Velocity (The Gravity Series) Page 25

  Sissy, the irritated young woman with the high-pitched voice and the ugly pinched face, came over and started giggling. “Look at how she’s bleeding! Not so tough now, cherie!” She danced around, still laughing, and pointed at Ruby. I got a sudden sense of apprehension.

  In one swift movement, Dexter grabbed Sissy and slit her throat. Her eyes registered shock as she dropped to her knees, the life flooding out of her with the blood down her chest. Gasps of horror resonated through the room. Sissy fell down on the seal and it began to glow neon green, illuminating the entire cave.

  “That won’t do! She’s going to die too fast!” The widow Ford suddenly shouted. Her wrinkled face was twisted in desperation, framed by a hideous mauve bonnet. She shook her arms, raising her small body up to its full height. “You idiot, you pig! After all our planning!”

  Dexter ignored her. He yanked the back of Ruby’s arms up and sawed through the rope. He whispered to her, but I was close enough to hear. “Run.”

  Then he turned and began to cut the other girls, slashing them with careless strokes. I couldn’t look. I couldn’t see anymore blood. Ruby got up to her feet, shrugging off the ropes, and began to run swiftly out of the room. The others were shocked for a moment, then reached out and tried to catch her. Dr. Slaughter tried to wrap his arms around her, but she slid easily out of his grasp.

  I followed her, feeling like I could run faster than I ever had in my life. Moving my legs took no effort at all.

  She ran up and out of the stairs, through the fireplace, and then expertly found her way to the front hall. As she moved, she reached down and ripped the dress into strips to free her legs. She knew the house better than I would have imagined―obviously from living there for so long. I expected the front door to be locked, but she burst through it like nothing and out into the night.

  I could hear the others gaining speed behind us. They wouldn’t let her get away. But with her hair trailing behind her, tearing the dress into more strips as she went, Ruby ran for her life.

  She pushed through the iron gate and across the dirt road to the trees. The branches reached out to ensnare her, but she didn’t stop or slow down. I could feel the hope emanating from her. The trees passed around her. I got the strongest sense of deja vu in my life as I chased her, of the first dream that had started this―me running through the woods, chasing a girl who was leading me to the truth.

  Then, suddenly, I sensed the others right behind me. I peered over my shoulder. Rhodes was holding a shotgun. The sight of it spiked fear in my blood. Dexter was trailing behind the group of men, his arm outstretched, shouting.

  Ruby didn’t even seem to hear them, caught in the freedom of her swift legs.

  The shot rang out, and hit her right in the back. She continued to move for a moment, but then she froze on her bare feet. A bright red circle started to spread in the center of her body around the bullet.

  “No!” I screamed.

  Ruby fell to her knees, her dress soaking red, her graceful limbs swooshing down like a dancer. She dropped into the dirt, bloody spittle running out of her mouth, her eyes open in shocked surprise.

  “You should have let her go!” Dexter screamed, clawing for Rhodes. But Dr. Slaughter held him back.

  Rhodes came up casually and scooped Ruby up on his shoulder, not even paying attention to the blood, resting the shotgun on his other shoulder. He and the others marched back to the house. Dexter, his wrist now tied together with a piece of rope, just looked shocked and upset, and followed them. It was weird to see him express any emotion other than evilness. His anguished expression was the most human I’d seen him.

  Eleanor was suddenly beside me. “Keep moving. You need to see the rest of this, Ariel.”

  It was the first time she’d spoken my name, and it made me shiver. I was aware that time was still going, that I’d been there for at least thirty minutes. I could feel my presence like a piece of thread getting thinner and thinner. I wouldn’t be able to stay much longer.

  We passed through the gate, and crossed the ground. There was a garden spread out in front of the building, one there was no sign of in my time. It almost softened the sight of the orphanage.

  Eleanor was walking beside me. “This is taking too long,” she muttered, and reached out for my hand. I took it hesitantly, and felt a strong electrical shock. Suddenly, I was back underground, still in the past. Eleanor was gone.

