Bright Lights & Dark Secrets: A Sci-Fi Anthology

The Deus Islands [Part 3/3]

"What have they done to him?" cried Tobin, pushing on Janus' arm to no avail.

Rita glared at Janus, still feeling as though her head would tumble off her shoulders and splatter on the floor like a fruit. Though she wasn't crippled by the dawning loneliness or rage that would've surmised in any other orphaned daughter, she knew answers were needed. An explanation, even for the most incomprehensible deed. 

"Why did you put us to sleep?" said Rita.

"I wanted to ensure your safety, Miss Donelly," said Janus, her head spinning toward Rita while still maintaining her hold on Tobin. "While the gas was meant to prevent you and your family from harming yourself amidst your panicked state, it was also meant to subdue the attacker. That's how I managed to subjugate this prisoner right here."

"Who is he?"

Janus' head spun toward the headless corpse blocking the sunlight from reaching them. The skin on its mutilated neck was tan, the parts that weren't obscured by dried blood. Rita had imagined Janus ripping the head off the man right as she'd slipped away into unconsciousness.

"Silas Blackburn," said Janus. "A native of Novus Mundi Capitol City with a history of contract killings for numerous crime gangs in and out of the city."

"I know him!" Tobin said, pausing to catch his breath. He hadn't left the bed and was already coated in sweat. "He used to attend my church services. He was one of our most charitable attendants. I knew he had a rough past, but I never would've guessed his offerings were blood money."

"Who's to say it all remained in the past? Some things don't need to catch up to humanity, especially if there was never any distance. Perhaps he hadn't severed his connections just yet. Sad to say such a fate was most likely what befell Mr. Donnelly."

Tobin sunk into his bed, a breath leaving his lungs so harshly, Rita momentarily assumed it was his last.

"Can we find the man who killed him?" said Rita, and she watched Janus release Tobin.

"We will find the killer, Miss Donnelly. Your father was high priority. This ship will lose passengers until we have succeeded."

"What will happen to his body?"

"As a high priority passenger, he has the honor of being preserved until we have reached the Deus Islands. Anyone below him, you, or Mr. Guthrie can have their corpses violated in any way an individual pleases. The only sample I require is the smallest traceable cell in their body, whether the smallest drop of blood, the smallest fragment of bone, or the thinnest strand of hair."

A smirk came into view on Rita's face. "What's the most creative thing you ever seen someone do with a corpse?" she whispered.

"Rita!" said Tobin. "Why would you ask a thing like that?"

"I find it amusing," said Janus, "how often the human face is taken and worn as a mask."

"How many times have you seen it?" Rita asked louder.

"RITA!" shrieked Tobin, and Rita saw that he was bright red. "Your father is dead! You should be mourning! Shattered beyond repair!" He wheezed, his voice returning raspy and weak. "Why am I the only one whose world has been ripped away?"

Her smirk frozen to her face, Rita said, "You had the world once. I was born without one."

Tobin didn't need to remove his blindfold to know she was shaking her head. "I am very sorry, darling, I...you deserve better. I am sorry if your father never told you so."

"I know I deserve better. And that's what's gonna happen." Rita turned to Janus. "We're gonna have this whole ship to ourselves."

"That is," said Janus, "a possible outcome."