The Cloud: The Marian, #3

By Taylor Hohulin

When the bomb dropped, everything changed.

Even worse than the mountains of salt where oceans used to be, worse than the armies of mercenaries, worse than HydroSystems Worldwide's rise to power, was the Cloud.

In the area closest to the bomb's blast, the very fabric of reality was damaged. The air there can steal a person's humanity, even as it gives great power. The Cloud is home to a deadly cult and nightmarish creatures, and it is fifteen-year-old Ethan Denby's only hope of survival. If he ever wants to make it home, he'll have to go where he always knew his journey would end. He will have to go into the heart of the Cloud.

The Cloud is a post apocalyptic pirate adventure, equal parts Mad Max and Pirates of the Caribbean. It is the last book of The Marian Trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Taylor Hohulin
• Release date: Oct 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386360711

Taylor Hohulin

Taylor is a radio personality by morning, a science fiction author by afternoon, and asleep by 9:30. His weaknesses include Oreos, his dog, and Sharknado movies.

Book preview

The Players

Donovan Johns: The head of HydroSystems Worldwide. After a bomb obliterated nearly all of Earth’s water supply, HydroSystems rose to the top as the only corporation with the authority to harvest and distribute water. Johns has taken advantage of his monopoly, charging exorbitant fees, contaminating water in order to create pools that reverse the effects of aging, and even secretly working to keep the planet from replenishing its water supply.

Captain Duncan: The captain of the Marian, an illegal water harvesting ship. After discovering he’d been marked for Those Beyond, he convinced a Priestess of the Cloud to perform a soulswap on him, placing his soul in someone else’s body and transporting that person’s soul into his cursed body.

Ethan Denby: A fifteen-year-old boy from present-day Dallas, Texas. It was his body that Duncan’s soul found its way into during the soulswap. He wakes up on board the Marian, completely unaware of what’s happened to him. The crew isn’t much help, either, as they weren’t aware Duncan was even marked for Those Beyond.

The Priesthood of the Cloud: A cult who operates near the place where the bomb first dropped. In addition to destroying water, the bomb also damaged the fabric of reality in an area called the Cloud. Those who spend time inside the Cloud find themselves changed, often with new abilities beyond those of a normal human. The changes come with a price, though, often disfiguring those who spend too long inside the Cloud and eventually transforming them into something less than human. The Priesthood walks a delicate balance, trying to gain power while still maintaining some semblance of humanity.

Those Beyond: The dark, shapeless creatures that the Priesthood of the Cloud worships. They haunt Ethan’s nightmares now that he is inside Duncan’s body. They can’t enter our world, but they can pull people into theirs. This is what happens when someone is marked for Those Beyond. The hole in Captain Duncan’s wrist—which is now Ethan’s wrist—is a portal into the world of Those Beyond.

Jackie Sparks: Duncan’s nephew and the Marian’s engineer. At seventeen, he was a promising engineer before Duncan recruited him to help bring inexpensive water to people in need.

Percy Hale: Duncan’s right-hand man before the soulswap. With Duncan effectively gone from the ship, Percy takes over as captain. Jackie is wary of this change in leadership, as Percy was a mercenary before Duncan found him. All mercenaries live by a code: If someone saves your life, you owe him your loyalty. Duncan saved Percy’s life years ago by clearing him of charges that called for execution. Percy claims to have pledged his loyalty to Duncan and the Marian because of this, but Jackie remains doubtful.

Buddy: The Marian’s engine operator. He hopes that by helping Duncan he can restore the world to the way it was before, when the arts flourished. He is a talented—if long-winded—poet.

The Navigator: Many of the crew believe he was alive when the bomb was dropped, but they don’t know for sure. They’ve never been able to confirm his background because he is under the delusion that the Marian is just a small fishing vessel and that the oceans are still filled with water. Despite his break with reality, he is brilliant at navigation. He’s never steered the crew wrong.

Lester: The Marian’s chef. Ancient, spiteful, and half-blind, he is horrible at his job. Many of the crew believe he also was alive when the bomb was dropped, but, like with the Navigator, they don’t know for sure. Lester refuses to speak to anyone except when scolding someone for wasting food.

Kyle and Kale: Twin mercenaries who pledged their loyalty to Percy after he saved their lives long ago. They were born inside the Cloud, joined at the arm. When they were separated, a doctor performed experiments, attaching weapons to their bodies instead of prosthetic arms. Kale has a sword instead of a left arm, and Kyle has a musket instead of a right arm.

Bonnie Sparks: Jackie’s older sister who coordinates the Marian’s water distribution. She convinces Ethan to take her, Kyle, and Kale into the Cloud to make a deal with the Priesthood, without the knowledge of the rest of the crew. She hopes to exchange water for information on how to save Ethan from Those Beyond.

The Priestess: The lone member of the Priesthood of the Cloud who contacts the crew. She offers them information on how to escape Those Beyond in exchange for water. When Ethan arrives with Bonnie and the twins, the Priestess takes them into the Priesthood’s temple. Inside, she tells them the only way to escape death once you’ve been marked is to be soulswapped. This is why Duncan came to her in the first place. The Priestess explains she was the one to mark Duncan for Those Beyond. As childhood friends, they pledged to join the Priesthood together, but Duncan changed his mind at the last minute, leaving her to join alone. Once she became powerful enough, she marked him as an act of revenge.

Officer Vincent Jarvis: The Chief Enforcer for HydroSystems worldwide, in charge of preventing illegal water harvesting and distribution. He tracks the Marian all over the world, and finally catches up when the Priestess double-crosses Ethan, