Page 3 of Death Wish

Shifting slightly for a better angle, I threw my elbow back as hard as I could. It connected with his ribs. As he doubled over, I pushed myself off the car and kicked him square in the stomach.

He staggered back, stopping just short of falling into the spirit circle, and teetered back and forth to keep his balance. His arms whirled like a windmill, but he managed to stay standing there on the thin edge.

The circle shimmered, as if sensing him close by.

I needed to get him through that door. But it was clear he wasn’t going to go on his own.

I knew what I had to do. Not one of my brightest ideas, but it would work.

I hoped so anyway.

Before he could completely regain his footing, I crouched low and rushed him. He tried to move, but I was too fast. We collided, all the air rushing from my lungs in one whoosh. He grabbed for my shoulders, clawing at me, trying to use my body for leverage to help himself back up, but there wasn’t anything he could do.

We were falling.

He screamed.

A bright orange light flashed around us as we passed through the door. Then, there was nothing but infinite blackness.

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