World's End

Page 157

I hide the gun again as I reach Song's tower and see the guards. The avenue of bones and the entrance with its leering skull sicken me. I can't believe that once I walked this path eagerly--and yet the memory lies as deep and perfect as a solii inside of me. I pass the guards.

Their eyes follow me up the steps one more time.

Song has already returned. She stands at the window of the tower, staring out at Fire Lake. She doesn't seem to hear me as I cross the room to her. I touch her arm, say her name softly, trying not to startle her.

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WORLD S END

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She turns, blinking at me, and her eyes are red with weeping.

"What is it--?" I begin. But I already know: the helplessness, the terrible sense of loss and futility--the Lake, which eats away at our wills, never leaving us alone. I've barely been able to survive it for this long, even with the adhani and Moon's guidance; but she has no control, no protection at all. How long has she endured this torture?

How long has she waited for someone who could end it?

"Song," I say again. "I've found my brothers. We can all leave here now." I realize that she can make it easy for us; no one will touch her, or disobey her.

But her eyes fill with terror. "No! I can't leave the Lake. . . . Why don't you save me?"

"I will--"

"You're lying. You want to leave here."

"And take you with me!"

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"No! You don't understand anything!" She pulls away from me, distracted, and moves across the room. When she looks back again her eyes are smouldering and unreadable.

"Yes, I'll come. But I want you to bring something for me."

I nod encouragingly, and she points through the doorway into the next room. I go to the doorway to see what she wants. "Over there," she says, "the fire globe." I move forward, and she shoves me into the room. The door slams behind me.