I was dizzy with rage. Shadows filled the edge of my vision, as if I were about to pass out. But I didn't. The shadows were real, and they were mine.

I started towards the old Human encampment, the one I'd spent my first night in. The one Harrigan had set up for us, the one that was a comfort to some of the Humans.

As I did, there were screams. I realized they were for me.

Their souls were leaking into mine. I could feel fear from them. Regret. Horror. I used my Bonus Content vision to see them fleeing into the sea, the other side of the island, the big cave. Fleeing. I was looking for one specific soul.

There.

"Taylor," I said. I didn't yell or scream or do anything dramatic. I just said his name, from way down here on the path, but apparently my voice carried. More screams.

The sky was black with storm clouds. Lightning flickered and thunder boomed. "TAYLOR," said Mandy's voice, huge and terrible. Echoing from the walls of the ruins. Waves crashed and the beach was flooded. Rain fell in a stinging sheet. She was handling the drama part.

He was up in the mess tent, the little pathetic cafeteria. Why hide there? Why not the cave, or the ruins? Idiot.

I swept my hand through the tent. It crumpled and blew away in the wind. Another sweep, and the tables went flying, the plastic chairs clattering and flapping into the sky.

Taylor huddled in the rain and wind. He lifted his eyes to me and gasped, jumped up and ran.

No. I grabbed him with one hand, lifted him, all the way up here. Lightning illuminated his terrified face. I squeezed. He yelled and beat both fists, his puny alpha-male fists, against my hand.

"Where is she," I said. His hair blew back at my words. Tears were streaming. I held him up in front of one eye, watching him squirm and weep. "Tell us, Taylor."

"Tell us," Mandy growled. Or thunder growled and it sounded like Mandy.

"HE HAS HER!" Taylor screamed, at the top of his lungs, I suspect, but the wind nearly drowned him out. "HE TOOK HER! HE SAYS–HE SAYS–"

I squeezed again and he screamed. It didn't matter what Harrigan said. Or what Taylor said, not anymore.

"Gary," the thunder that was Mandy said. "All of us. Tried to kill all of us."

Taylor's face was wet with the terrible rain. Pale and overloaded with panic. He shouted, screamed, covered his face with his hands. "I didn't…I didn't…"

So easy to end his ridiculous life. I could do it. Mandy too, she could snuff him out with no effort at all.

However.

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Okay. Okay. Let's calm down. We don't need this. I began to take deep breaths. Each one took a long time.

"Beautiful Mandy," I said. We're not him. We're not them."

And to my surprise, Friday came charging to Taylor's rescue.

He made it up the hill, and panted from the long run. I hadn't been tired from getting up here; I didn't know why, but I realized I was holding Taylor in one hand like King Kong with Faye Wray. Longer legs make a faster trip, I guess.

"Your little party!" Friday shouted. "Taking your time with us, Owen! How many people died on Earth during your fun-time date and your play?"

How many?

I'd been working with my Ari Maspai artifact, hadn't I? I had. But I'd stopped for the day.

Hmm.

I hadn't been treating this like an emergency.

Because they were just Humans, weren't they? They'd kill each other no matter what I did. Who cared about them? Humans cared nothing for one another, it was clear. Friday seemed to be the exception.

Deserve. That word: deserve. Did Humans deserve our help? Who decides that kind of thing?

Was it me? Was I justified?

My mom died trying to save them from their own stupidity, hadn't she? And their stupidity had ended her life. She'd still be alive if Humans were better people. Humans and their idiocy had taken my family.

My mom. What would she say to me? If she could see me here, about to kill some idiot bully who couldn't change his ways? Would she be proud?

Help if you can or face the chancla, she'd said.

And my good friend was gone. She was in the hands of my enemy. That was a pretty solid chancla.

I let my gaze burn into Taylor. His soul filtered into mine, and I got the whole thing:

Why should Ezra get a girl? Look at him; he's Wormy, after all. There was a natural order to be respected. Everyone knew little skinny guys were at the bottom, and big strong ones were at the top, right? It was the whole game, not just a rule. The whole game. Wormy was cheating. CHEATING.

So do it. Send Wormy's rock monster through the air. Punish him for his disrespect of Taylor . And the natural order, of course. And the promises from Harrigan, they'd sounded great, right? Send that rock to kill Wormy and whoever else was around.

And Taylor's little skittering doubt underneath: (...but Schmendrick likes me this is wrong–)

He was crying in earnest. I was no longer holding him in one hand. I was looking up into his miserable face, my hand on his shoulder. Mandy and I were standing in front of him, just us. She was short, I was taller but not as tall as I'd been, I think.

"Schmendrick loved you," I said wearily. "She loved you, Taylor, and you handed her over."

The words entered him, tore him up. I could see it happen in his tiny face on its huge head.

Friday came up behind Taylor. His face was cold. "You know what you have to do."

My eyes narrowed. "They cause suffering. We can't forget that." I looked at Mandy. The Big Dive.

Friday just watched us, occasionally glancing at the wreckage that was Taylor. Friday had been through things as well, hadn't he? I was sure he had.

I felt the connection, between myself and Mandy. Strong. I knew she could feel me as well. I spoke, or she did, or both of us did: "Things will have to change, Friday. But: okay."

Did he know what I meant? I doubt it. But Mandy did.

I met her eyes. She lifted her chin, just a little.

We were going to get Schmendrick back.

And then: mayhem. Because things would have to change.

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