YOURLEARNING
YOURSTUDIES
One ofthe arms pointed at Isaac again.To the side, two of the arms pressed theirhands together and quickly spread apart, as if demonstrating a fearsome length.Next, the arms bent up at the elbow, forming a ninety-degree angle.They weretrying to flex a bicep.
YOU NOW
TALL
STRONG
The armpointed again, as if emphasizing the point.
YOU
MY SON
Isaaccould not even begin to respond.Below, the bones were sliding quickly, tryingto form words with a flooding of motion.
REGRETTHIS
REGRETYOU
REGRET REGRET REGRET
“Isaac,”the skull rasped.
Isaachad to turn and wipe his eye.
“That’senough,” Zaria said.“I can’t read whatever the fuck you’re sayin’, but youbetter tell us, right now—did you sacrifice your son?”
For along moment, the skull did not move.
“Yes orno?”
Slowly,the skull nodded.
“Didyou hold whatever horrors are buried here hostage, just to get that sacrifice?”
Itnodded again.
“Didyou kill your wife to sell the lie?”
Immediately,the skull shook from side to side.
“Sure,”Zaria said.“Twenty odd years of settin’ this plan in motion, and it’s onlynow, when you got stabbed in the back, that you’ve come to be sorry.”
Theskull looked between them.Two of the arms pressed their hands together,holding the fingers straight and the palms flat.It was a universal sign forbegging.
“Oh,fuck off.Isaac, we’re done here.Let’s go.”She stepped over towards the door.“Get outta my face!”
Thecentral mass squirmed away from the doors, all the limbs and pelvises movinglike a spilling pile of tinder.The pathway grew clear.Isaac didn’t move.After a few moments of waiting, the stalk of the skull bent into a C as itlooked back at him.
“You’lljust let me leave?”Isaac asked.
Theskull looked away.A moment later, it nodded.
“Youwon’t try to stop me?”
