Page 21 (2/2)

"Sebastian, we really should go It’s getting dark," Natalie says

He throws the note back in the snow and roughly takes Natalie’s arain the instant they’re gone

The sky fades to white as a blizzard rolls across the city, e toward Chris’s house,he’s still in need of a Haze fix after I blew off yesterday’s appointes At the back of isters that he wasn’t at school today Neither was Gregory, which is odd--Gregory would never miss a day of school Maybe they’re both sick? I hope not; at least not Chris

My heart’s still pounding a mile a ed to convince him with her cover story I can’t believe what a close call that was We’ve only been together for a few hours, and already we’ve nearly been caught

I walk down City End, following uards peer down atat me as I pass by--traitor, turncoat, collaborator--but they can’t possibly know I’ Natalie It et away fro into the Chiory’s house a clouds of choking s spires of the factories are giant screens, which play the sae of Purian Rose on a loop He sans like "work sets you free" or "love work, love your country" I esture at the screens as I pass

The hairs on the back ofthere I must be a little jureen door of the Tho pause before footsteps shuffle toward the door A led around her freckled face Her eyes are red andwith e if Chris--"

The woisters what I as open, and a tough-looking lares down at me

Just be calrabs my shirt "What did you do tofree frorip It was a ?

"Who is it, Dad?" Gregory says, rushing to the door

He stops dead when he seeshatred crosses his narrow, pinched face

"You killedtoward me

"I didn’t!" I say, confused and suddenly terrified Chris is dead?

Gregory picks up a loose brick froth of the path I back away, but round Gregory’s on top of me in seconds

"I’ll kill you for what you did!" he yells, lifting the brick over his head

"I’ory’s mom darts back into the house

"You’ve ainst my temple, and red spots explode before my eyes Then the world turns black

19

ASH

I WAKE UP to a blinding light Is this paradise? My dad always described his vision of heaven as a bright white light No My kind don’t go to that place, we go to the Elsewhere Darts of pain shoot through my skull where I’ve been hit Definitely not in paradise I blink twice and try to adjust ht is so piercing Then things begin to cohts, polished metal walls

I howl as another white-hot pain strikesme apart My body has been stripped naked, and it’s red raw and blistered where the UV rays frohts overhead have scorched my skin

I try to move and realize I can’t; my left foot is bound to the wall by a heavy silver chain Oh fragg, oh fragg, oh fraggI yank on the chain, which sizzles into e an inch

The metal door clanks open, and Natalie’s mom, the Emissary, appears at the threshold Her pale hands are clasped in front of her sickeningly thin body, her breastbone clearly visible beneath her stretched skin There’s nothing of Natalie’s warmth and softness about her; there’s no resemblance at all, except the cornflower blue of her eyes In the corridor behind her, Martha--the Darkling house a stain off the floor A worried look flits across her face when she sees me The Emissary impatiently shoos her away

Euards shut the door She holds a sachet of Synth-O-Blood in one hand, while the other is closed around a sh cracked lips "I didn’t even knoas dead"

She contecard My calling card! I’d given it to Chris earlier this week

"Does this look familiar to you?" she says

"You can’t keep hts, twin-blood You’re not hu my lips

She steps back warily "I recoain, desperation creeping into my voice

"Chris Thoistered in the city, and he had your playing card, which I’ve been inforive to your ‘clients’ That’s all the evidence we need"

A cannonball drops in et executed for a crime I didn’t even commit

"Just confess to the crime, and this will all be over," she says icily

"I didn’t do it!"

She hts turn up to full power I howl again as hts lower I curl up into a ball, ently need blood to heal myself In the faint recesses ofles the Synth-O-Blood in front of me "Is this what you’re after, half-breed?"

I refuse to look at it I’

She takes out a hairpin and pierces the bag Blood drips onto the floor beside s drip with venom

"This can be yours," she says softly "All you have to do is confess that you killed Chris"

"Never"

She squeezes the bag, and more blood spills onto the floor I shut my eyes

"Just confess--"

"No"

"Confess!"

My sto, so sweet and delicious and--

I crouch over and lap up the spilled blood, huusted with oodAll you have to do is confess, and the rest is yours My skin iins to heal asto pink, then pearl white<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>