  Rhodes dropped Ruby’s barely alive body on the glowing seal. “More blood won’t hurt anything,” he muttered. Then he addressed Dexter, who was now kneeling with his hands tied behind his back by the orphans. “It’s your own fault, you know. You should have known better than getting attached to a pig destined for slaughter. All this time acting like you were above us.”

  Paul Rhodes stood before Dexter, grinning at him and transferring the blood-coated dagger from hand to hand. “Now look what a low beast you’ve become. No better than a dog.”

  “You don’t know what you’re doing!” Dexter cried frantically, straining against his ropes. The others looked worried he would break free. “Hazel was right, there’s too much blood…”

  “I think it best not to listen to your ramblings anymore,” Paul said mildly.

  Ruby opened her eyes, and they were glowing red. Hazel screamed, her hands rushing to cover her mouth. Whipping his head around, the cockiness melting away, Paul stalked towards her.

  The green light turned red as Ruby’s blood dripped down. Each droplet sizzled as it made contact. A glowing red light engulfed her, and everyone stepped back as she hovered up into the air. Her hair and the strips of her dress flew wildly around her. Rhodes ripped the amulet from Dexter’s neck and ran in front of Ruby, towards the seal.

  Ruby twisted her hands forward, and shot out the red light like a laser. It hit Rhodes in the chest, knocking him down. Dr. Slaughter scooped up the necklace, but Ruby again reflected her light out, and it hit the necklace directly. The light prismed out, and a fire burst to life around the seal.

  The flames spread quickly to where Dexter and the orphans were tied up, frantically trying to push themselves away. In an instant, it consumed them. Before my eyes, Dexter’s face and body contorted wildly, and his human shape morphed into the black dog. With a burst of flame, he disappeared. The orphans’ faces became distorted, and they disappeared in a bright shower of sparks. The necklace went shooting upward towards the ceiling like a comet and disappeared through the dirt.

  The holy light, I thought as I felt myself careen upwards towards the present. The holy light is red. Ruby turned her head, and I knew she saw me. She flew up towards me and I felt her crash into my body, enveloping me with a new power as darkness took me back.

  CHAPTER 32

  I WAS BACK in the present time. Power burned within me, making me see everything in red. It filled my muscles with strength like nothing I’d never known before. Every shape and color looked clearer, strongly defined I could read the intentions of every figure around me They’d already cut Theo and had moved on to Shawna Jameson.

  “Show time,” Ruby’s voice whispered from my mouth.

  Harlow let me go completely and stepped back. Phillip was shambling up to Henry. The seal was glowing in full effect now, bright neon green. Theo, Madison, and Shawna were all passed out with their heads bowed, in some kind of a trance.

  Phillip slid the blade over his hand. I caught the rich scent of blood as it began to drip through his fingers. Henry was finally starting to look less drugged, and his eyes bulged as Phillip grasped his hand. He poised the blade over Henry’s flesh as his son tried to struggle away. Parting his lips, Phillip began to chant.

  “A fortiori corpus, corpus infirmus. Transfero animus, datum navis navis.” The tip of the blade touched Henry’s skin, and although Henry was still trying to pull away, Phillip held him tightly.

  My entire body hummed and vibrated, my steps sure. I opened my mouth, lifted up my arms. Electrical currents shot down my arms to my fingertips.

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nbsp; Aiming my hand at Phillip, I let it go. Bright red light shot out of my hand, and blackbirds flew from the dark portal that appeared there. He turned just in time to be hit with blunt force in the chest. The people gathered around us screamed. He stumbled backwards, not expecting the blow. Henry registered me with shock. But I could only concentrate on him for a second.

  I pushed Phillip farther back with the holy light streaming from my fingers. The birds swarmed, got into an arrow formation, and began attacking the Thornhill members, picking at every spot of exposed skin. The cult members screamed and dodged around, covering their faces.

  I turned my head to see Cliff Ford rushing at me like a bear, with both hands outstretched. Harlow bum rushed him and knocked him to the floor. She sat back and swung a punch at his face. The captors holding Hugh and Stauner let them go to protect their own heads. The birds were merciless. Ruby’s rage and power filled me like nothing I’d ever felt before, and I let go of myself, giving in to the feeling. Phillip fell to the ground, gasping for air, his face turning purple.

