by Shelly Crane
“That’s good. Seems like forever since I’ve talked to her. So..”
“So..” Danny says with an insisting tone, insisting I drop the subject I so want to talk about.
“What? I just miss you guys. We’ve haven’t really talked in a long time. I’m your sister...I can be in your business. It’s my job.”
“Hoho, really? Well. In that case,” he says playfully elbowing me, then he gives me the dirt I was hoping for, “We’re great. Really. Margo loves me, of course, and she’s the best. I’m the perfect son-in-law that never was. She’s happy for us.” He smiles. “I mean, we aren’t going to go to your extreme to get married but...we would if we could, one day much, much later. Right now, things are just fine like they are.” He looks at her and picks her hand up in his lap to play with her fingers and smiles like they’ve had this conversation before. “Celeste is working with me on my gift too and I’ve been working with her some. Her gift is way cooler than mine-”
“Nuhuh, baby,” Celeste interrupts him. “Your gift is awesome. I just zone in on people, that’s nothing but you can-”
“Nope. Nope. You,” Danny interrupts her and the nauseating sweetness back and forth continues in spite of the dreary circumstances.
I wonder if this is what Merrick and I look like to other people? But I am happy for them. They seem great together and seem extremely happy.
It’s funny how normal things seem to go on even when everything seems so messed up. People can still fall in love, even at the end of the world. If anyone has half of what I have with Merrick, I consider them lucky.
Once we reach the spot the Lighter told us about we stop two blocks away and across the street. Only then do we realize that there is only one other vehicle behind us.
Jeff reaches out to Kay in her mind, he tells us as he’s trying. Then he gets the biggest grin and gives Merrick a look. I know they are talking and I can’t help the scowl that reaches my face.
And I can hear the Lighter grunting and wiggling in his restraints. It’s amazing the things you can use if you just think. Fish nets for bondage. Golf clubs for, what- stakes? Hammers and books as instruments of torture and cooperation.
After a few minutes another set of headlights comes into view then shuts off a few hundred feet from us as it coasts to a stop.
I see Cain jump out first with something bulky in his arms. He’s sprinting to us. At first I’m alarmed but then I remember Jeff’s grin after speaking to Kay, so it must not be anything bad.
Merrick opens the side door and pulls me to the edge of the seat. Cain comes up looking pretty smug. I tilt my head trying to figure out what everyone is up to. Cain’s hands are off the side, on the other side of the door where I can’t see them.
“What?” I ask finally, when everyone continues to grin at me.
He produces a pair of crutches, metal and gleaming.
“What? How did you-?” I laugh as my eyes fill with grateful tears.
“We thought you could use these. We made a little pit stop. Snagged them from the hospital on the way over here, along with a real walking cast and some other supplies we thought might come in handy, ya know, since we were there already,” Cain says grinning and holding them out, ready for me.
Merrick helps me out of the van and I take the crutches from Cain.
“Thank you guys, so much. I can’t believe you did this! Believe it or not, I’m a pro at these things. I broke my leg when I was seventeen on a family camping trip. Had to use crutches for four months. Course, they weren’t stolen crutches,” I say laughing.
“Stolen crutches are better than no crutches,” he says winking.
“True. Thank you Cain.”
“No problem. Now, you ready to get your kids back?”
“Absolutely,” and I have to smile at the way he throws ownership on me, like I have rights to claim them.
We gathered around the backside of the van. Huddled for protection as much as warmth. It was freezing. We sat alternating Keeper, Special, nobody in order to spread the Keeper warmth around. Merrick’s arms are around me of course. I almost feel guilty but, he is mine after all.
Celeste goes to work. When she searches for someone in her mind, her eyes turn from green to white, really bright white. She looks mystical and somehow even more beautiful and fascinating, even though you’d think it not possible.
She’s searching in her mind for where Lily is so we know which direction to head or at least how they are doing.
