Emily took in a deep breath as she stepped out of the carriage and planted her foot into tall fresh grass. The sun was out and shining majestically over the field that spread itself out outside Brighton. Despite being November, the weather looked like a summer’s day. John Denver’s Rocky Mountain Suite waved its lyrics and music though Emily’s mind as she scanned the autumnal trees which surrounded the secluded field.

  Donn stepped off after her, with Fresca dancing her way around his feet. She bound into the grass and jumped around merrily. She seemed to be enjoying the smell of life and time around her, whilst waiting for her humanoid companions to catch up.

  Emily took out her earphones and turned to Donn. “Thank God for English weather… Some days, it’s utter shite. But on other days, it’s just… this!” She opened her arms to gesture at the clear blue sky. “Love it.”

  Donn rolled his shoulders and then shuffled his arms. “Brrr. It’s still cold.” Then he sniffed the air.

  “Hmm, you smell that?” He asked.

  “Yeah.” Emily inhaled the salted air with her nostrils and smiled. “The ocean’s nearby.”

  Donn nodded, looking back at the carriage. “Best to park it here. No one should be able to come across it. But just in case…” He rapped his fingers on the door and the carriage faded away like it was erased with a rubber. “There. No worries.”

  Emily nodded, once again impressed. “What I would give to have powers like that…”

  Donn chuckled softly as they began walking through the field. “I doubt you’d handle the responsibility.”

  Emily stuck out her tongue between her teeth and imagined abusing her newfound powers by flinging a horrified Donn up into the air. “Try me.”

  It took half an hour for them to reach the outskirts of Brighton. By then, it was 12pm on Sunday as they walked past Brighton Station. And as fate would have it, the day of busiest work for the locals of Brighton. Droves and droves of tourists poured out of the exits of the station and mingled their ways into the narrow alleyways and streets of the city. The shops were rammed with customers. Queens Road in particular was filled with shoppers, vacationers, children, pets and travellers. Music trailed out from the open doors of shops and windows, merging overhead with the chatter of the people into a cacophony of sound.

  Fresca soon became lazy with all the unnecessary walking, so the unfortunate pair of travellers had to take turns carrying the overly dramatic cat over their shoulders or in their arms. Content with the new situation, Fresca rumbled with purrs and closed her eyes.

  Within the main part of the city, Emily quickly hopped into a shop and brought out two takeaway milkshakes. One was vanilla and the other was chocolate. Donn was politely appreciative of her gesture. Drinking her chocolate beverage, Emily scratched her chin.

  “How can we be sure that the first soul is here anyway?”

  Donn scanned the crowds of people in the road. His eyes glazed over for a moment and then refocused back on Emily. “I can sense it. Like a splinter in my mind. I feel the sharp sensation of its presence, but only on occasion.”

  “Alright, I’ll play along. How’s that then?”

  “With a normal human’s death, all the Reapers know of it. Call it the sixth sense, call it clairvoyance, but it remains the same. Thanks to my book and to my mind, I can tell when and where the death takes place. But for a ghost… That is tricky. A ghost has no spiritual bond to the world. They fade in and out of existence and out of the Schedule. Their corporeal form is transparent because of this, for ghosts are never meant to be. So to find a ghost will be an interesting journey. I cannot tell when they shall appear. But when they do, I will know.”

  “Which is why we’re here.”

  “Exactly. I felt the sensation as we exited the carriage.”

  “Hold on, how long do we have? Are we on a deadline for this?”

  Drinking his vanilla milkshake, Donn shrugged as they passed more coffee shops. Fresca nestled comfortably upon his shoulder. “Hmm… We have enough time. We will leave after we find the soul and I sense the next. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, I’ve been to Brighton before. I really love this place… I mean, it’d be a shame to just rush through the city and not check it out.”

  Donn gave Emily a look, but it was not a look of admonishment. It was a look of unexpected warmth. “Fair enough. Where would you like to go?”

  Emily grinned. “Where do you think? The pier, of course!”

  The tide was high that day. The waves smashed and parted and thrashed upon the reinforced wooden pillars that held up the great Brighton Pier. Emily leaned over the railings to admire the waves, and all their froth and dark blue beauty.

