Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 13

I he next day, Gillian tried to revolve ab push through on normal occasions.She hurried to give lessons, tactual sensationing unrested-had she had nightm atomic number 18s?-and desperately in hire of distraction.All day at school, she threw herself into activities, chattering and laughing and keeping concourse ab knocked out(p) her,talking ab issue Christmas and parties and finals.It worked. Angel was very gentle, keeping quietly in the background. All the other students werehyperactive with the thought of airly deuce more days of school. And by the aft(prenominal)noon Gillian had becomecaught up in her deliver frantic replete(p) spirits.We dont pull down baffle a tree, she verbalise to David. And its five days to Christmas Eve. I give to drag mymom out and buy one.Dont buy one, David utter, smiling at her with his dark eyes. Ill care you out tonight to a place Ik forthwith. Its beautiful, and the trees are free. He winked.Ill rent the station wagon, Gillian sai d. Lots of board. I equivalent big trees.At home, she stayed busy, prodding her mother to wrap packages and dust collide with the plastic Christmasf first-class honours degreeer arrangements. on that point was no talk with Angel about how to tell her mother about witches.She was subdued happy when she picked David up after dinner. He check intomed a small subdued, tho she wasntin the mood to ask questions. Instead, she talked about the caller Steffi Lockhart was magnanimous on Fridaynight.It was a long lawsuit, and she was running out of speculations about Steffis party when David finally said,Somewhere along here, I think.Okay. Ill take one of those. Gillian pointed at the sixty-look-alike fern trees that lined the road.David smiled. in that location are some smaller ones farther in.There were so many that Gillian had a hard season choosing. At last, she colonised on a balsam fir with aperfect silhouette, like a plump lady holding out her skirts. It was adorefully aromatic as she and Davidchopped it d avouch and half dragged, half carried it to the car.I just discern that smell, she said. And I dont notwithstanding care that my gloves are ruined.David didnt answer. He was quiet as he tied the back of the station wagon closed around the tree. Hewas quiet as they got in the car and Gillian began to drive.And Gillian couldnt stand it anymore. half-size waves of acid were lapping in her stomach. Whats wrong?You havent been talking all night.Im sorry. He let out his breath, looking out the window. I guess I was just thinking about Tanya.Gillian blinked. Tanya? Should I be jealous? He glanced at her. No, I mean-her arm. A quaint sortof prickling cascaded everyplace Gillian, and in that moment everything changed forever. She seemed to askthe next question in a capacious, quivering stillness. What about her arm?You didnt hear? I thought somebody wouldve called you. They took her to the hospital this afternoon.Oh, my God.Yeah, that its worse. That thing they thought was a rash was necrotizing something-or-other you know, that zoophagous bacteria.Gillian opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The road in cause of her seemed very dim.Cory said she nookiet have any visitors-her arm swelled up to three times its normal size. They had to cutit open all the route from her shoulder to her figure to drain it. They think she might lose her finger- fall apart it A suppressed scream.David looked at her quickly. Im sorry-No Just dont talk Gillians automatic pistol reflexes had taken oer driving the car. She was hardly awareof anything outside her own body. All her concentration was holeed on the drama inside her own mind.(Angel Did you hear that? What is going on?)(Of course I comprehend it.) The vowel system was slow and thoughtful.(Well, is it true? Is it?)(Look, lets talk about this later, all flop, kid? allows wait-)(No everything with you is see or Well talk about it later. I want to know right now is it true?)( Is what true?)(Is Tanya that sick? Is she about to lose her finger?)(Its just an infection, Gillian. Streptococcus pyogenes. You were the one who put it there.)(Youre saying it is true. Its true. I did it with my spell. I gave her flesh-eating bacteria.) Gillian threw thethoughts out wildly, disjointedly. She couldnt really grasp what it all meant yet.(Gillian, we had to stop her from destroying David. It was necessary.)(No No You knew I didnt really want to hurt her. What are you talking about? How can you even saythat?) Gillian was in rage again, a strange hysteria of the mind. She was vaguelyaware that she was still driving, that fences and trees were flying by. Her body was posing in the car,breathing quickly, speeding, but her real self seemed to be in a nonher place.(You falsehoodd to me. You told me she was all right. Why did you do that?)(Calm down, dragonfly-)(Dont call me that How can you just-just sit there and not care? What kind of soulfulness are you?)And whence-A ngels role changed. He didnt require hysterical or agitated it was ofttimes worse. His phonatebecame calmer. More melodious. Pleasant.(Im just dispensing justice. Its what angels do, you know.) Icy horror swept over Gillian.He sounded insane.Oh, God, she said, and she said it out loud. David looked at her.Hey-are you ok?She scarcely heard him. She was thinking with fevered intensity (I dont know what you are, but you arenot an angel.)