Tosho is Dead

by Opal Edgar

  Elise whispered from behind, “What is the meaning of this wall?”

  “Some people say there are still some Nazis in the East, that they aren't all behind bars. The Allied countries believe they have to protect themselves from them.” I explained. “I worked tearing the houses down so they could build a wall.”

  “You were a slave, like Baas?” Kemsit asked.

  “No! Slaves don’t exist anymore. It was just my job. Build a Nazi rampart—”

  “What creatures are Nazis?” interrupted Elise.

  I stared, dumbfounded. But Kemsit started looking at me with wide open eyes.

  “Seriously, haven’t any of you followed anything going on in the world? There’s been two world wars for goodness’ sake!”

  “Why should we care? There’s always been wars. And we have our own problems. Baas is the only one who visits the living,” Kemsit said.

  “I believe I heard a little about this,” Elise tentatively said. “’Twas the Little Monarch that told me they had a spirit crisis keeping them very busy a little while ago, round a dozen years ago, maybe more ... The shadow corridor couldn’t cope with the number of new shadows. They recruited spirits who usually do not interact with the lowly like us. ’Twas a difficult task luring them out of their Eden and forming exceptional evaluation panels expediting the processes. I believe they even got Gaea to create a world. How I wish I had seen her!”

  Voices rose from a back alley. We ducked behind plaster sheets. The youths walked so close we could smell the rank slush they’d trod in … or was that smell coming from me? The youths shoved and laughed and walked away.

  I didn’t dwell on the thought of turning into a rotten corpse. If that’s what I was on the inside, I should damn well match that on the outside. Of course Elise could forgive me for what I represented, if she had no idea what it meant. It was too hard to look at her with what I had to say. Instead, I stared at my feet shuffling forth. She had to understand what my father had been.

  “I don’t even know how to start explaining. It’s … basically, Nazis believed that people were divided up into different races that were not equal.”

  Kemsit snickered, repeating “races” while rolling her eyes.

  “They thought they were better than all the other people. They hated everyone that didn’t look … look … well … any person that didn’t look like me,” I finished lamely.

  “Dumb?” asked Kemsit.

  “Tall?” tried Elise.

  “Wearing itchy wool?” wrote Alpheus.

  “White skinned! With light eyes and hair, damn it.”

  “You’re not white skinned – you look pink. No one has white skin.” Kemsit frowned. “Except exsanguinated people … are Nazis vampires? They are totally condescending and—”

  “No!”

  “They’re jealous because they have sun allergies?”

  “No!”

  “They’re colour blind!” Kemsit exclaimed, as if it was a game.

  “No!”

  “They—”

  “Stop it! It doesn’t matter. They’re evil, they killed millions: Jews, blacks, communists, gypsies, homosexuals ... anyone that looked different or that believed in different things. So, now, everyone's on edge and everyone’s scared that Nazis ever even managed to get that much power. Everyone is ashamed that they let this happen, and that so many people followed their movement shoving the blame onto the next person. No one knew there was so much hate in the world! And it all started here: in my city ... and my father was a Nazi.”

  There was a silence. Cold seeped through the fabric of my shirt and froze my back.

  “Aaaannnnd you want to re-enact Greek tragedies? You believe hate is hereditary?” Kemsit sighed. “Stupidity might be. Don’t you know that who and where you come from is the last of our worries? You are you, and what you choose to do with your power – you’re not the sum of things that amounted to your existence.”

  Elise nodded at Kemsit. It was like a weight lifting off my chest. A relief so big it staggered me. There was relief … but also another indefinable feeling. Something prickled the back of my neck. I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder, just to make sure no one was there. That’s what it felt like. Eyes boring through me, as if the power thieves where here.

  Alpheus ploughed on noiselessly, which was amazing for a man of his size. I wrecked that by crashing into him. What was the big idea stopping for no reason in the middle of the road?

  “Shhh!” Kemsit whispered. “You make enough noise to wake up the dead!”

  And then she giggled, which was louder than any of us had been. Alpheus nodded forwards. There was no need for him to “say” anything. I caught the fleeting movement of a shadow from the corner of my eyes. Two ruby dots glowed and vanished.

