4

They changed cars before leaving the bunker.

The car that Jack Cassidy loaded to capacity with a charmed weapon was about three times larger.

— Joel, have you ever driven a truck?—Jack asked.

— What are you? No... There are no such acquaintances in my life... My life is generally uninteresting...—Joel sighed.

— This car has an engine almost like a truck. Take my seat, Joel. You're driving now.—Jack stopped the car.

— No, now is not the time to learn to drive...—Joel felt Clarissa's hand.

Strangely, the coolness gave confidence.

— Joel... It is unknown which of us will stay...—Clarissa buried her face in his hair.— I don't want to lose you so much...—

Joel turned and kissed the witch's hand.

— Yes. Now...—He went out the door, walked around the car and got into Jack's seat.— Show me what you need.—

***

It seemed that nothing had changed in the city at all. But at the same time, something was wrong...

— Do you feel it, Clary? And you, Joel?—Jack asked.— Something's wrong... I just can't figure out what...—

— I know... I can feel it, Jack... I feel that something has changed... And in a bad way...—Clary said.

— I feel something too... It's strange, but I can even see something black flying around...—Joel said suddenly.— It's like gunpowder was scattered... Or some kind of soot...—

— Black haze?—Jack asked.—Damn it, this is filth! Is there a lot of it?—

— Very much... Black smoke everywhere...—Joel said.— Jack! And what can this filth do?—

— A lot... Even kill. Don't you dare touch her, Joel.—Jack turned to open the door.—It's not near the car now?—

— No, you can go out without fear. And I'll come out on the same side with you. From my side, it is a little...—

The doors opened with a creak.

— What a disgusting city this is...—Joel said aloud and shuddered at the sound of his voice.— I didn't like this city before...

Clarissa took his hand.

— You will guide us. Only you of us see the filth. Go ahead...—Claire said.

As they walked down the street, it seemed that everyone was looking back after them.

— I'm scared...—Joel whispered. Abruptly straightening up, he suddenly leaned sideways and dodged something invisible.— Move to the side. No, the other one! I almost got caught myself... There's a lot of filth here...—

— Strange... Why can't I see her?—Jack said.— We're going to school, or something... The situation is easiest to understand there...—

— And if you try to look around in the mall?—Clary held the door ajar for a man who was bringing something from a van into the store.

— Thanks.— he said dryly, looking at the girl with empty eyes.

The footsteps on the street were more impressive than torture.

— Wait... Clary, Joel... Wait...—Jack said in a slightly frightened tone.

Everyone was looking at them. Absolutely everything.

— What... What the hell is going on here?—Joel asked.

— If I knew, we wouldn't be standing here!—Jack took a step back.— We are moving to the other side, there are fewer people there...—

The fact that he hadn't heard the archangel for a very long time scared Jack more than the city itself.

All the people were slowly approaching. Perhaps it was a quarter step in a few minutes, but there was definitely movement!

— They're not looking at us...—Suddenly Joel gave a frightened voice.— They're looking at me... —

His voice trembled on the last words.

— Let's go to your house, Joel. You'll come in under the pretext of picking up books to go to school, and check on your family yourself...—Jack ordered him softly.

Clarissa wanted to go with him, but Cassidy held her by the shoulder:

— You're not going with him, Claire!—

— I don't want to leave him alone!—Clary said angrily.

— What's going to happen is going to happen...—

***

— Mom!—Joel looked into the kitchen.

Nobody...

Usually the sisters and brothers made such a noise that it was possible to go deaf.

— Mom! Dad! Maya! Christy!—

The house was so quiet now that the screams echoed.

Joel felt his neck ache and he started coughing.

Choking with an attack, the guy touched his mother's jewelry box with his hand and the jewelry scattered in a shining rain.

Joel Gabriel raised himself up on his hands and looked at himself in the reflection in the window glass.

And for the first time he did not recognize his own face ...

***

— There is no one there!—ten minutes later, Joel came out of the French window and jumped over the railing.

It was clear that the nerves of the guy are still naughty and the shout turned out to be excessively sharp and squeaky.

— Be quiet!—Jack said indignantly.

—Where could they all have gone so early?—Joel lowered the volume of his voice to a whisper.

— Your family, you know better...—Jack looked across the road.— If I understood correctly, they won't react if you walk slowly, just like them...—

Slowly they trotted towards the school.

