Skeleton King (The Dirty Heroes Collection Book 9)

by Charity B.

  “Tell us.”

  “What’s.

  “Happening!”

  “Listen…” While I don’t know how much information Mayor Greer wants them to have, it’s really my own cowardice that keeps me from telling them the truth. “Your dad wants me to take you to your aunts’ house. Come on.”

  Climbing up the stairs, I hear them stomping as they follow. Bolt runs past me, standing on the step above me to block my way. “Where?”

  Jolt is right behind him. “Is our?”

  Cask tries to stand next to them, but there’s not enough room in the stairwell. “Dad?”

  An invisible blade turns in my stomach, knowing my actions will soon alter all three of their lives. They may be dick heads, but they’re still kids. I push my way through them. “Busy. Now shut up and let’s go.” Although I feel a bit guilty for talking to them that way after what I’ve done, if I act any different, they’ll know something’s up. I don’t want them to see the blood stain on the floor in the living room, so I lead them out the back door.

  We don’t even get to the street before Jolt starts loading up a slingshot to hit her brothers with. Just getting the few blocks to the sisters’ house is a nightmare. Since the boys don’t have their own slingshots, they throw rocks at each other, hitting me multiple times in the process.

  The Zeldamine Apothecary coming into view makes me sigh in relief. “Oh, thank Christ.”

  Corralling them all up the steps, I lead them to the apartment and ring the bell. As soon as the door opens, all three of them run past Wanda and Willow to go inside.

  I hold my hand out as if it will stop them, even though they’re long gone. “God, I’m sorry.”

  “Is everything all right?” Willow asks, twirling her fingers through her long, gray hair, inspecting my face. Ingvar’s fist must’ve done a number on it from her expression.

  Wanda glances over her shoulder at the sound of a crash, so I rush out my words before the triplets break more of their stuff.

  “Can you watch the Sanity Eaters for a few days? Ogier’s… unavailable right now, and I have to deal with some things.” They both tilt their heads toward each other. While they appear curious, they also look much more pleased with my request than I’d expected.

  “Of course, we love our little devils!” Wanda claps her hands together, the eight rings on her fingers clashing against each other. She’s considerably shorter and much stouter than her older sister, though, they both have a very distinct nose, making their resemblance more obvious.

  “Thank you. Your next order is on the house.”

  As soon as I say it, I realize I have no idea if I’m even going to be allowed to live here anymore, but I’ll have to cross that bridge when the time comes.

  Willow holds up her finger. “Oh, before you go, come with me, dear.”

  I wave to Wanda in gratitude just as more bangs and crashes sound from the back of their apartment. Willow leads me downstairs by the hand, telling me to wait outside as she rushes into the store. Seconds later, she returns with a jar and hands it to me.

  “For the cuts on your face. We can’t have you ruining that pretty thing.” Cackling, she winks at me before heading back up the stairs to her apartment.

  Her flirting is nothing new, so I chuckle as I read what she gave me. The label says: Hangman’s Salve with hemlock and opium. The products from their apothecary can be pretty hit and miss on whether they actually work or not, but it’s worth a shot.

  Looking toward the direction of my house, I take a deep breath. I have no idea what’s going to happen with the Mundane girl or if Sarah will ever really forgive me. Even with my possible execution or banishment, I can’t regret a single decision I made today. While of course, I wish Ogier wouldn’t have gotten shot, as long as I can free both girls from more horrors, I’ll honestly be at peace with however this turns out.

  12

  Bats

  Sarah Stein

  November 17th ~Midday

  Stepping outside without having to sneak feels a little strange. It’s almost as if the air has been purified. Pushing off my feet, I sprint toward John’s house. I’m still reeling from the way he looked at me. It wasn’t anything like the last time I saw him. There was no cruelty or self-disgust, just…compassion. He was at Ogier’s because of me, that much was clear. Why would he do that if he didn’t care about me?

  At John’s, I’m greeted by an overly excited puppy as soon as I open the door. “Hey, Nothing.” My fingers scratch behind his ears when I notice the bags the triplets had earlier.

