Station, стр. 91

CHAPTER 27

"It's been two Solays now and no answer,Hadder."

"The Krown's just trying to make us sweat it out. Noneed to make it easy on us."

"You sure about that? You don't think they're goingto just attack in the middle of Haela, pinch us from two sides, endus that way?"

Hadder thought, but just for a moment. "No, TheKrown wants a grand fight, something to unite his followers andbolster their energy for the trek into the Before. He's just makingus twiddle our thumbs. Remember, he's a dick."

Hadder and Glen sat on the porch of The RoyalJelly, sharing a joint as they took in the beauty of the lawnand its surrounding gardens as Haela fell and the iridescentcreatures of the night awoke. Glen seemed especially contemplative."Are you scared, Hadder?"

Hadder didn't want to lie to his last remainingfriend. "I've died twice now, Glen. And both times were terrifying.Now I'm staring down a third trip into the abyss. But this time,for the first time, I'm prepared, truly ready. So, no, I'm notscared. But that in and of itself is kinda scary."

"What makes you feel ready?"

"I know I was here for a short time compared toyourself, but I feel like I accomplished a lot in terms of living.I finally came to grips with losing my family. I made some closefriends, lost a great friend, avenged a misdeed. I loved again, hadmy heart broken again. I have witnessed things never imagined, putmy head in the jaws of a beast and took it out unscathed. I watcheda Great Duel between two goliaths, met an artist of the flesh, andmay have become acquainted with a god. If my life was empty thosefinal days in the Before, it's overflowing in these final days ofStation. The Rage that has plagued both my lives, I will release itall during the Great Battle and pass on with a clean slate. Howabout you, Glen?"

"I want to get one more piece of young ass, thenI'll be good to go."

Hadder laughed and slapped his friend on theshoulder as the lawn filled with night bugs creating miniaturefireworks shows. The yard hummed with natural light from hundredsof variations of life. As the two men sat smoking and drinking,looking out onto a world seen by so few, they would be foolish tofeel anything but lucky.

Their answer came late the next Solay, as residentsfinished up their training, many growing accustomed to their newweapons supplied by Lester Midnight, their swings becoming sharper,stronger, and more accurate. A Setter named Roco Roc, who had beenstationed at Cranesman as a sentry tasked with watching ifthe Riser army crossed the Lethe, passed through the throngs ofresidents, carrying a black wooden box. He cut a straight paththrough the lawn, arriving at Hadder and Glen in short order.

"Hadder."

"Roco. What do we have here?"

"A single Riser dropped it off, left it in themiddle of the Bridge Gab'Riel. One of our spotters retrieved itwhen the Riser left and brought it to me. I'm pretty sure it's foryou."

Roco passed the box to Hadder, who stared nervouslyat its hinged top. "Did you look in it?"

Roco shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "Idid. I didn't want to bring anything dangerous here."

"Sound logic. What's in it?"

"I think it's best if you looked for yourself."

Hadder gently lifted the top of the box; the rustyhinges let out a scream as if in warning. On the underside of thelid, roughly carved into the dark wood, was a single word -ACCEPT. Inside the box, Hadder was greeted by a white bun ofhair, which he grabbed and lifted. Hadder let the box fall to theground as Jackie Crone's head came out in his hand. Her dangerousblue eyes had been plucked out, and a second message was scrawledinto her head with a blade. An X had been carved into the middle ofher forehead, with a simple sentence above.

GIVE US A KISS.

Hadder showed Glen, then dropped the old woman'shead back into the box on the ground. He kicked the box closed withhis foot. "Well, neither subtle nor classy, but at least we haveour answer. Gather everyone. We need to let them know that we haveone last Solay to train. And to plan for a Bash that will send usall off with smiles on our faces."

Glen smiled. "We may be shit at fighting, but whenit comes to planning a Bash, no one does it like a resident ofStation."

The final Solay of training went well, equal partswork and frolic. An infectious buzz and humming energy permeatedthe residents as they finalized basic blade techniques and preparedfor the Haela's festivities.

Some of the furniture from inside The RoyalJelly was brought outside and laid out across the lawn. Hiddenlawn speakers were checked and double-checked while additionalspeakers were brought out from behind The Royal Jelly'sfamous stage. Although the yard was reasonably lit during Haelathanks to the iridescent creatures and vegetation that surroundedthe Bar, more lighting was brought out and set up. In short order,the lawn of The Royal Jelly looked to be a breeding groundfor one of history's grandest celebrations.

Hadder sat on the Bar's porch as the last of theresidents trickled out to prepare for the Haela's Bash, deemed bymost residents the Great Goodbye. Glen returned from making somealterations to the inside of the Bar and joined Hadder. Together,the two friends sat for a bit in silence, taking advantage of onefinal moment of quiet reflection as they admired the home thattheir lost friend Royal had created within this strange world thatwas Station.

Hadder was the one to break the silence. "I'mlooking forward to hearing Miles sing one last time."

Glen shifted in his chair. "I guess no one told you.Miles went over to the other side. Was one of the few who joinedthem after that shit show at the Samsara. Probably thinks he'sgonna be a huge star in the Before, the next Michael Jackson orsome shit. That plan didn't work out so well for