  Dr. Briggs took the moment of distraction as his opportunity. He rushed over and grasped the necklace from around Phillip’s neck, ripping off the chain. He wrapped it around his own neck and stepped towards the glowing seal, his eager face filled with accomplishment. Phillip recovered, dug through his pocket beneath the robe, and pulled out his revolver. He shot Dr. Briggs in the back. The triumphant smile faded off the doctor’s face as he crumpled to the ground.

  “No!” Harlow screamed. She got off of Cliff Ford and ran to her father’s side.

  The power was finally draining out of me. I rushed at Phillip and using every bit of strength I had left, pushed the last bit of holy light into him. Ruby rushed out of me like a wraith and flew towards him. Wrapping her red dress around his face and body, she embraced him. Screaming, he tried to bat her off, but she held him fast and sealed his mouth with hers. Then they both disappeared in a shower of light.

  Hugh ran up and tapped me on the shoulder. I should have felt tired but adrenaline was screaming through my veins and the residual energy pushed me forward.

  “Get the girls off the seal!” I shouted. “We need to stop the blood from flowing into it!”

  He and Stauner ran towards the tied-up girls, but Theo suddenly ripped her hands free. She clenched the nail file in one fist and jumped up. They started untying the other girls, who were coming around. As they pulled them off of the seal. But the green light still glowed. It was already too late.

  “How are we going to stop it?” Hugh shouted.

  I looked around wildly. There was pandemonium all over, with people running and screaming. Fighting had broken out among members of the opposition and the Thornhill cultists. Joe Reed wrestled one of the hooded figures to the ground. People threw punches with each other. Mrs. Taylor caught Deana by the back of her hood and yanked her backyards, grabbing her hair. The birds were still attacking, and the heartbeat throb was louder and stronger than ever.

  Thinking fast, I ran to where Harlow was crying over her father’s body. Blood oozed out of the side of his mouth and his body was slack.

  “I’m sorry, Harlow,” I said, reaching out for the necklace. “But I need that necklace to stop the seal.”

  “Just take it,” she said bitterly, tossing it at me. “End this.”

  I ran over to the seal, searching for the dagger.

  “No you don’t,” Lainey Ford screamed. She yanked me back by my hair and wrapped some kind of rope around my neck. My tongue bulged out of my mouth as she tugged. “You goddamn bitch, you are not ruining this! This is my big moment!”

  She pulled me so I was walking backwards with my knees, gagging against the rope as my hands tried to claw it off.

  “Lainey, stop!” Henry managed to shout. I was staring up at her face, and she looked at him, her resolve wavering. The rope around my neck loosened enough for me to slide my fingers underneath it, and I yanked it up and over my head as I stepped back.

  Theo ran up and punched Lainey straight in the nose, knocking her backwards. Lainey screamed in pain and clutched her face, her eyes watering.

  “I’ve always wanted to do that,” Theo shouted triumphantly. Then she went down on her knees.

  “Are you okay?” I asked frantically, bending down beside her.

  “I’m fine. The seal just took a lot out of me. Don’t worry about me.”

  Helping her to her feet, I watched as she joined Hugh. I picked up the ceremonial dagger from where it lay by the seal and drew it across my palm, feeling heat and pain sear my flesh. The chaotic seal was opening wider and wider, like a flood. The energy flowing out it felt like nothing I’d ever known as I moved my hand forward. I could see the plains and hills of Luminos again behind my eyes. Pleasurable tingles ran up my fingers, igniting every cell in my hand. I held the necklace over the seal and dropped it, covered in my blood, into the void that had formed in the center of the seal.

  A huge explosion erupted from the seal and shot me backwards. Then the energy swallowed itself up and the green light was gone. I sat panting on the ground. The sound of Dexter’s heart had stopped, and the pressure in the air was dissipating.

  Screams started up all around me, I looked around, and realized that it was the orphans. They were standing around, their faces furious, their mouths open in swirling black screams. The iron plates were empty. Jenna and the rest of the girls had gone. The cavern walls began to shake, dirt collapsing from the ceiling.

  “We’ve got to get out of here!” Stauner shouted.

