With nothing to do after work and a few hours to kill before the bonfire, Angel decided to see what was going on at The Barn. He hadn’t been since the fight with Aluminum Carl, but figured it wouldn’t hurt just to check things out. Surely Nyx wouldn’t have a problem with something as innocent as that.

From the sky, Angel could see the small parking lot was over crowded. Running out of space, vehicles parked on the lawn, flattening the tall grass. Even in mid-afternoon, people milled about outside in clumps, smoking and chatting. He’d never seen the place so busy and wondered how the building could hold this many people.

Angel landed, hitting the ground with a thump. He left his wings out and lazily folded, primary feathers grazed the ground as he walked. He couldn’t recognize some of the people gathered outside and figured they must have come in from the mainland. Some of the vehicles, convertibles and sleek sports cars were far too nice to belong on the island.

If word of these fights is getting out to the mainland, Jeff better be careful Ivy doesn’t find out.

Life-force throbbed in heated waves, undulating from The Barn and the people outside. He walked through it like moving in a gossamer fog. It swirled around him like mist.

He pulled it in, careful only to sip at it like a well aged whiskey. Almost to the door, he was already getting light headed, and let it settle in.

“Hey! Grub!”

The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it… He turned to see Jack and Caroline along the tree-line.

Caroline was grinning, waving him over. Her shimmering opal hair was shaved at the sides and back, then tied in a long braid, trailing to the bottom of her short black skirt, touching the top of her tall boots. Though she smiled, her red eyes never softened.

Jack slouched against a tree beside her, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. His eyes were concealed behind heart-shaped sunglasses. Stringy brown hair hung in limp strands underneath a wide-brimmed black hat.

Angel considered pretending he hadn’t heard her and keep on going. As sensitive as his hearing was, everyone knew how selective it could be. Instead, he turned and walked over to join them.

“Long time, no see,” said Jack.

Not long enough.

The last time he’d seen them was on a work trip to the mainland with Alistair. With nothing to do after their shift, they’d gone out to drink, only to discover Jack and Caroline already at the bar. It turned out the pair had been using Caroline’s chaos-vision to predict slot machine winnings, and had been playing them all night, making sure to lose a time or two in order to avoid suspicion.

Alistair decided to head back to the hostel, but Angel was intrigued. He agreed to fork over everything he had in his wallet at the time - about two-hundred dollars - to play with. The night had gone well. They used their winnings to buy drink after drink until Angel could hardly read the screens or the numbers on the buttons. Everything blurred together in rolling symbols, indecipherable streaks of colour, flashes of light and squealing sounds of celebration.

They got so caught up in it, that they didn’t cash out in time. He racked in over a thousand before the bartender caught on and kicked them out, taking everything they’d won, after telling them how lucky they were he wasn’t calling any Watchers. Angel didn’t feel so lucky having to leave without a dime to his name.

They both looked as he remembered them. Jack’s features were slick and pointy, right down to his smile. Yet there was something enticing about his devious grin, like he held something back. Whereas Caroline made Angel think of those dolls he saw in the thrift stores - pale as porcelain with makeup just as bright, striking against her opalescent hair and black clothing. Her bright red eyes fixed him in place. There was something in them that was similar to Kismet - like they both looked into the same abyss.

There was a reason everyone at school used to call her ‘Crazy Carrie.’

“Where’ve you been hiding these past few weeks?” she asked. “I’ve been looking around for you.”

Angel shrugged and dug a cigarette out of the pocket of his jeans. While he took some time to light it, he cooked up an answer.

“Hasn’t really been worth my while,” he said. “You probably already heard what happened when I fought Carl the first time. I figured I’d cool it until I actually have a shot.”

“Then what brings you out today?” Jack asked as Angel passed him the cigarette. “Sight seeing?”

“I got curious, I guess,” Angel confessed.

“I thought that foxy fox shifter of yours might have been keeping you away,” Caroline teased. “What was her name again?”

“Oh yeah,” Jack said, snapping his fingers. “Nyx, wasn’t it? You two still together? You were quite torn up over her the last time we spoke.”

How drunk was I?

