Blackthorn

by J.T. Geissinger

“Death is nothing to fear, sweet girl. Nature remakes everything she creates. We’re not finished when we die, we’re simply transformed into something better.”

It’s the Blackthorn way and has been for as long as anyone can remember: men are only tools, and love is only for fools.

“—and I’ll only be in Solstice for a few days—” “Not if I have any say in the matter.” “—so you’ll have to excuse me because I’m hanging up now. And you don’t have any say in the matter.” “I’ll shut down the train station so you can’t leave.” I open my mouth but close it again because he’s rendered me speechless. “I’ll have all the roads closed, too, if I have to.” “Please tell me you’re joking.” “You tell me, since you seem to have me all figured out. Do you think I’m joking?” I say flatly, “You can’t keep me in this town against my will.” His tone turns thoughtful. “Funny thing about that. I actually can. Would you like to know why?” “Don’t say it.” “I’m Ronan Croft, that’s why.”

I open my eyes to blinding white light. Wincing, I squeeze them shut again. I hope this isn’t heaven. All that bright, cheerful light for eternity will drive me nuts.

“How did I get here?” “What do you remember?” I hate it when someone answers a question with another question because it only means one thing. They’re busy fabricating falsehoods.

After a moment, he breaks our held gazes to look at his hands. His voice low, he says, “I want to ask you a favor.” “You’re in no position to be doing that.” “It’s not just for me. It’s for us both.” He lifts his gaze to mine again, and now his eyes are tortured. “I want you to stay away from me, Maven. I want you to promise you’ll stay away.” That’s so unexpected, I forget to be suspicious of him. “Why?” He looks at my face as if it’s the last time he’ll ever see it, then says gruffly, “Because I’m not strong enough to stay away from you.”

“If I’d known where you were, baby, all the demons in hell couldn’t have kept me away.”

He rasps, “I’d burn it all down for you, Maven.” Trembling, I whisper, “Burn what down?” “Everything. My whole life. This whole town. The entire fucking world if you asked me to. If you said you were mine and meant it, I’d light a match under anything that would keep us apart, then plant our fucking flag in the ashes.”