Hell in Heaven

CHAPTER TWENTY

"The truce still holds," Matt said sharply, before the assembled Gilhoolies could start across the street. "For both sides."

"For the moment," Orfamay said. "But all this parlay wears me out. You got something to say, say it fast."

Mouse took a deep breath and held it. Matt waited. This was the moment everything depended on.

"Orfamay Vetch," Mouse said, then broke off.

"You get ten more seconds, girl," Orfamay says. "Then I tell Tiny here to start breaking off one of your brother's fingers for every second you make me wait."

The giant grinned at that.

"Orfamay Vetch," Mouse said, and this time the words came tumbling out. "Since my brother is a prisoner, I am the acting head of all the Gilhoolies and the Hogginses, too. And in that role, to you and to all the Vetches and Runcibles who are now or who ever have been, I have come to apologize for all the harm we have ever done you."

There were gasps from inside the store. Across the street, a confused muttering arouse, as Gilhoolies tried to determine if they'd heard what they thought they did.

Orfamay peered at her closely, as if looking for evidence of trickery. "Am I supposed to fall down in gratitude for those words, girl?" she said finally. "And then let you stick a knife in my ribs when I'm down on the ground."

"I don't give a fuck what you do," Mouse said. "I've said what my family needed to say. And now we're done fighting forever. You can do whatever you want. We're out."

Now the confusion from the other side of the street was gone. In its place was an angry murmur. Mouse whirled around to face her relatives. "We've lost too much for too long," she shouted to them. "We are done. Now one of you get up there and cut my cousin's body down. He's going to have a proper funeral."

Mouse started to walk back across the street. Orfamay's hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back. "You think you can just stop this feud all on your own?" she hissed. "Blood goes back generations."

"And ends with this one," Mouse said.

"You think this pathetic excuse for a lawgiver's going to protect you, he's the first one going down," Orfamay said.

"He's not our lawgiver," Mouse said. "There's only one law for the Gilhoolies from here out. No more fighting."

Orfamay studied her carefully. "It's not going to work."

"I told you, there's nothing to work or not work," Mouse said. "It just is."

Matt felt a swelling of pride. This girl, or this woman who was stuck in a girl's body, had just stood up to endless years of bloody tradition. And he had led to her this point. Killing Joan had been nothing compared to this.

"Almost," Orfamay said, a thoughtful tone creeping into her voice. "It's almost enough."

"I don't have anything more to give," Mouse said.

"This fight didn't start between families," Orfamay said. "It was a cause between two individuals, one Vetch and one Gilhoolie, over a piece of land. The others were all dragged in. We need to finish this the way it started. Then it can end."

Mouse froze, then turned back to Orfamay. "The two family leaders?" she said. "We fight it out, and then everyone else is out forever."

Orfamay chuckled and held up the stump where her hand used to be. "I'm not at full strength, girl. Neither is your leader." She gave the giant a sign, and he dropped Vern to the ground in a heap. "We each choose our champion."

Mouse looked uncertain. "And then it's over? Whoever wins?"

"And then it's over." Orfamay raised her voice so she could be heard by everyone in the store and on the street. "Whoever wins, the fight is over."

Mouse looked at Matt, but turned back before he could offer his opinion. "I'll fight for our side."

Orfamay broke into a wide grin. "And my petite nephew will fight for ours."

The giant held up his hands as if the victory was already his.

Mouse paled. Matt pulled her aside. "You can't do this," he hissed. "You'll be killed."

"And the others will be free forever," Mouse said. "As they would have been years ago. You're the one who told me that, remember?"

He did. At every stage he had made a choice, and while they all seemed to be the right ones at the time, they had led inexorably to this point. To the brutal death of this woman who had shown so much courage.

Orfamay spoke out to the crowds again. "These are the terms: We will have one fighter from the Vetch family and one from the Gilhoolies. Whatever happens, this ends our feud forever. Does anybody object?"

There was silence from the crowd. And then Matt stepped up to the porch. "I object," he said. "If you set Vetch against Gilhoolie, the hate will go on forever no matter what you say in advance."

Orfamay sneered at him. "Do you have a better suggestion, lawgiver?" she said.

"I do," Matt said. "I will fight in her place."