Page 23 of Into the Abyss
“Maybe if we can figurethatout wecan break through to her somehow.”
I allowed the scene to play through beforekneeling at Mara’s side again. “What is it you want from this,Mara?” I asked.
Lifting her head, she blinked at me beforeturning her gaze to the lake. “My life back. I want it all to haveneverbeen this way. Ricky… Ricky is my heart,” shewhispered tremulously and rested her hand on her chest. “And whenthat thing killed him, it tore the heart from my chest.”
“No one can undo what has already been done.Somewhere deep inside, you know this is true.”
“No,” she moaned.
I rested my hand on her shoulder and gave ita tender squeeze. “Mara—”
“It can be different. It can. Itcan!I wished for it to be different. Theremustbe a way tochange it!”
“Mara—”
My hand fell through thin air when shevanished.
“Son of a bitch!” I snarled. My shouldersheaved as I struggled to retain my temper, but I wanted to burnthis entire place to the ground before tearing to shreds everyjinni who’d had a hand in creating this endlessfuckingnightmare.
Slowly, reeling in my frustration, my gazefell on Amalia. She’d done better with this whole thing since itfirst started, but her shadowed eyes and pale skin revealed thetoll it was taking on her.
We couldn’t stay here much longer. Therewere numerous others trapped here who required help, and I didn’tknow how much more Amalia could take, but I couldn’t give up onMara yet. If I had to give up here, then I might not be able tosave anyone trapped in this place, and I refused to acknowledgethat possibility.
When Mara reemerged again, Amalia leaptforward and yanked her away from Ricky. When Mara kicked and lashedout at her, her punches caught Amalia in her bicep. I lungedforward with the intent of taking Mara down before she could hurtAmalia anymore, but Amalia dragged her to the ground and pinned herthere before I reached them.
“Listen to me!” she yelled at Mara as thelower-level demon emerged. “If you don’t break free of this, youwilldie!”
Mara flailed against her restraining hold asthe scene with Ricky and the demon played out before the demondisappeared without Mara’s bullets striking it.
Then, Mara vanished.
Walking over, I sat on the ground besideAmalia as she drew her knees up to her chest and settled her chinon them. “I don’t know what to do,” she muttered.
“Neither do I,” I admitted. “But we’re notgetting through to her, and there are many others trapped here.Even if we can’t help Mara, we might be able to help one ofthem.”
Amalia looked as doubtful as I felt aboutthat, but we were wasting time here, and if there was a possibilitywe might be able to help one of the others, we couldn’t stay.
“You want to leave her to this?” Amaliaasked as the scene started again.
“Can you think of anything else to do?”
“No.”
The scene faded away, and Mara startedweeping. Rising, I extended my hand to Amalia and grasped herswithin mine. Mara leapt to her feet and released a shriek thatcaused Amalia to wince. Before I could say or do anything, Marabent her head and ran headfirst at the jagged rocks.
“No!” Amalia cried as Mara rammed her headinto the wall.
Blood burst from the top of Mara’s skull,and she staggered back a few steps. Shaking her head, Mara regainedenough control to wipe away the blood streaking her cheeks beforebowing her head and rushing forward again. The crack of her neckfollowed the echo of her skull battering the rocks. Mara felllimply to the ground with her hands and legs splayed haphazardlyout at her sides.
This time when Mara’s body faded away, Iknew she wouldn’t be coming back.
In the distance, another bolt slammed intothe massive monolith before spiraling out to the other four.
“Oh,” Amalia breathed, and I turned to findher paler than I’d ever seen her before. “It’s… oh.”
“It’s what?” I demanded.
“Her life,” Amalia murmured. “The lightningis her life force. It went through me along with a rush of powerthat just feels sowrong. That’s what I felt when thelightning struck before too. The lightning is the life force ofthose who perish in the Abyss.”
