Death by Carnival
Finn was in quiet mode, and I wasn’t sure if that was a relief or if it made me more nervous as to what might come out of his mouth once he actually spoke. I relinquished my hold on Terence and consented to let Danny drive us in Ezra’s larger vehicle, leaving Mariang at home to spend the day with her father.
When Finn spoke, it was with an edge. “Clearly you two don’t know how to manage your Omen, otherwise King Banak wouldn’t need a daily report. Now we’re going to an elementary school on her whim?”
Von rolled his eyes. “Oh, you can’t help yourself. You just want to be where the action is.”
I shrugged. “If I’m wrong, then we’ll go to another hospital. Unclench, Finn. It’s just a thought. Big gathering place with lots of people. Can’t be too hard to see if there’s a person or two there who needs reaping.”
“A person or two. You promised them twenty-four more hearts in the next two days!” Danny was irate, which is to say, business as usual. “You’re just doing this so Von can see that kid instead of working through the day.”
I was sandwiched in between Von and Mason in the back. Mason kept his hand on my knee while Von had his arm linked through mine, keeping up a constant stream of pulling to push my stress level back to zero.
I slumped against Mason, leaning into his side. He’d been sullen as we got ready, needing the occasional hug or reassuring arm squeeze whenever his mind fell to the fact that his inhuman strength was gone. He and Danny had done a round of calisthenics after breakfast so Mason didn’t feel totally emasculated. It was a gentle reminder that there was hope. Though he couldn’t fight off an army, he could sure as Sunday do some damage with a little determination. Danny was a good friend in that respect, coming alongside him and pushing toward action, as opposed to letting his friend flail in despair.
I didn’t realize my eyes had closed until Danny barked back at us, “You’re pulling too hard! She’ll be asleep by the time we get anywhere. October, wake up and pay attention.”
Von retracted from me, but Mason only lowered the level of pull, keeping his hand on my knee and squeezing to let me know he was doing his best. “Sorry about that.”
Danny’s eyes flicked back to us in the rearview mirror as he drove through town, passing businesses and nearing the school at the end of the street that had one of those weekend carnivals set up in the back. The Ferris wheel stretched high into the sky. The blue and red paint was faded in parts that looked important. I never had much confidence in the carnivals that were set up and torn down so frequently. Something about them made me not trust the nuts and bolts so much. When you’re dealing with a Ferris wheel, the nuts and bolts are kind of important.
“Pay attention to your gut, kid,” Danny reminded me. “We can go back to the hospital, but if you just hit it yesterday, it won’t be as good today. If you feel something, shout it up here.”
“I feel hungry!” Von called to the front. When Danny gave a labored sigh, Von shrugged. “What? You said to shout out what we’re feeling.”
“No one cares what you’re feeling, Von.” Then Danny started mumbling disparaging things under his breath about his brother.
Though Von was my Puller, I felt the need to tug some of the negativity that was being thrown at him away. I tapped my shoe to his in solidarity, and he tapped mine back to let me know he didn’t care what Danny had to hurl at him.
I didn’t expect to feel a yank in my gut before we’d even parked, but in the next second, my stomach was lurching toward the carnival behind Pemberton Elementary. “Whoa. Yeah, it’s here, alright. This is where we need to be.” I pointed toward the bustle of the carnival. While Danny wound through the rows of cars searching for a big enough space, my gut screamed at me. “Huh. It’s more than one person. I’ve never felt it this strong. Even at hospice where death is everywhere, it’s never been like this. How is…” I gulped when I looked at the potential death all around me. “Oh, man. Something bad, guys. Von, call Penny. Make sure she stays home today.”
Von wasted no time calling Angela, a look of fear crossing his face when she didn’t pick up. “I’m sure it’s fine. Angela won’t follow through on her promise to take Penny to the carnival. I mean, she’s always doing that – promising and then flaking. Never thought I’d be praying for Angela to disappoint Penny yet again.” He had a clear note of anxiety in his voice and tried the number a second time.
“How many bodies do you think?” Finn asked from the front passenger seat.
My head slowly moved from left to right. “It doesn’t work like that, but a lot. Danny, this doesn’t feel right. Something bad’s about to happen here.”
