“Stay here, and use this,” He said, pressing the revolver into her hand. “Just try not to shoot me, okay?”
Yamuna’s eyes glared ahead, unable to meet his. He moved to stare directly into hers.
“Yamuna!”
“Sorry, but what if I—”
“The most important thing is protecting her; everything else is…”
Lito jumped off the horse and was immediately shoulder deep, wading deeper, still into the tangled mess. A few more steps and he looked back, seeing nothing but foliage and trees now towering over his slight frame.
There is no way anyone could find anything in here; it’s like a green abyss.
He looked back, feeling he had already lost his way.
Out there with the gun, he had the upper hand, but in here, it was anybody's game.
Marisha
“He’s got to be dead, right? I mean, there’s no way he survived something like that? Right.”
Marisha went down to her hands and knees, hoping to disappear. Someone called out, the broken, shaky voice barely penetrating down to her.
“…Come back…It’s not who…That wasn’t’—”
Marisha crawled through the underbrush, her fingertips clawing into the soft, wet soil. It was far let dense than up top, helping her gain some speed to distance herself from the killers. Her knee came down on a sharp rock, and the pain shot up her thigh. Luckily, adrenaline dulled the pain. She couldn’t stop moving.
They were coming for her, but she would be prepared.
Marisha stopped, letting her joints rest, and parted the tall grass. Surveying her surroundings, she spotted the same arch Jude had hidden behind earlier. If she doubled back towards the tall woman, Marisha would run right into the stone structure, hopefully throwing her off Marisha’s trail. It was the best plan she had.
“Lito, you idiot… what did you… You could have hit…” a female voice said, trailing off.
There was something about that voice. Quickly searching her memory resulted in nothing, and yet her mind wouldn’t let it go.
Reaching the marble arches, she took cover and waited, hoping the tall woman would give up and move deeper into the woods. No matter how low the girl got, Marisha could still see the top of her head bouncing through the brush.
Before she knew it, the boy who had shot at them was barreling down the hill towards them on horseback. Another girl holding on for dear life. This one much shorter, with jet black hair and earth-toned skin. He turned around, handed the girl his gun, and slid off into the brush, disappearing below.
She couldn’t believe it. In one move, the shooter had leveled the odds. Giving up the one advantage he had over her. This was her opportunity.
“Colleen! You’ve gotta be careful… wait up.”
Marisha peered around the corner again, hoping to get a better look at the girl she now knew to be named Colleen. Even if this girl had not been the one to take the shot that killed Jude, she couldn’t be trusted with the company she kept.
Marisha might not kill her at first, but her time would come today. A man like Jude didn’t deserve this fate.
Lito’s black hair popped up, moving in the same direction as Colleen, trailing roughly ten yards behind. Two heads appearing and disappearing every few feet. Marisha sucked up to her cover and let Colleen pass by. The brush was so thick they could pass a few feet apart and never know the other was there. Once the girl was safely by her, she patiently waited for him to pass.
She could feel the brush move as he got closer. Placing a hand over her chest, she felt her heart rate ramp up.
“I think we should turn around; I can’t see a thing. Who knows what—”
“No,” she said, cutting him off, “I don’t care what you do, but I’m not giving up on—”
As he passed, she stalked up behind him and swiftly flung her right arm around his neck, resting his chin behind her elbow. Just as she was about to squeeze, his hands went up to his neck, grasping for something to hold on to, to loosen her grip. Her chest made it difficult to get the leverage she needed. His nails dug into her forearm, pulling it away just enough to let him breathe and call out to Colleen.
Although Lito’s voice was tiny and breathless, it was enough to gain Colleen’s attention. He swung his head back, connecting with her nose, the pain like a knife between her eyes. Even if she didn’t let go, Marisha was woozy, and her grip now weak. With her left arm, she buried a fledgling fist deep into his kidneys, making him crumple over to his left, but it wasn’t long before Colleen was on them.
“Marisha! It’s me. You have to believe me. Stop this, please.” Colleen said, putting her hands up in surrender.
How does she...?
The words were like a shot to her heart, paralyzing her. This couldn’t be right. Those eyes, kind eyes, disarming her with just a simple look.
BANG!
She felt the bullet sail past her ear, almost knocking her back. The shot close enough to leave her ears ringing from the revolver's concussive sound. Marisha turned around to see the girl who had been on the horse, holding the pistol, smoke drifting from the end of the barrel. Instantly, she let go of Lito and bolted back in the girl's direction.
