Book of Revenge

by Abra Ebner

  With Mother whimpering, Greg once again teased me as he lifted her, toes dragging across the ground until there was no ground at all. My gaze was fixed on her feet, dangling above a final expanse that would be her end. I saw her future death, repeating over and over in my head, the same way it had in the kitchen that day. I had already seen her die a million times. Since I was seven, her deaths had played out to me in many forms, with many endings, but this was the one that had mattered. I could not bear to see her die again, even if it meant my own death to achieve that.

  “You won’t die,” Navia whispered behind me. “Remember, Jane. You can be the angel this time. You can become strong enough to defeat Greg. Just think.”

  I gritted my teeth; she was right. Though I could never kill Greg, having the ability to stand against him meant a lot. There was this possibility, and that’s all I needed.

  Greg’s smirk grew then, his hand around my mother’s waist slackening. “I’m tired of waiting for an answer from you. One way or another, someone’s got to die.”

  My mother began to squirm, hands grasping at anything they could.

  A spark ignited inside me, a spark I hadn’t expected. I lurched forward, seeing the world pass by me in slow motion. Greg’s arms released from my mother’s waist all together, his laugh following in a slow succession, like the beat of my heart. My feet barely touched the ground as I ran, kicking up dirt of an Earth I was about to leave, but only for a moment. Seeing my mother begin to fall, I knew I wasn’t nearly fast enough to make it. Speeding up, I also knew I was running too fast to ever stop myself before reaching the cliff. There was no turning back now. I had already made my choice.

  Greg stepped out of my way, my mother’s arms unable to grab hold of his leather jacket. Falling, falling, the cliff’s edge began to swallow her. Taking one last deep breath, I leapt, closing my eyes as I saw the last death I would ever see: my own. I smiled as I felt my hand touch my mother’s skin. I clutched tightly, my whole human life leading up to this singular end. With the force of my forward movement, I pulled her back like a basketball player keeping the ball in play. I felt her breath as it passed my ear, imagining her heart beating for years to come. She was thrust behind me where I knew she would be able to grasp onto the edge of the cliff. I leapt, eyes still shut, but seeing all I needed to within the pictures of my mind. I felt suddenly free, and the world stopped turning. Air caressed my skin like a hundred fingers, silent, silent…

  …silent.

  : : :

  Silence gave way to ambient noise. I opened my eyes, feeling as though no time had passed. I hadn’t felt a thing.

  Looking around, I was no place new. This was the In-between I’d visited every night for ten years. This was like home. I smiled, letting out a yelp of accomplishment and jumping in the air. I knew how to get home from here, and I would.

  Facing a field, I turned and was met with a long meandering river that cut through the middle of everything. This was new, but I knew what it was all the same. This was the edge of the In-between where the world met the Ever After. I smiled again, the free feeling I’d felt jumping off the cliff remaining with me. I felt refreshed, in love, and alive in a way I hadn’t felt since my father’s death.

  “Jane!”

  A bridge appeared over the river, or had it been there before? It was arched, long, inviting. My eyes traced the enticing curve of it, and on the other side stood my father.

  “Daddy!” I screamed, voice cracking with years of pent-up emotion. Unable to resist, I ran toward the bridge, halting just where the grass met the planking.

  “Jane, darling. I never thought I’d see you again.”

  I felt as though I were floating. “I’ve missed you so much.” I shook my head. “Why did you have to go?”

  He simply smiled at me, tilting his head. “Come, I want to give you a hug.” He opened his arms before him, the way he used to. There was a strong tug to go to him, but a part of me wanted to resist, a big part of me.

  “I don’t think I can,” I whispered, unconvincingly.

  “Please, Jane. I’ve missed you so much.” His face became pained. “I’ve been so alone here.”

  My heart strings tugged. I took a step forward.

  Daddy smiled. “I won’t make you stay. Just a hug.” He took a step toward me, but stopped.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  He frowned, his mouth curling in such a familiar way. “I can’t go any farther.”

  I felt a horrifying need to help him flow through me. I took another step, and then another. Before I knew it, my father was only a few feet away. My senses washed in and out of consciousness like the water below the bridge. “Why didn’t you tell us about any of this?” Wind from the Ever After blew across my face, smelling not like death, but something far better.

  “I couldn’t. It would have put you in danger. Besides, it was not you that had the gift of magick, but your sister.” He tried to reach for me, but some invisible force held his arm at bay.

  “I deserved to know.” The words felt wrong—selfish.

  Father did not reply.

  “I’m sorry.” I bowed my head.

  He nodded in acceptance of my apology. “It’s all right, my darling. You’re here now.”

  I looked up at him, his brownish red hair looking just like Emily’s, his eyes like mine.

  “I’ve missed you so much.” He sighed, backing away. “And I shouldn’t tempt you like this.” He turned his back to me. “You should go.”

  I felt angered by his cold shoulder. How could he turn his back on me again? “No, Dad.”

  His head lifted and he looked over his shoulder. Tears stained his face.

  I couldn’t bear to see him this way. He had been all I’d ever cared about. He was my best friend. I wanted to be with him. I no longer wanted to go back to a life where he would not be there.

