“Ellen.”
“Did you … love her?”
James narrowed his eyes and scowled. “She was a friend. She got caught up in my business. Fucking … sucks. That’s all.”
He got up slowly, bracing himself against the rickety shack and looked down over the field.
“Urszula’s gone. They must have taken her.”
“Urszula? You mean, that Duster girl? She’s here too?”
“Yeah.”
“But she’s been dead a hundred years at least.”
“Yeah.”
“James. These are miracles!”
“Nah. Just loopholes.”
He looked so grim. Yet here they were together. Alive! Certainly there were things to celebrate as well as mourn.
“James? Are you mad at me?”
James sighed.
“I just … wish … things had worked out differently.”
“But we’re here … together. That’s good, right?”
He took a deep breath and sighed, came over and gave Karla a hug. He took a step back. Looked deep into her eyes.
“Listen. This is how it’s all gonna go down from here. Not that I can predict a future but it doesn’t take a genius to know what happens next. I’m probably gonna go to jail. There’s no avoiding that. But you, they might let go. There’s no evidence you were involved in anything. But the thing is … you’re in America with no record of entering the country legally. So they’re gonna deport you back to the UK.”
“James, no! I’m not leaving you. We just found each other. And we just got here. It’s not fair. How can we—?”
“It’s not up to us! Now calm down and listen. It’s not gonna be forever. It never is. They’re gonna take you away from me. And I’ll do my time if it comes to that. But even when I get out, I can never go back to the UK. Not legally. I’m banned in Britain. So we’re gonna have to figure out another place to meet.”
“What about Root?” she said.
“Maybe,” said James. “If we can both find our way back there. But to tell you the truth, I’m kind of sick of the afterworld. I’d rather be with you here, however we can work that out.”
“We can run from here! Hide.”
“Really? Look around you. We’re surrounded by SWAT teams. They’ll gun us down if we try and scram.”
“When? If they take you away. When will I see you? How? Where?”
“Listen. It doesn’t matter where you go. I will find you. I’ve got the means. This guy Wendell gave me some money and I think I know where more might be stashed. If only I can get a few days out on bail, I’m pretty sure I can get there before the cops do. I don’t think they’re gonna to find his body right away.”
“Why? Where is it?”
“See that big beech in the middle of the field.”
“What?”
“He’s inside, thanks to Urszula.”
“How?”
“Let’s just say she had a bone to pick with him. Now come over here, you. Hold me. This is gonna be our last chance for a while. But I promise, wherever you end up, I will find you. We just need to pick a place to meet. Anywhere in the world, but not the UK because I’m probably on a black list with immigration there. But you name the place and after I do my time, I will meet you there. I promise.”
She struggled to get her lip to stop quivering so could speak.
“What about … Roma?”
“Sure. Whatever you want.” His eyes focused inward for a moment. “On the edge of St. Peter’s Square, around the corner from St. Mark’s, there are these columns. A passage leading out of the square. On the East side. You know it?”
“Of course.”
“There are benches there. Out of the rain. I have no idea how long it’s gonna be but I promise I’ll get my ass to Italy as soon as I can. I’ll go and sit on those benches every day until I see you.”
“And I will go too. Every day.”
“It could take a year Karla. Maybe more if they tie me to all this drug stuff, not to mention … the killings. This is not just about me stealing my dad’s truck anymore.”
“I will write to you. I will visit.”
He shook his head. “They ain’t letting you into this country again, once you’re out. You’re in the same boat I’m in with the UK.”
“How will I know where you are?”
“Just watch the news. Google me. You’ll know when I get out. And I promise you, I will get my ass to St. Marks the day I get free. Got it?”
“I will go there every day and wait for you. Every day.”
Tears rolled down Karla’s face. So strange, that tickle of moisture, and ironic. How many times she had tried to cry in the Deeps and couldn’t, and now that she wanted to be brave for James, the floodgates had broken loose.
She held him tighter, buried her face in his chest. “I’m not ready to leave you … not yet. We just got here. I just found my life again.”
James kept still and held her firmly. She felt him inhale deeply and turned to see what worried him.
A man from the bomb squad had given the all clear signal. The SWAT teams came storming across the barriers and onto the stands.
“This is it,” said James. “Listen. These guys that are coming … do whatever they say. Give them no reason to shoot us. Okay?”
Her heart ached, but something deeper and more tangible pained her as well, throbbing deep inside her midsection, filling her with an intense burning. She reached down and felt her belly but could find no trace of the Hashmal’s arrow that had impaled the two of them, only that phantom but very real pain.
“Do you feel it, too?” she said, as a trio of men leveled weapons on them and barked orders to move apart. “This pain?”
“I do,” said James.
THE END
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