Clipped (The Clipped Saga, 1) by Devon McCormack (28 page)

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and don’t come back without them. And I’m talking the good stuff.

You bring back some Advil or Tylenol, and I’l make you wish you weren’t immortal.”

Kinzer grabbed his wal et and headed out the door.

Footsteps caught his attention.

Treycore was coming from his room down the hal , a

determined glare in his eyes.

“Where are you going?” Kinzer asked.

Treycore dashed past him, tossing a duffel bag over his

shoulder and continuing to the door. “You know where I’m going!”

Kinzer slipped past him and jumped in his path.

“Get out of my fucking way,” Treycore said. He shoved

Kinzer against the wal .

“Treycore, we need your help. We have to stop the Christ

and keep Veylo from reaching the actual Antichrist.”

The door creaked open as Treycore started out. “You are

more than capable of handling this shit,” he muttered.

“Treycore, please!”

Kinzer’s plea stopped Treycore. He stepped back into the

hal , al owing the door to close. “Right now, Kid’s with that sick cunt.” “She’s probably already killed him.”

“If I thought that was true, I’d be relieved. But you know

he’s not because you know her. You know what she’l do to him. I have to get to Hel and stop—”

“You real y think an angel is just going to be able to slip into

269 Devon McCormack
Hel unnoticed?”

“I’ve done it before.”

They stared each other down.

“Before al this,” Treycore continued, “if you’d known Janka

was trapped in Heaven, what would you have done?”

Kinzer reflected on Treycore’s hypothetical, and try as he did

to convince himself that he would’ve given up, he knew better. He stepped to Treycore and set his hand on his shoulder. “I understand.

If you save him—”

“
When
I save him,” Treycore said, “I’l bring him back and we’l take out these bastards together.”

Kinzer wrapped his arms around Treycore.

“Now,” Treycore said, “you get that fiery bitch wel , and

track those motherfuckers down.”

Kinzer smirked. “Yes, sir.”

They walked side-by-side to the door. Kinzer let Treycore

out.

“You gonna be okay?” Treycore asked.

“Of course,” Kinzer said with a smile.

“Take care.” Treycore’s face was etched with concern.

Funny remark
, Kinzer thought,
for the higherling who’s on his
way to Hel .

“You, too.”

Treycore dashed to the sidewalk, hurrying toward his new

quest.

Across the street, a condemned gas station captured Kinzer’s

CLIPPED 270

attention. An “Open” sign slanted across the graffitied entrance.

Behind the gas station, a wooded area was being consumed by

kudzu. Beyond that, the sun set in a sea of red and purple.

Kinzer’s eyes fil ed with tears. He leaned against the

doorframe, sliding to his knees as his thoughts drifted back to the only creature he’d ever loved...the one who’d betrayed him most. He could see Janka’s smile, his eyes alight with enthusiasm. He could feel his warm touch. And Kinzer knew that those things that had at one time brought him so much joy and ecstasy, could now only

bring him sadness and pain.

~

Devon McCormack:

Blog: devonmccormack.com

Twitter: @devon_mccormack

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/devonmccormack

Email: [email protected]