  He turned once more, offering me one last chance at a hug.

  I took a deep breath, taking the final few steps until I was welcomed into his outstretched arms. He held me tight, his embrace warm, real, safe—

  “My pet,” his voice changed, hand circling my back. “My dear pet.” I lurched away, tumbling backward onto my heels. Horror struck me, deceit and lies. Navia was standing in my father’s place. Her eyes were black, like ink in a vial with no bottom. Her face was twisted into an unmistakably evil grin, and all sense of courtesy had vanished.

  I turned to run, but the bridge was gone. I stood on the water’s edge, pulled back and away from it by an unseen force. I bowed back to Navia, scared. “Navia? What is this?”

  She sighed long and hard. “Avery,” she began. “My name is Avery.”

  “Avery?” I narrowed my eyes.

  She sighed long and hard. “I know. I hate it, but it’s my name.” She shook her head, eyes locking once again with mine and spearing my heart. “I almost didn’t do this, my pet. You’re so much fun after all, but like most good things, they have to end. I had to remember what my goals were.”

  “I don’t understand.” My mind was a blur, looking for the bridge. Was I still in the In-between, or the Ever After?

  “You were in my way, plain and simple. You don’t think I could just let you waltz into my life and tear it apart without my eventual revenge, did you? No, no, no. No. You have to pay, just as I did.” She walked up to me, pushing me with her finger, strong enough to knock me off balance. “You do not deserve what was to be mine. You deserve what I got instead: a broken heart.”

  I steadied myself and swung at her, but my hand was like smoke, passing right through her.

  She laughed. “Nice try, darling, but I’m not the dead one here. You are.”

  “You touched me,” I challenged childishly.

  She shook her head. “Pixie magick. Nothing but a trick. I can come in and out of the Ever After at my leisure because I’m the Shade. Where do you think I’ve been hiding for so long?” She snapped her fingers and my father suddenly appeared. “I guess you can
have him now, though. Consider it a consolation.” She shoved him toward me and our two ghostlike clouds passed through each other. I stumbled to the ground.

  “Jane,” my father gasped, my real father.

  I sat up to look at him. “Daddy, is that really you?”

  He crawled toward me and tried to grasp me but couldn’t.

  “Ah!” Avery screamed dramatically. “So touching, and yet so tragic! Finally you get your daddy back but you can’t even touch him!”

  I scrambled to my feet, or what could be considered feet. Standing still, the cloud around me concentrated once more, making me appear whole. “You tricked me!” I screamed.

  Avery chuckled. “You’re finally realizing that?”

  I clenched my jaw, running at her once more, but again, my ghostly cloud crashed right through her, splitting into a billion particles of dust. I struggled to put myself back together as she stood over me, arms crossed.

  “I better get going, my pet. I have a life with a fiancé to rekindle.” Her grin already haunted me. “Happy Ever After.” She backed away, beginning to disappear with her hand in the air, fingers dancing. “Ta ta!”

  And just like that, she was gone.

  Max:

  “Greg!” My feet slammed into earth, heart aching. I stormed up to him, noses inches apart. “Where is she?”

  A silvery cloud appeared beside him, emanating with the smell of cinnamon.

  “There you are.” Avery appeared, her familiar voice twisting my stomach.

  She was so different, and yet so familiar. There was shade all around her, her once beautiful eyes bleeding shadows. I backed away, suddenly overcome with nausea. Falling to my knees, I buckled over. Greg did the same.

  “You feel that, don’t you?” Avery laughed, her footfalls so silent that I hadn’t heard her close the small distance between us, her mouth right next to my ear. “Don’t you, darling?”

  “You didn’t tell me this was going to hurt!” Greg complained from where he rolled in the dirt beside me.

  Avery’s weight shifted, gravel crunching below her feet. “Oh shut up, baby.” She spat over her shoulder before sighing and turning back to me. Hooking one long nail under my chin, she lifted it. My eyes met her dark and empty ones. “Hurts, doesn’t it? When someone rips your heart out?”

  I heard Jane’s mother’s frightened breathing, barely able to look up to see the blur of her body near the cliff.

  “What d—did you do?” I demanded shakily.

  “You don’t know? You don’t feel that life inside you, making you alive again?”

  I could feel it. My body was warm and tingly. Every emotion I once felt from Jane was now mine alone.

  “I took the only thing that mattered to you, darling. But look what I gave you in return!” She grasped my shoulders, pulling me to my feet with little effort. “I wanted to show you how much I love you. What better way than to give you your life back?”

  My legs felt like jelly. “I don’t want my life back.”

  She frowned. “Like being an angel too much, do you?”

  I heard an owl’s cry then, and I cringed. I didn’t want them to come. I didn’t want more death.

  Avery grumbled and dropped me. My knees buckled, sending me crashing to the ground. She looked skyward, noticing the owl as well. “Now what?” She marched back to Greg, kicking him in the side. “Get up, you idiot. Take care of this.”

  He moaned, but managed to stand. The pain of my split from Jane was over, but the emotional pain still left me shaken. The owls descended, landing beside me.

  Are you okay? Lacy asked, eyes darting between me and Avery.