  She smiled as she heard the laughter of children and fellow teenagers as they dragged their families up and down the landmark, dashing through and into the two vast arcade arenas which identified the pier as a prized destination for any self-respecting tourist. Sounds of the arcades sounded off across the pier like sirens of success or failure. A sudden breeze wafted across Emily’s face, playing with her hair. Emily inhaled the sea-salt air brought by the breeze and she smiled. The sea salt air was tinged with the oh-so-satisfying scent of sugar which was used to make toffee apples and cotton candy.

  Emily looked out to the horizon. She hadn't been to the sea, to this pier, for a very long time. Only once, with her father and mother. Emily’s mother had loved the ocean. That love was shared by her mother as well. Emily barely remembered her grandmother, she had died a few months after she was born. But she remembered her mother. Her mother loved to swim. She had even boasted that she would happily dive off the pier itself if it wasn't against the law.

  Emily looked down at the lifting water. The sudden memory of her mother made Emily queasy looking at the waves.

  Emily could still see her arms, flailing madly and grabbing at anything hat could hold her up.

  And Emily, held back by a passerby as others rushed to the river to save…

  Too late. Far too late. Her hand sunk under the surface. There was no more flailing. Divers had to dredge up her body like some submerged wreckage- Jesus Christ!

  The memory made Emily’s stomach twist and her head slightly spun. Stop. Don’t do that to yourself. It’ll only hurt more… fucking hell…

  Turning her back to save herself from herself, she instead watched Donn as he made himself quite comfortable upon one of the white wooden benches of the pier. The paint, battered by past and present patrons, wind, rain and the sun, was peeling and chipped in places, revealing a grey wood underneath. Donn was scanning through his book whilst wearing his glasses.

  Fresca was curled under his legs and was already fast asleep. She was using her tail to cover her eyes and nose to ensure her slumber. Emily smiled at the familiar sight of an man and his pet just enjoying the sea air of Brighton…

  Donn looked so natural in her world. He didn't stick out at all. No wonder none of the people who passed them gave Donn even a second glance. He was merely one of them. Only Emily had noticed how odd he really was. She had that knack to noticing the strange that anyone else would have overlooked. God, Donn made fitting in look so damn easy. Just fitting in with everyone else and… just being there. Emily started to envy that skill.

  What would she give to just blend in and not be noticed by people? She could be just herself without being judged for her clothes or the colour of her skin. To just walk around and not be stared at. To be left alone and be regarded as just another person on the street.

  All of these demanding thoughts jumping through her head were then suddenly dashed away when she heard a loud cracking crunch to her right.

  She turned to see a girl looking back at her, eating a plastic-wrapped bar of Brighton rock candy.

  The caucasian girl was pleasantly well-rounded, with short brown hair and a pair of large, wide-set eyes. She was shorter than Emily, perhaps a head or so shorter. She certainly seemed younger than Emily. But making up for height, she had a searching curiosity in her eyes. She eyed Emily closely as she slowly chewed around her candy.

  “Uhh…” Emily started.

  “You’re not from around here, are you?” the curious girl stated.

  Emily glanced back at Donn. He was still busy reading.

  “Yeah.” Emily replied. “London. Just came in this afternoon.”

  “Oh right?” the girl raised an eyebrow and leant against the banister. “What brings you here?”

  “What’s it to you?” Emily fully faced the girl now.

  “Just wondering. I know a lot of people. Got a good thing for faces, you know? You look new.”

  “So you thought you’d asked.”

  “Sure thing.”

  “Not one for privacy, are you?”

  The girl shrugged. “I like chatting to people.”

  “I can see that. What’s your name?”

  The girl cracked off another piece of Brighton rock as she proffered her hand to Emily. “Jessica Shoals. Prefer Jessie.”

  Emily raised her eyebrows. “Emily Davidson. Shoals, huh?”

  Jessie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Shoals… living by the sea. Nice coincidence, am I right?” She glanced at Donn. “That your dad?”

  Emily’s father flashed in her head. A flurry of fists, cigarettes and swear words filled her mind. Emily blinked away the thought. “No. He’s… my uncle.”

  Jessie looked at Emily’s eyes closely. “I’m good at sussing out liars, you know.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  Emily leaned towards her. “Am I lying then?”

  Jessie blinked once. Then she smiled. “Nope. Doesn’t look like it.”

  Emily raised an eyebrow. “What a relief.”

  Jessie then started to frown and looked around her. “Hmm… Now where is he?”

  “Who?”

  “My brother. He did say that he was meeting me around here. I- oh wait! There he is!”

