Page 10 of This Blood That Breaks Us

Sarah and I had sat on the swings on the playground. The memory was hazy, but the smell of fresh rain brought me clarity.

We’d met in kindergarten, and in a matter of days, we were inseparable. Lunch and recess were my favorite because I got to spend all that time with her.

“We should do all our firsts together,”she said. Her green eyes sparkled in the sun while her dark hair blew off her shoulders.

“First water park,” I said.

I was obsessed with waterparks as a kid, probably because we never got to go to any.

“First dance.”

“Uh, first trip to the snow-cone stand.”

“First roller skating party.”Her eyes lit up.

We’d had that party for her birthday that year.

She had all the good ideas.

I had opened my mouth to say something else, and without warning, Sarah leaned in and kissed me square on the lips.

“First kiss.”She smiled, not even the littlest bit embarrassed.

I remembered the warmth in my cheeks, and my swinging came to a halt as butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I wanted allher firsts, even back then when I got embarrassed and wiped my lips in fear of “cooties.”

“Luke.” Zach shook me from the memory.

“Sorry.”

I didn’t like to mention Sarah. Mentioning her did nothing but make us both miserable. I looked out on the island as it grew closer, knowing my fate was awaiting me. We were almost to the queen, and I felt it in every cell of my body. The buzz from Her proximity sped up, making me impossibly restless. I tried to think of something else, but the nagging need was stronger than anything else I wanted.

That wasn’t true. I had to focus and be on guard if I wanted to keep Thane and Will alive. There wasn’t time for anything else.

“How are we doing this?” Zach asked.

We were stationed at the back of the barge, right by the roaring water and propeller where Ezra wouldn’t be able to hear me.

“I haven’t been able to talk to Will yet.”

“She’s going to want them dead,” Zach said.

“I know. But we won’t let that happen. We need to regain Ezra’s trust.”

“Fuck that.”

“Ezra is Her right hand. Having him be a buffer and helper is our best route. Try not to piss him off too much?”

“Fine.”

“We have to show him we can be trusted. Let’s ask him to talk to Will. If we sneak around and do it, he’s going to catch us.”

“And say what?Sorry asshole. Guess you got caught by the cult you’ve sworn to demolish. Now I’ll get to watch as they probably pluck your eyeballs from your body?”

“I was thinking a simple ‘Hang in there. We’re in this together’ would be a start.”

“Right. So, what if we do get them out. What about us? Are we staying?”

“I don’t know. I think we need to focus on getting Thane and William out first. Making them disappear is a lot easier than us.”