The Gift

“Did you just call your sister stupid, Whit?” he shouts.

“No.” In a sense. “I told her going anywhere with you was stupid. And it is.”

“Well, you’ve denigrated Wisty for the last time.”

“Byron!” Wisty calls urgently. “It’s fine! I swear! It’s an affectionate nickname!”

“Sayonara, Whitford Allgood,” Byron says, and throws me a rigid salute.

And that’s when he blows a new tune on his Command Pipe, and the Kill Team reengages in the hunt-by climbing ape-style up the side of the building and crashing through what’s left of the windows.

Well, I guess we thought coming here to Mrs. Highsmith’s would be a game changer. Looks like it is.

Chapter 93

Wisty

I AM NOT MUCH OF A COWARDLY screamer by nature, but two tons of growling, pouncing ape-kids swarming into a tiny apartment with one barricaded exit definitely elicits a shriek from me that is totally bloodcurdling.

It actually startles the Kill Team for a split second, long enough for a pause in which Byron pipes another series of commands up at them.

Whit fairly hurls me into a corner of the room, then blocks the path to me with his body.

“Whit, that isn’t going to work!”

And it sure doesn’t. The fiends practically run over my poor brother, shouting in murderous glee. But they don’t kill us. They hog-tie Whit and me, quickly, viciously.

And then in walks Byron Swain.

“Sorry about all the safety precautions, Wisty,” says Byron. He checks the ropes on our arms and forces a gag into Whit’s mouth. “But I can’t have any more distractions while I make good on my commitment here. In case you think I’m not a decent fellow,” he says as he turns and forces an oily-tasting rag into my mouth, too, “I should point out that I’m not going to have my friends here tear Whit apart in front of you, as instructed. Instead, I’ll have both of you sent along to The One. I’m guessing he’ll probably want to put you on the same weight-loss program as your parents. Then, as promised, on to the Allgood execution!”

He didn’t really say that just now. There’s no freaking way he really -

“Yes, sir. That’s going to be one majorly popular execution-palooza.” He goes right on talking. “I warned you, Wisty. I tried to stop this.”

Okay, Byron, I think to myself. This is real simple. You leave me no choice. I’m just going to… EXPLODE.

Chapter 94

Whit

WHEN MY LITTLE SISTER FLARES up in anger, sometimes she’s just a regular, run-of-the-mill human torch with fire swirling all around her body, and you would definitely be well-advised not to shake her hand. Other times, though, she’s so bright and hot, it’s hard even to look at her. Like right now.

But Byron does look at her. In fact, he’s totally gaga, like he’s never been so impressed with her skills.

Wisty’s ropes and gag last all of a nanosecond as she bounds up from the ground and takes a couple of menacing swipes at Byron’s freaky death squad. They wisely move back a few stuttering steps. I’m certain she could smoke their wiry butts into ash, but for some reason she doesn’t.

While the ape-kids recoil, Byron steps closer to Wisty. He looks to be in a daze. He absently drops his Command Pipe as his eyes glaze over.

Wisty waves her hands wildly. “Get away from me, Byron! I’m as hot as a hundred furnaces. Just leave now and I won’t hurt you!”

“You can’t hurt me, Wisty,” he says. “Not anymore.” Then he does the unthinkable. I’m bound and gagged and can’t do a thing as I watch Byron throw himself right into Wisty’s flames. She tries to pull away, but then he’s clutching her as if he’s a child and she’s here to rescue him.

Wisty was right. We’re not murderers. As much as I hate this kid, I can’t sit still and let Byron immolate himself.

“Byron! What’re you doing? Stop!” Wisty yells. “Stop, drop, and roll!”

“You can’t hurt me, Wisty,” Byron repeats dreamily, despite the crackling and hissing flame surrounding him. He must be delirious. Obviously he’s being burned to death, but he’s showing absolutely no signs of pain.

The feral kids, confused and without any command to guide them, are starting to growl again. But Byron is oblivious, his face buried in Wisty’s neck, his arms wrapped around her. As if he’s drinking in her fire.

And… he’s not burning.

He’s not burning!

Chapter 95

Whit

TO REVIEW: THERE ARE any number of life-threatening crises on our hands at the moment.

1) Byron’s gone loco.

2) In a few minutes his wild, feral team may go from chilling to killing.

3) Mrs. H.’s apartment is a major fire hazard, and Wisty’s humongous flames have already lit up all the curtains, the rug, and the wallpaper, which is badly burned.

4) I’m still at risk of being hauled off to The One if I can’t get control of the situation.

I have to try to extinguish Wisty’s flames somehow. But I can’t control fire. I know it in my bones-that’s Wisty’s Gift. But if I focus on Mrs. H.’s cauldron-Can I move it? It’s filled with liquid, after all.

The pack is growling louder and louder, so I have no choice.

It’s an act of desperation, but I focus my mind and manage to lift Mrs. Highsmith’s barrel. Then I will it to fly across the room.

Whatever Mrs. H. was cooking, I’m not sure it was fit for human consumption, since it’s as effective as foam from a fire extinguisher. Wisty’s flame flickers out, and Byron-with no trace of burnt clothing, hair, or skin-drops to the floor.

Wisty’s dripping with gruel and rather dazed by what just happened but still sharp enough to realize what she should do next. She unbinds me and removes my gag, all the while staring at the ape-kids, who definitely seem to respect her abilities with fire.

“You stay back or I’ll fry you!” she warns. She even throws off a few fresh, sizzling flames.

Then my little sister helps me up, and I realize she’s a lot stronger than she looks. “That was so totally messed up,” she says quietly. “Let’s get out of here while we still can.”