  The remaining Thornhill members ran for the exit of the tunnel. I was frozen in place. Suddenly, the black dog of Dexter was at my side, tugging at the back of my shirt.

  Move, now, he growled inside my head.

  I lifted myself up as he ran off, giving me one last look with his red eyes, and was gone. Hugh came up to me, supporting a stumbling Theo.

  “Is she okay?” I asked over the din as the walls shook.

  “She’s fine, she’s just tapped out. This place is about to collapse. Let’s go, Ariel.”

  He tried to grab my arm, but I pulled away. “Not without Henry!”

  I tried to change direction, but his grip on me tightened. “Ariel, you don’t even know if he’s himself anymore. What if Phillip’s spell worked and he got into Henry’s body?”

  I stared at my father’s earnest. He was wrong. It couldn’t be, because I’d stopped the vessel transfer. And Henry had gotten Lainey away from me. I had no time to not trust Henry.

  “Get yourself and Theo out of here,” I said firmly, finally pulling away from him. “We’ll be right behind you.”

  Big chunks of ceiling were falling all over. The crudely formed walls around us spewed dirt and rocks. He was about to protest, but he just pressed his lips together. “Make sure you do.”

  He scooped Theo up and she wrapped her arms weakly around his neck. “You better move,” he said, then ran away towards the exit. I ran up to the post and started cutting the ropes on Henry with the dagger. He brought his hands to the front and cupped my face. Seeming in a daze, he stroked my face.

  “My angel,” he murmured.

  I slid him down and helped him to his feet. He bent and pressed his lips to mine.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m still the village idiot, I guess.”

  It was then that I was totally sure. Phillip hadn’t succeeded. Henry was Henry.

  “We have to get out of here,” I told him, yanking on his hand. He seemed to come to his senses and we began to run as the ceiling collapsed around us. Most of the others had already fled. I didn’t see Callie anywhere. Cliff Ford had fallen over, his tongue sticking out of his mouth, clutching his chest in what appeared to be a heart attack. We passed by Harlow, who was still cradling her father.

  “C’mon, we need to get out of here,” I told her.

  “I don’t want to leave him,” she said, her eyes full of tears.

  “He’d want you to get out.” I held out my
other hand. “Come on, please. You helped save us.”

  After a moment of hesitation, she got to her feet, and we ran past trampled bodies and discarded robes. I looked over my shoulder once, and thought that I didn’t see Briggs body anymore, but I couldn’t be sure as more debris fell.

  Madison was standing by herself, as if in a daze, several yard away.

  “Over here!” I shouted, but it was too late.

  As I watched helplessly, a chunk of ceiling fell towards her, crushing her skull. She toppled to the ground as blood sprayed from her head.

  “Maddie!” Lainey screamed, rushing towards her friend. She scooped up Madison’s lifeless body in her arms and cradled her, tears rushing down her face and pattering Madison’s bloody skull. “I’m so, so sorry,” Lainey babbled, rocking them both back and forth.

  “Ariel, move,” Henry commanded, and we ran to the mouth of the tunnel. I could still hear Lainey’s tormented wails. The rest of the ceiling behind us caved in, and buried them together forever.

  CHAPTER 33

  ALL OF US remaining ran through the tunnel, not stopping to really take in our surroundings as the walls shook around us. Henry clutched our hands together tightly and shot down the hall. I took the lead back to the front door. Chunks of plaster were hitting the wooden floor with hard clunks. It felt like the floor was going to give out.

  We raced out the front door. Crossing the lawn, we didn’t stop until we reached the gate, shutting it behind us.

  I took quick stock of the survivors―my father, Theo, Lucy, Henry, Harlow, the Taylors, and several others who had been part of our opposition. I didn’t see Jenna’s father.

  “Where’s Joe?” I asked no one in particular.

  Lucy shook her head to indicate he hadn’t made it.

  “Oh,” was all I could manage as tears prickled my eyes. I swallowed hard. Henry gently pulled my head into the crook of his neck.

  Mrs. Taylor was sobbing into her husband’s chest. Without a word, they began to walk away. Everyone else who wasn’t with our group had fled down the road.