The Magus Chronicles

Have You Figured It Out Yet?

Livia drove home as everyone else sat in silence. The car passed through cornfields and forests, headlights piercing the darkness of narrow country lanes. The rain had quieted, no longer a gushing downpour, but lightning flickered in front of them, always just out of reach. The clock on the dash read nearly two in the morning, and though Livia felt tired, her mind continued to pound, the gears refusing to slow, or stop. 

Part of that was because Jack was in the back seat, staring straight ahead with his hands on his thighs. She tried not to look in the rearview mirror, because the sight of his blank black eyes was just too terrifying. It was as though someone had opened up his head and taken out all the soul, then sewn him back up.

That person sat next to her in the front seat. Percy had kicked his feet up on the dash, pulled out a pad of paper and begun scribbling away on it with a broken pencil.

"We're close," she said, the first words anyone had spoken since Percy had directed her onto the narrow highway they had followed for the entire time.

Percy looked up as Livia merged carefully onto the highway, then switched lanes clumsily to get to the bridge.

"Home sweet home," he said, tucking the pad of paper into his pocket. "Let's go to Leo's."

"Percy," Livia protested, "its two in the morning."

"Leo's is open twenty-four hours. And I think you both deserve a treat after tonight."

"Damn straight," Constantine's tone was impartial, his gray eyes staring out the window.

Glory's head pounded. Exhaustion sucked at her flesh and skin. She had slept for ten thousand years, but waking was harder than sleeping. She wanted to collapse. The only thing stringing her bones together was fear. Fear, growing like a tumor in her stomach. Metastasizing. 

The night sky seemed bright after so many year with her eyes closed. The rain on her skin, though it was slowing, hurt. Her eyes burned like flames in their sockets. The corn where it brushed against her body felt like hands. 

And their rustles sounded like voices. 

Glory staggered onto a path, and flinched at the thunder. 

I need to go home. I need to go home. I need to go- 

Glory turned full circle, staring at the malevolent corn. "Where is home?" 

Stupid girl. 

Glory whirled, looking for the voice. 

It's gone. It's all gone. The voice moaned, matching the rising wind. Glory reached out in the darkness, but there were only leaves. The words and wind slipped through her fingers. 

Haven't you figured it out yet?

Glory raked at her hair. Mud, pebbles and grass all fell to the ground as she yanked at the snarls, as though pain would give her the answers. 

"Figured what out?"

She felt at her wrist, then felt foolish, then wondered why she felt foolish. Everything was happening so fast. 

Stupid girl. 

"What happened?" Glory spoke into the rain and the corn. "I can't remember what happened." 

She doesn't remember?

She doesn't remember!

You're asking the wrong questions.

Glory staggered out of the corn, then threw herself back with a yelp as headlights peeled across her face.

"What's the right question then?" She shouted.