“Ah!” she gasp angrily, making a few of us jump cause she’d been quiet for a few minutes. “They’ve got her tied up and blindfolded. She’s lying on a...dirty mattress on the floor. I can’t tell where exactly. She’s breathing but very still. Maybe she’s asleep. It’s dark. It looks like she’s alone.” She makes a small distressed sound. “There’s a dead rat on the floor.”
A few angry grunts and gasps from the others echo out. I push the knot in my throat back down. I knew this wouldn’t be pretty. Merrick’s arm tightens around me.
Crying will solve nothing. I listen more as she searches for Calvin.
“Ok. He’s...the same, tied and blindfolded on the floor but in a different room. Looks like a bathroom, not as dark. And it looks like he’s alone too.” She chokes out a sob. “He’s crying.”
Danny pulls her head to his shoulder to soothe her, wrapping his arm around like an anchor. Again I fight the urge to cry and force myself to focus.
“Ok,” Jeff starts. “Now we know their situations, let’s find out where they are and how many Lighters are here waiting for us. Josh.”
Josh turns to look at the property. He has to physically be looking at it to see through it. Nothing seems to be happening to him, except, his eyes too are completely a glowing white. His baby face still sets perfectly, not twisting or squinting. He pans the house and yard past the gate. There is a lot of tree coverage and blinds.
“I see a group of them...five, right on the inside of the gate. No weapons, just talking.”
“Talking,” Jeff says like it’s unbelievable.
“Yep, talking.”
“Trudy, what are they talking about?”
Trudy steps up, still a huge bandage on the back of her neck. Apparently, none of her injuries has affected her extreme hearing.
“They been talking about this Crandle every since we got here, honey. That he is ‘magnificent’ they called him,” she says sarcastically like it was such an outrageous claim. And it is. “The best leader they’ve ever had. That this was so easy. That they like it here, earth. They are happy that they’ve practically won and this is almost all over.”
Of course. What else do Lighters have to talk about? Everyone takes a look around at each other. Shaking their heads in disbelief, a few muttering under their breath.
“Ok, Josh. Go ahead. Let’s finish this,” Jeff says sounding highly peeved.
Apparently the ‘we won’ comment isn’t sitting well.
“Ok. Nobody in the front of the house or any of the front rooms. Kitchen...hall...back bedroom...dark and empty. I’m heading upstairs. Second floor. Bedroom...hall...oh! I found him. I found Calvin! Second floor bathroom. He looks scared. He’s sitting in the tub now, blindfold pulled down... He’s saying something but I can’t hear. There’s a third floor. Wonder who lived here. This house is jacked. Next bedroom empty... Going upstairs... nothing. It’s completely empty. I don’t even see any Lighters anywhere.”
“That can’t be. I saw her. I saw Lily on the floor,” Celeste whispered.
“I’m looking. I’m looking...still don’t see her,” Josh said in frustration.
“Try a basement or something. The pantry or a closet maybe.”
“Ok. Heading back down stairs... Not in the pantry. I don’t see any other...wait, there’s a door in the hall... It’s a basement. I’m heading down... It’s full of...oh my-” He started gasping and breathing heavy. “It’s full of people. They are piled in there so tight they don’t even have room to move. They must’v
e been down there for a while. Some of them are... dead. Some sitting, some standing. They’re scared. I don’t think they are under the Lighter speak. I could be wrong. Celeste you said Lily was alone right?”
“Yes. Well, at least I didn’t see anyone else.”
“Ok. I’m heading back up now,” Josh said looking green, like he could be sick. “Where else to look people? Give me something.”
“What about an attic? The house is huge, I bet it has one,” Danny suggested, his arm still around Celeste.
“Ok. Going up...first floor...second floor...third floor...still no Lighters. I see it, the pull string in the ceiling. There. There she is! You were right Danny. She’s still lying on the floor. I don’t see anyone with her- ...wait. Oh no. There is someone. He’s sitting in the corner, in the dark. I can see his leg kicking.”
“It’s gotta be Crandle,” I announced.
