Days of the Dead Book 1: The Thief's End

Chapter 4: I nearly get murdered by Vikings and go directly to math

Kit
I fall to the deck of a ship. And my first, thought, unfortunately, is 'what was the amulet gonna do if the boat wasn't there? Drop me in the ocean?' They're tied to location, so like, theoretically yes. Unless the boat is the location? Cool, I'm not going to test that theory. Ever. I'm lying. I probably will actually wind up testing that sometime.
I rise to my feet, swaying. There's a cloudy, dark sky over head. And everybody on this ship immediately wants to kill me. Cool. Cool. Cool.
It's like a large ship, but not like a pirate ship. It has, oars, which is different. And everyone is really well armed. It has come to my attention these are Vikings. I'm about to be murdered by Vikings.
I take off down the ship, using magic to stop their blows. I'm fighting twenty men at a time and I'm rapidly wearing out. I should just summon the dragon.
Let me elaborate.
A few years ago.I found this opal that immediately turned into a dragon. By found, I mean I and the idiots in the cave found it and I stole it. Anyway, a dragon comes out of the ring if I pour enough magic into it but the last time I did that I was super sick. I did it to save, you guessed it, the idiots in the cave, but I had to take myself home immediately. My mother kept me home from school for three days, and nearly took me to the hospital.
Anyway.
So I'm trying to avoid that but damn these people. Oh, score, there's like a chest. Sort of  a thing  full of stuff. Let me steal something at random and—
And I fall of the boat, and into the black freezing water.
Well.
I just slip off the ring in time as dark water fills my mouth and I feel the weight of arrows piercing my skin as the ship's inhabitants fire into the water.
Soaking, and freezing, I fall back to the floor of my room, blood draining from several, however shallow arrow wounds.
Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.
I scramble to my feet, wondering how much noise that made. I have a handful of I guess Viking loot. That had better be sufficient. I throw that on the bed and start stripping off my soaking clothes. What time is it? Oh, ten minutes before I'm supposed to wake up.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Kit? Are you okay? Tap twice if you're fine I thought I heard something," my mother calls.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
There is blood and water all over this carpet. My teeth are chattering. I'm a mess. I haven't slept. I stumble to the wall, and rap twice.
"Okay, sorry, I thought I heard a bang," she says.
I look down and see my chest covered in blood. Oh there's still an arrow in my skin.
I don't think I faint but I just fall down and lose consciousness for a few minutes. Fear not! I wake up when my head smacks the radiator, fuck my life.
"Kit are you okay?"
I rap twice, gritting my teeth.
"Um, okay, I'll start breakfast."
I rap once that I acknowledge it. Damn my life. Damn the idiots who got trapped in a cave to begin with.
I painfully tug the arrow from my skin, blood washes down my chest and pants, and onto the bed. What to tie it up with? Blood is everywhere? How do I explain this? Not the first time I've come home with questionable wounds but the amount of blood is new. I dig my first aid kit out from under my bed, and pack the wound with gauze. Then I use a towel to mop up my chest. As best I can, which is to say horribly. I use duct tape to hold the gauze in place and call it good, painfully dressing in the cleanest set of clothes I can find.
Then, I stumble out to the kitchen. I'm sure I look as bad as I feel but I can't even worry about that right now.
I slump at the kitchen table, the string of amulets heavy around my neck. I really do need to go to sleep. Maybe I can sleep during first period?
"Did you sleep okay?" My mother asks.
I shake my head no, which is the grossest understatement of the year.
"Oh um, I've been meaning to ask you, have you seen Ethan's dog tags? I was cleaning up last night and they aren't with his picture," she frowns.
Shit.
So, back up.
Every world I've travelled to, there are tales of some, all powerful, wizard. A wizard who can bend lightening with his bare hands. According to rumor, he commands a giant red dragon. His magic lightening is etched onto his skin and one eye is colorless. Anyway all that's rumor. And I figured if I fought or captured somebody like that, my master would be bound to give me back my voice.
So.
I decided that this legendary wizard should be my arch nemesis. I think I need one. So the other week I was in my usual state of being up to no good. And I was following some Templars. I don't know what Templars are except these guys who occasionally try to kill me.
Anyway. I was following the Templars. Like you do. And I found out they were scrapping with some wizard who was raising a red dragon. Well just to clear the air, I asked the Templars if they wanted help, planning to double cross them. I didn't get the chance, the wizard beat me up before I could double cross anyone. But. Point of the narrative is. In scrapping with the wizard, I gave him my dead brother's dog tags, so that the wizard could come and find me so we could have a rematch. Fun! I might even die this time. Anyway.
