nice work if you can get it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why’d you stop writing then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, it sounds like you enjoyed it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded and then shrugged, “I loved it,
almost more than anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Almost?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Guess real life took over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t the happiest guy around.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He handed her the cigarette.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So where’d you grow up?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment he was quiet, and then, “I
was an orphan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My parents died when I
was six years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A house fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty tough time, you can imagine.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was silent, not knowing what to say and
thinking it better she said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leaving Her</i>, it was an attempt to lay her to rest wasn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had to be, you know…based on truth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded silently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did it work?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, not really.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lit another cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think when you experience death as a kid –
it obviously screws you up, but…it’s like there’s an absence and you don’t know
what’s truth anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t really know
how to feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know what I mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh yes,” said Celia, “I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hit the nail on the head.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I tell you, really…I think my pen…I think
it bled to death.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed with a
kind of sweet shame, and she wanted him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She turned his head to meet her gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She kissed him with courage she didn’t feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some reason he kissed her back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">After some wine,
after discussing movies they both loved, nearly two hours later in Celia’s bed
– they fucked one another with a gentle fury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They lost themselves, briefly, in the heat and the sweat and the
salt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She clenched around him, pulling at his
neck, trying to draw him deeper inside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first time he came he shuddered violently and trembled breathless
like a boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second time he used his
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She moaned low and breathless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, the third time, Celia pushed him to
the mattress, mounting him, placing him inside her, looking down into his
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They moved together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gripped her thighs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She forgot about Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He came before her and then a few more
thrusts and she shuddered, pressing onto him as far as she could allow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would have been angry otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She let herself fall beside him in the
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was warm yet almost cold,
almost quivering, wanting to feel it forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But as she lay there it faded away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise crept back into her thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were no words from David.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She fell into a deep sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When Celia woke in
the morning she found that David had left her side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t surprise her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was glad of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Briefly pulling yourself as close as you
could to something real, even if on the outside it was a casual thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aching for something Other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And damned if she believed it would cost them
their eternal souls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d rather let
herself be seduced by pretty lies than unattractive ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She yawned in the warm bed and peered
through the window at the sky, grey like her name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she could take him in deep enough, whoever
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he </i>was, maybe she could be changed
inside – a transcendent moment of sexual alchemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she suffered enough, then maybe her insides
could be turned from lead into gold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
spread her arms on the mattress and glanced up, imagining herself crucified
against the white sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wanting
was never enough, never as exquisite as it needs to be to summon that
alchemical fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small voice in the back of her mind
said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You can’t purify yourself in sin</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed at that schoolgirl voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Later in the day
she worked with her laptop, doing some preparation for her class in the
evening. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kept seeing an image of
Louise in the hospital bed, an image she couldn’t shake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about David again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seemed like a good man, a little poisoned
by life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was passion in him, no
doubt, roaring forest fires and swollen rivers, but also something colder, an
almost crystalline sharpness to the way he’d been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He moved differently than anyone she could
remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Tom had been inside her
it was warmth and colour and delicious melodrama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But David had been full of surfaces, lines
and edges that were almost painful; a kind of cerebral fierceness in his
body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vaguely literary, Celia felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was even in his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She got it immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was turning his sex into a code that only
he could read – a code that would protect him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like
me.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the evening drew closer Celia prayed
for Louise, though she didn’t believe anymore in the power of prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had a bath and dressed into her black
trouser-suit with a creme Donna Karran shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She stared at herself in the long turning-mirror, trying to find the
capable woman and trying to ignore the hunted girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Aside from the obvious tech stuff,
writing is, I think, about vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Metaphorical vision.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She watched
the faces watching her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You have to
see, inside, what the story is; how it moves, how it tastes, and how these things
become the blood of your text.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A blonde girl raised her pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re talking in an almost mystical sense,
but for me writing has always been more like craft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like beautiful carpentry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded, writing the word ‘Craft’ on the
white-board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I agree,” she told the class, “Writing is
design, definitely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I mean by
‘vision’ is the subconscious of the story, that presence that exists <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">behind </i>the words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each is unique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The greater the subconscious, the deeper the
vision of it, the more powerful your design will be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blonde girl smiled at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I see what you mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia gestured widely, “It’s the soul of
the story that we treasure, that thing that’s so specific and yet so open; in
literature, painting, music…sex.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were smiles and laughs from the class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“We all know it’s presence that’s truly sexy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s presence that never dies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If souls were storybooks then nobody was
truly alone; then something somewhere was in love with you, no matter what your
crimes, imagined or otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If men
and women were great novels, then you were eternal and beautiful and
flawed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia wanted to believe that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She wanted to be
many things – a lover, a dreamer, an artist and a daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to be strong; edgy but
feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to be brave;
courageous yet vulnerable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted
all these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But deep down she was
none of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In truth she was an ingenious
but lonely actress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d played the
disturbed little princess to perfection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now she played the tortured writer; the woman who was dark and oh so
full of meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes she feared
she wasn’t even human anymore, that perhaps she’d never been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life was the shadow cast by Death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were so many masques.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they were all beautiful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back at home she stripped, collapsed into her
bed, and was soon asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the dream Celia
was standing in a church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Corpus Christi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She saw mum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Alice Gray was standing in the centre aisle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Candles lit spontaneously around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A stone messiah looked down from his cross of
sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia realised she was a
little girl; short and slim with long dark hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was holding a kitchen knife in her small
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice Gray was moving her lips but
there were no words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum…stop, </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">she told her,
raising the knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stop hurting me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leave me
alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t tell me these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>She advanced on the older woman, the
blade trembling in her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Never speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Never speak again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Celia cried out and butchered
her mother’s flesh until all that remained of Alice Gray was a ragged, bloody
ruin at the centre of the empty church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Murder, the sin.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She woke up wanting to die.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She had a long,
