Calling on the powers that lie within him, Justin summoned his strength to order the ferris wheel to stop. His body was spent but he was propelled forward in his task by his desire to inflict pain in the boy. Before Justin had been content to simply slit his throat and be done with it. But that was before the boy had risked things for Justin with Iris.
Iris.
He could feel her eyes upon him and could sense her desire to escape from him. Justin knew without looking at her that the only thing keeping her from running from him was shock. He couldn't bring himself to look into her eyes. He was too afraid of what he might find. So Justin stumbled from the ride and grabbed Stroud by the shirt. "See to the girl," he hissed.
Summoning his strength, Justin made his way over to the prayer tent he had spied from atop of the ferris wheel. Reaching into his coat, he removed the sickle. Cries and shrieks echoed around him as people struggled to take in the unfolding scene. Reaching the tent, Justin increased his grip of his sickle until his knuckles turned white. He threw back the canvas top to reveal a tent inhabited by a number of migrants who had come for the promise of a healing. His black eyes blazed evil, causing the sea of people to part before him. In the back of the room, he saw Norman's eyes grow big at the sight of him. Justin's chest burned and he knew the boy was close at hand. He made his way over to the main stage swinging the sickle indiscriminately. Cries of pain intermingled with shrieks of horror surrounded him and exhilarated his spirit. With each cut, he grew stronger. Each tear of flesh from another ignited his soul.
Blood splattered across Justin's body infusing him with an energy that propelled him forward. In the midst of chaos, Justin felt at peace. He took a moment to watch his flock scurry before him like rats on a sinking ship. They were directionless without him. Justin stood up straighter ready to embrace his destiny. As he stepped forward, the small man he had met earlier in the day intercepted him. The little man opened his mouth and let out the loud command "Run!" Justin thought the command odd given that everyone around them was attempting to flee the barbaric scene. Still Justin thought the little man could be of use.
Towering over the little man, Justin growled, "Where is the boy!" Samson raised his eyes unblinking to meet Justin's and replied steadily, "I don't know. Where's Miss Iris?" The threat hung in the air between them and Samson saw Justin flinch at the mention of his sister's name. Knowing he had touched a nerve, Samson added quickly "In all this confusion I'd sure hate for her to get lost." In one fluid motion, Justin lifted the little man up by his jacket so that their eyes met. Justin penetrated Samson's mind and was relieved to find that Samson had no knowledge of Iris' whereabouts. "I'm going to enjoy ripping the flesh from your body," Justin said smiling cruelly.
"Hey preacher! We got business."
Justin spun around in the direction of the voice dropping Samson to the ground like a rag toy. A slow smile crept across Justin's face as the boy came into view. From across the room, Justin watched as Ben placed his hands upon Norman. The knifing pain that cut through him confirmed to Justin that Norman had been healed.
The pain brought Justin to his knees and when he looked up it was just in time to see Norman and the boy fleeing from the tent. Punching his fist into the dust-laden ground, Justin roared in frustration. He summoned the strength to stand and was just about to follow the boy into the night when Stroud appeared.
Justin's eyes watched as Stroud took in the carnage that surrounded them. When Stroud finally made eye contact with Justin his face held an awe and respect for the disaster that Justin had caused. As Justin started to step past him, Stroud grabbed Justin by the arm and whispered, "There was a problem." Turning slowly, Justin looked down into Stroud's eyes with such blackness that Stroud took an involuntary step back. "What I mean," Stroud continued, "is that the girl got away." Seeing Justin's eyes begin to flash, Stroud quickly added "But don't you worry. She won't get off the property. I got all of our guys looking for her."
"I gave you one job Varlyn. How am I to trust you to be able to carry out further orders when you can't even perform the simplest of tasks?" asked Justin evenly as he ran the sickle between his thumb and forefinger. Drops of blood fell from the blade coloring Justin's hands a dark brown. He stepped toward Stroud twisting the handle of the sickle in his hand.
Stroud hung his head like a child ready to receive his punishment and replied softly, "I was going to look for the girl myself but I thought I'd better get back down here. The way Iris looked I thought you'd need me here."
At the sound of Iris' name, Justin froze. "What do you mean the way she looked? When did you see my sister?"
Stroud looked up surprised. "I passed her when I was coming down from the shack. She looked powerful scared and was running toward the house. The old coot was right behind her."
"Norman?"
"Yes sir. He was running after her calling her name. Guess he was playing possum in that chair." Stroud watched with an audible sigh of relief as Justin let sickle fall to his side.
Justin walked over to stand directly in front of Stroud and murmured, "Find me the girl or don't come back."
"I won't disappoint you again."
Justin watched as Stroud made his way from the tent with determination etched all over his face. Justin's need to find the boy was great but so too was his need to find Iris. This night that had started with such promise had become an unmitigated disaster. Looking for the boy now would be foolish. He needed time to regroup and formulate his next move. A lifetime of learned restraint had prepared Justin well for the process of waiting. He didn't like it but he could wait to kill the boy.
What Justin couldn't wait for was to find Iris. He had never felt her disapproval before in such an intimate manner and the feeling chilled Justin to the bone. She'd seen who he had become and she had fled from him. Justin looked around at the broken bodies and severed limbs that surrounded him and thanked God she hadn't born witness to this scene. He had to find her before it was too late. Before Norman had time to poison her against him. Buttoning up his shirt, Justin walked through the tent flap into the darkness of night determined to reclaim Iris.