I shake my head at my mother, innocently. She loved Ethan. He was okay I guess. Never had the time of day for me. He died in Vietnam, which is sad. But, again, he never cared much about me. He and our father got along well. Whatever, I know I'm supposed to miss him. I don't. Our mother misses him but like, it's not like things were good when he was around. And I hate her missing him. Because I know she wishes it weren't just the two of us. When I don't mind it just the two of us.
"Maybe they fell or something. Are you sure you're okay, honey?"
I nod, despite never having been less 'okay'.
"I'm gonna get gas after I drop you off. Did you get a treat or something with that tutoring money?"
I nod, which is a lie.
"Okay um—I'm going shopping this afternoon try to think of anything you need you can leave a message at the hospital okay?" She asks.
She's a receptionist at the animal hospital. Don't know if I mentioned that.
I nod, smiling pleasantly.
"I worry about you sometimes," she says, petting my hair out of my face.
I nod. I worry about me constantly.
She drives me to school, and I'm in pain most of the way. The arrow wound plus a couple of nasty falls last night did me no good and I just want to curl up and sleep. But I don't.
I walk into school, head down. I'm too weary to ignore their jibes or the way they part like the Red Sea. My sexuality makes me a leper in 1986, despite what those idiots in the cave think or how they knowingly act in public. Here I'm an outcast. I hate them anyway. I guess. So it shouldn't matter.
I walk to my first class and slump down in my seat, in the back. Math. I'm not terrible at it. But I also just want to go to sleep. I pull up the hood of my sweatshirt and almost immediately pass out on, head on my arm. This is going to be such a long day.
Like. Such a long day.
I sleep through most of class and only wake up because the teacher shakes my hood.
"Kit? Your momma called the office. Go on down okay?" She asks.
I nod, getting up, painfully. The passing period is only ten minutes, so most everyone is in class. By the time I limp down naturally my mother has hung up. Of course. Why would she stay on the line? It's not like I can talk.
The message is this Talk to Tabitha after school.
Wow so my mom is setting me up with girls now? I thought the no talking thing was much worse than the gay thing? She and Tabitha's mom work together. What'd she do to get set up with the gay mute boy? Get pregnant?
Anyway. My mom has known hers for ages. We used to play together a bit when we were little, like you do, but the last five years have been a lot. My father's mysterious death. My lack of a voice. Just a lot. Anyway we're not really friends anymore, she hangs out with people who talk, who don't get called 'AIDS' more than their actual name.
I am not good at following directions and find Tabitha in the lunchroom. She's sitting alone at the end of one table. Reading, and eating a SPAM sandwich.
I sit down across from her, pleasantly, arms folded.
She sighs, and rolls her eyes a little. Typical reaction to me I must admit. She's got her brown hair in a few clips but not neatly, and honestly doesn't look like she's slept much more than I have, in a hoodie and faded jeans a size too small. She's gained weight or they aren't her jeans because I can see hip fat oozing out over the top. It doesn't help that the hoodie is too short.
"Did your mom call you?" She asks, looking around like she doesn't want to be seen with me. An understandable reaction. I don't know if she usually sits alone or not. I really don't pay much attention to her, to be honest. I usually sleep through lunch for dimension jumping, crime related reasons.
I hold up the message, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah that says after school," she sighs, closing her book, "I'm supposed to walk home with you."
I glare. I have plans.
"Yeah I know, we ah—we're leaving my dad. My mom and I so your mom said we could stay with you. Our moms decided this last night. Apparently. We're gonna be out on your sofa so, just like, can this be cool?" She asks.
I get out a notebook and a Sharpie, primly.
"Oh god," she says.
I write on a page: When am I not cool?
She sighs, "Okay um, for instance? When you were half naked drunk off your ass kissing Astor in front of half the school."
I don't remember that. I remember that every goddamn day.
"Seriously, I know you're—whatever, you've got whatever going on but can we just deal?" She asks.
Why couldn't we? I'm perfectly civil and very nice. And handsome.
"Look, don't act cute with me. I've known you since we were four, all right? I know you cut school half the time and my friend Katie works at the CVS she's seen you shop lifting medical supplies and shit. Whatever you're involved in, I don't want any trouble all right? I'm trying to get out of this town."
You think I'm selling drugs? I smile, turning the paper around. I should act like I'm selling drugs. It would make me look more tough.
