Orpheus - Haunting the Dead.pdf - Dice

HAUNTING THE DEAD
SETH LINDBERG
hear a mutter, a whisper, under it all. It sounded utterly
mad.
“I’ll hold it off. You guys get in the car,” Ben said,
looking determined.
“No!” said Anders.
Tom glanced at the technician. “Go get the keys.
Pull the girl out of the car. Drop that thing there.” The
technician did as he was told, slowly opening the door
and putting the device down on the ground.
Ben turned to Anders, looking ashen. “I’m gonna go
now. C-come back and kick this bastard’s ass. Promise
me!”
“I promise!” But Ben had already faded from view.
Anders turned, looking at Tom for a second. He
focused on the gun, then scowled. It was now or never.
“Tom.”
Tom glanced at him, but kept his eyes mostly on the
technician.
“Ben won’t make it without help.”
Tom blinked. “There’s nothing we can do to help
him now. We need to get away.”
“No, there’s something.” Anders gave him a level
look. Around him the babbling had grown, become
more audible. No trick of the imagination, it sounded
like scattered thoughts in his head. It sounded like a
swarm of bees trying to recite Shakespeare.
“What?” Tom asked.
“Shoot me.”
“Are you kidding?”
“Do it. Do it quickly.”
“I can’t kill you.”
Anders pulled up his sleeve. “See this?” He showed
off the scar. “I’ve tried suicide so many times I’ve lost
count. I’ve accepted death, so much of my life I’ve
longed for it. I wish it so.”
“You’re mad, Anders.”
“I can help Ben.”
Tom glanced at the technician. Tom frowned. He
seemed deeply unhappy. The babble grew around them
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