“You’re probably right,” Jeff said, looking intently at the ground. “Ok. Josh, Cain, Merrick, Trudy, Celeste, Danny, Marissa and Lana come inside with me. The rest of you go with Simon, Miguel and Kay to stand guard out front and wait for our signal to come in and help us release the people in the basement. Sherry, I’m sorry. I guess you can stay here with him.” He nods his head towards the van...and the Lighter.
“You want me to stay with the Lighter down here by myself?” It came out before I could think and way more whiny than I had intended.
“I don’t think so, Jeff. Sherry stays with me,” Merrick insisted firmly, shaking his head.
“Merrick. I don’t like it either, you know that. But her leg’s broken and I’m afraid what’ll happened if she comes inside and things go bad.” He looked back to me. “Your leg is broken, Sherry. You heard Josh. There are three flights of stairs.”
“I’ll carry her,” Merrick said.
“There’s an elevator,” Josh butted in before the two could continue. “Up to the third floor.”
“Good. Besides, Lily will want to be with her,” Merrick says, glancing at me quickly.
“Ok,” Jeff relented.
“And uh, I’m coming with you as well. Calvin’s in there,” Ryan said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
“Of course, Ryan. I’m sorry I didn’t think of that. It’s settled. Danny. Why don’t you tell our friends inside the gate to take a walk,” Jeff said, already turning.
“I’ll try. Never done it with more than one before.”
He walks forward a ways. Stops and concentrates, cocking his head. I hear Kay and Celeste whispering, going back and forth about Kay wanting to come with Celeste but her insisting she’ll be fine. A minute or so later he speaks.
“Ok. I think they listened. I made one of them say they heard a noise at the back of the house. I think they left. Josh, did they?”
“Yes. I don’t see them there anymore,” Josh answers.
“Ok, let’s move,” Jeff orders.
I hobble behind them on my crutches but keep up with them down the well lit street. I see a big white extravagant gold bordered sign by the front gate that says ‘Mayor Manor’. That explains why the house is so big and guarded.
The house is white with dark green shudders and brick walkways and steps with gold light fixtures and pathway lamps. The gate is swung open with big letters ‘MM’ on the front written out on the iron fence. Pretentious much? The landscaping is overgrown but you can tell it was once important and thought out. Bushes and hedges line the fence and house side. No Lighters to be seen.
We continue in silence and then out of nowhere we hear loud thuds. Looking up I see at least ten Lighters, landing on the street in front of us. We were right in front of the gate we were just about to enter for the house.
We are all frozen in our place. We had hoped it was as easy as it looked, waltzing in to take what’s ours without a hitch.
The Lighters take a few steps towards us. Before anyone can act on either side, Cain, who was in front, throws up his hands, pushing them forward and the Lighters go flying backwards, including the car parked by the gate and all the trash cans lining the road and sidewalks.
It exploded with force. Booming noise and bright light and whipping wind. Trash and paper flew around and blew everywhere. The car flipped and slid down the pavement like a toy, sparks shooting and glass breaking and throwing out in all directions. The Lighters flew way up into the air, flipping and turning, some hitting tree branches, parked cars and street lights before slamming back hard to the pavement.
Cain turned to look back at us, just as stunned as we were. More so even.
“What the hell was that?!” he yelled.
“You’re asking us?” Miguel said, yelling back.
“I don’t know! Simon? Jeff?” Cain asked, looking sick.
“I’m not sure but I’m grateful for it. I guess you have a gift after all, Cain. We’ll discuss it later. It didn’t stop them for long, see,” Jeff pointed and sure enough, they were already rising up from the ground, “and someone would have heard the racket. Let’s go. Break up.”
As our group heads into the gate, we see another Marker skeleton, like the one before in the field, laying black and empty on the ground. The five Lighters who had been there before came rounding the house and looking fierce. Glowing slightly as the others had before. Producing enough light to see their faces twisted with anger and also anticipation. They are thinking this will be fun.
Marissa ran forward and stopped in front of them. I heard someone tell her to wait and then grunt angrily but couldn’t make out who and they didn’t stop her.
“Muse,” one of the Lighters said with clear disdain.