BANG!
The second shot was high as the barrel flew up.
“Yamuna! No!” Colleen called out.
There was a soft click as the cylinder turned to load up the next round. Marisha darted to the left and slammed her shoulder into the girl, knocking her small body to the ground. Even with the brutal impact, Yamuna still maintained one hand on the gun. Marisha was on top of the girl, pulling at the pistol, but just as she pulled it away, Lito was now behind her, trying to wrestle it back. The handle slipped through her sweaty hands as he wrenched at the barrel over her shoulder. She wrapped a finger into the trigger guard as it began to slip away.
Lito pulled and pulled, but miraculously she maintained control. Marisha threw her weight forward, getting him off balance, letting her wrap a few fingers back around the handle, her arm and the gun flying out in front of her. With the force of the movement, her finger pulled against the trigger, firing one more shot.
Yamuna lurched forward, clutching her stomach, her face in disbelief, unable to fully grasp what had just happened. Falling to her knees, blood seeped through her intertwined fingers, quickly forming into a pool on the ground. Her lips quivered as all the color drained from her face. Lito cried out, leaping forward to cloak the dying girl in his arms.
For Marisha, everything went silent, her vision fading in and out as it zoomed into a tunnel. A metallic taste on the tip of her tongue steadily grew more pungent, eventually making her nauseous.
The last thing Marisha saw before she passed out was the same face she had seen in her dream, staring back at her.
Sixty-Four
Marisha
It felt like someone had lit her chest on fire and was trying to put it out with a hammer. Marisha's eyes popped open, and she swung a fist, knocking an arm away. She came back over the top with another, connecting with something more solid this time.
This was met with a pained scream. “Ouch! That was my face! I guess you’re awake.” There was that voice again. Marisha knew that voice. With everything still so blurry, she could only guess it was that Colleen girl. She hadn’t really gotten a good look before everything happened.
“What… did you… expect?” Marisha said, putting her hands over her eyes. The light had become too much for her to handle. The pain was like someone rubbing sandpaper over her eyes.
“A thanks would be nice?” Colleen said. She peered through her eyes to see the figure reach up to their face. “I could have sworn you knocked a tooth out.”
“Don’t hold your breath. What did you do to me? Because it felt like…” She frowned, rubbing her chest, “you were trying to split my ribs open from the inside out.”
“That’s what my mom calls….called, a sternum rub. It’s almost guaranteed to wake anyone up who isn’t unconscious, or dead, of course.”
She looked up to see the blurry image slowly coming into focus. A featureless face surrounded by a tangled mess of auburn. She blinked her eyes.
“Here,” Colleen said, grabbing her hand, “Let me help you up.”
Where am I?
Her last memories came rushing back like a roaring rapid. Each memory like a bullet slamming against her brain. Boring deep inside her already aching mind. It was too much to handle.
Marisha dropped the hand and kicked her feet back, pushing away from her. She felt a hand grab her ankle, and she twisted away. The woman’s face, still surrounded by a bright aura, was now almost entirely in focus.
“Don’t touch me!” She screamed, the anger invigorating her muscles.
“Whoa,” Colleen said, putting her hands up. “You aren’t still mad about the rub, are you? I promise you it will go away.”
She was finally in focus. Colleen was tall, with light brown hair trimmed just off the shoulders. Her eyes were mesmerizing, the kind that helplessly pulled you in.
No, this wasn’t the time.
“No. I just know what you and—” She scanned around, her eyes resting on the shooter who was hunched over a still body, “He killed Jude. He didn’t deserve that, you know. Why would you shoot—”
Marisha tried to hold it together when all she felt like doing was screaming.
“All we saw was someone attacking you, and… and Lito did what he thought he had to. He had a decision to make and thought he was helping you.”
“He didn’t just decide something. He killed an innocent man.”
Marisha watched as Colleen bent down to her knees and grasped her hand. The warmth in her touch slipped over her and infused into her veins, warming her entire body. She looked down and wanted to pull it back again, to punish her more for what they had done. And yet…
“Marisha, you know me. You have to know this isn’t who we are. If I could take it back—”
“I don’t know you, and you can’t take it back.”
Marisha knew she would have to stop lying to herself, but she didn’t know when that would be with things still so hazy. Part of her trusted what this Colleen girl was saying. There was no doubt she had known Colleen at some point in her life; maybe they had even been friends. The face felt almost burned into her memory. The hard part was realizing what things were memories and what parts her brain had made up to cope. She looked exactly like the girl in her dream; the same beautiful freckled skin and short auburn hair. But that was where it had stopped.
