Interzone Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine #226 Read Online Free Page A
Author: TTA Press Authors
hand and kissed her on the cheek. Amber blushed and turned her lips to Billy, but before they could kiss again Amber's mother screamed.
She turned to see her father struggling in the surf against a powerful rip current which hadn't been there moments before. He'd already been pulled a dozen yards out to sea. Amber started to run toward him, but suddenly doubled over as pain burned her body. When she looked up, she saw her mother—despite her fear of the water—running into the sea. When she reached Amber's father, the burning on Amber's skin lessened for a moment. But then they both disappeared beneath the waves and their names burned through Amber's clothes, scorching both her body and soul.
When the pain finally stopped, Amber looked up to see Billy and his mother staring at her in shock, their eyes reading the letters now singed across Amber's clothes. Billy reached for her, but his mother stopped him and, Amber noticed, Billy didn't resist very hard. And when Billy's mother asked if her son's name was also on Amber's body, all Amber could do was nod.
A fisherman found her parents’ bodies the next day, their arms locked in a stiff hug. Amber cried for months over that beach trip, wishing she'd ignored Billy and told her parents about the names. Wishing she'd known beforehand what the names meant.
Wishing she could be as brave as her mother.
* * * *
Amber dreamed all through the storm and woke the next morning in the hospital, warm sunlight flooding her room and the curtains rippling to the gentle sea breeze. Two doctors and a nurse stood beside her, fussing over the lump on her head as if it was the most important wound they'd ever attended.
Amber soon learned why they were so concerned—she was a hero. Several townsfolk had heard the gunshots. When they reached the pier, they found Amber lying unconscious beside Billy. They also saw Sahr sailing away, his tiny cutter tacking left and right directly into the wind.
Even though the doctors told Amber to stay in bed, she couldn't sit still when she heard Billy was alive. She pushed everyone out of her room and closed the door, searching her body for Billy's name. It was gone! She'd changed his fate!
That afternoon, Amber visited Billy in his hospital room. Billy's head was bandaged, but the bullet had simply grazed his head and the doctors said he should recover. Billy smiled weakly and thanked her. Amber wasn't sure how she'd managed to pull Billy out of the water after Sahr hit her in the head, but she was glad he'd survived. Feeling daring, she reached out to hold Billy's hand.
Because she wore a hospital gown, the sailors’ names crawled down her bare arms and mingled around their interlocked hands. But Billy merely smiled and pretended not to notice.
* * * *
Amber soon recovered enough to leave the hospital. To her surprise, a large crowd greeted her outside her dry goods store. Several women who'd lost husbands and sons to the sea hugged her—including the old woman who'd spit at her a few weeks back. Amber stammered her thanks and tried not to look shocked.
In the weeks that followed, people continued to treat her with, if not outright kindness, at least courtesy. While shoppers at her dry goods store still stared at the few bits of flesh Amber couldn't keep covered, no one glared with hostility. Everyone knew Amber had saved Billy's life. Better yet, Mrs Andercoust confirmed that Billy's name was no longer on Amber's skin, giving hope to the families of other named sailors that perhaps they too could dodge fate.
When Billy was released from the hospital, Amber walked him home. They talked of little things—how nice the breeze felt, how the clouds scudded so quietly across the sky. When they reached Billy's home he kissed her gently on the cheek.
Amber walked in a happy daze all the way back to her shop.
* * * *
Soon Amber began seeing Billy Martin on a regular basis. Amber still didn't care for Billy's mother—she'd never forgotten the hatred
She turned to see her father struggling in the surf against a powerful rip current which hadn't been there moments before. He'd already been pulled a dozen yards out to sea. Amber started to run toward him, but suddenly doubled over as pain burned her body. When she looked up, she saw her mother—despite her fear of the water—running into the sea. When she reached Amber's father, the burning on Amber's skin lessened for a moment. But then they both disappeared beneath the waves and their names burned through Amber's clothes, scorching both her body and soul.
When the pain finally stopped, Amber looked up to see Billy and his mother staring at her in shock, their eyes reading the letters now singed across Amber's clothes. Billy reached for her, but his mother stopped him and, Amber noticed, Billy didn't resist very hard. And when Billy's mother asked if her son's name was also on Amber's body, all Amber could do was nod.
A fisherman found her parents’ bodies the next day, their arms locked in a stiff hug. Amber cried for months over that beach trip, wishing she'd ignored Billy and told her parents about the names. Wishing she'd known beforehand what the names meant.
Wishing she could be as brave as her mother.
* * * *
Amber dreamed all through the storm and woke the next morning in the hospital, warm sunlight flooding her room and the curtains rippling to the gentle sea breeze. Two doctors and a nurse stood beside her, fussing over the lump on her head as if it was the most important wound they'd ever attended.
Amber soon learned why they were so concerned—she was a hero. Several townsfolk had heard the gunshots. When they reached the pier, they found Amber lying unconscious beside Billy. They also saw Sahr sailing away, his tiny cutter tacking left and right directly into the wind.
Even though the doctors told Amber to stay in bed, she couldn't sit still when she heard Billy was alive. She pushed everyone out of her room and closed the door, searching her body for Billy's name. It was gone! She'd changed his fate!
That afternoon, Amber visited Billy in his hospital room. Billy's head was bandaged, but the bullet had simply grazed his head and the doctors said he should recover. Billy smiled weakly and thanked her. Amber wasn't sure how she'd managed to pull Billy out of the water after Sahr hit her in the head, but she was glad he'd survived. Feeling daring, she reached out to hold Billy's hand.
Because she wore a hospital gown, the sailors’ names crawled down her bare arms and mingled around their interlocked hands. But Billy merely smiled and pretended not to notice.
* * * *
Amber soon recovered enough to leave the hospital. To her surprise, a large crowd greeted her outside her dry goods store. Several women who'd lost husbands and sons to the sea hugged her—including the old woman who'd spit at her a few weeks back. Amber stammered her thanks and tried not to look shocked.
In the weeks that followed, people continued to treat her with, if not outright kindness, at least courtesy. While shoppers at her dry goods store still stared at the few bits of flesh Amber couldn't keep covered, no one glared with hostility. Everyone knew Amber had saved Billy's life. Better yet, Mrs Andercoust confirmed that Billy's name was no longer on Amber's skin, giving hope to the families of other named sailors that perhaps they too could dodge fate.
When Billy was released from the hospital, Amber walked him home. They talked of little things—how nice the breeze felt, how the clouds scudded so quietly across the sky. When they reached Billy's home he kissed her gently on the cheek.
Amber walked in a happy daze all the way back to her shop.
* * * *
Soon Amber began seeing Billy Martin on a regular basis. Amber still didn't care for Billy's mother—she'd never forgotten the hatred
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