Of the Stars by Ava Mae Alcedo

Author:Ava Mae Alcedo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alcedo Ink
Published: 2023-09-06T16:13:17+00:00

a+2

Keeping to the street’s shadows, she led them to the vehicle. Every few paces, Cecil stopped to spit blood to the pavement where it would sizzle and hiss. She was endlessly surprised when Cecil heaved himself beside Dexteras in the bed of her truck, and slumped against the cab patiently.

Along the silent drive home, she stole periodic glances at them through the glass. The exhausted men with their matching scruffs, scars, spilled blood, and mysterious pasts.

Cecil held rags to his chin whilst Dex slumped about the truck bed at gravity’s mercy, mouth agape to the heavens. At a narrow turn, his head thudded against Cecil’s shoulder, and Cecil shoved the old man away with such force and speed, Nor was certain he would flip out of the vehicle and onto the road.

Despite their aversion to one another, a strange sense of peace warmed her blood. It felt good to finally be able to bring them somewhere quiet and safe. Somewhere restful and nonviolent. They were due their peace.

Once they arrived at her home, Cecil pulled himself up each step with measured breath, hoisting himself and Dexteras to the roof with swallows of effort and strain. They looked like wounded war heroes, ambling home. As they bowed beneath her window to perch upon the roof, Dex’s head thwacked atop the lifted sill.

Cecil spat with a peal of strange, wet laughter that splattered against the roof. He tossed Dex against a chimney stack and stopped to gather his breath, swaying on his feet with sweat on his brow, still laughing. He dabbed his lips and seemed surprised when wet blood stopped printing against his fingertips. Then, with a thunderous sigh, he turned to leave.

“Hey,” she called, chasing after his casual stride.

He growled like an impatient wolf, tilting backward into the moonlight with irritation, casting an eye over his great shoulder.

She slipped her hand around his broad shoulder and pulled him into an embrace.

“Thank you,” she muttered into his chest, tears welling for all she’d seen. There was so much fire. So much burning. “For all of the help you’ve given us both.”

He remained silent like a statue in the dark, glasses cold and unfeeling.

Then, an angry scraping, scratching commotion scuffled from behind making Nor jump and spin. Above, a bright green pair of reflective eyes glowed with crazed energy at the sloped turret. A spread-eagle black cat clung to the structure as though it were a thick tree, nails embedded manically, back twitching with bristled chaos. His fat face gawked about as though he watched demons in the night.

“Vincent, fucking shit,” Nor sighed, gripping her chest. She returned to Cecil, who was unbothered by the wild beast climbing her rooftop and smirked briefly.

Then, a strange, dull static fizzled against her skull like the humming of insects and a voice breached its hiss.

“Why you botherin’ with this knobhead and his feckin’ tosh?” bit Cecil’s familiar voice against the caves of her thoughts.

Though the impossible magic stole a small cry and a gasp from her chest, the harsh tones of his voice brought her a strange peace.

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