Beautiful Dead 02 - Arizona (3 page)

Phoenix pul ed me back against a bank of long, dried grass and kissed

me harder. I went headlong with the surge of love, stronger and more 20

dangerous than the current of any mountain creek.

Then suddenly Phoenix broke off and pul ed his head away from me. His eyes narrowed and he raised his hands to keep me at a distance.

'What happened?' I looked around. Had someone crept up on us? What was the matter? 'Don't tel me Hunter. Is he here?'

Phoenix shook his head. 'No yeah. I mean, he's always here.'

'The overlord,' I muttered. The red-hot passion was cooling fast, I was back in control. 'Dude, he's better than any other form of birth control!'

We laughed. Then we grew serious again.

'There's a rule,' Phoenix explained. 'I can't ... you know ... give myself total y. We need to keep a distance.'

'Says who? Hunter? Doesn't he know that rules are made to be broken?'

Hunter was way worse than Laura and Jim. Or I should say, his

sanctions were a whole lot tougher. If I stayed out late, Laura could stil ground me - it was her house, she paid the bil s, etcetera. But obeying the rules gave Phoenix his only chance to set the record straight - if he

overstepped the mark set down by his overlord, he got kicked out of

Foxton and was back in limbo, period. And if I listened hard right now, I could hear the wings of a mil ion lost souls in limbo beating and begging to take his place.

'OK.' I nodded. No contest.

Phoenix closed his eyes. You understand,' he sighed. 'You know how hard this is for me?'

'I do,' I whispered. 'From now on, I promise to keep my hands off you!'

The humour this time was less bel y-laugh, more bitter-sweet. 'What

did I do to deserve this?' he asked, grabbing my hands and refusing to let me move away. 'I mean you, Darina. You're the most beautiful thing I ever saw, plus I never know what crazy thing you're going to do or say next. You always catch me off guard.'

'And you the mind-reader,' I kidded. I felt myself fal ing away swiftly into the dark, lonely place and heaved myself back by switching the topic.

'So tel me how come Hunter permitted you to show up at last?'

Phoenix shrugged. 'He never gives reasons. The truth is he only 21

showed up again earlier today. I don't know where he's been hanging out

since the Jonas thing.'

'So where were you and the others?' I asked. Not at Foxton, I was certain.

He was uneasy and looked away. 'Arizona took control. She said we

had to leave Foxton for a while, let things get back to normal around here.'

'So where did you go?' I insisted.

'A couple of places I'd never been before I can't tel you exactly.'

I did the tutting thing. 'You mean "won't". As in, it's another of Hunter's rules.'

'Al I know is Hunter went off and Arizona took care of us and warned us not to ask any questions.'

'OK, you don't need to answer, but let me take an educated guess. Hunter went back to limbo to update whoever or whatever it is he answers to - like, an overlord-overlord. He left the Beautiful Dead in some secret hiding place, kind of hibernating until he made it back to the far side.' I studied Phoenix's face for a reaction but didn't find one, which meant I was right. 'That's interesting. There's someone or something tel ing Hunter what to do. And listen, Phoenix, I don't want to hear you tel ing me not to worry my pretty head over these things OK?'

'As if.' He leaned back and rested his hands behind his head. 'What a waste of energy that would be.'

'So what was it like, taking orders from Arizona?' There was an edge to this question, I admit.

'Arizona's cool. She's real smart.'

'Should I be jealous?' I only half kidded. After al , I knew a dozen

boys at El erton High who'd been into Arizona's looks and style, even if her frosty personality had been about as inviting as skinny-dipping in an icy lake. Like Phoenix, al the male students admired her from afar.

'As if,' he repeated. 'But seriously you don't want to mess with her, OK?'

No, I only have to save her zombie soul.' I reminded him of the

baseline reason we were here. 'A lot of people are turning their attention to Arizona since the mystery surrounding Jonas was cleared up. Zoey, for one.

Phoenix sat up straight. ' She's asking questions?' 22

'Yes, and don't worry, I didn't share any secrets. Hunter and a mil ion wings made sure of that.'

He relaxed again.

Zoey is saying she doesn't believe Arizona drowned herself, and she doesn't think it was an accident either. And I guess she may be right.'