cool soak in her cast-bronze tub to wash the images away, as morning light
filled her green bathroom, making the stained-glass leaves in the windows glow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She dressed and then drove around for a
while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually she found herself
driving down to Lowell Library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an old building near Archway with
high windows and inner stonework that had been painted white for some destructive
‘reason’, marring all the effort the architects had gone to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least there were only a few patrons at
this early hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia found a corner with a computer
terminal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to access the catalogue
and tapped at the keyboard: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Clockhost</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The screen retrieved a log-description.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a real book with that title
somewhere in the library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia scribbled the index number onto a
notepad and began quickly searching the shelves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She found herself in the horror section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the books were filed alphabetically. E,
F, G – Gray, Celia; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Rising Rain</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She frowned at her own work there in front of
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still kind of disconcerting to
see it in print.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thumbed through to H.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She found what she was looking for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Clockhost</i> by Richard Hobbes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had
been sitting only three books away from her own work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled the novel from the shelf with a
flutter of anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The paperback
cover was an illustration of a clock with roman numerals inside the iris of a
human eye. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t really expected to
find anything, but the words in mum’s diary had spooked her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia turned the novel over and read the
blurb on the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Robert
Hawkes has discovered something frightening, evidence of a secret society
within the global Intelligence network.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The world is not as he believed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are men who are not men walking the Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are Clockhost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have always been worshipped by the
initiated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, the aging reporter must
face an unholy secret so terrible that it may cost him his mind – and his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia shook her
head, sighing gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d never heard
of this Richard Hobbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She checked the
book out from the library anyway, smiling at the clerk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking back to her Ford, she thought about
last night’s dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was tired of
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the car she opened a window and
lit a cigarette, taking deep drags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
opened the novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a single
quote, stark on the white page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">‘There
are none so enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Goethe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She drove back home
thinking about the quote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She supposed
it was true enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the house she
fixed herself some cheese & crackers, uncorking a new bottle of red wine
and pouring herself a glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kitchen
knife lay beside her on the sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She skimmed sections of the novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young girl had been murdered as part of
a satanic ritual-sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A BBC
reporter, Robert Hawkes, stumbles upon a massive occult conspiracy headed by a
tall bald stranger – a deadly black-magician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were only scarce details that reminded Celia it had been written
in 1969.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story was full of sex and
violence, but the prose itself was clear, strangely poetic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an odd tone to the descriptions
that she couldn’t quite place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
familiar somehow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one of the pages
Celia found a rhyme, where a prostitute tells the hero:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Clockhost hand, Clockhost eye, we will be
free when the Clockhost die.’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia closed the book, feeling genuinely
chilled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed her palms firmly
against it, trying to weigh it with her intuition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was she really being drawn into something
larger than herself – was it really Alice Gray in her dreams? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it was true then it meant that the world
wasn’t hollow, that it was full of hidden meanings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew part of her ached for some kind of
spiritual truth; a real vibrant dimension to the cold, hard, hurtful
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To know without doubt that there
was purpose and intelligence in the universe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A magic that could touch everyone, not
just the writers, painters, musicians or psychics of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People suffered needlessly because they
couldn’t believe in their own dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She knew that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted it to
be real.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tossed the novel onto the coffee table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She picked up her wineglass and took a long
swallow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was another part of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed to ache just as deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wanted to believe in nothing but suffering
and loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This darker part would deny
all spirit, find comfort only in the glorious sins of the flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This part was filled with seething anger, hatred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This shadow inside wanted to breathe smoke
forever, to burn the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snagged her handbag from the
coffee-table and retrieved her cigarettes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She lit one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved the dry,
almost sour taste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God, how she missed
it when it wasn’t there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which part was the real Celia; the face
tilted up to the light, or the face that peered down into the formless
dark?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She suspected they were both
real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, how the hell was she
supposed to survive this contradiction?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She picked up the novel again and held it
in her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A man named Richard Hobbes had written
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His protagonist was a character
named Robert Hawkes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>R.H.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both men had the same initials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leaving
Her</i>, Celia had named the heroine Carrie Geller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>C.G.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Truth veiled as fiction and fiction veiled as truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt an austere sense of infinite
possibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed to dwarf
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at the cigarette in her
fingers, the razor-blade scars on her wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She realised then that she didn’t know the world or herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-86840458824487772972018-11-22T10:05:00.000-08:002018-11-22T11:39:01.272-08:00Chapter Six<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was getting
cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dull ache in her temple was finally
easing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was sitting at her
mother’s grave in the courtyard behind Corpus Christi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her knees were tucked up near her chin and
she watched a plane in the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
couldn’t think of what to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later she drove down to the Iris Medical
Institute, a large steel and glass building on the edge of King’s Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the foyer behind the receptionist’s
counter hung a gold plaque with embossed silver lettering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perception
Is Everything</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia hadn’t been
here for nearly ten years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed
longer than that, a lifetime ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a cute red-haired secretary at
the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’d like to see Dr
Benjamin Foster, please,” Celia told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do
you have an appointment?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes
lingered on Celia’s bruise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, but I’m a former client of his – Celia
Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really need to see him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s kind of an emergency.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cute receptionist called up to the
office, repeating the name into the phone, then glanced at Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go right up, Miss Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My apologies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr Ben Foster was incredibly fat, with
dark eyes and large hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d been big
the last time she’d seen him, but now he was huge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He threw his arms around her when she stepped
into his office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed and hugged
him, like a mountain against her slender frame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Celia, my God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow…you’ve certainly aged well!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled back and smiled almost
sheepishly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thanks Ben.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gestured at the chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Take a seat, take a seat…wow, it’s so good
to see you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grinned and sat down,
still nervous despite Ben’s enthusiasm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead of going behind his desk he sat in the chair beside her, his
massive frame filling it completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
shook his head, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nearly ten
years.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded and took a breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t going to play games with Ben; she’d
known him for too long, and she’d loved him a little too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ten years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But, for me – for me the clock stopped when she died.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your mum loved you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Totally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s why she brought you here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She often told me