  Jessie had turned to face inland and then pointed at a part of the stone beach that was not too far from the pier. Emily leant on the railing to see. There, she could see a boy, relaxing on the rocks with a pair of sunglasses and his hands under his head.

  “Theo! That’s not what I meant when I said ‘meet you at the pier’!” Jessie yelled with great gusto over the wind, waves and tourists. That loud voice of hers drew some curious eyes, which made Emily a little self-conscious. Jessie also waved frantically. Theo nonchalantly turned his head to the pier. He raised his hand and slowly waved.

  Jessie looked at Emily. “Hey! Why don’t you come and meet him?”

  She made a face. “Why?” Christ, this girl is nonstop.

  “Why not?” Jessie smirked and grabbed Emily’s hand.

  “Wait a second, I-” Emily looked back to Donn. And she could see that Donn was indeed looking at her. And he then gave her a small thumbs up. Emily sighed. “Alright, alright, let’s go.”

  Once reaching the beach, Jessie and Emily could see that Theo was no longer alone. He was sitting up next to a girl who was talking with him. Jessie called out to him and Theo turned.

  “Hey Jessie.” he said.

  “Hey! And Charlie too? Hey!!” Jessie gave both of them a tight hug.

  Theo looked past his sister, at Emily. “Jessie. Who’s your friend?”

  Jessie released Charlotte from her vice-like hug and presented Emily by pushing her towards them. Emily was a tad perturbed by this, but decided to improvise with a polite smile. “Hi.” she said. “Name’s Emily Davidson.”

  Theo stood up and shook her hand.

  Emily was taken aback by how tall he was. He was a full head above Emily, which meant that he practically dwarfed Jessie. His hair was a shade from black and a shade into chestnut brown. His skin looked tanned and healthy. Seemed he enjoyed the sun more than Jessie did. Emily judged from first-impressions that he seemed like a neat guy.

  “Hello, name’s Theo. This is Charlotte.” He gestured to the girl beside him.

  Charlotte stood up next, brushing the long blond hair from her oval porcelain-like face and smiled with straight white teeth as she quickly shook Emily’s hand and rebased it with definite eagerness to do so.

  Upon seeing Charlotte, Emily involuntarily rolled her tongue over her crooked teeth while facing Charlotte.

  Charlotte’s presence made Emily become quite aware of how messy her black hair must have been. Her hair was curly and slightly matted. Charlotte’s hair was combed and washed.

  Emily felt how awkward she must have been, just standing there rigid. While Charlotte rose to her full height with a straight back and a long neck.

  Emily realised that she had a skinny and bony body… Charlotte’s was curvy and filled out.

  Emily became acutely aware that she wasn't wearing any make-up compared to Charlotte’s own plethora of compositions.

  Emily still wore her faded, baggy clothes from London. Charlotte wore a pair of sleek black trousers, polished boots and a large grey overcoat that tied around her hourglass waist.

  All in all, Charlotte looked very pretty. Jesus. Almost too pretty.

  It made Emily feel a tad inadequate. Not a lot, but just a tad. Enough to irk her. Enough to embarrass her. And being irked and embarrassed was not Emily’s cup of tea.

  “So, Emily…” Charlotte began as Jessie and Theo headed to get two more Flake 99s for Charlotte and Emily. “How long are you planning to stay in Brighton?”

  Emily shrugged as she laid on the beach, relishing the massaging effect the rocks had on her back muscles. “Dunno. It’s up to my uncle, really. We’re here on some business of his.”

  “Right.” Charlotte picked up her phone and started tapping. “Just checking.”

  Emily eyed Charlotte. “For what?” “Well. I just needed to know your plans. That’s all.”

  Emily skewed her face. The hell is she on about? “I don’t understand.”

  Charlotte breathed heavily through her nose. She tapped more upon her phone.

  Emily rolled her eyes and kept her eyes on the sky.

  It was a full ten seconds of silence when Charlotte broke it. “He’s my boyfriend.”

  “Huh? Who?” Emily looked towards Charlotte, who was now facing her.

  “Theo. He’s my boyfriend.”

  “Great.” Emily nodded. “That’s good to hear.”

  “Alright then.” Charlotte turned back to her phone and resumed her tapping. Emily shook her head.

  OK. Seriously? I cannot stand people like her. I’ve only been here for ten minutes and she already judging me as what? A home wrecker? Jesus Christ.

