They were lucky enough that locks in Squalor square were not hard to open.
Bella turned the pin again. The lock clicked. It fell into her hand.
She turned to look at Seth. He nodded. Then she opened the door.
The seeing eye chain pulsed against her collarbone. Now she understood what Seth meant by being constantly hit by sensory overload.
"We're going to the bedroom. Right?" Bella asked again to be sure. Her fists clenched.
The walls were riddled with moss. Water soaked through the heavy ceiling before dripping into different metal buckets.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Bella's stomach clenched with every step she took.
The smell of wet clothes and garbage lanced through the air. It speared her nostrils the way a literal arrow would have. Bella recoiled-pausing to stabilize herself.
She leaned against the wall. Her fingers found a wet patch. Bile filled her throat. She immediately withdrew her hand.
"Breathe. Just breathe." Seth's soothing voice cushioned the effect of the hyperstimulating smells that clogged the air, tightening around her throat like a vice.
She shuddered.
"It's almost time. We have to get into places."
She clenched her knuckles then nodded.
They continued down the lean, crumbling hallway. Rotting floorboards gave a glimpse of the puddles underneath the house. Wooden planks in the ceiling had been dislodged, dangling for dear life.
Then the room.
It was large. Sparse. Empty.
The floorboards were also equally corroded but looked more stable. Apart from where the man slept, there were only two other items-a gun and a hoe.
The man's peaceful snores snaked through the air. She gritted her teeth. Her jaw set as she watched the rise and fall of his chest.
If not that her hands were tied, she'd arrest him herself.
"I'm here."
Bella swiveled. Seth, with the cane, limped to the corner of the room that a stray floorboards leaned against the wall. As soon as he reached there, he sat down.
Seth gave her an encouraging smile.
A knife twisted in her gut.
Isn't it better for you to quit now?
Aren't you tired of the blood on your hands?
You really can't do this. You know that.
You're no warrior.
The silence before her enunciated the cries that curled around her-judging her.
They were rapid-brutal.
Unforgiving.
Quit now. Live! You're not a hero-stop being a hypocrite.
You're not suited for this! This is stupid.
The still air wrapped her lungs in the wrong way. The peace. The serenity. It made her throat burn-like she'd swallowed hot, angry coal.
It reminded her of everything that could go wrong. All that she couldn't understand. Everyone that could die because of her.
She tried to call on the rage. The rage of injustice. The rage of having to live with his burnt corpse in mind. The rage from Heidi's cruel words.
That set her ablaze again. Her skin burned. Her body quivered. Her jaw set.
You can do this.
Sing. Protect Seth. Drain her energy until Seth is done with whatever he is doi-
The revenant appeared in the middle of the room.
Her nerves jumped. Her stomach twisted. Her limbs shook.
She was so close. So close.
Her breath turned to steel.
The revenant's eyes-dark, soulless.
Merciless.
You're going to die.
You're going to die.
You're going to die.
The revenant stretched her hand forward. The matchbox morphed into existence.
Well you're all going to die if you don't do anything!
That spurred her.
1.
In one clean motion, she pulled out a pin from the holster belt before hurling it at the revenant.
2-
The countdown paused as soon as the pin slid into the revenant.
It glitched.
It whirled to her. Its eyes widened. Its hair stood on end. Its lips formed a twisted snarled.
Her heart clenched.
It shrieked. Bursts of flames erupted right in front of her. Bella jumped out of the way. The flames hit the empty wall-it disappeared on contact.
Bella opened her mouth. Her throat closed over. No words came out. No sound.
I can't do this.
Panic hit her like a hurricane.
A fiery spear flew out of the revenant's hand. Bella raised the extendable shield. Hot sir skittered past the shield. It heated up. Her knees buckled.
Another wave of flames hit her. Air got knocked out of her chest. Her lips parted. She sailed through the air.
She slammed into the wall back-first. Her vision thinned. Blood pounded in her ears. Bella collapsed to the floor.
She coughed-pain radiating down her back.
Her belly tightened.
What are you doing? Get up!
I told you you would die.
Bella glanced at Seth. He was sitting on the floor-kness folded. Still. Silent. His eyes were glowing silver-
A wall of hot air slapped her face first. Her eyes watered. Her skin sizzled
A scream escaped her throat. Once again her head slammed against the wall.
The world spun. She doubled over. Her breathing became ragged. Her shaky fingers curled.
Through tunnel-like vision, cloves of fire dashed towards her. Bella pulled the shield up again. The metal clanged. The gloves burned.
Her mouth dried.
You can't do this.
With a mighty roar, she pushed the attack back. She got up on heavy knees. Her eyes found Seth again.
Bella ducked and ran. She dashed to the other end of the room, leading the revenant away from Miles.
It shrieked again. She threw a pin. It glitched.
A spear hummed past her arm. Fabric peeled. Her lips curled into a hiss. Dark spots stained her vision.
Bella stumbled to the ground again. She tried to sing again.
Still, nothing.
The song lodged in her throat.
As the revenant advanced towards her, she tried again and again. Her throat felt scratchy. Her voice coming out as a squeak-barely any musical note.
In that moment, she wasn't even sure she remembered the lyrics. Her eyes burnt.
The matchbox resurrected in the revenant's hand.
Old. Inhumane.
Savage.
The countdown began.
1.
I told you-you can't do this.
Her shoulders throbbed.
You failed everyone. Miles. Father. Mother. Seth.
Even you-all because you couldn't do what you needed to.
3.
But now you can. You can do it. You are competent. You are passionate. You are enough.
Her blood boiled. Her skin sizzled. Sweat slithered down her body. Orange blossomed before her.
Ash. Flame.
Death.
You are enough. You are competent.
In that moment, she decided to believe. Whether it was a lie or truth-she still didn't know. But she inhaled the power of the words-the power that her belief gave to them.
Her throat loosened. Her mouth slacked. Miles voice echoed in the depths of her mind, soft and comforting-stemming from a memory out of reach.
"Besides, my perce-ption isn't the most important thing. It's you-rs
In the world of ash and smoke, she began to sing.