  Fighting my curiosity has never been my strong suit. Nothing sits with his tail wagging as I open the first bag.

  A couple of small Styrofoam boxes sit on top of something flat wrapped in brown paper. I pick up the smallest box and take off the lid, immediately almost dropping it with my scream.

  Eyeballs. Two bright blue eyeballs stare up at me.

  The second I make the connection as to whom these eyes belong to, I gasp so loudly with my sob that I startle Nothing.

  Esty. My hands shake so badly, I have to dig my fingers into my palms to keep from dropping the bags. I refuse to let anyone turn her into a prop or a piece of furniture.

  Careful to not bump anything, I carry them into John’s backyard. Once I find a shovel, I set to digging, only to find the ground is too hard for me to get very deep. Through tear blurred vision, I hide the bags beneath the back-porch steps.

  Nothing’s collar jingles as he follows me back into the house. I sit on the couch in the parlor, tapping my fingers on the armrest. When John gets back, I’ll ask him to help me bury Esty. Maybe even in the Hallows Grove Cemetery. I think she’d like it there, it’s quiet. I wipe my tears and take a big breath. I wish I could have been friends with her, though, it does ease the sadness knowing that nobody else can hurt her anymore.

  My boredom becomes overwhelming, and I eventually give into it when I get up to walk around his house. Curiosity itches my fingertips when I reach for the door that leads downstairs to his workshop. He’s shown it to me before, so I doubt he’ll mind my exploring.

  I pull the string that turns on the light before descending the steps. Snooping around the room, I stop to look at his implements, running my fingers over the cool metal. Nothing curls up in a bed in the corner as I walk around the workshop. Blood stains the concrete, and large waste bins line the walls. I find a pile of clothing and come across a bright red wig. I didn’t know he put wigs on his girls, but why would I?

  The rest of the room is already well organized, so I set to folding the clothes into a nice stack when I notice a familiar fabric. Lifting it from the pile, I smile in embarrassment even though the only one here is Nothing. My panties. He kept them just like I’d hoped.

  Beneath the last few pieces of clothing, loose pieces of paper peek out. I tug them from under the pile when the skin around my eyes stretches wide with my surprise. It’s full of sketches. Sketches of…me.

  They’re drawn like diagrams, pinpointing important pieces, such as my red hair and mouth wound. He’s planning to make a body look like me. A smile that is too strong to push away lifts my lips. I don’t understand what he’s afraid of, but this proves that he does care. He does want me. I hold the papers close to my chest while I continue exploring.

  I’ve seen a few taxidermized animals around his house, so when I enter what looks like a storage area, I’m not shocked to find rows of bats lining the wall. They range in quality of work, the final one appearing so real, I keep expecting it to take flight. I wonder if that’s how he taught himself the art of taxidermy? With bats?

  Once I’ve investigated all there is to see, I sit on the floor next to Nothing and stare at the drawings he created with me in mind.

  My fingers stroke over Nothing’s ghost white hair when I hear a noise. I stand up, listening closely when a voice so small it couldn’t be John’s says, “Um…Sarah? Are you here?”

  Running up the stairs, I pray it’s the little girl w
ho was with Fink. Nothing is on my heels, and the moment I reach the top, relief floods through me in a heavy sigh. “Oh, thank goodness.”

  Her eyes momentarily widen when she sees me, shifting away as if uncomfortable. “Uh, hi. The Skeleton King told me to come here,” she mumbles, looking to Nothing who greets her by licking her hand, nearly making her smile.

  I kneel in front of her, feeling sick at the fact that she has red hair like I do. I’m careful to speak as softly as I can because she’s trembling from what I’m sure is fear. “I know I look like a scary monster, but I promise, I won’t hurt you.”

  Her gaze slowly lifts to meet mine. “What happened to your face?”

  Giving her a smile, I say, “I was hurt by a bad man.”

  “Me too.”