how proud she was of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the
strain of the blackouts you didn’t let go of that fighting spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Alice actually admired you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between a mother and a daughter I’d imagine
that’s a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fine</i> thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia stared at the certificates on his
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I was just a girl back then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now I’m just a confused grown-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feels really strange being back here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Celia, how did you get the bruise?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I nearly beat myself unconscious.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought she was making a dark little joke
and so he laughed widely, “Ouch!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
had to smile at his expression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
grinned and said, “I read both your books, you know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shook her head and pouted
comically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh no…what did you think?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I loved them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always had a taste for ghost stories and
powerful drama.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Powerful drama?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know about that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben leaned over, touching her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Remember, don’t sell yourself short, or your
experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Healing requires
confidence.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled sadly and
nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So, Cee, spill the beans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why the sudden visit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My oodles of charm?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, a friend of mine…was nearly killed,
two nights ago.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A man broke into my house and stole my
mother’s diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t even know it
existed, but…he stabbed Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
she’s on a respirator at St Patrick’s.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My God…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m afraid he might come back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
know this sounds crazy, but…it feels like this was all meant to happen, setting
something in motion, you know?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He placed his hands on his protruding
belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You think you were fated to have
this happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As in destiny?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You sure?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ben, I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It feels like it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I’m being drawn into…something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It scares the shit out of me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I imagine it would, Cee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds like a terrifying ordeal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She leaned across and took his large hand,
gripping it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the fuck am I
supposed to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if he comes back?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are the police involved?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they protecting you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hesitated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s a guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took a statement from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seems solid but…I just feel so
naked.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was silence and he shifted in the
chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Has this brought up feelings
from your mum’s death…your suicide attempt?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at him blankly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve been having dreams, Ben.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mum comes to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least I think it’s her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it’s some phantom that…wears her face.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Which is the more frightening
possibility?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, do you think it’s possible that
Alice is communicating with you through your dreams?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve talked about these ideas before in
progressive therapy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> some evidence that consciousness can
survive death of the body, if one doesn’t ridicule or dismiss it off-hand. You
seemed really open to discussing those themes before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s changed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it have any less import these days?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s too painful,” she said quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So much has changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have that boundless energy
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That need to understand <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everything</i> is dying these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do still believe she’s out
there…somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For what it’s
worth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, metaphysics and survival of
the soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get it, I believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they should’ve let me join her, should’ve
let me go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would’ve been a lot simpler.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben shook his head and smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe the world wants you here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe you’ve got something to give, huh?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that so crazy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia smiled and sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You sound more like a priest than a
psychologist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grinned back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, thank you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The hotel blinds
were drawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers sat perched on the edge
of the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cigarette trembled in his
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cigarette didn’t taste right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d made a very bad mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Killing Mr Finn and the other man had been
reckless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow he’d convinced himself
that he was taking control, going off the grid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Really he’d engraved a bullet with his own name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d find him, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Execute him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
if he died and there was nothing, no spirit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What if he died and there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i>
a place for sinners, a place called hell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, those were Clockhost myths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He couldn’t allow himself to fall prey to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pressed his eyes shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps Christopher was staring at him, sadly
judging him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needed to see the pretty
writer again, to bury his face in Celia’s breast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly he felt as though he were sealed
inside a tomb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The corridors of
St Patrick’s were busy and brightly-lit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had moved Louise to a smaller bay, near a window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another sun was setting outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia sat beside the bed, holding Louise’s hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She listened to the respirator and the
bleeping cardiograph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stroked
strawberry-blonde hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can still taste you, Lou,” she murmured,
“I can still feel your fingers inside me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She gently shook the woman in the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lou, get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get up, get up you silly fucking bitch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She soon left the hospital and cruised the
night-time roads for nearly an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
circled round and round in the car, listening to choice segments of a Beatles
CD over and over again: ‘The White Album’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually she parked the car a street
away from a pub called The Garrison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
lit a cigarette and watched men enter and leave the establishment; fat men,
muscular men, thin young men with pretty faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She locked the car and walked across the dark road to the pub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place was filled with warm bodies and the
chaos of many voices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Myers had driven to
St Patrick’s Hospital and spotted the writer’s Ford almost immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He parked only a few spaces away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He simply waited until Celia finished visiting
the blonde that had stumbled onto his knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was still watching the car when she came out of the exit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He followed her in circles around
Highgate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she entered The Garrison she tried to
appear nonchalant but she looked hunted and alone, almost spectral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He followed her in and watched her order a bottle
of cider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He watched her eyes searching
the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers knew that look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah…he knew it well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She sipped her
drink, observing what was on offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
man crossed the pub to the bar, only a few feet away from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He obviously hadn’t noticed that she was
sitting there alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was quite tall, wearing
blue jeans and a red hooded-sweatshirt, his hair a scraggly sandy-brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was handsome in a rough-around-the-edges
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned across the counter,
trying to get the attention of the bar-maid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia noticed the faintest scar at his chin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His eyes promised secrets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A suitable lust object for many women, she
guessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on,” he muttered to himself, “for
fuck sakes…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can I buy you a drink?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned, frowning slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can you buy me a drink?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could get me a pint of Carling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His accent was an educated South London, a voice of crushed ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Celia caught the attention of the
bar-maid she ordered him his beer, glancing quickly at his hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wedding ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He frowned again and began studying her
