Page 152 of The Last Session

Karen and I glanced at each other. Now it was us two against Moon and Catherine. Only one gun.

“They’ll come back,” I said. “Moon, it’s your turn. You, then me, then Catherine.” It was worth a shot.

Moon’s eyes gleamed. “Wasthis your plan, Thea? Test our faith so that we self-destruct?”

“Of course not.” I could hear the desperation in my voice; I tried to force it down. The only way this could work was if I could remain calm and convincing.

“Because I thinkyoushould go next. Sol has already sacrificed himself. It’s your turn.” She gestured to the ledge. “Either you or Karen. You get to choose.”

“I’ll go,” Karen said, pausing in her mumblings. “Let me.”

“No, Karen.” I pushed her away from the edge.

Moon trained her gun on me. She wiped at her face and a smear of blood appeared on her cheek. “Let’s do this now before Steven brings Joe back.”

Karen tried to take my place, but I shoved her back hard. She stumbled and fell, her head slamming into the raised edge of adobe. She remained still, in a heap.

Fuck.Now it was just me. And if I ran at Moon, she would pull the trigger.

“I’m sorry.” I forced myself to take a deep breath. “I’m sorry you went through what you went through. You had a hard time. You lost people.”

“I didn’t lose them,” Moon snarled. “They weremurdered. By evil people possessed by greed.”

“I know. And it ripped a hole in you that never healed. I know.”

“Butthiswill heal it!” She laughed. “Aren’t you ready to end the pattern? Haven’t you been waiting your whole life for it?”

“I think we should stay, Moon. We can end the pattern here.”

She shook her head. “This is the only way. Come on. We’ll go together.” She lowered the gun and strode towards me. I envisioned the pushes that had sent Clint down the cave steps, Talia over the tower’s edge. I steeled myself, leaning towards her.

But then Moon stopped with a gasp. Catherine was behind her, one arm slipped around her waist. Moon whipped around and I saw it: the same kitchen knife lodged deep in Moon’s side. Catherine let go, and Moon raised the gun at her.

“No!” I leapt behind Moon, holding her hand down. The gun went off, shaking the ground beneath our feet. She twisted her wrist, but I held it with all my might.

“Stop!” Moon screamed, struggling. “You have to come with me! You have to come with me!” She tried to wrench from my grip while Catherine, breathing hard, propelled her towards the ledge. Moon stumbled backwards—one step, two, three—until her heels just kissed the adobe edge.

The three of us were connected, and if we weren’t careful, Moon’s jerks would pull us all over.

“Let go,” I shouted at Catherine, whose arm was clamped on Moon’s shoulder. She would have to be quick: unlocking and pushing Moon backwards at the same time.

But Catherine didn’t let go. As I released Moon’s wrist, I saw her other hand snaked around Catherine’s waist, grabbing the back of her shirt, her knuckles so white her small hand looked like a skeleton’s. They pressed against each other like they were slow dancing.

Moon raised her freed hand, pointing the gun towards me, eyes flashing with rage. I froze in place, watching the barrel’s swift ascent.

With a cry, Catherine managed to shove it back down, blocking me with her body in the split second before they jerked over into empty air.

“No!” I cried, but it was too late. They tumbled over the edge.

60

I didn’t want to look.

With a gasping sob, I dropped to my hands and knees and crawled to the edge.

There: the small, still pile of limbs, clothes, and hair, silvery in the faint moonlight.

“Fuck,” I muttered. I could still sense the scuffle in the air, like a scent. It had all happened so fast. I went to Karen, touching her shoulder. She groaned.