Fear (Gone 5)

“We each must serve,” Brittney recited, like a lesson she’d learned a long time ago.

“And you think Jesus wants you to do this? This? Threaten a pregnant girl with a rock? That’s your religious theory? Jesus wants you to help a sadistic mental case to turn me over to a monster? I must have missed that part of the Bible. Is that part of the Sermon on the Mount?”

Brittney looked at her, very serious, and waited until Diana had run out of breath, if not scorn.

“That was the old God, Diana. That God was before. He doesn’t live in the FAYZ.”

Diana felt like choking the girl. And if it would do any good she would, and gladly. She wondered if she could stun Brittney long enough to get away. Surely a big rock would at least stun her.

But unfortunately everyone knew the story of what had happened when Brianna fought Drake. She had sliced him up like a butcher with a hog. And yet, he had survived. The same would be true of Brittney. And Diana didn’t have a machete.

“God is everywhere,” Diana said. “You were a church girl; you must know that.”

Brittney’s eyes were bright, eager, as she leaned forward. “No. No. I don’t have to follow an invisible god anymore. I can see him! I can touch him! I know where he lives, and what he looks like. No more little children’s stories. He wants you. That’s why we came for you.” She made a chiding face. “You should be excited.”

“You know what? I’m ready for Drake to come back. He’s evil, but at least he’s not an idiot.”

Diana stood up. So did Brittney.

“Justin,” Diana said.

“Yes?”

“See the place where the hills end? The lake is just past that. Start running.”

“Are you coming?” Justin cried.

“Right behind you. Now, run!”

Brittney didn’t come after Diana, although Diana swung on her again. Brittney ran after Justin.

She caught him easily. Diana tried to grab Brittney, but a pregnant girl running in the sand…

Brittney hugged Justin to her with one arm. In her free hand she held a sharp rock very close to Justin’s chattering, fearful mouth. It was a heartbreaking parody of maternal protectiveness.

Diana remembered again who Brittney had once been. The brave, decent girl who refused to disappoint Sam and Edilio.

It was Diana, along with Caine and Drake, who had made this Brittney. They and, of course, the Darkness. What a fatal little group they had proved to be. Look at the damage they had done, she and Caine and Drake. And the gaiaphage.

Now here they were on their way to a reunion. Diana, and Drake, and the gaiaphage. And Caine’s role would be played by his son or daughter.

She had wanted so badly to escape it all. For that briefest moment she believed she had changed Caine. And that was when they had created the baby inside her.

“Keep walking,” Brittney said, actually stroking Justin’s face with the stone. “Please.”

It was not Drake. The distant figure Brianna had seen was not Drake. It was Dekka. And Brianna had raced up within shouting distance with her machete out before she realized.

She skidded to a halt.

Dekka was covered in blood from hand to elbow, with sprays of it across her face.

“Where have you been?” Dekka demanded without so much as a hello.

Brianna sheathed her machete and decided against answering. “What’s with the blood?”

“It’s your boyfriend’s,” Dekka grated.

“My what?”