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She liked his eyes on her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think I recognise you, sweetheart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw you on some late-night interview
panel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re that writer aren’t
you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something Gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia Gray, am I right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded and smiled, shaking his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ve read one of my books?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve read two of them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I only wrote two.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh,” he said and smiled, “Sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m David, by the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But yeah, I thought they were fucking
excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t want to sound like a
gushing idiot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia grinned and shook her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, please, gush away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appeals to my vanity.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t believe I bumped into a god’s
honest writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your stories touched me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gave him a flirtatious smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">touched
</i>you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed and suddenly looked
boyish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, they touched me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emotionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Spiritually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to write, you
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It meant everything to me when I was
young. I’m sad that I stopped.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
raised an eyebrow and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
bar-maid set his beer down and he took a deep swallow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So, your second book…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leaving
Her</i>,” Celia said tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Loved that book.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe you’re a closet feminist?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed, boyish again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t really know what it means, but maybe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like female writers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia reached out and brazenly stroked the
scar at his chin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t flinch at
her touch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t even smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So…David?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You want to get out of here…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at her for a long while,
slightly unsettling her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally he nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-54609230785463183142018-11-21T13:26:00.000-08:002018-11-22T13:32:43.528-08:00Chapter Five<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The laptop was
open on the dresser, high-resolution images of Celia on the screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Morning light filtered through plastic
blinds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was smoking a cigarette and
drinking coffee as he studied the woman’s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’d seen Celia naked as the day she was born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d touched her skin; this writer, this
brilliant but lonely woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hadn’t
intended to hurt the girlfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw
the fear in her eyes and pulled away from the pretty blonde who impaled herself
on his knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After he left the house he called an
ambulance for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought about the
heroes and heroines of his beloved paperbacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most of them shared a distinct trait; a moral code despite the hard
choices and chaos of their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
protagonists of these simple stories were damaged too, but compassionate and
free to create the imaginary truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
was the deepest revelation of any fictional quest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a hard pill to swallow, doing what he
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened the diary at a random
page.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘I fear that the fearless ones fear me
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am alone, and my daughter shall
become an instrument of Christ.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men that Alice Gray once feared, they
were men who perverted every natural law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were far more subtle and organised than the sometimes rabid evil
represented in the villains of his paperbacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But his employers were just as gleeful as those fictional villains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He closed the diary and took it with him,
leaving the hotel room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Selini’s Café,
King’s Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main road hummed with
buses and cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching from the
window, he sipped his tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d parked
the car nearby and was fifteen minutes early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A foreign-looking waitress smiled at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He returned the smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had a wonderful mouth and masses of ebony
hair tied back from her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt a
pang of heavy desire, not really sexual, more an emotional craving to connect
meaningfully with a woman again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had
been a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wondered if perhaps
he’d faded away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia, now there was a truly interesting woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked like nothing more than an angry
slip of a girl, but from the words he’d read in her books he knew better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Powerful, naked words that made him think of
all the things he tried to hide from himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Words that wanted to tear a hole in the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened the diary, flicking through casually
until something caught his attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘They
are a circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Circle-makers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The masters of some are the puppets of
others, forever, until Apocalypse.’</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He almost froze in his seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d thought those words himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A genuine chill settled on his
shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned a page, suddenly
vulnerable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They
are Clockhost; the men of Renown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Circle-makers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fear that these
priests, these killers, have made circles of Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so terrified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve taken her twice already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may try to take her again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would turn to Christ, but, these men are
his servants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’m alone and I fear
that soon I will come to despise God for all this.’</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This woman had written truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d been terrified for her daughter but
she’d comprehended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Masters of some are
puppets of others. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What had they done to
Celia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fiction he found that people like him were
usually offered a form of pseudo-divine redemption, where even the most callous
men and women could find freedom. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in
life people rarely changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just
found new ways to deceive, control, abuse and destroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life was the cheapest commodity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought then of Christopher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn, he missed Chris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even now, as a grown man, he still missed
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shoved the tea away, fumbled in
his sweatshirt pocket for his cigarettes and lit one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He inhaled deeply on the smoke. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Day I Died</i>, by David Myers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A book
he’d never get to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death fascinated him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not bang-bang with a bullet in the throat, but
the abstract of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Killing was easy,
he knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even children could kill. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They often made the best killers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honest killers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men he dealt with were steeped in lies
and double-speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But death as a
metaphysical thing, it obsessed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Death was an open circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
destruction of the human soul was only a myth, a Clockhost tale to enchant
billions of people into believing they didn’t actually exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He suspected the moment of death was only a
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth was always annoyingly
simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His employers coveted great
power through an extensive understanding of this truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced through the window at King’s
Cross, alive with traffic, people and commerce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He knew he was a slave, and worse, a fool – if not these things, then
what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took the diary, pocketed his cigarettes
and left Selini’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He walked back to his
car, a blue Vauxhall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the driver seat
he smoked, watching the edge of the café.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Six minutes later a tall, muscular bald man entered the premises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man had been wearing a sleek black suit
with no tie, open at the shirt collar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moments later the bald man left Selini’s,
walked across the road and climbed into the back of a silver Mercedes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers glimpsed another man in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He started his Vauxhall and followed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The silver Mercedes drove for nearly
twenty minutes, until it pulled into a secluded Close with a large white house
and another Mercedes parked outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
drove past them until he came to a side road, stopping the car and killing the
engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened the glove compartment
and removed a Beretta pistol with a modified silencer, slipping it inside his
jacket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He scaled the wall to the Close and
followed it through the garden, to the back door of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cigarette had been dropped by someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still burned on the paving stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers pulled the gun and tried the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It opened in his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside he could hear Mr Finn talking with
