Fear Her Wrath II: Crucible of Glass

Chapter 40

"Is there any chance this was just a crazy one-off thing and we'll never hear from Deadstream again?" I asked as lay on my back, staring at the ceiling of the Night Chapel.

"Highly doubtful," said Ellie. "Serial killers sometimes go years between victims, y'know. But this guy wants attention, right? He won't be able to go that long without the rush."

"Maybe I should go talk to that creep in Rothko with the butterfly collection. That's what you're supposed to do when you're chasing a serial killer, right? Go ask one you've already caught for cryptic hints?"

"Sure," said Ellie innocently. "And you could say hi to Simon while you're there."

I cracked my knuckles irritably.

"It was probably a dumb idea anyways," I muttered.

There was a knock on the tower's trapdoor. I sat up just in time to see Benedict Vang emerging through the opening, his hair wet from the rain that was falling outside.

"Hey Ellie," he said. "Maggs."

"Heya, Ben," said Ellie. "Fancy seein' you here."

Ben took off his raincoat and left it to dry on Simon's old worktable. I tried not to look at him as he made himself comfortable on the only couch, acting like he was just hanging around my superhero lair because had nothing better to do. What really irritated me was that there was no hint of what had happened between us in his eyes or voice. You'd never know we'd been kissing passionately on the floor of a school gym only 24 hours ago. Maybe he was just being a gentleman because Ellie was here, but I didn't know for sure. And I really needed to know.

"Still nothing on Deadstream?"

"No," I said, going back to staring at the ceiling. "Nothing. So if you're looking for excitement—."

The generator next to the couch made a sputtering noise, and the lights we'd strung up around the church tower flickered.

"Oh, perfect," I groaned. "Ellie, where's the extra gas?"

"I dunno. Down in the basement, I think. Wherever Si... yeah. Basement."

I wasn't sorry for an opportunity to get away from Ben, even if I wasn't too keen on visiting the church's dark, dank basement in search of gas to refill the generator. I could hear the rain leaking through the roof as I climbed down the stairs to the church's underbelly and made my search. The gas cans were lined against the wall beside some scrap metal Simon had collected for unknown future use.

We were running low. I'd have to spend what was left of my meager allowance to get another can.

I was lugging the metal can up the stairs that wound their rickety way to the tower room when I noticed that, in my absence, Ellie and Ben were having a conversation. I wouldn't have ordinarily eavesdropped on my friends, but I was annoyed with Ben, and I felt like it was within my rights to know why he was acting like nothing had happened between us.

So, as quietly as possible, I set down the can of gas and crept up to the trap door, listening intently.

"I was just... wondering how she was doing," Benedict was saying. "I dunno why. She's been acting weird lately. Weirder than normal. Maybe I was worried. It's nothing."

"You're in love," said Ellie playfully.

Benedict scoffed.

"In love? You kidding? I mean, she's alright. She doesn't look... bad. Not from behind, at least. She's got spirit, too, which I like. Watching feisty girls beg is more fun."

Ellie snorted.

"Bro, I've watched you guys practice. You could cut that sexual tension with a chainsaw."

"So she wants me. So what? Lots of girls want me. And who can blame them?"

"The tension goes two ways," said Ellie. "To be honest, I'd say you want her even more than she wants you."

"False," Ben retorted. "I just like messing with her. She doesn't take it seriously."

He paused, and I figured he was looking at Ellie, gaging his chances.

"Does she take it seriously?"

"Not playin' this game, Vang," said Ellie. "It's either pretend flirting or it isn't, y'know? I think you're, like, afraid to admit that you like her because you're so used to girls fawning all over you, and you don't know how to handle fear of rejection."

I heard Ben pacing the tower for a while.

"But does she like me?"

"Nope. You have to ask her yourself. Take a risk for once in your life, Vang. Stop bein' such a boy."

Deciding I'd been listening long enough, I climbed up through the trapdoor with the gas can over my shoulder, pretending I'd just made it back and hadn't heard anything they were saying.

"We're almost out, Ellie," I said as I started filling the generator. "No way I'm going out to get more until the rain stops."

"Maybe Ben will go if you ask nicely," said Ellie with a mischievous grin.

"I am not replacing Mallory as errand boy," said Ben, propping his feet up on the end of the couch. I pulled an annoyed face, which I'm sure was exactly the reaction he was going for.

"You know," said Ellie. "I've actually got a friend who—."

Both me and Ellie's phones were buzzing noisily. I immediately set down the gas can and reached for my mask and cape.

"New Deadstream video just went up," said Ellie, typing frantically at her computer. "Oohkay, let's get the stream open and let my new program to do its magic."

"Who's he got?" asked Ben, leaning over her shoulder.

"Let's see," said Ellie. "Title says 'Edith Gardner.' No idea who that is. Maybe it's another student from Redding Middle?"

Ellie and Ben both leaned closer to the screen. Behind them, I stood on tip-toe as I fastened my cape, trying to see over their heads.

"Huh," said Ben. "That's... not a kid."

He was right. It was an old woman—maybe in her late sixties, maybe even older. Everything about her was thin and pointy, and her skin seemed to stretch over her bones like leather. We got a pretty good look. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but... Deadstream always stripped his victims.

Otherwise, though, the setup was the same. Dozens of vintage microphones. A dark room with boarded up windows. The victim tied to a chair. Deadstream laying out his arsenal of maiming implements.

"Ellie, put the audio in my ear," I said, snatching up my electro-staff and slinging my satchel over my shoulders. "And get me an address."

"On it," she said. "Head towards... okay, looks like Mallet Street for starters. We'll narrow it down from there."