The Cupid War Read Online Free PDF

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    â€œYou! Get off him!”
    Pink light bathed him, and he heard something scream. A black form, part humanoid and part shadow, detached itself from him and raced away. The utter despair he felt began to fade, and Fallon was able to put two and two together.
    â€œThat thing,” he said. “It did that to me?”
    â€œYes,” said Caleb, standing behind him. “It’s a lucky thing I found you or he would have taken you.”
    â€œWhat … is it?” Fallon asked, watching as the dark form scampered away down the street.
    â€œThat,” Caleb replied, “is a Suicide. They are our enemies, Fallon, as I’m sure you’ve realized by now.”
    â€œWe have enemies?” Fallon turned around to look up at Caleb. He wanted to stand back up, but couldn’t quite manage that yet. “Why … didn’t you … tell me?”
    â€œYou ran away, remember?” Caleb replied. He reached down and took hold of Fallon’s arms, easily hefting him back to his feet. “You would have been safe with me. From all of this.”
    It was clear by his tone that he meant more than just the attack. Fallon looked back at his family on the doorstep and nodded silently.
    â€œCome on, let’s go,” Caleb said, leading Fallon away. “Best leave them be. Staying here will only bring you pain.”
    Fallon wanted to stay, wanted to do something for his family. He had no energy to resist, however, so he allowed Caleb to direct him.
    â€œHow did you find me?” he asked after a while.
    â€œ I have ways,” Caleb said. “Besides, where else would you have gone? You were alone, you were u pset; it was only natural you would have gone home.” He held up his hand and a soft glow spread out from his fingertips. The glow grew into an oval doorway, and Caleb helped Fallon walk through it.
    â€œNeat trick,” Fallon said as they emerged back in the heart-domed enclosure of the Cupid Center. “Will I be able to do that soon?”
    â€œWhen you learn how,” Caleb replied. “Are you feeling any better?”
    â€œA little, yeah,” Fallon said. “Not so … devastated.”
    â€œTime you ate some more Love,” Caleb said. “Best cure there is for a psychic attack. It’s not far to my Love block. You can eat all you want then.”
    â€œGreat,” Fallon said.
    They set out through the maze of Love cubes. It was difficult going for Fallon; each step felt like a huge effort.
    â€œTell me about Suicides,” he said, hoping the conversation would distract him.
    â€œSuicides are beings similar to us, only they feed on negative emotions,” Caleb said. “They take your despair and magnify it until even the smallest problem seems insurmountable, then they feed on the negativity that results. And because Cupids deal in positive emotions, our despair is that much more powerful. That is why we must always be on our guard, and always consume plenty of Love before returning to the field.”
    Fallon thought about what Caleb had told him. “Do they attack living people?” he asked.
    â€œYes,” Caleb replied. “People with severe depressive disorders are the victims of Suicides. Strong people struggle to hang on, to fight back with drugs and therapy. Weak on es, however … ”
    â€œJump?” Fallon said quietly.
    â€œYes,” Caleb replied.
    Fallon stopped walking. “Is that what happened to me?” he asked. “Is that why I wanted to kill myself?”
    â€œYes,” Caleb said simply. “Try not to think about it.”
    â€œHow can I not think about it?” Fallon snapped. “I’m dead because some evil spirit got me. That’s not … ”
    He stopped. He’d been going to say that’s not fair . Fallon knew what his father would have said to that: Who ever said life is fair?
    â€œThat is why Cupids exist, Fallon,” Caleb said.