  “What was that?” I yelled, tumbling backwards.

  Shivers ran down my back and I suddenly felt like holding a big, spiky, deadly mace.

  “Shhh!” Kemsit yelled back. “We’re meant to be discreet here! I love you, but I’m not turning into a golem for you.”

  “Didn’t anyone see the red eyes?” I furiously whispered.

  My throat felt tight and anguish was a ball in my stomach. Hard and uncomfortable. Those eyes reminded me of something, and, whatever that thing was, it made sweat trickle along my spine. Alpheus tapped my shoulder, looked where I was looking and leaped forth.

  There was a screech. A fierce scrape against metal. Alpheus backpedalled.

  And a cat ran off.

  “Here’s your red-eyed demon,” Kemsit mocked.

  I ignored her, but couldn’t shake the chills down my spine. I pushed my shoulders back, hoping the strong posture would grow some confidence into me. The cat felt too convenient. My heart was still pounding. I was paranoid. I adjusted the slit over my eyes and started walking again. The street opened onto a small crossing.

  We were there.

  A lamppost hung a little crooked and very broken over the spot of ground where I’d died. It was all dark. Nothing had changed … much. There was snow all over now, and someone had put a small bunch of snowdrops wrapped with a blue ribbon by the broken streetlight. There was also a cross taped on the post.

  Before I knew it, I was kneeling, patting the snow, searching for blood. But there was nothing. Not a clue or shred of evidence, obviously. It had happened more than six months ago. I turned my face to my companions. They’d stayed back, giving me space. But then their sad faces turned to surprise.

  The night slapped the back of my head. It had ropy muscles and way too many hands.

  We rolled, powdered snow sticking to my lashes. It was impossible to see. Gleaming teeth snapped at me, way too close to my eye-slit. I shoved with my feet and my attacker flew backwards. I hadn’t touched him – he was just so much faster than me, and showing off. In his hands he had the bucket that had covered my face. His feet landed high on the wall, four metres up. He crouched there, mysteriously sticking to a vertical wall with the ridiculous bucket dangling in the wind. A strand of curling raven black hair escaped his ribboned ponytail. He tucked it back with his manicured hand, revealing the long scar cutting across his eye. So dramatic.

  “Are you crazy!” I called out.

  “Sir Baas!”

  He stopped laughing and dropped the bucket. Snow splashed. “I left the assembly early and charged to the rescue. Whose brilliant idea was it to disguise Tosho as a power thief?”

  Oh. Of course. I looked like a mask.

  “How many of them did you slaughter before I got here? The place is soaked with their blood.”

  We gaped at him.

  “Power thieves’ blood? Here? Sir Baas, are you sure?” Elise asked.

  “It reeks like pus eating maggots on—”

  “That makes no sense. I’m sure it was Andreas ...” I cut in, “... under that cape …”

  Baas walked down the wall, his body parallel to the street. Gravity didn’t exist for him.

  “One of the rare advantages of
being what I am is sniffing out blood, no matter how old. When I say it reeks of lawless power thief trash you can trust me. There is your blood: all round that lamppost and here and there. And there’s the damage you caused them: splattering here and here and here.” He pointed, moving across the place faster than I could follow.

  “But why would they kill me? Won’t the Oracle turn them into golems? And I thought it was Andreas’s skin-headed posse.”

  “What is so valuable about you that even before you died they sent mercenaries after you? And you are right, why hasn’t anyone become a golem for it?” Baas asked, adjusting the lace at his wrists.

  Kemsit mentioned Merlin – Baas opened his mouth. A scream rang in the air. There was a millisecond of hesitation, but I turned round just in time to see a nutter springing towards my face. His eyes popped out of his head. His arms were outstretched brandishing a clear blue coaster. He smacked me right in the nose with it.

  Chapter 15

  Kidnapping

  What the hell was it with people always aiming for my head?

  Kemsit’s snakes hissed, and Alpheus dug in the bag for his axe as I tumbled under the weight of my attacker.

  “Depart you evil spirit!” he screamed.

