Page 122 of Seth

“Before what?”

“Before I understood him. Diego, I know what he needs.”

“Who cares what he needs?” Diego’s voice pitched.

“I do? I can make him happy. I didn’t have a chance before, but now I do.”

Diego laughed. “Could it be that you didn’t stop him because you wanted the boy out of your way?”

Words hit Gustavo’s face like spit. “Diego, watch what you say.”

“Fuck this and fuck you. You are as nuts as he is. Go and die; I don’t care.” Diego shrunk back, chin flying high.

“Fuck...” Gustavo watched him walk away. A part of him wanted to stop Diego, but he had nothing to say to him. He didn’t know the answer to Diego’s question, but he wanted to believe this wasn’t the case.

Diego spat out a sucker and crushed the candy with the sole of his shoe. Approaching Rafael, he thrust his palm forward and grounded out, “Give me a fucking cigarette.”

“You gave up, remember?” Propping the blue wall of a workers’ locker room, Rafa didn’t move.

“Now.”

“Don’t blame me after.” Rafa pulled a pack out of the inner pocket of his jacket and proffered a smoke.

A lighter clicked, the flame caught the tip, and Diego filled his lungs. His sharp exhale resounded in the night. Gustavo turned away.

“You owe me a thousand,” Rafael’s quiet voice drifted from behind, Diego never answered.

Every sound died, and only quietSHAAAAAhang in the air with the gray net of the drizzle.

He stood unmoving. The drizzle morphed into the rain. Droplets hit Gustavo’s neck and skidded under his shirt.

Why isn’t he doing anything?He frowned, glanced at the watch. It was almost four a.m. The sky darkened, but the night was melting. The blood-covered hand looked black in the night as it rose from the sand bed, fingers stretched apart.

The blade glinted as Seth pressed the razor to the base of his palm.

Gustavo darted forward. He almost slipped in the mud as he jumped into the pit.

“What are you doing?” The lightning bolt lit up the sky when he slapped the blade out of Seth’s fingers and grabbed his hand. Sticky and cold, it was covered in blood. Gustavo yanked the hand again, forcing Seth to lift up.

Seth chuckled from behind his messy hair that fell over his face. “Humans are so filthy. Always there to feed on grief. What do you need, vulture? Aren’t you fucking entertained enough? Shoo, there’s nothing for you.”

“It’s morning. Get up.” Gustavo tugged the slack arm again. “I’ll help you.”

“What’s the point?” Seth lifted his face. Gustavo dropped the limp hand. Sand clung to Seth’s skin as soon as his palm hit the sand bed. Seth’s red-rimmed eyes spilled moisture. “Nothing matters anymore. There’s no time left. I won’t look anymore. Leave, fly, unless you want to die too.”

Gustavo looked into the pale face but couldn't detect any emotion. Even loneliness deserted Seth, leaving ultimate hopelessness behind. Gustavo hated it.

“Hm…” His hand flew in the air and landed across Seth’s cheek with a hard, ringing slap.Get mad. Come on, get mad. Anything but this.

Seth’s head whacked to the side. He wiped his mouth with his bloody forearm but didn’t lift his face.

His chin jerked; Gustavo squatted before him, fisted a handful of black hair, and collided their lips. Seth tasted like blood, salt, and desperation. “What are you looking for? Tell me, and I’ll give it to you. Try me.”

Seth smirked; a haughty expression made its way into his features. He laughed, shook his head, then lost all signs of merriment.

“Leave.” With a precise motion, Seth slapped Gustavo’s hands away and lowered on the sand bed. The rain, gaining strength, marred the white sand with dark splotches.

“Don’t care about yourself?” Gustavo said, not willing to let go of the hard-earned attention. “Fine. What about him? Will you let him rot?”

“Rot?” Seth lifted on one elbow and pressed his palm to the side of Ignaz’s face. “He won’t rot. I’ll give him a spine made of sand but it will be stronger than iron, so in the next life, nothing can ever break him. No, he won’t rot.”

Seth got up and scooped the dead body into his arms.

“Leave, fly. There’s nothing I can give you or anyone at all. There’s nothing left to give.”

TO BE CONTINUED