From one well-thrown rock–
“What exactly do you think this proves?” he spits. “You’ve got power, but you don’t know what to do with it.”
VIOLA
“Looks like I’m doing fine,” I say.
And he smiles, teeth still clenched. “Are you?”
And I notice my hands are shaking–
I notice my Noise is flying, sizzling like a bright thing–
I can’t feel my feet below me–
“It takes practice,” the Mayor says. “Or you’ll blow your mind apart.” He stands up a little straighter, trying to lock my eyes again. “I could show you.”
And right on cue, Viola yells “TODD!”
And I hit him with everything I got–
Every bit of her behind me–
Every piece of anger and frustrayshun and nothingness–
Every moment I didn’t see her–
Every moment I worried–
Everything–
Every little tiny thing I know about her–
I send it right into the centre of him–
And he falls–
Back and back and back–
His eyes rolling up–
His head twisting round–
His legs buckling–
Falling falling falling–
Right to the ground–
And lying there still.
{VIOLA}
“Todd?” I say.
He’s shaking all over, almost to the point of not being able to stand, and I can hear an unhealthy-sounding whine cutting through his Noise. He wobbles a little as he takes a step.
“Todd?” I try to get to my feet but my ankles–
“Jeez,” he says, crumpling down beside me. “That takes it outta you.”
He’s breathing heavy, his eyes unfocused.
“Are you all right?” I ask, putting a hand on his arm.
He nods. “I think so.”
We look back at the Mayor.
“You did it,” I say.
“We did it,” he says and his Noise is getting a little clearer and he sits up a little straighter.
His hands are still shaking, though.
“Poor bloody Davy,” he says.
I grip his arm. “The ship,” I say quietly. “She’s going to get there first.”
“Not if I can help it,” he says. He stands up and he swoons for a second but I hear him call Acorn with his Noise.
Boy colt, I hear clearly and Davy’s horse tugs free of where he’s tied and walks up over the rubble, boy colt, boy colt, boy colt.
Todd, I hear from farther out and there’s more clopping of hooves as Angharrad follows Acorn in and stands beside him. “Forward,” she nickers. “Forward,” Acorn nickers.
“Absolutely forward,” Todd says to them.
He puts an arm under my shoulders to lift me up. Acorn sees in his Noise and kneels down so it’s easier for me to get up top. When I’m sat in the saddle, Todd slaps his flank gently and up he stands.
Angharrad comes close to Todd and starts to kneel, too, but, “No, girl,” he says, petting her nose.
“What?” I say, alarmed. “What about you?”
He nods at the Mayor. “I have to take care of him,” he says and doesn’t meet my eye.
“What do you mean, take care of him?”
He looks past me. I turn. The beetle march of the army has reversed its course and stretches to the bottom of the hill now.
It’ll be marching here next.
“Go,” he says. “Get to the ship.”
“Todd,” I say. “You can’t kill him.”
He looks at me and his Noise is a muddle and he’s still struggling to stay upright. “He deserves it.”
“He does but–”
But Todd’s already nodding. “We are the choices we make.”
I nod back. We understand each other. “You’d stop being Todd Hewitt,” I say. “And I ain’t losing you again.”
[TODD]
I give a little snort when she says ain’t.
“I’m gonna have to stay with him, you know,” I say. “Yer gonna have to go to the ship as fast as you can and I’m gonna have to wait for the army to come.”
She nods, even tho there’s sadness there. “And what’ll you do then?”
I look over at the Mayor, still sprawled on the rocks, unconshus and moaning slightly.
I feel so heavy.
But I say, “I reckon they might not be too unhappy to see him beaten. I reckon they just might be on the lookout for a new leader.”
She smiles. “And that’ll be you?”
“And if you meet the Answer?” I say, smiling back. “What’ll you do then?”
She brushes her hair outta her eyes. “I reckon they may need a new leader, too.”
I step forward and I put my hand near hers on Acorn’s side. She don’t look at my face, just slides her hand till the tips of our fingers are touching.
“Just cuz yer going there and I’m staying here,” I say. “It don’t mean we’re parting.”
“No,” she says and I know she understands. “No, it certainly doesn’t.”
“I ain’t parting from you again,” I say, still looking at our fingers. “Not even in my head.”
She pushes her hand forward and laces her fingers in mine and we both look at ’em wrapped together.
“I have to go, Todd,” she says.
“I know.”
I look deep into Acorn’s Noise and I show him where the road is, where the ship landed, and how fast fast fast he’s gotta run.
“Forward,” he whinnies, loud and clear.
“Forward,” I say.
I look back up at Viola.
“I’m ready,” she says.
“Me, too,” I say.
“We’ll win,” she says.
“I reckon we just might.”
One last look.
One last look where we know each other.
Right down to our souls.
And I slap Acorn hard on the flanks.
And off they go, over the rubble, right down the road, tearing hard towards the people who (I hope I hope I hope) can help us.
I look down at the Mayor, still lying on the ground.
I hear the army marching down the hill, three kilometres away, if that.
I look for the rope.
I see it but before I pick it up, I take a second to close Davy’s eyes.
{VIOLA}
We fly down the road, and it’s all I can do not to fall off and break my neck.
“Watch for soldiers!” I shout in the space between Acorn’s flattened-back ears.