  Her pet just stared at Avery, feathers fluffed and eyes nervous.

  I nodded, but my mind spoke otherwise.

  I felt Lacy’s anger and saw her thoughts turn irate.

  Don’t, Lacy. It’s not worth it.

  She ignored me, slowly turning square with Avery. Her feathers inflated, and her wings were held extended at her sides.

  Lacy, don’t. I tried one last time.

  Foolishly, Lacy ignored me, lunging toward Avery. Avery welcomed her attack, simply swatting her away with one hand. Lacy’s body fell to the ground, alive but stunned.

  Avery laughed. “Seriously pathetic. You need better friends.”

  The other owl did the same, angered by her master’s defeat. Avery swatted her to the ground just as she had Lacy, only this time she finished by stomping on the owl’s head. I heard a crack.

  “Foolish animal,” she spat. “She deserved to die.”

  I shut my eyes, saddened and feeling worthless. I knew that owl was dead for no reason, and for no fault but my own.

  “Well,” Avery sounded flustered. “I can see you need some time to come around.” She kicked the owl carcass away from Lacy and to the side where it rolled against a rock. “But when you’re ready to be with me, as you will be, you know how to get a hold of me.”

  Greg arrived at Avery’s side, holding his stomach. I looked at him, my eyes crying out, why?

  For a moment I saw remorse in his green gaze, but he looked away. I thought about our life before. I thought about Patrick, and what Greg had known. Something about him still wanted for a better life, I knew it.

  “Please, Greg,” I managed weakly.

  He turned away, Avery doing the same as she hooked her arm with his, sashaying her hips into the darkness of the woods. I took a moment to gather myself, the silence of the forest like the calm after a storm. Finding my hands beneath me, I pushed myself off the ground. Lacy’s body had since changed into human form. She lay unconscious and covered in dirt, her side badly bruised a deep purple. I removed my coat, every movement I made toward her like a million needles to the skin.

  Jane’s life made me weak, and I could not allow it to happen. With Greg as my enemy, I had to stay strong. I had to remain an angel. The life in me was not mine, and never could be. I had to give it back to the universe to be born to another.

  I put the coat around Lacy’s bare shoulders.

  She roused, taking a moment as she stared at me. “I’m so sorry, I…”

  I put my hand to her lips, shaking my head.

  Her eyes fluttered, tears forming. She reached for my hand and removed it, grasping tight as she felt my warmth. “You’re alive, aren’t you?” She let go, knowing what that meant. “I never knew her, but I know how this must feel for you.”

  I clasped my hands around her shoulders and helped Lacy to her feet. “I won’t keep this life inside me. I can’t.”

  Lacy zipped the jacket which was like a dress on her. She shook her head, brows stitched together. “Do you even have a choice?”

  I nodded. “It was my life to protect. I can do with it as I please.”

  “You can’t give the life away.”

  I pressed my lips together. “It’s already left her as mine left me. My life has been given to another somewhere in this world. I know you’re afraid this means I’m giving away her soul, but that doesn’t happen. A soul can only belong to one. This…” I thumped my chest, “is just a life, and it’s not mine. It must go.”

  “I don’t understand,” she frowned.

  I nodded. “You will.”

  “Well, how do you get rid of it?”

  “Like this,” I shut my eyes and let go. It was hard, my body craving it, wanting to hold it inside my bones. I felt my temperature drop, and before I knew it, the feeling of it was gone all together. An immense drought of emotion blew over me, and I felt more alone than ever. I shuddered as my legs faltered. Lacy was quick to support me. The longer I held on to the life, the harder it would have been to let go. It was the right thing to do.

  “So, just like that you’re an angel again?” She looked me over, not really seeing the immediate difference.

  I nodded. “I never lost the angel in me. That can never be taken away no matter how hard I try. What I would have gotten was mortality and the ability to live a short, human life of emotion and weakness
. Sounds uneventful, but in my eyes it’s a luxury.”

  “Oh.” I watched her let the idea sink in, looking down at her body. Her mind traced over the idea of what it felt like to be me. She understood, eyes leveling with mine once more. My gaze darted away from her to the nearby rock where her owl lay lifeless, changing the subject.

  Lacy followed my gaze and gasped quietly. “Missy.” She rushed to her side, carefully running her hand over her crumpled feathers and broken neck.

  I turned away from them, looking to the edge of the cliff where Jane’s mother stood, back to me, head looking down and over the edge. I felt my chest tighten, though no emotion existed for me to take. I walked one foot in front of the other, arriving at her side with my eyes looking out ahead of me.

  Sarah reached for my hand and I felt her pain resonate through it. Finally, I gathered the strength to look down, seeing the one thing I never wished to see on the bank below. Jane’s body lay on the rocks, curled gently into herself. For a moment I wanted to believe she was simply sleeping, but this being on the rocks was just a shell, just a projection of the soul that once owned it. Her spirit had been ripped apart, her soul locked in the Ever After where it longed to be.

  “Will she come back?” Sarah asked.

  I squeezed her hand. “She has to,” I whispered, fingering the chain around my neck with my other hand. It hadn’t released. This wasn’t over. “I promised her I’d fix this.”