"I don't know or care okay? You look and act like you're on crack, and that's whatever. But I don't want it around me," she says.
FINE I get up and walk away, making a mental note to procure some drugs and hide them in her backpack. Bitch. I let her cut my hair when we were in the second grade.
I manage to avoid her and Aster the rest of the day, but as promised I meet her outside the school. It's a warm fall day, and I feel sweat running down my back. My bandages have soaked through and I can see spots of blood on my shirt. Well. Nobody pays attention to me apparently so what's it matter.
Tabitha joins me, wordlessly, her head bowed. My previous annoyance almost evaporates. She looks extremely miserable. Probably because she has to go home with me, but you know.
"Hi," she nods a little bit.
I shrug and start walking. I don't forgive her that much. I didn't think we were friends. But I also didn't think she'd written me off as much as the rest of this damn town has. I tip my head up, shaking bangs out of my face. Sometimes I wish I'd evaporate. Or just die someplace that isn't this town. The other dimensions are fine. You know what? I've decided that's how I want to die. I want to die with the idiots in the cave urgently, but completely ineffectively, trying to heal me. They compose poems all the time they'd probably write one about me. That would be fine, I'd rather die there than in this godforsaken town. It would be completely fine.
"Are you high right now or something?" Tabitha asks.
I sneer at her. I don't know why she'd ask me that.
"Whatever," she shakes her head, "Fine."
I sigh, feeling a bit bad. I tug my notebook from my pocket and write on it: Didn't sleep much
"Oh. Right, neither did I," she shrugs a little. She's just carrying her school backpack. Is this—planned? Like where are her clothes and stuff?
I flip to a new page in my notebook, Does your dad know you're leaving?
She sighs, "No. he doesn't my mom and your mom arranged it last night."
Damn it, then do I need to stick around? Is this dangerous?
"Not to you, I mean, I'm sure he'll be too drunk to care," she says, but not like he believes it.
I grit my teeth. I need to have my conscience removed. It would make international jewel theft easier. You stay in my room. The door locks, and you can get out the window if need be. I will stay out on the sofa, and stop anyone who tries to come in.
She laughs a little bit, "That's okay, Kit, no offense but I don't think you should try to fight him if he does come."
I cock my head.
"Don't make me say it," she sighs.
I cock my head more.
"Okay you're five foot nothing and you look like you're twelve and at the moment you look strung out on coke," she says.
I smile, slowly writing what do you think happened to my father?
"Didn't he disappear? Why are you smiling like that? Oh my god—you did not. You're crazy. And that was five years ago you were even smaller then," she frowns.
Believe whatever makes the nightmares go away
"Why are you like this? Why are you so creepy all the time? Did you go to creep school or something?" She groans, walking away from me.
I jog to follow, laughing.
We get back to the trailer and I toss her my key off my key ring. It's not like I can't pick the lock if need be. Then I go in my room and shove my stuff into a few cardboard boxes, from my closet, and grab my bed things.
"Are you sure? Kit really don't a start fight—is that blood on your shirt—?"
I shake my head no, dumping my stuff by the sofa, and dusting my hands.
She sighs a little, setting down her backpack, and just staring around the narrow trailer. It smells like smoke. Dead five years and it still stinks like smoke.
"Is that Ethan?" She asks, looking at a picture on the wall. His war stuff, and the flag they gave us. Like that makes anything okay, the flag he died for.
I nod.
"I'm gonna, I don't know, do some homework I guess," Tabitha shrugs, awkwardly, "What are you—,"
I double over in pain, the bracelet on my wrist constricting mercilessly. My master's call. It's been a little while. I'm sure he wants to know what I've been up to. I have the Viking coins and things I stole. And I do need that coin back if I'm gonna get us out of the cave. Ah damn it.
"Are you okay?" Tabitha asks.
I nod, face lined with pain as I clutch my arm. Okay. Got it. I do have a life. He could give me time before—ow, tightening it again.
"What's wrong?" Tabitha asks, coming over.
I sort for a piece of paper. I was going to do this subtly I don't remember how because now I'm in crippling pain. So I compose a nice, logical message. for personal reasons I am going to walk out that door and not come back for many hours and we are not going to talk about it ever.
"What, are you going to get high or something?" Tabitha frowns.
I smile a little, wave, and then back towards the door, checking my pockets to ensure I have everything. I need.
"Where do I tell them you went?" She asks.
I hold up one of my prewritten cards: I super don't care
Then I stumble out the door and lean against the house, painfully. Time to answer destiny's call.