You do?' Mister Cautious gave nothing away, reminding me there were things he couldn't share, even with me.

'Yeah. Otherwise why would Hunter choose her to return to the far side?' I knew the overlord only dealt with injustice and doubt - the random shooting of Summer Madison by an unknown gunman, Phoenix's death by stabbing in a fight between gangs. A straightforward, explicable death didn't deserve al this special attention. 'She's Beautiful Dead because there's a mystery.'

We sat in silence for a while, watching the endless flow of water at our feet.

Darina, you real y don't have to do this.' When he spoke, Phoenix

had moved away into some remote head space. 'There's a good chance

we can find out what happened without you.'

I reacted like I'd been stung. 'Yeah like the Beautiful Dead have had eleven months plus to do that already, and how far did you get? You don't have much time left, remember.'

How could they forget? A soul can exist for twelve months in the zombie community, not a day more. The end.

You stil don't have to do it.'

I stood up and balanced, arms wide, right at the edge of the rock. 'What are you saying - that I can have my memory zapped by your superpowers and walk away from here as if you never existed? Good -

thanks!'

The alternative maybe it's too much to ask.' Phoenix offered me an exit from the craziness but I could see in his eyes that he didn't expect me to grab it. He knew me better.

'When did I ever walk away?' I murmured.

He drew me back from the edge and kissed me gently this time, stroking the back of my neck. 'So you'l help Arizona the way you helped Jonas?'

'Like I'l help Summer and you.'

'Then it's time,' he said, taking me by the hand.

23

The barn out at Foxton was fil ed with sunlight but I was cold in my T-

shirt and jeans. I shivered and stayed close to Phoenix.

'Who's that?' I asked him, pointing to a new guy, who looked as lost and confused as I had been the first time I came across the Beautiful Dead.

Phoenix shook his head. 'I've never seen him before.'

The newcomer sat on the ground in a shadowy corner, hugging his knees to his chest. He looked like he was trying to catch his breath, as if he was in a lot of pain.

'Meet Lee Stone.' Arizona made the introductions among the Beautiful Dead. 'Lee, this is Phoenix Rohr.'

The new guy struggled to his feet. Phoenix stood over six feet, but Lee was tal er stil . He was broad and strong, with fair hair bleached by the sun, looking like he'd stepped right off a beach.

Summer, come and say hi to Lee,' Arizona invited. She drew my old buddy into the tight circle, excluding me by turning her back.

Phoenix realized it and made room for me. 'Hey, Lee, this is Darina.'

The poor guy could hardly stand. He hadn't any idea where he was

and there was no Californian tan to match the muscles and the bleached hair.

'It's OK. Everything's cool,' Summer assured him. Her blonde hair shone like gold in the sunlight. She was wearing a loose, light white cotton smock and jeans.

Lee didn't speak. Fear and pain were written al over his face.

'What's happening?' I whispered to Summer. The cold seemed to intensify, though the sun stil shone.

'We're waiting for Hunter.'

I shivered - partly because of the lack of heat, partly at the sound of the overlord's name. I felt Phoenix grasp my hand and keep a firm hold.

'So don't ask any more questions,' Arizona warned. 'Because we don't have the answers.'

As we waited, more familiar figures appeared. There was Eve with baby Kori, drifting in from the yard. Donna came down the rickety stairs from the hayloft. Eve and Donna were Hunter's right-hand helpers -

always on guard and ready to set up the force field to repel farsiders. So 24

far I've never asked their histories and they never speak of it. Right now, no one said a word.

So I had a long time to figure things out. Poor Lee might be sinking

under a landslide of confusion, but I could cool y put the pieces together. Young guy, tal and athletic, in pain and confused. Who did that remind me of when I first came to the barn, a lifetime ago? Young guy, recently dead, pale and perfect, taking his first faltering steps out of limbo into the far-side world of the Beautiful Dead, like Phoenix before him.

Al I had to do now was find the death mark on that smooth, cold skin.

A shadow fel across the entrance to the barn. We al turned as Hunter

appeared.

He was straighter, sterner even than I remembered. Not a single muscle moved in his stony features as he walked towards Lee and his deep-set eyes took in every detail. 'You made it back,' he noted.