  I look over her exposed skin, searching for signs of his blade, wanting to cry with relief when I see there are none. Allowing myself to sit on the floor, I sigh, pointing to my cheek. “I know, he’s the same man who did this to me.”

  Her eyebrows scrunch with her skeptical stare. “The man with the cane?” I nod, and she whispers, “Oh.”

  While she doesn’t seem to be physically wounded, she’s completely filthy. “What about a warm bath? Would you like that?”

  Clasping her hands together, she quickly answers, “Yes, please.”

  After searching for the bathroom, I find her a towel and set off to look for something clean she can wear. When I come to what I know is John’s bedroom, I feel like I’m where I shouldn’t be. It’s a struggle, but I successfully fight the urge to snoop as I choose a T-shirt from his drawer.

  The little girl carries herself in a much more relaxed way once she’s clean. We sit in the living room and wait for John while she plays with Nothing on the floor.

  “What’s your name?” I ask.

  “My real name is Sandy Kloss. But I think I’m supposed to be called Sarah now.”

  Flashes of memories blink in my brain, impossible to grasp. I don’t have a single recollection of him telling me Sarah was my new name. Ever since Fink told me about his daughter, I’ve been so curious to know what my old name was.

  “How did you end up with Fink?”

  Looking into her lap, she wrings her hands. “When I was walking home from school yesterday, he stopped me and told me that my mom was hurt. He said that she asked him to bring me to the hospital.” Her gaze turns glossy and Nothing must sense something because he curls up closer to her. “He knew my name.” I wonder if he took me in a similar way? “I also thought I’d seen him before because he looked familiar. So, I got in his car and then he brought me to his house.” Red blooms across her cheeks as her voice breaks. “I don’t think there was ever anything wrong with my mom.”

  I don’t want her to cry. Changing the subject, I point to Nothing who’s licking her hand. “He seems to really like you.”

  Sniffling, she wipes her arm across her nose. “What’s his name?”

  I get on the floor, sitting next to her and scratching his side. “Nothing.”

  She scrunches her nose, clearly not amused by John’s choice. “That’s not a very good name.”

  I laugh when the sound of the door opening launches my heart into my throat. “Stay here,” I tell her.

  While forcing Nothing to remain in her lap, she nods her understanding. The second I step out of the parlor, I meet John’s eyes. I don’t know how I’ll survive more rejection from him, but at the same time, I won’t lose the only man I’ve ever truly cared for because I’m scared of bruising my pride.

  “What’s happening?”

  “A lot. I’m waiting to hear from Mayor Greer.” He looks past my shoulder, worry furrowing his brows. “Where’s the girl?”

  In my excitement over his return, I just now realize that his face is bloody and beaten. “She’s playing with Nothing in the parlor. Are you okay?”

  He bites his lower lip as his eyes trail up and down my body. There are so many things hiding behind his eyes when he looks at me. “I’m fine…” Walking closer, he cups my cheek the moment he reaches me. His mouth lifts in a crooked smile, revealing his left dimple. “Do you want to help me piss off Greer?” Playfulness suddenly radiates off of him, and I wish I could just go along with it. In reality, though, I’m still feeling quite melancholy, and insubordination against the Mayor never ends pleasantly. He must sense my hesitation because the smile falls from his face. “I just want to take the little girl back home.”

  Invisible weights sit on my hands and feet, making me feel heavy. I want to help her, I really do, but I can’t help being angry at the unfairness of her getting to return to her family when I never got the chance. “Her name is Sandy. Sandy Kloss.”

  Sandy’s voice interrupts before I get the chance to respond. “Do I get to go home?”

  John breaks our connection as his focus lands on her. “Where is that exactly? Do you know your address?”

  Holding up a finger, she says, “Yes. I live at 1225 Elfman Lane in Hollyville.”

  Kneeling in front of her, he takes her hand. She doesn’t even flinch. Whatever he did to save her, she apparently trusts him because of it.

  “Can you make me a promise?”

  She presses her lips together, hesitant about what she’s agreeing to. “I-I think so…”

  “When we bring you home, will you keep this place a secret? Not everyone here is like Fink, and it could hurt a lot of nice people if you tell anyone you were here.”