— You just have to remember the stupid slow zombies...—Clarissa Fallen said softly.

— Not a very good formulation...—Joel tripped over a trash can. And no matter how he tried to restrain himself, there was a quiet whine

from the pain.

— Hush...— Clarissa opened the school door to the music class, only she was outside.

There was also a dining room door going out, but there could be people there.

— Now we're going about our business. We talk as if we don't notice anything. If it smells fried, we'll come back here, I'll draw the angel's seal here. It will be safe...—Jack began to chalk on the floor.— No one but us will just come in here...—

Joel and Clarissa went out into the school hallway.

And here everything seemed to resemble the usual situation...

— Hey, Joel, how are you doing? You look great!— a girl in pink walked by and waved to him.

— Who is this?—Clarissa whispered to Joel.

— Amy Masterson, the queen of the school.—The red—haired guy answered her in a whisper.— Let's split up. I'll meet you in class.—

***

One of the cameras in Eterna Tartarus was shaking.

The furniture bolted to the floor flew off its mounts and rose into the air.

Brooklyn Mercury was lying on the floor.

He was having a strange seizure, blood was flowing from his mouth.

All the staff who were here were afraid to even come close to the camera.

— Bring Clarissa here!—Brooklyn shouted, somehow miraculously managing to spit out blood.— Only she will fix everything! —

Suddenly everything that rose into the air fell to the floor.

Brooklyn closed his eyes and lay there, breathing fast.

It seems that a little more...

***

Jack Cassidy entered the office where the teachers were going.

It was empty... For some reason, there was not even a trace of anyone's presence here at all.

The door of one of the cabinets opened.

It seems that someone was here after all...

— Francis?— there was a whisper from behind the door.

— Coleen?—Jack's eyes bulged.

The strange lonely girl looked quite alive and did not look like these slow-motion copies of people.

— What are you doing here alone?—

— Francis, everyone is crazy! When I start asking them, they say there's something wrong with me!— from panic, Colleen's eyes

seemed a little crazy.— What's wrong with everyone?—

— Where's your car, Coleen?— Jack felt that fear prevents him from thinking normally.— Is there a lot of gasoline there?—

— Yes... I think so, why?— Colleen tripped over the hanger when she got out.

— Leave the city, don't stop anywhere. So you can survive!J—ack told her.— If you talk to someone, you will become same. If there is not enough gasoline, take the canister from my trunk. Let's go out together. —

— Okay... Francis...—

They went outside together and Jack immediately opened the trunk of his car and transferred one to Colleen in the back seat

a large canister.

— Go away!—Jack said.— And remember: don't talk to anyone! —

— Thank you, Frank...—

— I'm not Frank, I'm Jack.— suddenly the man said.— Jack Cassidy...—

The faces of those standing nearby distorted.

Jack pushed Colleen into the car before they ran at him, shouted:

— Gas!—

***

The amulet on Clarissa Fallen's neck spun and shone.

— Joel!— she pulled her beloved by the sleeve.— Let's go!

Joel nodded and raised his hand:

— Can I get out? Clarissa is ill, I'll help her get to the doctor.—

— What about her?—The teacher asked absently.

— Pregnant!—Clarissa suddenly exclaimed.

— You embarrassed me.—Joel said with a smile as they walked out into the hallway.

— I love you... Let's go find Jack...—Clarissa tugged on his arm.

Footsteps thundered in the corridor.

— Joel...— Clarissa felt cold, indifferent fingers. — No... no! —

— Run!—Joel shouted on a short exhale.

His soul was now tossing around in a hysterical fit inside his body.

He remembered how the cord was tightening his throat, the knife carving something on his back, the tin seal that was put in his mouth...

— Joel...— the creature called him in a sepulchral voice.

— On your knees!—Joel tried to order the dead man more firmly.

Soon the whole world will be like this...

***

— Jack!— the bright light drove away the gray people and Clarissa lifted Jack Cassidy by the hands.

A bottle touches the man's lips.

— Drink.—

— And what did you do?—Jack asked, catching his breath.

— The pendant that the archangel gave. While they're gone, let's go get Joel. He's changed.—Claire's lips trembled.

Jack took out a dagger:

— So, you can't drag it out...—

***

The school has become like an endless hellish maze.