  And so the pair remained in silence. The silence was much preferred by both. And it lasted for five more hackle-raising minutes until Theo and Jessie finally returned with the promised ice-cream. Jessie handed Emily’s ice-cream to her, while Theo handed over Charlotte’s.

  Emily was more grateful for their presence than that of the Flakes.

  Charlotte smiled sweetly, too sweetly in Emily’s opinion, and gave Theo a kiss on the lips.

  Jessie made a grossed out face and Emily felt her ears burn without much control.

  And while Charlotte planted the kiss, her eyes were on Emily.

  A warning. Marking her territory.

  Emily forced herself a smile in response, though she was more than happy to do more than that.

  And that feeling of resentment.

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  Emily knew that supercilious look in Charlotte’s eyes. She remembered it in Mrs Gordon’s eyes. And Kyle Fry’s eyes. And the eyes of everyone else who decided to judge her just by looking at her.

  Jessie and Theo didn’t have that look. They were the good ones. It was a shame that they didn’t see the hardness in Charlotte’s eyes.

  What should they? They were white. They would never see that look directed at them for the rest of their lives. They were lucky. Emily wasn’t as fortunate.

  The resentment against Charlotte grew as Emily ate her ice-cream. It was like a hot coal, growing and growing in her stomach. With each bite, she felt like she was feeding the flames… Emily felt the heat move to her head.

  Was it a blood rush? No, this was different. This was-

  Then the heat turned into a moment, a mere second, of intense pain in her eyes. A migraine or something! She rubbed her eyes instinctively and opened them again.

  And something had changed.

  The three beachgoers like her were all seated and talking.

  Jessie was waving her hands, brandishing her half-eaten cone like a baton.

  Both Theo and Charlotte were watching her and listening.

  The weather was the same.

  The sea was the same.

  Nothing was unchanged except for the number floating above Charlotte’s head. The number 5.

  It was a white wisp of the numerical. It hung pendulously over Charlotte who was, of course, unaware of its existence. Emily stared at the number, knowing fully well what it was a part of. Charlotte’s death date, or at least a part of it. That sent a chill in Emily’s spine.

  And she stared long enough for Theo to glance at her with concern.

  “Hey, Emily? You alright?” he asked, causing Charlotte to shoot a dark look at her.

  Emily started to open her mouth to say something as an excuse, but she saw a shadow fall over her.

  “Ahem. Emily?” came Donn’s voice from behind.

  The four teenagers looked up at the Irishman, looking down on them with a polite and stoic expression. Fresca strode past Donn and sat by Emily, looking over the group with self-appointed authority.

  Jessie instantly moved to the cat. “Awww! Oh my gosh, Emily! You didn't say you have a cat!”

  Emily made to state a warning that Fresca was not like other cats and may be volatile to the approach of wandering hands without Fresca’s permission.

  She herself had tried to stroke Fresca, which resulted in a swipe and hiss. Emily had had decided to stir clear of the bad-tempered creature.

  But Fresca moved towards Jessie like any curious cat, purred like any content cat which Jessie stroked her back and then curled into Jessie’s lap like any spoiled cat.

  And doing all of this while giving Emily a look of pure smugness. And Emily could swear that the bloody feline was smiling at her. Emily replied to the cat’s look with a dirty glare. You little shit.

  “Care to introduce me, Emily?” Donn added. Emily nodded and introduced him as his uncle (which Donn gave Emily an unseen raised eyebrow). Theo and Charlotte remained seated, but both shook his hand. Jessie leapt to her feet, shook his hand and returned to smothering Fresca with all the love in the world.

  Donn thumbed over his shoulder. “Emily, I’m about to arrange for us to stay a few nights at an inn or a motel. You coming?”

  “Oh, yeah. Sure. Be right with you.” Emily stood up. “Sorry.” she said quickly to the group, doing her best to avoid looking at the ominous number that still floated above Charlotte. “Gotta dash.”

  “Hold on a sec.” Theo stood up to face Donn. “Where were you planning to stay?”

  “There’s a hotel I know around here.” Donn said. “It’s good enough.”

  “There’s also a Holiday Inn not far from here. Try there, they do good rates. If you’re staying for long?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. What’s your name, boy?”

  “Theodore Shoals.”

  Donn smiled thinly, for he was genuinely amused by the surname. “A lovely surname.” “I know.” Theo nodded with an eye roll that was a perfect replica of Jessie’s own expression at her surname.

  “Thank you Theo, much appreciated.”

  Theo blinked and then turned to Emily. “You free tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Free?” she replied. “I guess so. Why?”