Danny parked on the grass, where several rows of drivers had given up trying to find a legit parking space and had made their own spots on the green. “Then let’s hurry. After they’re dead, they’re no use to us. If it’s going down soon, let’s run.”
I nodded, feeling wrong reaping here. “Shouldn’t we warn someone? I mean, how set in stone is everything? If something’s going to go down here that’ll kill a lot of people, shouldn’t we tell someone? Warn them? Somehow shut down the fair so they all have to go home?”
Danny shook his head, unbuckling and getting out of the car. “It doesn’t work like that. Once a soul is ready to be reaped, it’s ready. Nothing to be done about it after that.” We slid out and started jogging together toward the fair, but it felt like we were running into a burning building in search of the smoldering bodies. I began to see the reason firemen got their own sexy calendar, and Omens did not.
Von nearly shouted into the phone when Angela finally picked up. “Where are you?” He clutched his chest and finally started breathing with relief. “Okay. That’s good. Yes, stay at your mum’s for the weekend. Give Penny my love.” When Von hung up, he looked like he might cry with joy at not having Penny near the danger. I gripped his hand in solidarity.
Danny and Finn fell back once we reached the crowded fair. The throngs of people were all excited to take their turns on the rickety rides. Each metal structure looked like a giant death trap now, with rusty monster-like beams and janky loose parts that groaned and creaked ominously. I wondered which would be the weakest link that destroyed too many people in one go. Or maybe there would be a hot dog vendor who served bad meat and killed everyone who ate the food you couldn’t help but smell everywhere.
Fear gripped my insides as my gut pulled me toward a group of teen girls, each of them calling out to be reaped. I brushed past them, reaping four at once, taking in their souls faster than Von and Mason could tear them out of me. “Ho! Slow down, hani. We have to be able to keep up. You’re smaller and can weave through the crowds far easier than we can.” Mason rubbed his chest, feeling the life forces sizzling there as I reaped a middle-aged couple who were debating which ride they should spend their tickets on next, and who would get sicker than the other.
I made my way through the crowd, my gut pulling me in too many directions to be able to pick just one. I lost my hold on Von and Mason, going where my instincts led, reaping as I went. The ice built in my veins more rapidly than it ever had before. I trusted that the guys would catch up, and kept going as long as my limbs had any range of motion at all.
Danny caught up with me first, his hand on my shoulder retracting when he felt how freezing my body was becoming in so short a time. “You have to slow down, kid.” He put both hands on my shoulders and held me still while Von and Mason made their way to us with Finn. “We’ll get everyone we can, but you can’t reap more than one at a time. You’ll burn out in five minutes if you keep going like this.”
I looked up into Danny’s brown eyes, panic growing more real with every person who passed by and practically handed me their soul. “Something bad’s going down here.” I felt another soul leap into me from someone that brushed up against my back, causing a shudder and a shiver to rip through my body. I was becoming too rigid for normal movement.
“Stop reaping for one second
!” Danny commanded, squeezing my shoulders and pulling as much stress as he could. We both knew he couldn’t take the souls from me, so he worked on the stress aspect instead.
“I’m not doing it! They’re finding me now. Danny, I’ve already reaped fifteen.” More leapt into me as errant brushes transferred the icy balls of soul without my consent. Another touched me, and I nearly screamed at Von and Mason for taking so long. “Sixteen!” My nerves were on fire with ice that froze me from the inside. I couldn’t move my arms, but kept them banded around my stomach, as if that would stem the tug my gut felt to reap until I dropped. They would suffer. They would all suffer unless I granted them a peaceful death. It wasn’t about my pain of the moment anymore; I had to help the too many people who would die today at the carnival. My imagination did a solid conjuring of hundreds of fair-goers screaming and writhing in agony as they slowly died amidst the happy clown faces painted on the rides. I couldn’t let them go out like that. Panic married with my steely resolve, and I knew what I had to do. I would reap until I dropped, to save as many as I could from having their last moments be untold agony.
