Chapter Twenty Four

N U M B : A SOCOTRA’S WILL

Osiris sat staring dead at the white duvet laying across his legs.

“Hue Lambert is dead.”

The sound of a clock ticked.

“She gave her life to save yo-”

Osiris turned those dead eyes at the King.

“Leave.”

“Osiris…”

When the boy did not speak more, Mikael got up and left. He punched the wall across the hall.

EARLIER

When they arrived the Lotan was dead.

“The kids, where-”

Laying alone against the wall was Osiris. He looked dead. The King froze.

Lambert went to her sister first, checking her eye, then the girls.

“Where is Osiris?”

Richie pointed to the King.

He was standing there, eyes shaking as he stared down. Lambert saw a hand.

“Stay here.”

Richie clutched the bottom of her dress with a tear and snot stained face.

Lambert ran to the King and saw him.

With a hole over his heart Osiris laid dead.

Lambert cast a divine circle around him, pushing the King and tried to heal him.

The divinity did nothing.

She tried again.

“Fuck.”

Lambert pushed more. Mikael stood frozen in place. The two princesses were crying to their Mother. Lambert could hear the Queen baby them. Lambert’s eyes watered.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Just as she was about to wail her divinity summoned a notecard. With a shaky hand still over the boy's heart Lambert grabbed the card and read it.

She wanted to laugh.

Her god wanted her to do an equal exchange.

Lambert’s eyes closed as she leaned her forehead on the boy, hands still glowing gold.

Lambert has been in wars.

She’s saved and lost so many lives over the course of her twenty one years of life. Never has her god allowed her to cast this spell. Even when she lost her lover, her mom, Lux did not allow her to give up her life.

And now the spell laid on her lap.

Lambert’s smile turned bitter.

“Lam?”

Lambert spent her whole life giving.

She’s given her time, her blood, her divinity, her life to Lux. For what she gave she has more than received in turn. And now her role was over.

“Take care of Richie for me.”

“Lam, what are you doing?”

Her smile was jagged.

“Paying my dues.”

Osiris sat on an ancient black folding chair in a white room with one single flatscreen tv. When the tv began to play an eye stared back at him.

Then the movie started.

Everything was stylized in colored construction paper with kooky music playing in the back.

“Hey kids, it’s me, Socotra!”

The little cartoon creature jumped for joy.

“I’m here on a lesson today about wrath.”

The scene changed.

“There once was a little boy who grew up in Moongate.”

A little boy who looked a lot like Adam started a bold trot. Their arms swung wide like he was ready to take on the world.

“A little thing made up of weights, debates, and a few dates.”

The boy jumped and punched in place.

“Though he never arrived home late, that did not stop the woman’s hate.”

The boy was on the floor holding his cheek.

“A bastard’s son he was no more, thrown to the streets like a whore!”

The boy was tossed out of a moving car.

“He fought and bit and kicked and screamed, and as time passed he became the man he always wanted to be!”

The boy was now a little man. He had on protective gear and was jumping for joy as the crowd cheered.

“But then tragedy struck! The boy was hit by a truck!”

The scene became a front view of the truck coming at the screen.

“Blink and you’ll miss it, you’ll be gone, why is everyone in this world so strong?!”

The boy laid on the ground covered in cuts, bruises, and scars.

The camera suddenly focused on the Socotra.

“Isolated.”

The lights cut and Osiris was left floating in black.

“Detained.”

“Ridiculed.”

“Chastised.”

“Hit. Kicked. Punched. Pinched. Slapped. Tripped. Stabbed.”

“Murdered.”

Osiris stood before the Socotra.

Its branches were twisted and thick, and so tightly condensed that not a spot of light peaked through. Its trunk was as wide as he was tall. Red sap dripped from a single pieces of bark.

The Socotra bloomed.

The boy touched the tree and it ate him.