Interzone Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine #226 Read Online Free Page B

on the woman's face when she learned Billy's name was on Amber's skin. However, Billy's mother now acted like Amber was the finest lady on earth and invited Amber to every Sunday dinner. Afterward Amber and Billy took long walks along the harbor, where sailors waved at the young couple.
    During one of their walks they stopped at an ice lolly vendor. As they sat on a park bench eating bites of cherry ice, Billy asked Amber what she wanted to do with her life.
    "I want to spend the rest of my life in a dry goods store,” she said sarcastically.
    Billy laughed. “Seriously,” he said.
    Amber smiled. “I'm not sure. All I've ever truly wanted is for the names to leave my body.” She held up her hand so he could see the names flowing around her fingers. For a moment, Amber was afraid she'd been too honest. “What about you?” she quickly asked.
    "I want to do something important. Something that really matters. Solve the big crime. Catch some infamous murderer. Save someone's life."
    Amber started to ask why Billy hadn't tried to save her father's life all those years ago, but she remembered how his mother had held Billy back, not wanting to risk his death in the sea. As if Billy knew what she was thinking, he coughed and changed the subject. “Isn't there anything else you've longed for?” he asked.
    "I would say to fall in love, but that wish has come true."
    Billy squeezed her hand gently and smiled.
    * * * *
    That spring was the best of Amber's life. She and Billy spent all their free time together. Even better, not a single sailor in Windspur died, so Amber's skin was still and quiet.
    Then the killings started.
    Amber felt the first killing on a bright Sunday morning when a name suddenly disappeared from her skin. However, instead of first burning white hot the name simply vanished with a sensuous kiss.
    Amber was still trying to figure out what had happened when another name vanished with a kiss, followed by a third and fourth. Amber remembered how Billy's name disappeared from her body with the same sensation and hoped this meant the men were no longer fated to die at sea. However, she was unsure, so she closed her store and hurried to tell Mrs Andercoust.
    The widow opened up her ledger. “They're all sailing on the Pendercast ,” she said. “Left yesterday for a week-long fishing trip to the shoals."
    "Does this means they're safe, like Billy?"
    Mrs Andercoust shook her head. “I don't know. Perhaps we should tell the captains who are still in port. Outbound ships can keep an eye out for the Pendercast and see what happened to the sailors."
    Amber nodded, figuring they wouldn't know for sure until next week. But to her surprise, the following day the Pendercast sailed into harbor. News quickly spread that they'd been attacked by pirates, who'd killed four members of the crew.
    That night Billy and the Pendercast 's captain stopped by to see Amber. Captain Zeller took off his hat and bowed to Amber before they sat down at her dining-room table.
    "We thought the ship needed help,” Captain Zeller said. “Just floating over the shoals, no cloth up except one shredded staysail. The crew waved at us so we pulled alongside. That's when they attacked. Seven of them, including David Sahr, all armed with Brown Bess muskets and sabers. We didn't stand a chance."
    Amber felt sick.
    "After we were tied up, Sahr walked down the line, asking each of my men his name. He then shot four of them in the back of the head."
    Captain Zeller held his hat to his chest and shook his head, tears tumbling from his eyes. Billy thanked him for coming and showed him to the door. When he returned, he told Amber that Captain Zeller had recognized the other men in Sahr's crew. “They're all named sailors,” Billy said. “Every one of them."
    "How did Sahr get Mrs Andercoust's list?"
    "I don't know. But he left this with Captain Zeller.” Billy pulled a tiny glass daguerreotype out of his coat pocket. The picture was similar to the one