  I yelled for everyone to stay put. But my companions had already retreated, horror struck when they realised he was alive. I struggled to get a hold on Sedan’s coat. Blood already dribbled out of my nose, but he hit it again. I couldn’t help letting out an angry grunt. That hurt!

  After the initial shock, Alpheus got back to the front scene and helped pull Sedan off me. I rushed to the bucket and slammed it back over my head. I had hoped to hide my face. But, partly frozen as it was, the plastic shattered. We were in so much trouble.

  “I knew you’d come back for vengeance!” Sedan said, swinging in Alpheus’s grip. “But you mustn’t! Hatred stops you going to heaven! And if anyone deserves heaven: it’s you, Tosho! Please! You’re no Hortdan!” he cried out, real sobs in his throat.

  Kemsit started laughing, covering her mouth with her hand. We all turned to her. “We evil Hortdans are all ousted!”

  Sedan looked up at Alpheus’s warrior helmet, turned to Elise’s curtsy and finished with Baas’s impassive stare, before gulping. He suddenly lifted the blue coaster towards Alpheus’s face and yelled, “Begone!”

  “Are you hitting us with your home decor bobble?” I said.

  Sedan had no idea which of us was the biggest threat at this point.

  “It’s a Nazar evil eye amulet: a protection against bad spirits,” Kemsit said, tossing her hair. “And your pal thinks it’s going to work on us because it’s not cracked yet. But we’re not evil spirits, so he can hang onto it for a very long time.”

  Sedan’s hand trembled and finally lowered. “Are you going to take over my body?”

  “This is why amateurs aren’t permitted back amongst the living.” Baas tutted. “Now would be a good time, Kemsit, for a little serpent to hypnotise the walking food cellar.”

  “What are you going to do to me?” Panicked Sedan.

  Exactly what I was wondering. I opened my mouth to protest when Baas flew into me, propelled by three men in capes and a cat with ruby eyes. Their hoods drooped over their faces. The cat metamorphosed into a caped man and I froze. My killer! I would have recognised him anywhere. And I’d been wrong. This guy had nothing to do with Andreas.

  “Power thieves!” Kemsit exclaimed, playing Miss Obvious.

  “What?” Sedan asked.

  He couldn’t stay here! He had a pulse. He would die. Just like I did. Baas didn’t let the surprise keep him on the ground. He was up and fighting in a flash. I leaped at Alpheus.

  “Let him go!” I screamed, pulling on Sedan’s coat.

  Sedan fell to the floor in a heavy thump, his evil eye amulet rolling to the ground.

  “Run!” I said, but the shock must have been too much for him.

  Sedan stayed on his backside: staring at Elise sprouting deadly carnivorous plants from her hands. They were like green strings ending with knobbly heads full of fly-eating teeth. The giant insect traps chomped down on a power thief’s head and torso. He was lifted off the pavement, flying. I turned back to my friend, blocking his view.

  “Am I in a coma?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” I said, grabbing his hand and forcing him up.

  Pain radiated in my hand, as if I was holding a burning piece of coal. I yelled as I let go of my friend’s arm. He stumbled, catching himself on the wall. I looked at the damage and saw a brand on my palm, the size of a one mark coin. Something had burned my skin into a pink blister eye.

  “First warning,” the voice of the Oracle whispered in my head.

  I gulped. So this was how the Oracle found out who messed with the humans. How many warnings was I allowed? A metal crunch startled me back to reality. I turned to the sound. Alpheus had forgotten Sedan and swung his axe over his head. It crushed down like a crazy power tool, chopping anything in the way.

  “It’s all a dream!” I told Sedan. “Now run home! Don’t worry about me, I’m not here for revenge, I’m totally fine. Go!”

  I shoved him towards the street leading to the Turkish barracks. This time he didn’t hesitate. Snow flew in clumps behind him. I hoped he got away. But I had no time to dwell on it: a set of claws raked my shoulder and spun me round. The situation had grown dramatic. The power thieves had quadrupled and everyone was fighting at least three of them.

  “Where’d they all come from?” I panicked. But the clawed power thief didn’t answer.

