Shades

Danny stood up quickly and pushed Jeremy in the chest. Jeremy staggered backward. His fists curled.

“Go ahead,” Danny challenged. “You want to fight? Then let’s go.”

He regretted saying it immediately. A fight with Jeremy would delay him from getting home and finding out how his mom was, or what Gustav had planned. He didn’t have time for detention. He stared hard at Jeremy. There were a lot of things he wanted to say, a lot of things he wanted to do at that moment, but he refrained.

Rather than responding, Jeremy paled and took a step backward. Chuck and Ronnie’s eyes widened.

“I’ll let Matt kick your ass first,” Jeremy said, but his words had no conviction. “Come on, you guys. Fuck this noise. Let’s let the pussy eat his last meal.”

They turned to leave, but Danny wasn’t finished. Jeremy’s words stung him. He felt the familiar energies building inside him, and forgot all about his mother and Gustav’s warnings.

“If you see Matt, tell him to come find me.” Smiling, Danny picked up his plate. “Fuck the cemetery. Let’s do it right here. Tell him that I’ll be waiting for him.”

789

Gustav’s eyes were closed, his breathing slow and shallow. He sat cross-legged on the floor, motionless except for his hands, which he folded through a series of motions—Earth, the god Set fighting; Air, which symbolized Shu supporting the sky; Water for Leviathan; Fire for the Teraphim; Spirit, the rending and closing of the veil; the cross for the One slain; the Pentagram for the One risen; Isis mourning, the Swastika, and finally, the Trident.

Music played softly in the background. Danny’s mother had a small, battery-operated cassette deck, and Gustav had turned it on. The soothing strains of Vivaldi filled the room. Gustav let the music envelop him. He felt strong. Ready. As long as Danny didn’t waste any more power, things would go in their favor.

The music slowed, then faded and stopped.

Gustav’s eyes snapped open. He got up and checked the cassette player.

The batteries were dead, their power drained.

Synchronicity?

Whatever it was, sign or coincidence, Gustav was suddenly afraid.

789

After the last bell rang, Danny filed outside with the rest of the students, losing himself in the center of the crowd. He walked slowly, his head turning from side to side, looking for Matt or for Chuck, Ronnie, and Jeremy. There was no sign of them.

He joined up with a dozen classmates going in the same direction as him. One by one, they turned down side streets or stopped at their individual homes, bidding goodbye to the others. Their numbers dwindled to six, then four. When the last of them turned up his driveway, Danny was left alone.

And Matt walked in front of him, emerging from an alley.

“Hey, Danny. How’s it going?”

Matt stood sneering in the center of the sidewalk, hands on his hips. There was no sign of the others, and for that, Danny was silently relieved. Fighting Matt was bad enough. He didn’t want to tangle with Chuck, Ronnie, and Jeremy as well. Not now. Not today.

“You were supposed to come to the cemetery,” Matt said.

Shrugging, Danny dropped his New York Jets book bag to the pavement.

“Fuck the cemetery. Let’s get this over with. You and me, right here and now.” Danny took one step forward and balled up his fists.

Matt shook his head. He wasn’t much bigger than Danny, but he didn’t seem nervous or scared.

“Look, Danny, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but this doesn’t have to happen. I don’t want to fight you.”

“You don’t want to fight?” Danny scowled. “Then what’s the deal with telling the guys you wanted to meet me in Gethsemane? What’s that all about?”

“I wanted you to come there so we could talk. Not fight.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m serious, Danny. Why would I want to fight you?”

“Why,” Danny sputtered. “Maybe because I told on you? Because you got in trouble?”

Matt smiled. “That was all just a misunderstanding. Let’s talk about it. I’m sure we can reach an agreement. Work things out. We’re friends, Danny. We shouldn’t let something like this come between us.”

Danny frowned. Something was wrong. Different. Matt wasn’t talking like himself. The voice was the same, but the words, the grammar—they belonged to an adult.

“Come up to the cemetery with me,” Matt urged him.

“Why? Whatever you have to say, you can say it here.”

“No,” Matt said. “I want to show you something.”

Danny lowered his fists and took a step backward. “No way. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Matt, but just get the hell away from me. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“What’s gotten into me?” Matt laughed. “You don’t have any idea, little boy. None at all.”

Danny’s stomach clenched. “You’re not really Matt are you?”

Sighing, Matt turned his back on him. Hesitant, Danny took a step forward, reaching for him. Suddenly, Matt whirled around and punched him in the face. Danny’s lips burst. He stumbled backward, stunned, and collapsed to the pavement. Matt took full advantage of Danny’s position and kicked him in the balls. Danny cried out, gagging from the pain.