My jaw locked from the ice in my veins, and wouldn’t permit me to move it even to answer Danny when he asked if I could feel his grip. His arms encircled me, and though I knew Danny wasn’t a warm guy, in the valley of my own personal frozen tundra, he was the sun that kept me from icing over completely. “What took you so long?” Danny demanded when Von and Mason found us.
“She ran off! It’s not exactly easy to find people in this crowd.” Von and Mason each took an arm and started pulling, but it wasn’t enough. Danny moved out of the way, and Von took his place, wrapping his arms around me. When movement finally started reintroducing itself back to my limbs, I nearly let out a sob of relief. The ice had been painful, and as Mason closed in behind me, sandwiching me between my two Death Reapers, the warmth couldn’t come fast enough. Von lifted my arms and hooked them around his neck, supporting my weight as they pulled with probably a bit too much zeal.
Finn watched our strange threesome and then looked around at the throngs of people. “Is that all of them then?”
“No!” I moaned. “There’s so many more. I can’t keep up!”
“How many more do you think you can do?” Finn asked, his hand touching the red silk scarf around his neck.
I breathed more easily, now that the ice wasn’t penetrating my lungs. I kept picturing the hungry, bony children of Sakuna. I could make myself uncomfortable for a day or two for them. If it would fill their tiny bellies, I could take one for the team. “Lots. I can do lots more. As many as it takes.” It was with an edge of unswerving determination that I answered, his innocent question feeling like a dare I needed to prove to myself I could conquer.
“Good girl.” Finn cupped my chin and tilted it up so he could examine my face. “Man, I love that fire in your eyes. I’ve always had a gift for spotting a good fighter.”
Von batted Finn’s hand away from my face.
“No,” Mason ruled, looking around at the crowd. “We’re leaving now. If there’s this many, we’ll be lucky to get you out of here conscious. This was a bad idea.”
Danny’s voice was quieter, but there was a planning note to it that made me pay attention. “Unless you really can do more than the average Reaper. This would be a good way to test it. Reap as many as you can before the buildup takes over.” He shrugged in innocence. “The guys can always pull everything out of you.”
“You can’t be serious,” Von chided his brother.
I met Von’s eyes with steel I knew he couldn’t bend with all the stubborn logic he had in him. While I didn’t relish the pain I was agreeing to, I put my chips where the biggest lotto was. “Danny’s right. We can clean up here. We can fuel the suns of Terraway for weeks. Think of all the kids that’ll be saved if we go on a tear.”
“No,” Mason said, putting his foot down. “We’re going back to the car.”
Danny’s voice stopped the guys in their tracks. “Do you think Mariang could actually get better if she had a few days off? Imagine how well she’d be if she had a week.” He dangled the possibility in front of me like a toy, and like a child, I followed the lure.
25
Kamikaze Omen
I cared about Mariang, and she’d been dealt a raw deal. If I could help her, shouldn’t I? “I guess we could push the limits a little. I mean, like you said, we don’t know what’s possible, and I have two Reapers. What’s a little pain if it might give Mariang a longer life? I can deal with pain. I don’t think any of us could deal if she died.”
Danny nodded vigorously, exhibiting more personality than his usual Frankenstein monster demeanor had on display. “Right! It’s just a little discomfort, yeah? You can handle it. You’re tough.”
Danny’s pep talk churned like vomit in my stomach. The words sounded like he was proud of me, but I knew it was a manipulation. His compliments tasted bitter. But I could see he wanted this so badly, he was willing to make up nice words out of thin air in order to get me to go along with his idea. “I mean, if it would help her live longer.”
Von and Mason both whipped around to face me. Von was livid. “Are you joking right now? You see what he’s doing, right? He’s talking you up so he gets what he wants!”
Mason stared at his friend with deep disapproval. “Danny, care a little bit about October. Care a little and you’ll see how dangerous what you’re asking her to do is.”
We both knew Danny didn’t give a flying pancake about me, but I appreciated the show he put up on occasion. His contrite expression drew his lips to purse in contemplation. “Can’t you see it? Can’t you see her getting better if you do this? If you can give her more time to heal up, wouldn’t you want that?”