'What is this? What happened?' Lee had caught his breath and looked

ready to flee or to fight, he hadn't decided which.

'Take it easy,' Hunter told him. 'Right now you're hurting, but you're safe here with us.'

His words seemed to calm Lee, who took his first real look around the circle, taking in Summer and Arizona, Eve and the baby, Donna, Phoenix and me. 'This is too weird,' he muttered. 'Last thing I know I was on the slopes with my snowboard ...'

'And now you're here,' Hunter said. 'Here is what matters. You have something important to work out and we'l help you do that.'

'I was alone on the slope, the first one up there.' Past trauma - the ultimate and irreversible one - stil demanded Lee's attention. 'Blue skies, perfect snow, then al of a sudden-'

'The light went out,' Arizona interrupted. 'And you don't know what went wrong. There's a blank in your memory big enough to swal ow you whole and so much pain you can hardly bear it. We know.'

'We need to welcome you,' Hunter told him. He made Lee stand in the centre of the circle and strip off his shirt, then he turned his head towards me. 'Darina, you can leave now. Wait in the house.'

Phoenix smiled at me and nodded, then I felt his grasp slacken. Even 25

though I wanted to argue with Hunter about staying I felt his stern eyes bore through me and the urge dissolved. Minus my wil power, I left the barn without tittering a word.

Hunter didn't say anything about not turning and looking over my

shoulder though. Halfway across the yard, I took a peek.

Lee was in the centre of the ring and the Beautiful Dead were chanting, their voices soft and rhythmic, their expressions welcoming. The delicate features of Summer's face especial y seemed to light up, her eyes were shining, her hair floating around her shoulders. Next to her, Arizona had peeled away al those layers of bitter sarcasm and al owed an open contentment to take over her whole body. Eve, with her baby in her arms, closed her eyes in a trance.

Darina, waft in the house! Hunter stood with his back to me, but he had eyes in the back of his head. And he didn't need to speak out loud to dish the orders. Like a robot I turned and walked on.

But I did hear the chanting as I stepped up on to the house porch, and I heard Phoenix's voice among al the rest, saying, 'Welcome, Lee.

Welcome to the world of the Beautiful Dead.'

They did their zombie thing, then Summer came to the house to fetch me. So, Darina, how are you?' she asked.

I shook my head. 'How long have you got?'

'OK, stupid question.' She tapped the arm of the rocking-chair to set it in motion. Backwards, forwards, like the ticking of an old clock. Have you seen my parents lately?'

'No, I haven't been out your side of town.'

'My mother doesn't leave the house much,' Summer confided. 'It's seven and a half months since I left, and she stays inside.'

I told her that her mom stil needed recovery time. 'Your dad takes care of her. He saw Laura in the mal and told her he works at home now. He doesn't need to go to the office.'

Stil dreaming up homes for people,' Summer smiled. As a little kid

I loved to watch him draw those plans, those magical lines and angles. It's his way of making dreams come true.'

'He's a great architect,' I agreed. I knew Mr Madison had designed the 26

house Zoey and her family lived in, plus most of the expensive homes in

the Westra neighbourhood, including the Taylor place, which had once featured in an edition of Mountain Living.

Weirdly, the Madisons' own home wasn't a big deal. Sure, it was large and it had windows down to the ground on the side of the house that overlooked Amos Peak, and you could see forest and hil s for miles. But the interior was cluttered and homey, crammed with Summer's musical instruments and colourful, half-finished paintings stacked against the

wal .

'I'm glad Dad's working,' Summer sighed. ' Is Morn stil painting? No, you don't know. I forgot.'

Back and forth, back and forth went the chair. A slight frown marked Summer's smooth, pale forehead.

So Lee joined your group,' I noted. With Summer I never run at stuff like I usual y do. She slows me down and makes me feel like I want to take care of her, even now. And we find the time to talk.

'He needs answers.' Summer went to the window and looked out across the yard. 'Dying alone on a ski slope at the age of nineteen that's tough.'

Like getting caught in a random shooting in a mal isn 't! I thought of Summer's manner of departing this life at the hands of an unknown psychopath. 'Did you see Lee's death mark?'