Witch and Wizard_ The Fire - James Patterson [39]
He grabs my arm roughly and marches me along. “Your wish is my command. To the leader we go. Nice dress, by the way.”
The whistle-blowing head of the Y.E.S. is none other than Byron Swain!
Chapter 41
Whit
I’M IN CHAINS, but I can still speak. And as long as I’m alive I won’t stop trying to get answers.
“I’m looking for Benjamin and Eliza Allgood. Is there a girl around here named Celia? If you tell me where the river is — the place where people, um … cross over — I can help you get out of here, too. I swear I’ll help you!” There’s real desperation in my voice, but the Lost Ones are too busy right now to answer my questions.
They’re busy doing the same thing they’ve been doing for hours since we arrived at their camp, or hideout, or whatever this eerie, foul-smelling place happens to be: they’re busy eating forest animals.
Live.
I feel bile rising in my throat. I may never eat meat again.
I turn from the grisly scene, but the metallic smell of blood nags at my nostrils. The word abattoir pops into my head, dark and foreboding. I can’t remember what it means, but it conjures up images of hacksaws and horror shows. Of muscle pulled from bone and the frenzied desperation of animals awaiting slaughter.
The feeling of I’m next.
The fog isn’t as thick here, and I can make out surrounding forests. I’m trying not to look over there, though, either. The trees are not made of wood and leaves but bone. The clouds above are red, menacing, and our shadows seem to have a life of their own; they slither along the ground like snakes, mime acts of violence, dance up your back. I’d run, but there’s nowhere to go. Everywhere outside this valley is thick, opaque fog.
We’re way deeper into the Shadowland than I’ve ever been before; I had no idea any of this existed, but maybe it means I’m finally getting somewhere. Where there are forests and clouds, there’s got to be a river, right? Mrs. Highsmith said something about following the animals. Could she have meant these sad, torn-to-shreds creatures?
I strain to see through the fog, squint for some hint of water in the distance. No luck, but I do see more Lost Ones. The zombielike creatures shuffle toward the camp, their stench preceding them. They’ve got something with them being pulled on ropes. Looks like …
Kids?
More kids could mean more chances to dupe these ghouls and escape. I scan the crowd, not recognizing anyone at first — they’re still far away. There are several older kids, including a bigger guy around my age; a kid with a bandanna tied around his head; and a couple of small boys. There’s an animal with them, too — a big, loping dog that looks an awful lot like Feffer, the Curve dog who once tried to eat Wisty and me before we tamed her.
Wait, it totally is Feffer!
That means these kids are Resistance!
I feel a surge of elation, my pulse quickening.
I want to shout to my allies, but I don’t want to set off a frenzy among the Lost Ones. I sit tight, watching the kids file in, impatience making me fidgety. And my eyes fall on a cute girl around sixteen near the end of the line, with wild, curly hair and combat boots.
I know that determined, no-nonsense walk anywhere —
Janine!
Chapter 42
Whit
“WHIT!” JANINE NEARLY plows me over with a fierce hug that takes my breath away. She’s tied up, and the other kids grumble as their hands are pulled on the rope, too.
My heart seems to get caught up in my throat. I bury my face in her dark hair and squeeze her with all of my strength. It’s a little awkward with the others around watching, but I don’t care about anything but this right now. Thank God she’s alive! Somehow — even in this awful place, captured by soulless creatures — I’m elated.
And surprised to find that the only thing I really want to do … is kiss her.
Janine’s never been one for a poker face, and she looks at me with fierce emotion, like she’s offering up the whole of herself. “I thought I’d never see you again, Whit! I thought —” She clutches my arms, and my heart beats faster.
“I thought you were