Witch and Wizard_ The Fire - James Patterson [63]
Including my fear.
Byron is tugging on my arm, shielding his eyes from the wreckage, but I just stand there, mouth gaping, utterly overwhelmed. The wind whips my long hair and rain batters my face, but I can’t seem to move an inch.
Both The One’s and Pearce’s eyes are burning white-hot, united with a particular, undisguised hatred for The Fire Girl, The One With The Gift.
The girl who tried to kill them and might have succeeded.
The girl who will pay dearly for her sins.
A mass of dread forms in my stomach, and my body is shaking all over. This is surely my worst nightmare come for me at last.
Chapter 68
Whit
THE SHARP, METALLIC scent of blood hangs in the air, and the hill is crowded with human and animal bodies.
I spot Ragan picking over the injured, desperation on his face. He looks okay, but as he kneels next to a silent, unmoving form, gathering it up into his arms, I know we haven’t made it through without any losses. The smallest of Ragan’s two charges is next to him, crying. Celia joins them and wraps her arms around the boy, rocking him as he weeps for his brother.
I feel something harden inside me, and tears don’t come. I’ve seen it all before — orphaned, trusting kids hacked out of existence while trying to find their way home. I think of Pearl Marie’s voice as she talked about Ziggy, and guilt lodges in my gut like a stone. What was I doing making promises to that kid?
Janine looks at Ragan and then turns her face against my chest, shutting out the scene. Her arm hangs limply at her side, red blooming through her shirt.
Holding her here on this eerily lush, green hillside surrounded by the macabre reality, I feel like a character on a page ripped from a book, where there’s no time and no ending, no way to move forward.
I look over Janine’s head into the valley below, seeing the ghostly beings moving around down there, watching us. Expecting … what? Then, just beyond the ambling dead, where the red haze has dissipated the tiniest bit, something sparkles. I put a hand up to shield my eyes, squinting, and think I can make out a thin gray line moving, reflecting the light.
The river, I mouth, realization dawning on me. The very same river from the vision at Mrs. Highsmith’s apartment — the one where I saw my parents. I motion to the others, pointing. I know we should be celebrating; we finally made it. But when Ragan looks over at me, his eyes swollen and his face bitter, I can only think, At what cost?
Celia comes up behind us. She puts her hand on my back and rests her head on my shoulder.
“You think my mom and dad are down there, Celia?” I ask, squinting at the crowd.
She smiles sadly, still shaken. “I don’t know for sure, but I’ll help you look. Come on.”
Celia takes my hand, and Janine’s as well. She turns to the others, scattered on the hillside. Sasha and Emmet nod and start across the uneven ground toward us, shoulders heavy, but most of the kids aren’t budging.
“I know it’s hard, and I know you’re all hurting, but we can’t stop now,” I call.
“Another battle?” Sasha says, limping over. “Haven’t we been through enough? No offense, but I’m sick of being dragged along and almost killed for your sake. I just want to get us all out of here.”
Some of the other kids nod in agreement, but Janine speaks up.
“Whit is one of us,” she says sharply, cradling her arm. “We’re fighting for him, but we’re fighting for the Resistance, too. Have you forgotten why we ended up here in the first place? There’s no safe haven in the Overworld until we face the battles in the Underworld. Would you rather just give up now after coming this far?”
Sasha sighs, the public scolding obviously stinging him a bit.
My heart swells with respect for Janine. I know the pain from her shoulder is worse than she’s letting on, but she always has a fighting spirit.
The rest of the kids reluctantly join the group. The only way out of this nightmare is through it, it seems. Together we look toward the thin river of hope calling to us, promising salvation.
Chapter 69