With me, he means.
Goosebumps prick along my skin. That was one of the few times I saw firsthand what sort of power I had over the horseman. Of course, it didn’t much matter to me then because he wouldn’t save Ben. But he did spare that city—if only for a day.
“What if you entered and left a town and didn’t kill all its inhabitants?” I ask.
It’s quiet for a long, drawn out moment. I realize belatedly it’s because Death is looking down at me. I glance up at him only to see his skeptical expression.
“What?” I say defensively.
“I must end life,” he responds. “That’s another one of my instincts.”
“You were the one who mentioned that you horsemen must experience humanity before you make your final decision on ending it,” I say. “Seems like you’re not going to be able to do that unless you let people live long enough to actually understand them.”
He’s still staring at me, but something flickers in his eyes. Is he … is he actually considering my words?
“I don’t always kill immediately,” he says.
“True,” I agree. “But do you actually talk to any humans? Interact with anyone?”
“I interact with you,” he says.
“I’m one person. I don’t think I’m a good example of humanity.”
“You’re wrong,” he says. “You are the best example.”
I swallow. I think he’s trying to give me a compliment.
“There’s so much more than me out there,” I say. But it’s clear that Death is too unbending to try to convince him to leave any town, no matter how small, unscathed.
“What if you let a city live long enough for you to experience more of humanity?” I continue, my words carefully light. I’m terrified that my own eagerness will sabotage even this concession.
“I have wings, Laz. I won’t just fit in,” Death says gruffly.
“That didn’t stop you that night in the hospital,” I say.
“I slipped into your room unseen,” he says.
I sigh. “No one is asking you to fit in,” I say. “You’re a messenger of God. People are aware of your existence.”
There’s a long pause.
“Lazarus,” he finally says, “what you’re proposing is madness.”
“What’s the worst that can happen?” I say. “Neither of us can be killed.”
“No good will come of this,” Death says, his voice solemn.
“Is that a yes?” It sounds like a yes.
He glowers at me, but after a moment he inclines his head.
My heart skips a beat.
This plan of mine might actually work.
Chapter 44
Rosenberg, Texas
July, Year 27 of the Horsemen
Death not only makes good on his decision, he extends it a step further. The travelers we cross paths with on the road are spared. They stare at the two of us with wide, petrified eyes as we pass.
Wait until you see the procession of dead behind us.
I reach down and thread my fingers through the hand that holds me fast, giving it a squeeze. I hadn’t realized how much this small compromise actually meant to me until now.
Behind me, I feel Death lean in, his lips brushing my ear.
“You like my mercy?” he says softly as, ahead of us, a man turns on his heel and sprints back the way he came.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted,” I say.
He says nothing to that, though his hand squeezes mine back.
We ride in silence until, up ahead, buildings come into view.
A city.
I tense, though I don’t know why I do so. Thanatos isn’t going to destroy anyone. Maybe it’s simply that I haven’t actually hashed out what I should show Death, now that I’ve gotten him to agree to leave this city alive for a time.
We pass more and more people—people who scream, people who run, and people whose fear roots them in place. The only thing they all have in common is their palpable fear.
“Tell me again how this is a good idea?” Death says as he steers his steed off the highway.
“It’ll be fine,” I reassure him.
Now, what human experience should I introduce him to? A restaurant? A shop? A place of worship?
I don’t know.
Once we’re on city streets, we see even more frightened people. Alarmingly, I notice several who are armed. More than one of them places a hand over their sheathed weapons.
“Kismet,” Death says, “if this is what you wanted me to see, I could’ve saved you some trouble. I know this is how humans react to me.”
I exhale. Of course he’s right. People aren’t exactly known for being friendly towards things they don’t understand—things that have already destroyed much of their world—I just assumed that once they saw Death and realized he wasn’t actively trying to hurt them, they’d lose their fear. And to be fair, some people do look curious rather than scared, though they are definitely the minority.
Despite the chilly response, I swing a leg over the saddle.
“What are you doing,” Thanatos demands, his hold tightening around my midsection.
“Getting off your horse—if you’ll let me go.” As I speak, I pry at the horseman’s hand. It doesn’t budge. “You cannot experience humanity atop a horse.”
I sense more than see Death’s grimace. “This is a bad idea, Laz,” he says, his voice low. But he lets me go, and I slip off the horse. Seconds later he’s dismounting as well.
“Now what, kism—?”
“Stop!” someone shouts from behind us.
The sound has me swiveling around.
A line of individuals streams out from behind a faded strip mall down the road. Each of them clutch a bow and a nocked arrow in their hands.
“Don’t move or we’ll shoot!” This comes from the same voice that called out the first time.
Death moves in front of me. “I will do as I please,” he says, his voice carrying down the street.
Bystanders are pinned in place, fearful yet transfixed by the scene unfolding before them.
And this is why my plan was too good to be true. I assumed the best parts of humanity would be at work, but in that assumption was the belief that best meant bloodless and empathetic, when clearly right now it means brave and protective. These people are willing to defend the lives of their community, even against a supernatural entity that cannot be stopped.
“Turn back the way you came,” one of the men instructs, raising his bow in warning.
Unfortunately, turning back is the one thing Death won’t do.
He prowls forward, and with every step he takes, I see my plan slipping further and further from my grasp.
“This is your last warning!” the man shouts.
The line of archers are now poised across the street, their arrows nocked and ready.
I jog forward. “He’s not here to hurt you!” I call out as I catch up to Death.
Well, he’s not planning on hurting anyone yet.
My words fall on deaf ears. I see the lead archer’s hand move, and then he releases the arrow.
I don’t know what I’m thinking. Maybe I’m not. All I have eyes for is that arrow arcing through the air, headed straight for Thanatos. That’s literally it. The sum total of my thoughts.
I lunge for the horseman, crashing into him. He staggers a step, caught by surprise.
I hear the soft hiss of the projectile slicing through the wind a split second before it slams into my chest with agonizing force. It rips through flesh as it pierces my breast.
“Lazarus!” Death’s bellow sounds far away as I stagger, choking on my own breath. I stare down at the arrow shaft protruding from my chest.
Forgot … how bad … this hurt.
Just as my legs begin to give out, the horseman catches me. His wings sweep up and around us, shielding me from more arrows. More of them do come, sinking into those wings with soft, sickening sounds.
He ignores them entirely.
“Why did you do that?” he demands, sounding grief-stricken.
I slump in his arms, forcing myself to focus on his face.
Everything feels wrong.
Think they hit my heart.