I held my breath. What is she doing? She’s crazy. Then she leaned forward a bit and whispered something to them. Then she slapped one on the arm and he went running straight into the thick iron pole of the gate, smashing his face into it. He fell down to the ground with an audible thud.
I forgot the Lighters can’t fight the Muse’s wrath. Then she dropped to the ground, just as one was reaching for her and slapped his leg. He too ran for the pole.
Puppets.
Unfortunately, they caught wind of her game and one flipped over her and grabbed her from behind, held her tight as he turned her to face us, pressing her back against his chest, a big smile in place. He made sure not to touch her skin. But just as he was reaching for her turtle necked chin and neck and was about to wrench to break it, he stopped.
His eyes went wide and he started swatting, dropped Marissa who took the opportunity to backhand another Lighter in the confusion, who ran for a pole head first.
The Lighter was waving both arms and legs, kicking and screaming, swatting around like there was a bee. A swarm of bee’s maybe. We didn’t see anything. I didn’t anyway. The last remaining sane Lighter started towards Marissa and then stopped abruptly a look of pain on his face. He dropped to the ground like he’d been shot. He held his chest, gasping. Looking at his hands, eyes wide like something was there. Blood maybe. There was nothing.
Then a quick look at Danny’s satisfied expression answers my question.
“You did that?” I ask with awe.
“Yep. Let’s go before the fake bee’s leave and the idiot figures out he hasn’t been stabbed.”
“Wow, baby!” Celeste says clinging tighter to his arm, in as much awe of Danny as me.
We left the two, writhing and shaking and swatting on the ground. The others still unconscious, but for how long, we had no idea.
We could hear a commotion in the street. Miguel yelling in battle cry. The Lighters had apparently made it back to them. They were fighting. It took everything I had not to wanna run and help but we had our own part of the mission to do. We reached the big wrap around porch. Gorgeous. Jeff tried the door and it was locked. Deadbolt.
“Ok. Now what.”
“I’ve got it,” Danny said, jumping off the porch. He came back with the ‘stabbed’ Lighter in tow by his shirt collar.
“Open it,” Danny told him.
&nb
sp; “I can’t,” the Lighter said, still clutching his chest and moaning as in pain.
“Can’t or won’t,” Danny asked, his voice tight.
“He’s telling the truth. For whatever, he can’t open it,” I say revealing the Lighter wasn’t lying.
“Why not? Why can’t you open it?” Danny said, his face getting redder by the second.
“No key,” he said writhing.
“Hmmm. That’s sounds like a lie and the truth.” I bit my lip, thinking. “You don’t have a key, but you know where one is don’t you?” I ask him.
Merrick moves over instinctively to shield me with his arm from the Lighter I’m speaking to, as I automatically move forward to talk to it.
“I...don’t know where a key is,” the lighter lied, his pitch black hair falling in his face.
“Anyone could see that’s a lie, idiot,” I say, exhaling in frustration.
We are getting no where. Then Marissa steps forward.
“Enough. Tell me where the key is,” she commands and then presses a hard finger to his forehead.
“Under the plant, by the porch, the rock,” he said and as soon as he said it he straightened up and started swinging.
He caught Danny across the chin with a hard blow that sent him flying backwards over the railing into the grass. Marissa ducked but not fast enough. He clipped her temple with his fist and then kneed her in the shoulder as she bent, sending her backwards. Jeff caught her as he blurred up behind her. Merrick swung himself around to stand in front of me in a blur. I didn’t even feel him move.
He slammed his fist into the Lighters clothed chest and sent him backwards, falling into the railing as well, rolling and stumbling backwards into the shrubs.
Merrick jumped the rail, using one hand for leverage as he slung himself over it and into the grass with perfect grace and balance, Jeff right behind him. They circled the Lighter, blurring, then slow. The Lighter was spitting out obscenities, hissing mad.
I hobbled over and down the steps along with Celeste to check on Danny who was out cold. Scary. I’d never seen him knocked out before. Marissa was ok but dazed on the porch swing where Jeff had put her.