  “Well, me, Jessie, Charlotte and our parents are coming down in the afternoon to have lunch out here. It’s just a picnic. If you want, you can come join us.”

  Charlotte placed a hand on Theo’s arm. “Babe. I’m sure Emily has lots to do tomorrow. You can’t just spring it on her like that.” Her fingers slightly clenched on his arm. “It’s a bit forward…”

  Theo shook his head. “It’s good to invite people. We should make Emily feel more than welcome here. Seeing it’s her first time and all.”

  “Theo.” Charlotte said. “It is sudden. We barely know this person.”

  “Well, Jessie likes her. That’s fine with me. Come on, let’s be nice.”

  Emily, eager to not be the centre of a growing dispute between Theo and Charlotte, spoke out. “I don’t know what my plans may be tomorrow. I could just text you my plans, when I know what they are. Please, don’t put yourselves out for me. I don’t want to cause problems.”

  Theo smiled. “No problems on my end. You take your time.” He offered his hand out to Emily. “Let me add my number into your phone.”

  Emily blinked, unsure as to how to react to that.

  Charlotte stared at him. “What? Why?”

  Theo looked to her. “You want her to have your number?”

  Charlotte flustered. “Well- I- no. Look, we barely know her.”

  Donn was already getting bored of this conversation. He was tired and he wanted to rest his feet up. “Emily, give him your phone.” He looked at Theo. “She’ll message you if she's available.”

  Emily sighed slightly as she offered her phone to him. As she watched Theo quickly type in his contacts, she was unsure how she should feel at that point.

  She was flattered and happy that Theo considered offering her an invite to a family picnic. She was also just a little bit pleased at Charlotte’s affronted reaction.

  While her assumptions of Emily’s intentions were totally unfounded and unreasonable, it was good to see her paranoia put in check.

  And then there was doubt, worry and sadness. She knew that she would not be able to stay for long. It’d be a sad affair to explain to Jessie why Emily could not stay.

  A shame. She liked Jessie. And Theo.

  Theo handed her phone back and the trio said their goodbyes. Jessie waved forlornly at Fresca, already disheartened that her time with the feline was cut short. Emily waved back.

  Theo gave a smile to Emily, which she returned.

  Charlotte shot Emily a poisonous look of jealously. Emily gladly ignored her.

  Alone once again, Donn looked down at Emily with a wry smile. “Making friends already, are we?”

  Emily shrugged as the air started to walk down the beach, in the direction to which Theo had pointed. Fresca took her time to follow them, she was too busy stretching her new limbs.

  “They’re a nice group. Though, I’m a little unsure about Charlotte, though. I think she means well. I think.” Emily surmised.

  “She struck me as a tad jealous.”

  “She’s protective.” “Overtly protective.”

  Emily shrugged again. “Well, what can I say? I have that effect on girls. They see me as a threat.”

  “Oh? Are you a threat?”

  “You bet your arse I am.”

  Donn chuckled. “It’s good to hear that you’re still in high spirits. But tell me, are you truly going to this picnic?”

  Emily looked at Donn. “To be honest… I don’t know. Maybe, it’d be fun. But we have work to do, don’t we?”

  “I have work to do, Emily. You are just helping me, that’s all. You have your freedom to do whatever you want while we stay here. If I have troubles that require your assistance, then I shall let you know, post-haste.”

  Hope started to fill in her eyes. “So what you’re saying is…”

  “Emily. Go to the picnic. Have fun,” Donn patted her shoulder. “It might be good for you.”

  “Thanks.” Emily smiled. She gave Donn a gentle thump on his arm with her fist.

  But as they walked on, her smile faded. She had a question on her mind. So she came out with it. “Um… Did you see Charlotte’s death date as well?”

  Donn remained silent as they walked. Then, “Yes. What did you see?”

  “Just a five. Only a single number. But you saw the whole thing, didn’t you?”

  “Yes… And Theo’s and Jessie’s. As clearly as I see the sun.”

  Emily became quiet at that. The fact that Donn now knew when they were going to die truly made her shudder. That was a power just too frightening to have. How would anyone react to that thunderous proof that their mortality was a sheer certainty? “Jesus…” she said. The truth of death. A reality that was confirmed now more than ever.

  “I have to say that I am impressed, Emily. That you were able to see even one number of a person’s death date is a truly great feat of skill. How did it happen?”