another man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“…wasn’t there…if Celia…may
be inevitable…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heard the front door
slam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The engine of a car as it reversed
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He risked a glance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn and a shorter blonde man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers stepped round the corner and shot
the blonde in the back of the head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
vivid ribbon of blood unfurled across the living-room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blonde fell were he stood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Finn turned, looking incredulously at
the executioner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“David, what the fuck
are you doing…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers aimed the gun square at Finn’s
chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No dice, mate.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tall bald man stared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You,” he said quietly, “are making the
biggest mistake of your career.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers shot him twice in the chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was thrown backwards into a glass coffee
table that shattered as he hit it, collapsing to the laminated floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finn spluttered, coughing up gouts of bright
red blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myers stepped forward and shot
the bald man again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He returned the silenced
Beretta to his jacket, and left the large white house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia awoke with a
dull throbbing at her left temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>remembered beating her head
against the bedpost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the bathroom
mirror she saw the bruise was an ugly bluish-pink, with swelling around the
eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked like she’d been beaten
by an abusive boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She took two tablets, bathed, and drove to
St Patrick’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctors told her that Louise’s
condition was stable and slowly improving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The respirator was still sucking and wheezing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat with Louise for an hour, in silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, taking her hand, she brushed a
few strands of strawberry-blonde away from Lou’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She left St
Patrick’s and drove into Kentish Town, chain-smoking from the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dull throb in her head handn’t eased up
but it wasn’t any worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She dialled
Thomas on her mobile phone and realised she was cringing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hello?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your name came up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you want…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you home?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment there was silence on the
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I’m in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m pulling up in a few seconds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The block of flats was squat and drab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She locked the car, and hurried inside the
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the hallway she watched the
blinking display as the elevator descended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The doors opened and there he was, dark-haired, willowy and pale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could have been brother and sister,
people had said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His jeans and t-shirt
were flecked with red.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment
Celia froze but then Tom glanced at himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s paint, Celia, red paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think the bigger question is what the
hell happened to you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His eyes lingered
on the livid bruise near her left eye. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
stepped into the elevator with him, doors closing behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas was scowling as they ascended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You gonna say something?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry, Tom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grinned, “Yeah, I’ll bet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m
</i>sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And apparently you’re
sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess the only one who isn’t
sorry is the guy you…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t finish
and Celia could only nod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tom…I don’t know what else to say.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shrugged, “Maybe there’s nothing else
to say.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stepped into his flat and Celia could
smell oil paints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a half
painted canvas fixed to a standing easel near the front room window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Swirling blues and indigos, the face of a
girl-child hidden in its centre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s
nice,” she said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom lit a cigarette and
appraised her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not finished.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat gingerly on the edge of his sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was watching her; the peppery cuts on the
left side of her neck, the ugly bruise at her temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just tell me,” he said quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You realise you screwed me over, right? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t know how spun I was, Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept calling you a whore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia nodded, “I’m sorry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom laughed and theatrically shoved his
easel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It clattered to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked sideways at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know, for a woman you’ve got some
balls, turning up here without – without even a real fucking phone call.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Louise is in hospital.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kept looking at her, frowning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s unconscious at St Patrick’s.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced away from him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s on a respirator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perforated lung.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sat down in the armchair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Someone broke into the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chased him away but he came back and he
stabbed Lou in the chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So…and here I
am, unscathed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom leaned back in the
armchair, his mouth agape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fucking hell, I don’t know what to say…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia laughed suddenly, darkly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe there’s nothing to say.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom shook his head in silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia got up and went to the kitchen,
fetching herself a Coke from the refrigerator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tom came up behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you
okay…?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She slumped to the tiled floor and cracked open the can, sipping it
once, then let it roll onto the floor, cola pumping across the tiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They both watched the brown puddle grow
between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They ended up
lying together in Tom’s green bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was holding her, and Celia wondered if he could ever touch her like
he used to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kicked off her
shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We’ve been sleeping together,” she told
him quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“For a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loves me, she really does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love her too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What’s the reason?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the damn reason for any of this
bullshit?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“There are no reasons in nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stuff just happens.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You really believe that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not sure.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia pressed her face into the curve of
his neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So I fucked him for no
reason?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed humourlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You did it because you wanted to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With Louise you had no control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not to blame for that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realised how angry he still was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She must’ve ripped him up inside, doing what
she did and then dumping him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lay in silence for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still wanted her, she was certain, but his
anger had strengthened his guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
had loved talking with him, about books and painters and movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d loved fucking him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d loved watching him while he didn’t
realise she was looking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d thrown
that away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Make love to me,” she said, perhaps too
softly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt him tense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t think so.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She touched his lips with her fingers and he
pulled away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sorry about Louise, but no.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat up on the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps it was way too much to ask of
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok,” she whispered, “I should go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom watched her climb from the bed and put
on her shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left his flat without
saying another word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-68793065629195275692018-11-21T13:25:00.001-08:002021-01-19T15:00:35.706-08:00Chapter Four<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Sirens fracturing
the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside the ambulance with the
paramedics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Found thrashing in bloody
bathwater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two furious slits in her
wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia doesn’t want to die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put her in a white bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A white room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dressed her in a white gown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large
crucifix on the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blackout, sucked
down again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A nun inside the room with
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grabbing her wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look, Celia, look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taste it in her mouth, see it flowing from
her wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood in the bathwater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clicking backwards like a film
projector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is at the mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Razors, clean and silver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slices open her own wrists?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum
is dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia is alive. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are shadows in her mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Click.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Celia opened her
eyes to a real, present world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt
nauseous, like something had coated her insides with baby-oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Machines bleeped around her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hear the sucking of a respirator
from somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smell of illness and
antiseptic hit her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realised she was lying in a hospital
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hear people talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clatter of trolleys and bedpans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes stung a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything seemed too bright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She saw a nurse talking to someone in the
opposite bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heard snatches of their
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed her eyes shut
for a few moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hear other
people talking at the end of the ward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She turned her head and saw a doctor and a nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked in her direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia sat up in the bed and took a long, deep
breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her head was tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bell or alarm sounded from somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A black woman in the next bed was smiling curiously
at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Afternoon, love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia coughed and winced, staring at the
woman a few feet away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where are we?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“St Pat’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You were having a dream, I think.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia glanced to her left and saw the
doctor and nurse from the end of the ward approaching her bedside – a handsome Indian
guy and a slender older woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re finally awake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You were slipping in and out for a solid hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m Dr Shah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is Nurse Peters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve been
taking care of you since the paramedics brought you in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you feeling?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia could hear someone coughing
madly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed a hand to her
forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s going on...?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nurse said, “You were
unconscious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thought you might’ve had
a seizure, but Dr Shah couldn’t identify it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor frowned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you epileptic?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No,” said Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Been tested before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blackouts, but no pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just silver stars in my head, then darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I was a kid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No pain? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
doctor nodded and glanced at the nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Well, we’ve been waiting for you to wake up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you remember anything, about last night?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a moment of recognition like the
plunge of an aircraft, and suddenly all of Celia’s memories of the previous night
were there in her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The memories had
teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lou…Oh
God, no…</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My friend – Louise, is she…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her words trailed away as if they had floated
up off a page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor looked genuinely
concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Louise?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman you came in with?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A policeman is with her now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re
keeping her unconscious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her left lung
was perforated in the assault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s on
a respirator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she was lucky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A machine is breathing for her, until she
gets the strength back to breathe on her own.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Celia wanted to vomit, to purge, but
nothing came.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">“Jesus…she’s in a coma?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor touched Celia’s hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, no, we’re keeping her unconscious
because she’s weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also lost some
blood; her body needs time to heal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Someone called the paramedics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
can imagine how worried you must be for her, but as long as she has time to
heal she’ll be ok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, Lou, fuck...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The intruder, the diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia dropped her legs over the edge of
the hospital bed and stood up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her sense
of balance was reasserting itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
nausea was fading quickly now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She remembered
the feelings from childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pressed
a hand to her belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her insides had
stopped quivering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt fairly
steady on her feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor nodded at
Celia’s intent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you sure you’re ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia just stared at him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nurse Peters will assist you then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from a few little cuts and scratches I
think you’re going to be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll
talk shortly, ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor smiled and left her bedside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone was coughing again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She felt practically naked standing there in
her hospital gown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A phone was ringing
somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A different doctor appeared
and handed Nurse Peters a chart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
mentioned something about medication for another patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia took another long, deep breath. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She needed to see Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nurse Peter’s took her to another part of
the I.C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia ignored the other people
as she passed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her strength was returning
already, like all the blackouts from before, but her mouth was suddenly
dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything seemed infused with a
low-frequency static.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise lay hooked to an electrocardiograph
and a respirator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A uniformed policeman was
sitting beside the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glanced up at
Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face was soft with concern
but he merely nodded at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nurse
Peter’s stood beside Celia, putting a hand on her arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can’t
believe this,” Celia muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You
didn’t cause any of this, love.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watched the respirator suck and
wheeze, breathing for her baby girl, and she wondered if both of them were
still dreaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But hard-edged definition was etching itself
back into place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her lover lay
silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took Louise’s hand and
gently kissed her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia saw the
policeman watching. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He quickly averted
his gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some part of Celia had wanted the intruder
to come back – the precious ugly moment in a sea of calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat down in the other chair, feeling
awkward and bizarre in her hospital gown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She looked at the policeman and wanted to hate him for some reason, but
he had kindness in his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">After half an hour
of sitting in silence the policeman said, very softly, “Can I take a statement
from you now?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They went and sat just outside the I.C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia felt awake but numb, drifting inside
and settling nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can you remember what happened?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I left the back door unlocked, or
something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He broke in and…took some
jewellery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fought with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he stabbed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was wearing a mask and a hood, dressed all
in black.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed at that part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded sagely, writing in a
notebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The doctors tell me you were
unconscious when the paramedics brought you in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A seizure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can you tell me anything about them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Had them as a kid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you know what caused them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Doctors could never figure it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’d have a seizure and just black out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually I’d wake up feeling fine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And the scars on your wrists?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia didn’t look at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Teenage indiscretion.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What kind of jewellery did this intruder take?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A pendant, some gold earrings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can you describe them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Officer, I just want to go home…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The policeman frowned and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok…enough questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I have what I need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you might think about staying with family
or friends for a few days, and getting better security for your home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An alarm, for starters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gave him a humourless half-smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Dr Shah had done a