More than once they were attacked, only when they were exhausted to the limit, they saw Joel Gabriel in the distance.

— We're late...—Jack said bitterly.— It's definitely not Joel anymore...—

The gray dead crawled out of the earthen walls.

— Joel!—Clarissa pushed Jack away and ran out there.—Why is it you, Joel? Why are you cursed and why I choose you?—

— Stupid witch...—There was nothing what Claire heard in Joel's voice anymore.

The dead rushed at Clary.

Jack took two charmed pistols from his belt and tossed one to Clarissa.

Bullets easily pierced the dead flesh and the wheezers crumbled to dust.

— Kill her!—Joel croaked.

"Clary,—Clarissa suddenly heard a quiet call in her brain.—Don't try to save me, Clarissa. You will ruin the whole world..."

Falling, Clarissa shot up and the dust completely covered her.

No matter how many dead people they killed, new ones got in the way.

One bit into Clarissa's shoulder, but, making an effort, the witch rushed forward.

Jack panicked when he realized that he could not see Clarissa...

***

Claire Fallen did not immediately realize that the boards had failed. Few things were coming to her mind right now.

Joel, on whom, as it turned out, she sat astride, growled and raged under her.

— Joel...—Claire looked up.

The dead grinned through the gap.

— Remember who you are, Joel! Remember!—Clarissa shook his wrists helplessly.— Remember how much I love you...—

Gathering her courage, Clarissa pulled out a dagger with one hand and stabbed.

And, as if it were raining, the animated dead began to fall to the floor.

And Clarissa's tears began to rain...

— I love you too...—Joel took her hand with his own and pointed the knife deeper into the unbreakable heart.— I didn't want to

all... It ended so stupidly... Don't cry... —

A cold hand brushed away the tears.

— I love and will always love only you...—Clary whispered.

— I guess that's how it should be...—

Claire wanted to say something else, but she met glassy eyes.

And the witch cried and screamed at the same time. She cried until her strength disappeared.

Jack Cassidy crawled out from under the corpse.

— Claire!— when he saw a hole in the floor, he immediately ran up there.

Clary looked up at him with tear-stained eyes.

***

The morning started anew, as if someone rewound the tape at the cassette.

The city was normal... There was Joel Gabriel's funeral.

As it was deposited in everyone's mind, Joel was killed by a robber in the evening.

At the funeral, Clary started crying again.

Jack hugged her to him and felt so helpless because he couldn't do anything...

In the distance, Jack saw a familiar silhouette.

Archangel ...

***

Brooklyn Mercury met the dawn in tears.

— Clarissa... My poor love... I'm so sorry for you... What has not happened in your life and what will happen ... —

***

The sun looked in the window. As if afraid of being noticed, it quickly slid across Clarissa Fallen's face.

The vampire witch never closed her eyes all night.

— Who's here?—the girl shuddered.

Paranoia was sometimes peculiar to her, but it's not paranoia now. She felt someone's presence now.

— Clarissa Fallen...— a white-haired girl came out from behind the curtain.

— What do you need? I know who you are.— Clarissa wore over her favorite Vincent Price T-shirt (a gift from her beloved Joel)

a leather jacket.

— Now is not the time to be sad. Although you are now tormented by longing, you can not be distracted from what you have been entrusted with. Flame it came to life... The flame of evil is burning again and it really needs to be extinguished. And you'll need to see the archangel. You will have a long conversation about fate... About your fate...— the girl seemed to disappear in a gust of wind.

Clary sat up in bed.

Pain... So terrible...

This pain is eating a vampire alive.

Now there is also a meeting with Michael, and this bitch is not one of the best guys of both worlds, mortals and immortals ...

***

— You have come. Apparently, this situation really upsets you.— a dry phrase when Clary approached the park bench.

Such places are marked with a special sign, mortals do not see them and what happens on them is hidden from human eyes.

— Let's not talk about it.— the witch said angrily, sitting down next to him.— What do you need? Speak.—

— We need to destroy everything after those undead. Any trace of them can be dangerous. You'll need to drink this. This destroy the last trace of Joel Gabriel in this world.—Michael looked into her eyes.

It was as if he was scanning her with his slightly crazy gray lights.

— I'm what...—Clarissa's hands trembled.