  Emily explained her process. Her resentment bubbling within her. Coupled with all the pain her memories carried until it transferred to the coin that seemed to resonate with her emotions. Donn nodded after she was done. “Hmm… That is a classic emotive technique. We Reapers use emotion to harness the coins’ power to identify the death date of a person we wish to see.”

  “OK. So what emotion do you use?”

  “Pity.” Donn replied simply. “Pity at how brief your lives are. A mere eighty to ninety years? A drop in a cup of water for us.”

  “If I asked you to tell me what their dates read out as, would you tell me?”

  “And if I told you what their dates are, what would you do about it?” Donn gave Emily a side-eyed look. “What would you do? Would you warn them? Try to prevent their deaths?”

  Emily stopped and looked out over the sea. Her thoughts rolled over her mind like the waves rolled over the stones. In her thoughts, it wasn't a question of what she would do… what could she do? She wanted to tell them. She wanted to protect them. But against such a force like Death… It would be futile. She looked at Donn. It was then that she began to understand Donn.

  He’s a a true loner. I’ve got nothing on him that regard. I’ve got the freedom to make friends and enjoy good company. Donn, however, doesn’t have that luxury. He can’t make friends because there’s not point to it. They’ll die and he lives on. Poor man.

  “I don’t know…” she replied finally.

  Donn stopped with her. “Yes, you do… You’d try to stop it. Change it. Deny it. But that will not work. You can trust me when I say this… Death is inevitable. It will happen no matter what your good intentions are…. Come on, let’s get a room. Tomorrow, we’ll get to searching. Then you relax.”

  Donn and Emily resumed their walk. Donn patted her shoulder. “And I do not blame you, Emily. It is a hard lesson to swallow when you walk my path… If I were you, I would consider doing something about it… I do not blame you at all. After all, you’re only human.”

  ******

  Twenty minutes prior to Emily meeting Jessie and Theo, a train pulled in sharply at Brighton Station. The crowds piled out from the carriage; an immersion of tourists, travellers, workers and locals. All chattering and laughing.

  Eventually, David stepped through the crowd.

  After submitting his ticket and being let through, he stepped through the turnstiles and out into the open air of the station’s entrance. He breathed in deep through his nostrils. He remembered the sea. He remembered how Father Daniels had taken him and some of the other orphans out to Portsmouth during a hot British summer. He enjoyed the salt in the air. It was pure bliss. He was free and warm. He was happy.

  He looked over the crowds, all expectant and excited to be in the sea town once again.

  And that was when David noticed the man who was not moving with the group. Who was not excited and laughing. Who was only doing one thing: staring at him with glassy eyes. David set his jaw tightly. The thing that was Fred, was standing apart from the crowds, achieving his part as a wallflower and avoiding all attention. Which was a feat in itself considering the vicious stab wounds over his face that were now gnarled scars. If the people around him did not seen him or purposefully ignored him, David was not sure.

  David sighed heavily and waved at Fred. Fred did not wave back, but he turned and walked away, until he was out of David’s sight. But David was no fool. Fred was not leaving the city without him.

  David sighed, flexed his feet after hours of sitting, and trudged off into a jaunt towards the city centre. Fred maybe be out there, like a patrolling vulture, but David was here in a city that he rather enjoyed.

  The city hadn't changed at all for him.

  David recognised the shops of his youth, all filled to their gills with knick-knacks and novelty items and clothes and accessories and food, glorious food… He stopped by a bakery as his nostrils flared to the scent of crusty pastries. He dipped inside and exited a few minutes later with a freshly cooked Cornish pasty in hand, filled with deliciously salty gravy, beef chunks and cooked vegetables. David widened his mouth and bit down into the delightful package. He rolled the food around his tongue and allowed his sense of taste to absorb all the goodies he could find.

  He leant against the bakery’s wall and shrugged.

  “May as well give it a shot. She could be here already.”

  He closed his eyes and opened them again to his magic vision. Afterimages of thousands flooded the streets. It was nearly overwhelming. David shook his head. How the hell was he supposed to find Emily in all these people ruining his chances? David sucked the air through his teeth.

  “This is useless.” He turned off the vision and bit into his pasty.

  Think, you idiot. If you were in Brighton… where the hell would you go? Where would you go?

  David’s head snapped up and he smiled to himself.

  I really am an idiot. She’s at the beach, of course.

  David swallowed the last of the pasty and kicked off from the wall. He glided and pushed through the thronging crowds of shoppers.

