Free The Ferryman by Amy Neftzger Page B

of the job. It didn’t matter what anyone had done — escorting people into hell was no job for a human being. It was unfair of Fate to have put her in this position.
    “What?” Trevor asked with a mixture of concern and impatience.
    “It — it makes me think that Fate wants you to take a walk to hurt you because you’ve hurt someone else,” Karen explained.
    “So, she’s like karma?” He asked the question in a very casual tone, but Karen felt it was significant. She turned around and rapidly dried her eyes with her fingers.
    “Is she?” Karen asked. Her mind turned over the possibility that the answer could be so simple.
    “I just asked you!”
    “I don’t know, but I’ve never thought about it before and it makes sense,” Karen said as she wiped her nose with her sleeve.
    “You said she wanted to hurt me,” Trevor continued. “But I think she wants to hurt everyone.”
    “I don’t think she does,” Karen replied after some thought.
    “How do you know?”
    “Because I’ve seen her do good things,” Karen replied. “I don’t understand it at all. But I do know that I’m not going to make you take a walk today.”
    “Nobody makes me do anything anymore. That’s why I’m staying here and staying drunk. I can’t hurt anyone and no one can hurt me.” There was a sudden popping noise and Fate appeared next to them. It was the first time Karen had heard her arrival.
    “Good for you!” Fate responded to Trevor and turned to Karen. “What about you?”
    “I’m not doing your dirty work,” Karen said firmly.
    “Oh, yes, you are. You only think you’re not.” Fate grabbed Karen by the arm and pulled her down the alley and around the corner. Her grip was incredibly firm for a woman with a small bone structure. Karen tried to look over her shoulder at Trevor, but Fate moved quickly and the pain in Karen’s neck kept her from turning it to look backwards.”
    “It’s for the best,” Fate said with enthusiasm. “Pillar of salt, and all.” Karen wondered how Fate could move so quickly in those black patent leather pumps.
    “I don’t care what you do to me,” Karen said with determination when they had stopped moving. “I will not send that man to hell.”
    “I’ve told you before: you don’t send anyone anywhere. Their voyages were already booked and these people packed their own bags with the events of their lives. Your job is to get them on the boat.”
    “I have a conscience. I can’t be a part of this,” Karen protested.
    “This is your job. You will do as you’re told.”
    “Why can’t you do it?” Karen asked. “Why do you need someone else? There’s something wrong about this —” She was just about to continue when she felt that sticky, airy touch of Trevor’s hand on her shoulder.
    “I thought she was going to hurt you,” Trevor said as he swayed back and forth. Karen’s mouth opened slightly and she drew her eyebrows tightly together as soon as she saw him. He reached out to steady himself and slowly faded from the bottom upwards. His image dissipated gently like a ripple on the surface of the water. Then he was gone.
    Karen turned to face Fate, but the sudden motion caused a sharp pain to shoot down her back. Karen winced.
    “I told you that would be sore for a while,” Fate replied casually.
    “You tricked me. You knew he would follow,” Karen said, and then added with a small amount of relief, “but he didn’t go to hell.” She was annoyed with Fate for using her, but at the same time she was relieved that Trevor wasn’t spending eternity in torment.
    “Are you disappointed?”
    “No. I just thought — ”
    “Stop thinking. You’re not very good at it.”
    “I’m not going to stop thinking at all. In fact, I think I prefer Fortune to you. He’s a lot more likable.”
    “You don’t know him very well,” Fate snapped.
    “He’s more attractive than you.”
    “I’m a very attractive woman.”
    “No,” Karen shook her head vehemently