Miraculum by Steph Post

Author:Steph Post [Post, Steph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9781947993570
Google: Vo15DwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B07GWWQFVD
Goodreads: 41037463
Publisher: Polis Books
Published: 2019-01-22T00:00:00+00:00

Daniel stood underneath the streetlamp and waited. He watched The Rainbow Theater slowly empty as the freaks and performers spilled out onto the sidewalk, arguing loudly about the film and reliving their own swordfights. Daniel pulled the silver case from his jacket pocket and lit a cigarette. He snapped the arm on the lighter down, extinguishing the flame, and pocketed it. Daniel knew that if he stood in the pool of light just so, eliciting both mystery and vulnerability, she would come to him. Of course she would. He smoked his cigarette and watched Ruby leave the theater, nodding at something Zero was saying to her. The clown was miming drawing back a bow and arrow, and Daniel could see that Ruby’s lips weren’t moving, but she was smiling slightly while scanning the sidewalk. January had turned around and was waving her forward impatiently, but Daniel knew Ruby was looking for him. He watched Ruby glance over her shoulder and when his eyes met hers, he gave her his most brooding look. Then she was telling January she’d catch up in just a second and January was looking in his direction and smiling her coy, coquettish smile and Ruby was walking alone across the street to meet him. Bingo.

Daniel took out his case and offered Ruby a cigarette. She shook her head and he snapped the case shut with a loud click. He smiled at her.

“So, what did you think?”

He watched her eyes. She was looking everywhere but at him.

“Of Robin Hood? I liked it. I read the story in a book somewhere once. And, of course, the performance in the theater was better than any picture show.”

“Of course.”

She glanced down the street. Two men had come out of the diner and were watching the group pass. They were shaking their heads and one pointed at the Half-Man with disgust.

“We’re going to hear it tomorrow, though.”

“From who?”

Ruby shrugged.

“Samuel. Pontilliar. For coming out here like this. Causing a disturbance in the town and giving it away for free. I’m sure that’ll be Pontilliar’s biggest worry. That he lost a buck because someone saw us without paying first.”

Daniel took a small step closer to her.

“You don’t have much regard for Pontilliar, do you?”

He watched Ruby scuffing the heel of her shoe against the edge of the sidewalk. She kept looking down, away from him, but there was a smirk on her lips.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Even though he’s your father. And your employer. Why?”

She shook her head.

“It could take a lifetime to explain. And even then, I’d rather not.”

Daniel didn’t reply and they stood in silence beneath the streetlamp while he smoked. Daniel decided it was time. She was here now and he needed to do this. He needed to know for sure that what he had felt when she had held the blade to his throat, and just now in the theater, when he had taken her hand, was real. He had to be certain. For the first time that he could remember, Daniel was unsure of trusting himself.

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