  She shakes her head in confusion. “That’s it?”

  “That’s it. You can tell whoever you want to about what Fink did, just please don’t tell them he took you here.”

  In a sudden movement that startles Nothing, she wraps her arms around John, nearly knocking him over. “I won’t tell, I double swear. All I want is to get back to my mom and dad.”

  He nods at her. “All right then, let’s get you out of here.”

  John takes out a map to search for Hollyville, which ends up being less than an hour from our town. We all follow him to his car where I sit in front and Sandy sits in the back with Nothing.

  Once we get out of Hallows Grove without any trouble and onto the main road, he glances in the rearview.

  “Do you have any questions before I drop you off?”

  She responds so quickly, it’s as if she’s been waiting for him to ask. “Why is the doggie’s name ‘Nothing?’” John and I both grin at the obvious disdain in her voice when she asks this.

  He lets out a small laugh. “You’re right, it’s really not that inspired, is it? The day I got him I was scoping out a gr—” he stops himself, adorably stuttering through his next few words. “A possible…er…um, business location,” Sandy raises an eyebrow in skepticism, but he continues, “I saw him playing with a bunch of other puppies in a backyard. He ran right up to the fence, and the little guy wouldn’t stop barking until I leaned down to pet him.” Sandy grins at Nothing, rubbing his back. “A man came out to see if I was interested in keeping one of the dogs. When I asked him how much they were, the man told me, ‘I just need ‘em off my hands, so…Nothing.’” John shrugs with a smirk. “And I don’t know, I felt like it fit.”

  Sandy’s lips press together as if considering whether that excuses what she obviously feels is an offensive name. “Oh,” is her only response. I don’t think she’s completely convinced.

  We’re getting closer, and Sandy must know it because she hasn’t stopped looking out the window for a few miles. I hate that she had to spend a single moment away from her family because of me. If I hadn’t have given Fink a reason to look for a replacement, she wouldn’t have been taken.

  I wonder if she’ll hate me for that someday.

  13

  Trial

  John Skelver

  November 17th ~ Evening

  I can’t believe my eyes as we drive beneath a huge archway, adorned in garland and Christmas lights that sparkle in the setting sun. ‘Welcome to Hollyville’ is carved out in large script lettering,
removing any doubt that we’re in the right place. Synthetic snow is sprinkled along the windows, and not a single building is free of colorful lights. A gigantic tree decorated in ornaments of every shape and color, ribbons, and tinsel sits in what appears to be a town square, topped with a bright, glittering star.

  Sarah gasps next to me as we pass cardboard cutouts of snowmen and elves. Giant candy canes line all the streets, and oversized presents with billowing bows are scattered at every corner. Christmas isn’t really a big deal in Hallows Grove; we definitely don’t decorate for it. It’s been years since I’ve seen embellishments anywhere close to these.

  The first signs I see are about a food drive. Then there’s more for shelter donations and fundraisers. There aren’t gates to keep visitors out like in Hallows Grove, and the amount of people that smile in greeting as we drive to her house is staggering. It’s impossible to not wonder what life would be like here. How must it feel to be surrounded by joy and kindness instead of death and darkness?

  As whimsical as it is, this place isn’t who I am or somewhere I could ever belong. I belong in Hallows Grove with Sarah. I truly believe that. I just hope it’s still possible.

  Sandy tells me to turn on Elfman Lane, and when I stop my car down the street from her house, I turn in my seat to face her. Even though I didn’t have a direct hand in her coming to Hallows Grove, my contribution to the way of life there is a large part of why Fink was able to take her. I’m under no delusion that I truly saved this Mundane girl. I wish I had something to give her that could erase every single event of the last couple days, but I don’t. Whatever horrors Fink put her through will corrode her mind and soul with age.

  “I know what Fink did to you was probably really scary. Try to not let the bad things he did control your decisions in life, okay? Don’t give up the choice to be who you want to be. No matter how hard it is.”