The gleam in Finn’s emerald eyes told me he loved the thrill of the danger. He wanted a good show. “Oh, I think you can do more. You’re not nearly as tired as you were yesterday. They got that icy patch out of your spine, and you had two Pullers all night long. This is the day to try pushing yourself.”
“Yeah, just think about it. We could have a whole week of her like how she used to be before she was so overworked. I can take her to the movies, take her anywhere. Anything, all thanks to you making yourself a little uncomfortable for one short day.” Danny reached out and touched my arm – the equivalent of begging. “Please? Do this for me? Then we’ll go straight home. It’s barely half a day of work this way.”
Finn’s amused gaze fell on me. “I’m here to see the asset in action. I know this is a one-time event. Once the sagrado’s where it belongs, you can reap once a day, and that’s that. You won’t see nearly the wear and tear Mariang has.” He cast me a hint of a smile. “I wouldn’t dream of letting the fight in you die out completely, kendi. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
“Piss off,” Von snarled.
“Excuse me?” Finn’s head swiveled to Von.
“You heard me.” Von jerked me tighter into his hug when he saw me considering Danny’s words, teetering back and forth between Mariang’s health and my safety. “Bugger off. Let’s get back in the car. This is dangerous. Mariang isn’t the only person who matters in this, Danny. You’re a lousy git for putting that on her.”
I made eye contact with Danny, nodding just enough for him and Finn to see. Then my eyes flicked to Von and Mason, who I knew wouldn’t let me reap anymore.
Danny lit up and nodded, letting me know he’d distract them so I could run off and do my thing.
I tested my legs to make sure they could hold me well enough, and when Mason and Von were sidetracked by Finn’s point that we wouldn’t come by this opportunity again, I took my advantage. I ducked out from between the two and made a labored dash into the crowd, reaping three people in the first five seconds I liberated myself from my Reapers. Then another, then four more. I kept going, trying to amble faster than the ice could catch up with me. My limbs were stiff and screaming at me that something would break if I didn’t get the souls ri
pped out of me before taking on more, but even as I slowed to let Von and Mason catch up, people passing by added more to my stash. Each soul felt like I was being stabbed in the side, the poison building up in me like I’d swallowed a swarm of angry hornets.
I tried not to feel the agony warring inside of me. All these people I was reaping were going to die, and the only thing I could offer them was a peaceful passing. I was determined to help as many as I could, and save Mariang in the process.
“You can’t do this!” Mason growled, gripping me and nearly pulling me over. My body had no give anymore; I was a stiff board – too cold to move at all. Von and Mason sandwiched me again, pulling so hard and so fast that the heat tried to quiet the ice almost as quickly as it came. “You’ve met your quota, right? Am I counting it all? Between yesterday and today, that’s more than fifty. We’re going home.”
“Can you do more?” Danny asked.
Von spewed out a string of filthy expletives that made a nearby woman shout out an indignant scolding.
“I don’t know. I mean, maybe. I’m not unconscious, so technically I probably could do one or two more.” I rubbed the back of my neck, which was sore and freezing. The cold was still in me, though not as paralyzing. It felt like I was being stabbed from the inside by a thousand tiny needles, making each movement painful enough to make me bite down on my lower lip to keep it from trembling.
But it was just pain, and I could handle that. The kids in Terraway had to live with the pain of hunger every day. This was just needles in my veins.
“We’re leaving.” Mason was disgusted at Danny and frustrated with me. He tugged the last life force from me and pulled a little extra to take the residual crap away. The needles were still there, jabbing at me and making me try my best to swallow a whine of pain. Mason all but growled at Danny. “If something’s going down here, we have to leave before it kills us!”
Danny and Finn exchanged determined looks, communicating a plan they didn't need words for. That was the only warning. Suddenly Danny jumped on Mason, knocking him away from me, and Finn tackled Von to the ground. “Run toward the car and get as many as you can! We’ll meet you there. Go!” Danny shouted, wrestling Mason, who was still unsure of his strength, and was therefore not adept at using what he’d been left with. It was the worst kind of betrayal Danny could’ve done to his best friend, hitting him where he was vulnerable.
Torture (Terraway Book 3) Page 15
