Page 149 of The End of the World As We Know It

His eyes snapped open as she squeezed his neck tighter. Her hips grinded on his cock with an unnatural frenzy. The sound of her heavy tits slapping against her torso filled the room. She emitted hoarse, guttural noises that sprang from deep in her throat. She opened her mouth and threw back her neck with her eyes rolling into her head. Her entire body quaked as she rage-fucked him harder and faster. Joseph struggled to take in any ounce of oxygen as her hands and the belt tightened against his windpipe. He tried to claw at the robe belt without any luck. Her head jerked forward. She bared her teeth as she orgasmed.

“Randall!” she shrieked as she fell over Joseph. Her chest heaved as she regained her breath. Muffled sobs escaped his trembling lips.

She lifted her head toward him and reached between her legs.

“Why are your crying? I made you come.”

She wiped her sticky hand on his hair.

“Let me go,” he said, gasping for air.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shifted her body off of him, thenuntied him. “This was whathewanted. Flagg brought you to me first for a reason. You have to become a man at some point. Don’t worry though—I’ll make you into what he needs you to be.”

Elizabeth grabbed the belt and then the robe off the floor before walking out the door.

Joseph lay in bed, crying as he fell in and out of a broken sleep. Whatever Elizabeth gave him (therehadto have been something in the beer) made him feel unwell. His belly ached and his head was in a fog. She was no prophet or even a decent human being. Even during the plague, he had tried to maintain hope. Joseph promised his nan to be a light and help others if he could. All he had to do was stay strong and keep his faith. He’d promised her and that was what he had planned to do. Until now. At this moment, he felt utterly crushed and lost inside. Joseph closed his eyes, wishing he could speak to his nan one final time. How could he help others feeling so tainted and hopeless?

“Joey.”

The whisper made him stir as he tried to open his eyes. “Hey, Joey.”

It washim.

“Help me,” Joseph said. “Help me escape her. Do you know what she’s doing in your name? She is a liar.”

“I do. Bring her to me and I’ll make sure she faces justice. You’ll feel better.”

“But how? How can I get to you?”

“Take the bus, man. I’ll do the rest. Water to wine. I can do it all.”

Joseph nodded his head before drifting to sleep. He recalled a strange memory from his childhood. Lizard Point. Where he flew kites and ate ice cream on the pier, thinking about the expanse of the ocean. Once, his kite crashed into the water, but it floated on the surface. He woke up, taking it for a sign.

Elizabeth woke with a dry mouth and a sore head from the two bottles of red wine she’d gone through after leaving Joseph. It was a small celebration. Despite not feeling her best, she walked across Westminster Bridge with her morning cigarette as usual, then back to the hotel.

There was no sign of Joseph.

She knocked on his room door with no answer. She entered with the spare key. He wasn’t there, but his bed was made. She burned thinking he would leave her. If she had to keep him drugged until he surrendered, then she would do just that.

She power walked to Westminster Abbey knowing Joseph would be on his knees in penance. Sure enough, he knelt in front of the altar with hands clasped. She walked toward him, ready to throttle him for making what should have been fun so difficult. He wanted it.

His cheeks went bright crimson with shame when he turned in her direction. He averted his gaze, unable to look Elizabeth.

“What’s your problem?” she spat.

“I think you’re a liar and a bad person. What you did to me…”

She rolled her eyes. “Please. You enjoyed it. You sprayed all over me.”

He shook his head, on the verge of tears. “I couldn’t help it. I had never…”

“Piss off. Don’t ever come to me with that bullshit. If I want to fuck you, then you will do it.”

He looked up at her with defiance in his eyes and cheeks still flushed. “I will not.”

She leaned closer to him with both hands on her hips. “Try to stop me. I will kill you and you will never see Flagg. In fact, I’ll tell him about it. And next time I come to your room, you better do exactly as I ask. If I don’t pop like it’s Bonfire Night, then you’ll be in big trouble.”

“Wearegoing to him. I’m taking you to him to seek justice.”