— Yes, but you can't leave him... I know... It's all very painful... But you can't leave a dead man...—

— I don't care...—Claire swallows the poison indifferently.

It burns a little inside, but it's easy to survive.

—When do Jack and I leave?—Clary asks, throwing the bottle into the grass.

An ordinary-looking piece of glass melted like ice.

***

It was cold outside. The morning tried to burn the bones with cold.

Clarissa Fallen felt nothing else... Just became like a stone.

As she packed her things and got into the car, she realized with a slight tinge of horror that there was nothing else in her soul. Empty...

Black hole...

— How are you?—Jack put his hand on her shoulder.

— I'm functioning until they send me to the landfill.—the vampire witch said without emotion.— That's how it should be.—

— It would be better if you were human...— the man sighs sadly.—It wouldn't hurt so much to look at you."..—

Clarissa really wanted to throw her knife in the dumpster, but that would have threatened the end of the whole thing, because

this is the witch's only weapon.

And this weapon now has Joel Gabriel's blood on it...

— ... So it ended stupidly...—Joel had whispered hoarsely in her ear.— Don't cry... Don't cry... Probably, everything should be like this

it had to be...—

... Claire looks at her hands and screams - she clearly sees blood on her fingers ...

***

By nightfall they had already crossed a couple of cities.

The distance is no longer small, but it does not heal, as does time ...

Clarissa pressed her burning face to the cold glass.

— I feel sorry for you...—Jack suddenly said in silence.— Believe me, I'm very sorry for you...—

— Jack, don't feel sorry for me...—Clarissa said.— Pity is bad. As is weakness. And I was weak. And this is mine mistake... And I will always suffer...—

Cassidy sighed, peering into the distance of dawn with dark eyes.

— And why did he come to you this time?—he asked.— Why did the archangel come to you this time?—

— The task is to kill the witch clan. And... he didn't want me to bear a fetus... There was a fetus from Joel...—

Although Clarissa's voice was calm now, Jack knew that external calmness is not calmness in full ...

***

The car stopped.

— Well, have you chosen a house?—Clarissa asked.

— Not a house, a motel. The motel is safer. It will be harder to find us there, the dark ones won't smell our scent...—

Clarissa entered the room.

Everything was so ordinary here, so gray... And in general, Clarissa Fallen stopped seeing colors in this world after, what she had to do...

They both didn't understand why they went to bed, just tossed and turned in their beds, unsuccessfully trying to fall asleep.

— Jack?—Clarissa called out in the silence.

—What, Clary?—Cassidy turned.

— Lie down with me. I'm scared to be alone...— the witch asked plaintively.

— What, should I lie down with you?Jack asked.

— Please...Clarissa asked plaintively.

When Jack lay down next to her, Clarissa buried her nose in his sweater.

Jack hears her crying again.

***

In the morning Clarissa got up much earlier than him.

— Jack, get up! Are you hungry?—she asked with forced enthusiasm.— Breakfast will be here soon!—

— Clary... What the hell? You're weird to yourself. What kind of joy?—Jack rubbed his eyes.

— Yes, just lifted the mood. Anyway, life is meaningless...—Clarissa sighed.— Well, what do you want? Sit down.—

The morning seemed like a dream to Clary. The most intimate thing Clary never told him.

When she woke up, a strange feeling of someone's presence enveloped her body with a shiver.

Clary realized that there would be something...

— Peek-a-boo!— someone whispered near the ear.

— Who's here?—Clary asked even more quietly.

— Hello.—Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in front of her.

— Joel...—The witch whispered softly.

She tried to grab her lover's hand, but her fingers passed through Joel's fingers like smoke.

— A ghost, yes...—Joel said in a sad whisper.

— Why weren't you allowed to rest?—Clary asked quietly.

— I don't know... But as long as fate allows me, I will be with you at least like this...—

When Jack woke up, Joel went for a walk outside. But Clarissa's mood remained good.

— Where are we going today?—she asked, taking a sip of coffee from a mug.

— I haven't planned it yet. first you need to buy newspapers, as always, to inspect the most truthful summary.—Jack stirred his coffee thoughtfully in a mug.— Witches... All this is so absurd that I don't know what to do here...—

— Are you thinking of looking through the newspapers? Okay, you're driving...—