Dreams and Shadows - By C. Robert Cargill Page 0,121
time it would happen—the time I would finally see death through. But come sunrise of the fourteenth day, I always fail and claw my way to the surface any way I can. Your humanity isn’t lost when you do something heinous for your own gain or enjoyment. On the contrary, that’s distinctly human; that is your humanity. No, you lose your humanity when you can’t think of anything but doing that thing, because you need to do it to survive. That’s when you turn over your soul. I’ve granted terrible wishes, brought horrible misfortunes upon good people who had nothing to do with my curse, only to save my own life. So I did the only thing I could do.”
“You tried to minimize the damage,” said Colby, finally understanding.
Yashar put a finger on the tip of his nose, tapping it to signify Colby’s insight. “Kids. I chose only to grant wishes to kids.”
“Why? If you know it will end badly, why pick on kids?”
“Because they don’t ask for anything awful. At least, they never think it’s awful. With children, it’s always innocent. Martha O’Malley wanted her parents to be rich, never having to work another day of their lives. She was killed by a stray crane swinging from a nearby construction site; they made millions in the settlement. Billy Williamson just wanted a puppy. A German shepherd. And when that puppy ran out into the street, a car broke Billy’s back. That dog was as loyal and loving as any kid could ever want. He thanked me time and again for that dog, saying it got him through it all. He didn’t know, never wondered what his life would have been like without that dog.
“Jill Matthews just wanted her parents to get back together again. She wanted things back the way they were. What Mommy never told her was how hard Daddy beat her. But she came back, because I made her. And things went back to normal. It lasted three weeks before Daddy cracked Mommy’s skull open and she was gone for good. Jill never forgave me and ended up finding a man just like her father.
“I remember all of them. Every wish gone wrong. Everything I’ve ever done to stay alive. I’ve forgotten so much of this world; so many memories have become hazy and weak. The good times? They’re some of the first to go. But the wishes, I never forget the wishes. Each one of them is burned irrevocably into the back of my mind.”
“It’s a fate you’ve earned,” said Colby.
“The hell you say.”
“You’re a vampire. You prey upon the young because they don’t know any better. You dress up in the silks and the gold and you put on a hell of a show. But you’re a vampire, siphoning off the dreams of children and leaving them empty, dreamless husks.”
Yashar’s eyes glassed over with tears. He bitterly gritted his teeth, trying to contain himself. “I’m done with it,” he said. “All of it. I’m gonna do it this time.”
“No you won’t,” said Colby. “You’re not strong enough.”
Yashar rose to his feet and waved a belligerent finger. “I am strong enough! I’ll do it!”
“Yeah, and when’s that gonna happen?” called Colby, still sitting on the curb.
Yashar narrowed his eyes, speaking coldly. “Once the fairies are done with you. Fourteen days after today, I suppose.”
Colby shot to his feet. “You son of a—”
“Don’t you get pissed at me. This is your mess, not mine. I tried to drag you away from that boy. I tried to keep the truth from you. I tried to talk you out of intervening. This is your sin, Colby Stevens—your mess. You damned yourself the night you stuck your nose in their business, and now your precious little house of cards is collapsing, and you have the stones to come to me about what I’ve done? Sounds more like you haven’t come to grips with what you’ve done.”
“You’re just as guilty as I am. We’re both condemned men.”
“No,” said Yashar. “The difference between you and me is that while we’re both condemned, I am intimately familiar with my sins. You, on the other hand, don’t think you’ve sinned at all. But I’ll see what I can do to follow you soon after you’re gone.”
Colby shook his head, stormed off, frustrated, waving his arms wildly. The two had no more to say to each other.
Yashar took a long, gulping swig of the whiskey, killing all but the last few shots of the bottle.