Angel shifted his weight and his cheeks burned. “Yeah, we’re together, but she hasn’t stopped me from coming here. She doesn’t care.”

He took the cigarette from Jack and tapped out the ashes.

“That’s not how I remember,” said Caroline playfully. “Even in high-school, she’d always find some excuse to tear you away from us.”

“Let the man have his priorities,” said Jack and turned to Angel. “Listen, we’re out here taking bets if you want in?”

“Oh no, I can’t." Angel's stomach twisted and he chewed the inside of his cheek.

Nyx will kill me.

That thought struck a chord in him.

What does she care? It’s not like I’m the one doing the fighting.

“Seeing on how you’re a friend and all, how about Caroline tells you the real odds, free of charge?” Jack suggested. “If you don’t like ‘em, you can leave ‘em.”

This got Angel’s attention. Caroline’s predictions were not without risk, as there was still a chance for him to choose wrong, but the accuracy in her vision was enough to tempt him.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Alright, what are they?” Angel asked, already reaching for his wallet.

“Which fight do you want?” she asked.

“I might as well go for the big one,” said Angel. “How about the last fight of the night then?”

With so many people in from the mainland, there was a chance someone here could beat Carl yet. So he didn’t want to get a head of himself and bet on Carl straight away. He almost considered if it would be more worthwhile to bet on a smaller fight where the odds were more even and his wins could be bigger, but he’d already asked the question.

“Alright,” said Caroline. “Let me see.” She stared off for a moment, then frowned, tapping her toe. “No… that can’t be right.”

“What is it?” Jack asked.

Sweat formed on the back of Angel’s neck and his heart raced. It wasn’t normally this challenging for her to asses the situation. From his understanding of her abilities, her vision relied on what she considered the ‘pivot-point’ - the center of reality they existed in currently. From there she could see the paths of reality expanding like fractals from everyone’s choices. All potentials existed at once and it was up to her to clarify and determine the probability of outcomes. Sure, it could be messy at times, but he was under the impression she’d gotten it down pat.

Her eyes widened, drinking in whatever she must have been seeing in her mind. Angel followed her gaze, though he was blind to what lay in her perception. All he could see was a parking lot slowly filling up with more people.

“It’s ok, I’ll pick a different one -” he began, but her crimson eyes on his cut him off.

“No…” she muttered, shaking her head.

Jack put a hand on her shoulder, pinching his face in concern. “Maybe we should stop and reset.”

“Everything is so distorted…” she said, her brow still scrunched up in bewildered concentration.

“It’s cool,” said Angel even as his hands were turning clammy. “You don’t have to look.”

Caroline turned to him, impaling him with her eyes and he jumped.

“You beat Carl,” she said as if she didn’t believe it herself. “In almost every thread I see, you win. You’re always so distorted in my vision, but I can see the ripples”

Angel laughed. “Ok, yeah, sure. Good one.”

The stillness in her face tossed him off kilter. Caroline was rarely wrong, and when she was, it was only because she’d been too clouded by substances to see straight. Right now, she seemed to be stone cold sober, but maybe he just couldn’t tell?

Either way, I have no idea what she’s talking about.

Even Jack looked spooked. His long face pulled into a concerned frown. He wasn’t buying it either.

“Is everything alright Carrie?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she snapped. “My head is completely clear. The only thing I can’t perceive is him,” she gestured to Angel, “but that’s no surprise. So when I see everything get all wiggly-wonky like I’m looking through a fun house mirror, I tend to think he’s involved somehow, especially considering the aftermath -”

“The aftermath?” Angel's throat had gone so dry even words scraped on their way up.

“I may not be able to see you directly, but I can see the branching paths resulting from your decisions and consequences in how they affect the paths of others around you.”

“I think he was asking for something a little more specific than that, Love." Jack's voice had gone quiet and low.

Angel’s heart fluttered under his ribs and he began to regret coming here at all.

She has to be wrong. She has to be. It’s insane otherwise. How does she know I’m gonna do something before I do? I’m gonna stay with Nyx after the bonfire. That way, there’s no chance this will come true.

“You already know what happens,” she said, her eyes boring straight into his.

If she can see the ripples, she must know about my powers or at least have some idea.

“Does Ivy find out? What about Nyx? Does she hate me?” The questions poured from him.

Jack looked from one to the other, more questions behind his eyes, but kept quiet, nursing a cigarette.

“I can’t see emotions,” said Caroline softly, “but the consequences have a high likelihood to be as you expect.”

The blood drained from his face as a chill swept over him from head to toe.

What would make me do this?

“Is there any chance I don’t fight?” A lingering thread of hope slithered into his chest and he tried to cling to it.

“The odds are never zero,” she said, “but it’s not high. I’m sorry.”

“Well, what happens then? If I fight I mean. You say I win, I’m exposed, but what then? Does Ivy find out? Does she kill me? What about Nyx?”

He was nearly choking on his panic.

“For the sake of my sanity, I can’t go looking much further than that,” Caroline explained. “Such a hefty ordeal would cost a fair sum, and no offence, I don’t think you have that kind of money.”

“Why do I do it?” he asked, utterly flabbergasted. “I don’t want to fight Carl at all. I promised I wouldn’t.”

I can be impulsive, sure, but how is it possible to blindside myself like this? What am I missing?

The blood in his veins had chilled and he was suddenly quite nauseous.

Caroline shrugged. “Like I said, I can’t see motivations. Only actions and consequences. I’m sorry.” She put a comforting hand on his arm. He resisted the urge to pull away. Her long crimson nails scratched his skin. “Look, Angel, we have an apartment on the mainland now. Come find us when the night is over.”

“You’re wrong,” he said, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t risk it.”

“Ok, if you say so,” she said with a slight shrug.

Jack quirked his eyebrow. “What are you two talking about? What is this?”

“It’s nothing,” said Caroline, smiling up at him. “It was good seeing you Angel. You better get back to Nyx.”

“Yeah,” he said, backing away a bit quicker than he intended. “I’ll see you guys around.”

He was shaking slightly as he rounded the corner. It was difficult to catch his breath. The sun had begun to set, dipping the clearing in a purple haze. It was only late evening, but The Barn already swelled with people. The walls seemed to pulse with the music, inhaling with the rhythm and moving bodies within.

Bathed in the seeping orange light from the propped open door, Angel stopped fo feel the building energy. The electric waves soothed his budding anxiety, pulling him inside like a magnet. It hummed in the air so thick he could feel it like silk against his skin.

There’s so much of it here. A little taste won’t hurt. Just something to take the edge off.

He risked small sips, absorbing only what he could integrate at a time to avoid glowing. Gradually, the anxiety from his conversation with Caroline ebbed away. He found himself in the middle of the dance floor, so enamored with the fog of life-force intoxicating him, he hadn’t noticed himself wiggling into the crowd.

I have to get out of here.

Angel breathed in and out, deep and easy as he fought his way through the thick crowd, until he could steel himself against the alluring sensation of life-force all around him. As he stepped outside, ready to spread his wings, he heard Jeff begin to announce the first round of fights. They’d start with a few other small-time matches before finishing the night off with Carl.

Again, Angel found himself regretting coming here, especially speaking to Caroline. He spread his wings and jumped into the air. The huge knot in the center of his gut did not lessen as he flew toward the beach. Nyx would already be there, ready to ask where he’d been and he wasn’t sure what he’d say.

I didn’t do anything wrong.

He flapped harder, digging his fingernails into his palms. The wind whipped his black hair around his shoulders, raking across his feathers.

I’ll stay with Nyx all night. No matter what. It shouldn’t be hard. That way it’ll be impossible for me to fight.

As he neared the beach, he could see the twinkling lights of Happsburg across the water.

Or maybe I should just keep going. I should get away before I make things worse. No, Nyx would never forgive me.

Angel pictured her round face and bright smile, and how beautiful she looked even when she scowled at him and her eyes lit up in fury. He could see the splattering of freckles under her eyes, trailing across her nose, and the way they coated the tops of her shoulders in the summer. The taste of her cherry lip gloss lingered in his mouth after they kissed.

I can’t lose her. I won’t.

He dipped his wings and began his descent toward the sand.