final check-up on Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He brought her
a white t-shirt and a pair of blue jogging-bottoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d arrived naked at the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t want to leave in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>nothing but a gown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thanked him with all the sincerity she
could muster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She changed in the ladies
toilets, trying not to look at her reflection in the mirror above the
sinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now she sat barefoot in the waiting area, sipping
a coffee that an old man had been kind enough to buy her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at the other people waiting, at the
nurses passing back and forth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of
the waiting people talked to each other, and laughed, and checked text-messages
on their mobile phones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nurse Peters came and found her sitting
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told Celia that she had been
checked out and was ok to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apparently there was a psychotherapist on site if she needed anyone to
talk to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia tried for a genuine smile
of appreciation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">She watched the new
night pass in the windows of the black cab, feeling the fabric of the floor
beneath her bare feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
invisible clouds in the night, hiding the stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The overweight driver was watching her from
the rear-view mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His eyes were
keen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s it – I knew I recognised your
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re Cynthia…no, Celia Gray,
right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Saw you on that late-night thing on the
BBC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You wrote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Rising Rain</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah…a while back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You did two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was the other one?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leaving
Her</i>.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cab driver nodded to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I used to be part of a book-club in Bethnal
Green. My ex made me join.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite fun
actually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up liking it more than
she did, if you believe that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
you’re a pretty good writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lot of
sadness in your stories though, especially the first one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Straight from the hip, straight to the
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My honest opinion.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You reckon you’ll write another book?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubt it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Pity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ll be missed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By me at
least!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled at him in the rear-view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe none of this was happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The house didn’t
feel like a sanctuary anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, it
was her home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t want to fear
its rooms and hallways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The police had
left hours ago but she sensed their presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She could feel their deductions in the air, their trained eyes on
everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She drifted aimlessly around
the house, eventually clearing the glass from the shattered living-room doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She bolted all the windows, even though the
intruder got what he came for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later she lay in her bed, kitchen knife in
hand, staring into the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cried
like when she learned her mother was dead, when she finally faced the world – a
world from which Alice Gray had been taken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
are not, you are never, alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am here
with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside your footsteps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within the beating of your heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flesh is earth; dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am more than the returning to the
Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am forever…as are you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beautiful girl.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
have my eyes</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia woke screaming and thrashing in the
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began beating her head against the wooden
bedpost, praying for that final jab of searing calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to feel something, or nothing – blinding
blackness, like damnation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2572144850766897050.post-59841594920555147292018-11-21T13:24:00.000-08:002018-11-22T13:31:39.656-08:00Chapter Three<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They had been to
see a low-budget film called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Fortunate</i>, about an Iraqi writer living in America and his father who was
killed in the so-called ‘liberation’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a dissonant, personal vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
loved everything about the art of story-telling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The process gave people a place in which they
were allowed to be human and paradoxical, almost opaque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could see herself there in that film, refracted
somehow, a chord deep in the soul that was something like her own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia gazed around now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elusian was an upmarket bar in Camden with
attractive staff and black leather sofas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was nursing a second bottle of cider while Louise had downed more
than a few vodka & lemonades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise
stared at her, hands hovering over the flame of the red candle at their table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hate these places, Lou.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I’ve just crawled into a toilet
bowl…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise grinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Relax, baby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ve probably made more money from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leaving
Her</i> than most of these wannabes make in a year…and you’ll continue to
appreciate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suck it up, woman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia watched Lou shake her
strawberry-blonde locks away from her face and smooth them, a slight pout of
the lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed a highly sexed
gesture but completely unconscious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
turned the corners of Celia’s mouth to have caught it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone like Louise, beautiful but
unconcerned by her own appearance, modest and focused; it pushed Celia’s
buttons in a massive way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever
Louise got drunk she became a lot darker, funnier, with more of an edge to cut
away the needless things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia always
liked it, even when she pretended otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise settled an intense gaze on
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’d miss her too, Cee, if was in
your place. Fuck, I do miss her and I never even met her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What’s this now, Miss Simmons?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise rolled her eyes without humour and
took a sip of her drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s about
giving up the ghost…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia said nothing and Louise nodded
righteously, getting up to order more drinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time they finally left Celia was
drunk and Louise even more so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
caught a black cab and watched London pass in its windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was muttering about an ex-boyfriend; a
dark-haired Scotsman called Matthew who was a guitarist and motorcycle messenger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Louise dumped him he left London and
went back to Glasgow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said she
didn’t love him, that she only wanted to fuck a beautiful man and he was one of
the most beautiful she’d met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
slipped her hand in Celia’s and smiled, whispering in her ear that she could
only ever love one person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
returned the smile, glancing from the window of the cab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">They were kissing in
the hallway darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The front door was
open and Celia could see the quietness of Seaver Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was all over her, groping her, licking
her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia let her hands fall at
her sides as Louise urgently explored her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She began laughing as Louise bit her, trying to draw blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laughter laced with steel and delirium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like
tearing pages from the…ah, damn...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She wanted to burn away inside Louise,
didn’t she?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed and Louise
snatched at her throat, squeezing, still kissing and searching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Searching
for what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Celia couldn’t laugh now
but her arms hung loosely at her sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She grinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hoped the
intruder would return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hoped to see
him again; a loud, ugly note in a sea of calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the dreams mum often
stood at a window, a gathering pink sky beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia would watch Alice writing fluently upon the glass; curious markings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were always foreign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time Alice was gone and Celia stood at
the window with Louise, writing the curious markings together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither girl could read them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia woke in the night, Louise asleep
beside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were three spots of
blood on her sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled them
back and touched at a scrape along her inner thigh. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stared at it for a few moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hear Louise breathing heavily, the
alcohol drawing her into a deep place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia
gathered the blood-flecked sheet around her, pulling the duvet up over Louise’s
bare shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left her bedroom and padded quietly
into the study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instinctively, she went
to the bookcase and reached for the volume of medieval fairy-tales with the winged
figure on its cover; the one she’d found today in the basement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She opened it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were hand-written pages inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled away the dust-jacket and let it
fall to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a black diary,
mum’s diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was Alice Gray’s