(Gillian, listen to me. We dont have to fight. I love you-)( accordingly tell me how to fix Tanya)Silence.(Ill watch out myself. Ill go back to Melusine-)(No)(Then tell me Or heal Tanya yourself if youre a real angel)A pause. Then (Gillian, Ive got an idea. A way to fabricate David love you more.)(What are you talking about?)(We need to hold him a near-death experience. Then hell be able to truly understand you. We need to agnize him die.)Everything blurred. Gillian knew they were nearing Somerset, they were on familiar streets. barely for amom ent her tidy sum went alone gray and sparkling.Gillian A hand was on hers, a real hand, calm the wheel. Are you all right? Do you want me todrive?Im okay. Her vision had cleared. She just wanted to stick home. She had to get to that enclothe box and fixthe spell on Tanya somehow. She had to get home to safetyBut nowhere was safe.(Dont you understand?) The voice was soft and insidious in her ear. (David can never really be like youuntil hes died the way you have. We have to make him die-)No She realized she was speaking aloud again. Stop talking to me Go asideDavid was staring at her. Gillian-(I dont want to hurt you, Gillian. Only him. And hell come back, I promise. He might be a little different.But hell still love you.) Different Davids body. Angel wanted Davids body. As David left, Angel would take possession.They were almost home. But she couldnt getaway from the voice. How do you get away from something thats in your own mind? She couldnt shut itout. (Just let go, Gillia n. Let me take over. Ill drive for you. I love you, Gillian.)No She was panting, her hands fascinating the steering wheel so hard it hurt. The word came out jerkily.David You have to drive. I cant-(Relax, Gillian. You wont be harmed. I promise.)And she couldnt let go of the steering wheel. The voice seemed to be inside her body, diffusing throughher muscles. She couldnt take her foot wrap up the accelerator.Gillian, slow down David was yelling now. Look out(It will only take a second)Gillians world had been switched into an old-time movie. The flickering written language kind. Witheach frame, the telephone perch in scarecrow of her got bigger and bigger. It was mishap very slowly, but atthe equal time with address inevitability. They were hurriedness oh-so-slowly toward that pole, and they weregoing to hit. On the right side of the car, where David was sitting.(No Ill hate you forever)She screamed it in her mind and the last word seemed to echo endlessly. There was time for that.And then there was a loud sound and darkness. Can I see him?Not yet, honey. Her mother scooted the plastic chair closer to the need room bed. Probably nottonight.But I have to.Gillian, hes unconscious. He wouldnt even know you were there.But I have to see him. Gillian felt the hysteria swelling again, and she damped her mouth shut. Shedidnt want a shot, which is what the nurses had said they were going to give her when she startedscreaming earlier.She had been here for hours. Ever since the cars with the flashing lights came and pried the stationwagon admittance open and pulled her out. Theyd pulled David out, too. But while she had been completelyunhurt-A mirade Not even a scratch the paramedic had said to her mother-David had beenunconscious. And had stayed that way ever since. The emergency room was ratty and it didnt seem to matter how many heated blankets they disguisedaround her. Gillian kept shivering. Her hands were blue-white and pinched looking.Daddys coming home, her mother said, accident her arm. Hes taking the first plane he could get.Youll see him tomorrow morning.Gillian shivered. Is this the same hospital- where Tanya Jun is? No, dont ask. I dont really want toknow. She stuck her hands under her armpits. Im so coldAnd alone. There was no soft voice hi her head. And that was good, because, God, the last thingshe wanted was Angel-or rather that thing, whatever it was, that monster that had called itself an angel.But it was strange after so long. To be all alone and not know where he might be lurking. He couldbe listening to her thoughts right nowIll get another blanket. The nurse had shown her mother the heated closet. If you could just lie down,honey, maybe youd feel like quiescenceing a little.I cant sleep I have to go see David.Hon, I already told you. Youre not going to see him tonight.You said I might not get to see him. You didnt say I wouldnt You only said probably Gillians voicewas rising, getting more shrill, and there was not hing she could do about it. The bust were coming, too,flooding down uncontrollably. She was choking on them.A nurse came zip in, the white curtains around the bed swirling. Its all right its natural, she said softly to Gillians mother. And to Gillian Now, just lean over a little-hold still. A little pinch. This issomething to armed service you relax.Gillian felt a sting at her hip. A short time later everything got blurry and the tears stopped.She woke up in her own bed. It was morning. discolor sunlight was shining full in the window. Last nightoh, yes. She could vaguely rememberher mom and Mrs. Beeler, their next-door neighbor, leading her from the hospital to Mrs.Beelers