The Grave Shadows

10. The Rider

The black elixir swirled in the cradle of Everett's hand. Sleep frequented before Cyan crawled out of the canvases. Now, his eyes refused to close for five minutes straight. Earlier, Everett peeked at Coopers' Clock Store, hoping to reassure that his friend was real. Once upon the time, the girl lived in the two-dimensional demented world where he stared at her for nothing. She never spoke or blinked, but sauntered through Everett's mind. These days, she talked back, spun, and frowned.

Everett gobbled down the boiling coffee and refilled as he scanned the empty admin cafeteria. The university became a ghost town, quiet enough for Simon's temper to be audible in every corner of the building. Slipping out of the dean's cave, Everett glanced back at the hallway. Ninety percent of the administration customarily gathered at the town hall, leaving the floors bare.

Glowering at an urgent message on the phone, Everett let out a harsh breath and stomped toward the parking lot. A grimace tightened his facial muscles as he finished the last sip of coffee. Near the Ford, a black Rolls-Royce crowed its cheesy vanity plate: WATTSBOY3. Little Bill Watts's reaction was predictable.

Will stormed out of the admin building. His chest elevated high enough for his ego to touch his chin. A rise of a brow was his most courteous gesture of greeting. He jerked his head, warning Everett to get out of his red carpet.

Everett tossed the cup away and darted at his brother. So Will was Simon's morning sickness.

"Don't tell me you're interested in the girl now." Everett snorted. "She's seventeen."

If there were people in the parking lot, they would swoon over this tasteless copycat. Little Bill Watts was an obtainable version of Bill Watts—Bill Watts a one-of-a-kind diamond in a museum's glass display, Will an affordable crystal as shiny; Bill Watts a dragon, Will a little snake as vain.

Will adjusted his already perfect necktie and cleared his throat. "What makes you think I'm going to stoop down to your level? You morons are disgusting." He ambled away with a lie chasing him.

Grinning, Everett quickened after Will. "Then, why are you here?" He followed Will side by side.

"I want to see what the crap is all about? You boys made it sound like the end of the world last night. I don't know why you're so excited about this girl. So she looks like David's cartoons. For all I know, that lunatic didn't draw a supermodel. And FYI, the age of consent here is seventeen." Will stopped and caught Everett's chin. "That's just perfect, you see, if I'm ever interested."

Feeling like a two-year-old, Everett slapped Will's hand away.

Will's minted scoff blew at Everett's face. "Oh, Everett," he said and pulled Everett back to him by the neck. "My titanium crossbow for the dean swearing in Latin in the next summons." Will's best charisma was his clean hands.

***

Under the furious sky, Everett melted, his neck soaked and his head hurt. As expected of him, he patrolled the arena with Colt Football Team scurrying behind him. Henry Watts's men identified one defective full-body scanner. Everett slammed a man on the machine, but the collision failed to fix the problem as he had hoped. To add insult to injury appeared a list of VIPs who might die without extra everything. The ridiculous demands piled on Everett's shoulder. What a waste of time! Nobody was stupid enough to trash Bill Watts's boring party.

When Everett finished the exercise, his shirt was wet. He strolled to a picnic table under a colossal red oak before the sun boiled him alive in his own sweat. The shade from its grotesque canopy immediately calmed him while sun glitters surfed on Lake Rosalind. Cold water revived his body as he took the seat plank and eased against the edge of the table.