Naught and the Circle

Chapter 5 - Lemegeton

The reflection of the fractured moon bathed in the sea. Its originator hung firmly on the night sky.

The coast was silent this evening. As if expecting their arrival. Strawberries was fixated on the moon. It seemed brighter than ever. Menacing even. Watching, threatening to tattle to anyone who cared to listen. She felt their eyes on them, the creatures out there in the darkness, surely searching for them. And here she was, stuck in this little train, making far too much noise.

Ritter groaned. Strawberries was certain she had given her a concussion. They had handcuffed their captors to the radiator, but—thanks to Strawberries—gone a little easier on the poor woman. She studied her face. Ritter was beautiful, even with that purple bruise on her forehead. Her defined cheeks ended in a jawline sharp and strong. Strawberries wished she looked more like that.

The blow must have scrambled her a bit. Her left pupil was wider than her right, and she kept muttering about FarHaven.

One time Oliver had gotten knocked out in a bar fight and he had struggled for weeks afterwards. Complaining about dizziness and headaches. How terrible she felt to have inflicted that on anyone. She ran her fingers through Ritter's hair, then thought of Oliver, then of Jonny. Then she looked out of the window and thought of the ocean.

"Well, this was a right lovely idea.." Gavin paced up and down the aisle. "Just lovely.."

"They're gonn' kill us if we go home." Shelby replied. "We figure out what's going on and then we send them back, without us. We got a better chance escaping to somewhere else."

"He'll hunt you down," Barrett said and yanked on his handcuffs. "Gut you traitors. You better think real hard on your next move. You're walking on a tightrope."

"Better walking it than swinging from it," Shelby replied.

"We're coming up on the lighthouse." Cassiel announced from behind the driver's seat. "I've slowed down so you may take the helm and bring us in."

"Looks like angel boy is a fast learner," Shelby said.

"Angel boy?" Barrett replied.

The train pulled up at the foot of the hill. Shelby, Strawberries, and Gavin had been at the lighthouse a few times before, but for the others it must have been a surreal image. A daunting pillar. The blinding searchlight on top, illuminating the area as it rotated. Guarding it from outsiders like themselves. Behind it, the treacherous sea stretched into the black horizon. A fresh salty scent of water hit them. She had seen the ocean before, but it never ceased to amaze her.

The first time, she had stood there speechless. Shelby had patted her on the back, reminding her how it was turned vicious after the Great F-All and not to venture any closer. 'Wicked beasts live in it now,' he had said.

She stepped out onto the platform. Ritter leaned against the door, trying not to throw up.

"If you give me any trouble," Shelby told her. "I'll bury you out here."

She rubbed her forehead and signaled for him to lower his voice.

"Hey." He turned to Gavin. "Stay here with the meathead. Take care of him if he gives you any trouble."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gavin replied.

"Just shoot him in the head if he moves, Gav. it's not exactly brain surgery, is it?"

"Well, if we're bein' 'onest, it technically is, innit?"

Shelby stared at him until he gave in and sat next to Barrett.