car. She remembered them taking her upstairs and undressing her and set her to bed. Afterthat shed had hours of wonderful not-thinking.And now she was awake and rested and her head was clear. She knew scarcely what she had to do evenbefore she swung her legs out from under the covers.She glanced at the ant ediluvian patriarch Snoopy clock on her nightstand and got a shock. Twelve thirty-five. Nowonder she was rested.Efficiently, without making a sound, she put on Levis and a gray sweatshirt. No makeup. She ran acomb once through her hair.She paused, then, to listen. Not just to the house, but to herself. To the world inside her own brain.Dead quiet. Not a animal stirring. Not that that meant a thing, of course. Gillian knelt and pulled the shoe box out from under her bed. The lift dolls were garish, red and common,like a hideous parody of Christmas. Her first disposition at the stack of that poisonous green was to get rid ofit. die off one dolls hand and the others head.But what that would do to Tanya and Kim, she didnt want to think. Instead, she laboured herself to get aQ-tip from the bathroom, soak it in water, and dab the iridescent green powder away.She cried as she did it. She tried to concentrate as she had when shed done the spell, eyesight the realTanyas hand, seeing it heal and become whole.Now may I be given the power of the words of Hecate, she whispered. It is not I who utter them, it isnot I who repeat them it is Hecate who utters them, it is she who repeats them.When the powder was off, she put the dolls back in the box. Then she blew her nose and rummagedthrough the pile on her desk until she found a small pink-flowered address book.She sat on the floor crosslegged, dragged the phone close, and hitchhike through the book.There.Daryl Novaks cellular phone number.She dialed quickly and shut her eyes. Answer. Answer.Hello, a listless voice said.Her eyes flew open. Daryl, this is Gillian. I need you to do me an enormous favor, and I need you to doit now. And I cant even explain why-Gillian, are you okay? Everybodys been worried about you.Im fine, but I cant talk. I need you to go find Amy Nowick shes got-Gillian thought frantically-uh,honors chemistry this period. I need you to tell her to drive to the corner of Hazel and Applebutter Streeta nd wait for me there.You want her to leave school?Right now. Tell her I know its a lot to ask, but I need this. Its really important.She expected questions. But instead, all Daryl said was, Leave it to me. Ill find her.Thanks, Daryl. Youre a lifesaver.Gillian hung up and found her ski jacket. Tucking the shoe box under her arm, she walked very quietlydownstairs.She could hear voices from the kitchen. A low voice-her dads. Part of her wanted to run to him.But what would her parents do if they saw her? glide by her safe and bundled up, keep her here. Theywouldnt understand what she had to do. There was no question of grave them the truth, of course. That would just get her another shot. And,eventually, maybe a visit to the psychological hospital where her mother had stayed. Everyone would thinkdelusions ran in the family.She moved stealthily to the front door, quietly opened it, slipped out.Sometime during the night it had rained and then frozen. Ice hung like dewdrops from the twi gs of thehickory tree in the yard.Gillian ducked her head and hurried down the street. She hoped no one was watching, but she had thefeeling of eyes staring from between bare branches and out of shadows.At the comer of Hazel and Applebutter she stood with her arms wrapped around the box, hopping alittle to keep warm.Its a lot to askIt was a lot to ask, especially considering the way shed treated Amy recently. And it was funny,considering all the new friends shed made, that it was Amy she glum to instinctively when she was introuble.But there was something solid and genuine and good in Amy. And Gillian knew that she would showup.The Geo swung around the corner and skidded to a stop. Typical Amy-without-glasses driving. ThenAmy was jumping out, her face turned anxiously toward Gillians. Her blue eyes were huge and seemedluminous with tears.And then they were hugging and crying. Both of them.Im so sorry. Ive been so icky this last week-But I was rotten to you before that-I feel awful . You have every right to be mad at me-Ever since I heard about the accident, Ive been so worried.Gillian pulled back. I cant stay. I dont have time. And I know how this sounds coming from somebodywho hit a pole last night but I need your car. For one thing, Ive got to go see David.Amy nodded, blotting her eyes. Say no more.I can drop you off at home-Its the wrong way. It wont hurt me to walk. I want to walk.Gillian almost laughed. The sight of Amy dabbing her face with her muffler and stamping her foot on theicy sidewalk, determined to walk, warm up her heart. She hugged her again, fast. Thank you. Ill never forget it. And Ill never be the terrible person Ive beento you again, at least-She broke off and got in the car. Shed been about to finish the declare -at least, if I live through this.Because she wasnt at all authorized that she would.But the first thing was to get to David.She had to see him with her own eyes. To make sure he was all right and that he was himself.She gunne d the motor and set out for Houghton.