Failing Upward

Chapter 25 (part 2): Born to Endless Night

I shivered. Goose bumps spread up my arms. Suddenly I felt like I was in the 45 degree walk-in cooler back at the flower shop. I hated him, too. I hated what he was— is — but...

"Over the dunes is perfect," she pointed. "We'll have to make the hole very big and deep."

I shook my head, "No, no," I heard myself saying. I stared down at Moriarty, and I saw him grimace.

"But I thought he wasn't dead?" Smith said, incredulously.

"He's not," I whispered. I cleared my throat. "Listen Glenda, I hate the guy as much as you do, maybe more, but we'd be like him if we did this."

"I'm not asking for your help or permission. I'm telling you what I intend to do. He deserves much worse. It's the only way to keep you, Sherlock, and our family safe. It's the only way to protect the future."

Sean walked slowly up to us, white nautical rope in hand. He kneeled beside me and began binding Moriarty's hands.

"What's wrong?" he mumbled looking at me, tightening the slack in the cord with his teeth. My hands began to tingle.

"Glenda wants to bury him alive," Sherlock said, kneeling next to Moriarty. "I agree with her."

He sat back on his heels and looked up at me a moment, then crawled down by his legs and helped Sean wrap the cord taut around Moriarty's ankles. Sherlock tied his feet in silence. He met my eyes for an instant and turned to Glenda.

"Behind those," he said. She pointed over to the dark wooded area of the dunes. Sherlock nodded.

My stomach tightened in disbelief. "You can't be serious," I said, clenching my hands.

"Yeah, I am. It's the only way to stop him. The only thing that will work short of chopping off his head or burning him alive. The Community forbids it. The only way is to bury him forever."

"Jesus Christ, he's not a vampire!" Smith said.

"No, he's something worse," Sean answered.

I shook my head. Sherlock's jaw set. No changing his mind.

"And if it doesn't work?" I asked. "He'll just be really pissed off."

"It will work," Glenda countered. "I'll bury him so deep he could never dig himself out."

"But someone else could," Sherlock said. "I'll help find the proper place to bury him where no one will ever find him."

I felt the grit in my mouth and a burn in my chest. The unfathomable darkness and panic. Fuck. No way. "You can't do it," I said.

"He's right! You can't do this. Why are you even arguing about this? It's insane," Smith said.

Moriarty's hands clenched. He moaned.

"Stay there with Smith. I'll take care of him," Sherlock said to me, then turned to Glenda. "I'll do it. We can both do it."

I stepped back.

"This is fucking crazy! What are you thinking?!" Smith screamed.

Sherlock grabbed the rope between Moriarty's ankles and began dragging him toward the dunes with Glenda behind.

"You're just going to let them do this?" Smith said to Sean and I.

"Yes," Sean said quietly, starting for the house. "Let's go back inside and talk. I think I have a lot to explain."

"A lot to explain?!" Smith said, following behind Sean. "I don't think you could ever explain this to me. I don't know why I should listen to anything you have to say."