handwriting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d gone straight for it,
as if subconsciously she’d known it was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia’s eyes searched a page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Today
Celia fell and cut her hand on a broken stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was crying, but fascinated that she could see her blood, and that it
was red.’</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further down she saw:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘There’s
something here with us, with Celia and I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Something in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mistaken
for the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To conceal itself.’</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia glanced up from the page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were strange words, haunted, almost
parabolic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum sounded afraid, not like
she remembered her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
unsettling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She closed the diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It went back to when Celia was at least five
years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum had obviously hidden
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How had she found it so easily?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The intruder had wanted this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something weird was settling around her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had a creep of paranoia at the
realisation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was standing in the study doorway, the
duvet draped across her shoulders like a heavy white cloak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee, you all right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thought you were asleep.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia clenched her teeth and threw the diary
at the wall, slumping gracelessly into the swivel-chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise came and kneeled beside her, placing
her head in Celia’s lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sorry I can’t make it go away…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia smiled, stroking Louise’s hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I love your hair,” she said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise pressed her cheek against Celia’s
thigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Mmmm, and your eyes, and your lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think your smile’s damned me, girl.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise peered up at her, unsmiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia leaned over and kissed her pretty
mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why’d you throw the book?” Louise
asked, licking her lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It called you
names did it…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s my mum’s diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t even know she kept one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise retrieved it, and at her persuasion
the two of them retreated to the bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia lay her head on Louise’s belly, occasionally kissing her navel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still a little strange to be so
intimate with a woman, but natural somehow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought about Tom and what they
might’ve had together if she hadn’t plunged into the arms of another man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom had loved her and she’d broken his
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hadn’t cared enough about
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life could never satisfy
itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise was thumbing through the
diary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Listen to this, Cee…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia listened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“‘Clockhost hand, Clockhost eye, we will be
free when the Clockhost die.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weird or
what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your mum was a poet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Apparently,” muttered Celia, reaching up
and closing the diary, “But not a very good one.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tossed it to the floor and kissed
Louise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was her tun to search.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A few hours left
until sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large Victorian house,
a black Ford parked in the gravelled driveway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Celia’s place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His employers had
given him a set of keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ventured
silently into the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Masters were
cruel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puppets were deserving of their
master’s cruelty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an efficient
relationship, elegant they told him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house was still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled the black silk over his face and
lifted the hood from his shoulders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He moved
into the hallway, hunting-knife in hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He climbed the staircase, gently opened the bedroom door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moonlight barely illuminated the scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia lay with another woman in her
arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise Simmons, he suspected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their faces were turned away from him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped into the room, moving near them,
looming shadow-faced over the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
did she seek as a writer? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it truth, beauty...?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps only beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment he watched the silver moonlight
play on her bare back, her shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
he left the room, moving quick and careful down the staircase towards the
basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Louise opened her
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still dark outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Morning light hadn’t come yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced at Celia beside her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sleeping…escaping, again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia was too far to reach, always too far,
even if it was only a hair’s breadth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Louise swallowed, shaking her head at no one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left the bed, searched the floor for her
underwear and t-shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her bare legs
were cold as she left the room and hurried down the staircase to the
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took some juice from the refrigerator,
thinking about her lover asleep upstairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’d tried everything she could think of to make things perfect between
them, and she didn’t even know what perfection was supposed to be. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed softly to herself and gulped down
the glass of orange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Six years she’d
known Celia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it broke her
heart to even think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ,
she wanted this woman so badly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was she
pathetic?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something clattered further into the
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She walked back into the dark
hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From her view near the living-room,
she saw that the door under the stairs was open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Cee?” she called out instinctively,
“Celia…?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But already she knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A shadow stepped from the black corner
behind the basement door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise didn’t
realise she had screamed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She bolted to
the staircase, leaping the first three steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The shadow curved around the wooden banister and swept up behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise felt arms snake around her torso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glimpsed silver steel before her eyes and
she cried out like the dying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mum had been
trying to tell her something she couldn’t comprehend when Celia was torn from
the dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She blinked rapidly, glancing
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d heard a scream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Louise.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She scrambled naked from the bed and ran from
the room onto the landing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She froze
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the almost-darkness Louise was
on the staircase, eyes wide as coins, a hooded man in black behind her, holding
her with a shard of silver at her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh Christ, no, this isn’t
happening again…</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please don’t hurt her,” Celia begged,
spreading her palms slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A jagged
wail came from Louise’s chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
leather-gloved hand clamped her mouth like child’s play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The diary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell me where it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment Celia just trembled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she jerked into the bedroom, snatched up
the black book and raced back onto the landing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The man simply outstretched his leather hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blade moved slightly from her lover’s
throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louise slammed the back of her head into
his masked face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia saw a flash of
silver as he pulled at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two of them went crashing down the
staircase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Celia bolted forward in time to see them
slam entangled on the hallway floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
ran down after them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No, no, no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As she reached the last step the hooded man
lunged, groaning, snatching her ankle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She lost her balance immediately, stumbling to the hardwood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was flipped onto her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>A leather fist arced through the
darkness, catching her left cheek, blasting white-noise through her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could still hear Louise moaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hooded man dragged Celia to her feet and
hurled her into the glass-panelled doors of the living-room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wood snapped like huge match-sticks and glass
exploded around her like diamonds in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She hit the floor again at an angle, sending lightning across her
shoulder-blades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cried out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh
sweet Mary…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>From the edge of her
vision she saw Louise reaching towards her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And then she was dragged away across the floor with a scream and the
flash of silver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silver stars, like
heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mum…?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Rajhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817085450834465555noreply@blogger.com0