  If memory serves me well, there should be an alleyway around here that should take me right towards the sea. Once there, I’ll comb along the beach. No magic vision needed, though. I don’t think I can handle the strain. Yes, I’m good, not that good.

  After a few false starts and reruns through his memory, David found his proposed alleyway and rolled on down it with gusto. But he was not the only one using it.

  Ahead of him, there were two people blocking his path. One of them was a woman, her back against the alley wall, clutching onto a handbag and her face was locked in fear. The other one was a young man facing her with a knife in his hand.

  Ah. Right then.

  David pulled out his leather gloves and slipped them on. I do have to remember to buy a fresh pair.

  He stepped towards the pair.

  “Hello there.”

  The mugger - who’s spiky dyed hair was a shockingly bright green colour - switched his head towards David. “You wot?”

  “I just said hello.”

  The woman took that chance to sprint. She pushed past the mugger, who fell to the ground, and she then fled down the alleyway. “Ohgod, ohgod, ohgod!” she panted.

  The mugger scrabbled to his feet, looked down the passage to see his quarry fleeing and then looked back at the man who caused his chance to slip away. “You fucker.” he snarled.

  David raised his hands. “Mate, that was uncalled for.”

  The mugger leapt to his feet and charged.

  David didn't run. He didn't want to. Instead, he stood his ground and allowed the mugger to close the distance. David sighed and closed his eyes for a second.

  He could see the mugger running at him.

  He could see the mugger jabbing at him with his knife penetrating his stomach and stabbing him repeatedly. David opened his eyes and knew exactly what he had to do.

  The mugger jutted his knife forward right at David’s stomach.

  David instantly grabbed the man’s hand in both hands and twisted his body around. He yanked then pulled. The mugger, shocked by this, had no time to react. He was pulled forward and then was upended onto his back with a hard thud.

  The mugger gasped for breath as he felt the wind knocked out of him. David wrenched the knife from his grasp and dropped down onto him. He pressed the knife down onto the mugger’s exposed neck.

  The mugger became very still.

  David panted heavily. His hands shook.

  The mugger raised his hands. “Hey, hey, let’s calm down… please.”

  David stared down at the mugger. Again. Another man hurting another woman. Again.

  “Please,” the mugger begged. “Please, don’t…”

  The mugger was no more than eighteen. He was just a kid. A runt. Stubble forming his chin. Oily hair sticking to sweaty skin. Whiteheads and blackheads peppered his face. Runt.

  Was he really going to kill the woman? Wasn't he just after her money? He’s already beaten, so why go the rest of the way-?

  A voice suddenly came from within David’s mind. It was hard, angry and spiteful. David knew that voice. He had heard many times on many occasions. It was his voice. And it said the same thing as it did before… JUST DO IT.

  David clenched his teeth and drew the blade across Runt’s throat.

  David dropped the knife on the ground and stepped out from the alleyway. He wiped the droplets of sweat from his forehead with his shirt’s cuff and spied a street bin. He headed towards it and dropped his balled up gloves inside. Standing at the road, David looked across and saw the sea. It was shimmering and glittering. He crossed the road and stopped at the promenade. He leant against the railing that faced the road and looked down at his hands.

  Something was off.

  Where was the satisfaction in his act? The sense of contentment for doing something right? It was no longer there. He clenched his fists. He was losing his enjoyment from it. He was losing something from it. It wasn't reaching his expectations… It was starting to taste…sour.

  That mugger, Runt… He was scum. He threatened that woman with a knife and was trying to kill me. He didn't deserve mercy. He had to die. So why? Why does it feel wrong? Why do I feel that? What, am I missing something here? Am I doing something wrong? Why do I still feel empty?

  David rubbed his face. Damn it. I need to get on with this.

  David resumed his walk and swept his eyes across the beach as he moved.

  Hundreds of people nestled on the stony beach. David skewed his face. How anyone can find comfort lying on a bed of stones is beyond me…

  He reached Brighton Pier. The great white structure reached out towards the sea like a great arm of enjoyment. David recalled spending too much money on the arcades there. God, those were the days. The cotton candy, the toffee apples and the rock… the tooth-breaking Brighton rock candy. David recalled that first time he tasted the candy. It was a nugget of pleasure in his mind. A single spark of happiness in a sea of pain.