  His head came crashing down towards my nose. Not again! I dropped backwards into the snow and barely escaped a second nosebleed. I ducked away from him and rolled to get back on my knees. In a jump, I found my feet. His hood mysteriously stayed in place. There must have been some kind of magic holding it there. But that wasn’t the most disturbing magic here: in fact, it was positively harmless next to his other trick. I blocked his punch with my arm, but I didn’t see the kick come. It swiped my left leg out from under me and I almost sprawled to the ground again. Where the hell had it come from?

  His next punch got me in the gut. I folded over. Like the foot, I saw nothing coming! In fact, I couldn’t see his body anymore! I staggered backwards, trying to avoid whatever came at me, and that’s when I saw a slight shimmer round his shoulders. His cape matched the background! I couldn’t focus on it, at least, not looking straight on. I threw him a sideways glance and once again his outline came into view. His knuckles had my face written all over them, but I now saw enough to dodge. It still clipped my jaw painfully.

  A second power thief joined in, but I was still lucky. Neither of them had any weird weapons. As the new zombie on the block I’d gotten the least savvy of the lot. Kemsit on the other hand was well and truly surrounded. She had a power thief for each snake. One of them was a mask. He flew at the snake to latch on, but bumped off the fangs. There was a tearing noise.

  I didn’t get to see any more. I was better at coping with a beating than giving one, and suddenly that skill had lost its appeal. Staying passive and getting hurt wasn’t an option anymore. It wasn’t just my neck on the line. I kept dodging, stepping backwards quickly and throwing jabs that hardly connected. The thieves flew up. I punched the first one to come down. He crumpled in a heap of fabric. My fist hurt, but my wrist was okay.

  The other thief leaped to the side to avoid the left hook. I was slower with that arm. He bounced off the wall and flew higher than before. All I could do was wait for him to come back down again. He did, kicking at my face furiously: left, right, left, right … like a crazy marathonian. I side stepped, moving my torso in rhythm. I was starting to get the hang of it, barely getting grazed. I aimed for an ankle, predicting its position with his rhythm. Got it!

  I looked up triumphantly, but everyone was far away. How much had I back-peddled? How much had the others retreated too? We had been split up into a star shape. The power thieves were making it look easy enough
to reassure us on our skills, but were also separating us for some reason … and that reason couldn’t be good.

  “They’re driving us apart! It’s a trap!” I yelled.

  My power thief suddenly pulled a massive club from the folds of his clothes and thumped me on the head. The world exploded in lights. I hated to be right. My eyes were wide open, but nothing but little stars danced in front of them.

  “Tosho, I’m here!” Kemsit called out.

  Seconds later there was the heavy weight of one of her snakes across my shoulders. I couldn’t believe how reassuring it felt. Its teeth snapped as I shook the stars out of my eyes. I was on my knees. The cobra’s body strained, obviously attacking, as I struggled back on two legs.

  A good 50 metres away, Elise kept coming in and out of focus as the power thieves waltzed in front of her. She was surrounded by so many of them! Or maybe it was the head trauma that made it look double. I blindly punched and kicked, and sometimes even connected.

  Suddenly Kemsit screamed. I dropped my fist, afraid I’d made a mistake in the heat of the action, but it had nothing to do with me. Alpheus, too far to reach, fell like a brick wall under a wrecking ball. He’d been overrun. Kemsit’s furious little body tried to get to him, but she was stuck to my side. As much as I punched and kicked and slammed, I was no match to any of the fighters.

  Baas fenced like a devil, skewering people with a needle point thin sword, but Alpheus’s power thieves all ran past him and straight for Elise.

  “Miss Pieterson!” Baas yelled.

  He saw it come before any of us, but he, too, was too far away. Suddenly a black orb door opened behind Elise. Under a push and a shove, she toppled in.

  “No!” screamed Baas.

  He was so fast he’d become a blur. Caped people fell round him like cut grass. He leaped at the portal, but he was too late. He crashed into a battered concrete wall with graffiti saying: “Hang the SS!” and: “Never die!”. He rammed the wall, hitting it like a furious bull. His eyes were glowing amber, his hair flew round his face in a dark demon halo and his fangs spat venom almost as much as Kemsit’s snakes.