“I see it in your face. I know deep down, a part of you recognizes me. Admit it, you know you do,” her voice pleading.
“I’ve met many people. What makes you think I would remember you out of all those people?”
Marisha could see Colleen nervously rubbing her palms, a thumb digging into the soft fleshy part. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. The tension was so thick she could cut with a bowie knife.
“Because you are my best friend. Because we spent every waking hour together. Because you were my first kiss. Because…you loved me. Because I hope you will again soon.”
Colleen knelt and leaned in, placing a kiss on her cheek. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Her skin instantly felt a warmth overtaking her senses.
Marisha’s memory had shown her Colleen, had shown her this woman standing before her. She knew it would take time for her brain to reveal the pieces, and she was willing to give her that.
Colleen
For days before they were reunited, Colleen had dreamt of what she would say and do when this moment came. Running the scenarios through her head, settling on the perfect thing to say, and when it had come down to it, she had let it all out like a blubbering idiot. She didn’t know what was to come, but there was no way she was ever letting her go again.
Lito hadn’t spoken since Yamuna had died. In fact, he hadn’t let on to anything he had been thinking. He had refused any help, preferring to move and cover up the bodies himself, with an almost workmanlike attitude. Who knew what was boiling inside that guy. But for now, she would have to let him be. There were far more critical tasks up ahead. She just hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite them.
“It looks like it might rain tonight,” Colleen said, packing up her stuff, “let’s find someplace to take shelter before it gets dark. We have a long way to go if we want to make it through Vancouver tomorrow and then up the coast. It’s not going to get any warmer.”
“We aren’t passing through just yet,” Marisha said, speaking up. “There’s someone who needs our help, and I made a promise to a friend.”
Marisha looked at Jude’s body and formed a half-smile.
“What are you talking about?” Lito said, his voice indignant. “What’s all this about. We just got everyone out of trouble. People have died,” Lito choked up, his voice caught in the back of his throat, “and now you want us to head back in for some more, in a place we don’t know? No, thank you! When will this all end? We all know where we need to be."
“I’m not going to lie and say I remember who I am or what I’m doing here, but there's someone who needs to say goodbye. I gave my word, and I’m not about to go back on it. I’m going with or without y’all.”
Colleen didn’t have to think twice. If this was what it took to bring Marisha back to her. She was in.
She cocked her head and asked, “And how do you plan on us helping her with that?”
“We’re going to steal her.”
THE END
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading the second book in the Terror saga. This one was started immediately after I finished the first draft of The Shifting. I for 40 pages in and had to put it on the back burner. When I finally got back to it (6 months later!) everything felt so much differently. The Maddening took 4 months to write when the first book 44 days.
The maddening was to be about love in a time of madness. Love in a place that only wanted to chew you up and spot you out. I hope I accomplished that for you.
If you love the book and have an opportunity, drop me a line.
Also if you have time, reviews are a fantastic way to share your love with authors.
Click here to review The Maddening
Also by Nicholas Head
The Shifting - Book 1 in the Terror Saga
The Turning - Book 3 in the Terror Saga - *Coming September 2021*
About the Author
Nicholas Head went to The University of Texas at Austin where he landed a degree in communication studies. He’s always loved the way words can elicit emotions in people and he has a knack for hard-hitting stories that’ll keep readers on the edge of their seats. When he’s not writing about the end of the world, he’s watching movies, hiking, kayaking, and playing video games.
He lives in North Texas with his wife, three kids, and three dogs. His two poodles—named Jackson and Ellie— as well as his Bernedoodle named Mabel Syrup, are all inspirations and find themselves starring in his novels. As a family man with a busy life, he continually finds ideas in his day to day life and hopes to share his creativity with readers around the world.
Please sign up for my newsletter at Nicholasbhead.com to hear news about further installments in The Terror Saga.
Feel free to contact me at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank my wonderful wife Manid and our three boys for their support and excitement for this journey.
John Dreese for providing a primer and encouragement for my ever evolving writing road trip.
My Beta readers; without you I would not have been able to get this out so quickly. Forever I am in your debt.
Whitney Patino for stepping up to proofread with literally no warning.
I am always excited to hear form readers and fans, so feel free to drop me a line at [email protected] and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter @ Nicholasdbhead.com
Nicholas B. H
ead
The Maddening: Book 2 in the Terror Saga Page 35