  As he continued past the pier’s entrance, David had ventured heading into the pier to give himself some sense of relief after his oddly dissatisfying kill. But that notion banished himself as his eyes locked onto-

  David snatched his phone from his pocket and switched his phone’s mode to camera.

  He zoomed in the lens to get a good view of- yes! There she was! Emily.

  She was sitting with three others. Two girls and a boy. David had no clue who they were, but as along as Emily was alone, there was a chance for him to grab her. He could do it right now. No one to stop him. His ordeal would be over before nighttime.

  Then David felt a thought strike him. He put away his phone and leant on the promenade’s beach railing.

  How exactly am I going to get her back to London now? I can’t just grab her and bag her I had planned back in London. I can’t be expected to just drag her sorry arse back on the train without some good Samaritans interfering in my job. So… What can I-?

  David heard a car horn behind him as cars rushed past behind him.

  And like that, a lightbulb lit up in his head. All he needed was a car. For now, his mission had changed. Then a voice, devoid of emotion, came from behind David.

  “Go and get her.”

  The voice sent a shiver, a rare feeling, though David.

  He turned to see the undead Fred standing all too close to him. David took a half-step back from him. The smell on Fred was unpleasant, to say the least. It brought David thoughts of Spitalfields’ back alleys all gummed up with scum, drainages filled with clotted blood and old chopping blocks with pieces of raw pork rotting in the cracks of the wood. Methane and flies. Maggots and pus. David’s nose wrinkled as he said, “What?”

  Fred lifted his pale hand and pointed past David and at Emily. “There she is. Get her. Now.”

  There was just no sound of life in that voice. There was no light in his eyes. It was merely a shell speaking to David. The Fred that David knew and killed was gone. What had replaced the drunken father was something else… Something dark. Something wrong.

  David had enough time to come to terms with the weirdness of his situation. After seeing what he had seen, he had decided to be as open as possible to avoid being shocked or surprised. But try as he might, there seemed to be always something to tug the carpet out from under him.

  Fred had obviously followed him here from the station. What worried David was that he didn't even notice that Fred was doing so.

  David turned from the thing that looked like Fred (but was certainly not Fred) to observe Emily. But she was no longer alone. The man was with her again. The tall man. The stranger that walked over the tracks of Homerton station and caught a bullet and resisted five more. The stranger that was far more than what he appeared. A man that elicited due caution. David also noticed a white cat coiled around the man’s feet. No doubt another supernatural freak.

  Fred gave David a slight shove in the square of his back. David did not like having such a smell on him nor did he like being manhandled in such a fashion.

  “Get her.” Fred uttered lifelessly. David chewed his tongue as he looked over the tall stranger. If he were just a man, he felt that he could take him. Knock him out, beat him senseless, kill him… But David knew that he was not a normal man. If that man could catch a bullet, he could certainly catch a fist.

  “No. Not yet.”

  “What?” Fred said, without so much as a shred of emotion.

  “Look… She’s not alone. That man’s with her. Now, I am mostly sure that your boss is familiar with him. I am not. Therefore I will not be the moron that runs in a blaze of glory to grab her, only to be soundly pummelled into the ground by a man who is obviously not from around here… It’d be far easier if she were alone. I’ll grab her then. And only then.” David faced Fred again. “You want your kid, Fred? You can get her yourself.”

  Fred stared into David’s eyes. David could actually see his reflection in the glassy films of Fred’s eyes. “Well?” David said.

  “My master will not be pleased with this.” Fred hissed through brown teeth. But he made no such movement towards Emily.

  “Well, that’s the reality of the situation, Fred. I am sure he would understand.” David smiled, though he knew not to push the said situation too far. He was fairly sure that the thing that used to be Fred was only a puppet for Michael. Hell, a zombie would be a better label to put on him. A zombie incapable of emotion. Maybe… But how sure was David on that assumption? Maybe his employer left anger in that body somewhere. Anger that could be used as a weapon. Fred’s hissing threat was a proof of that.

  “How about we secure a car to transport Emily once we have her in our possession?” David suggested. “That will remove several headaches. Namely travel.”

  Fred gave David another emotionless look until he blinked once and nodded. “Very well. That shall be sufficient. But after that…”

  “After that, we’ll get her. She’s not going anywhere.” David finished for him. “I’m famished. Want some chips?”

  Fred said nothing. So David turned his heels and walked along Brighton’s promenade, heading for one of the sporadically placed fish and chips shops that lined King’s Road. In the end, Fred silently followed.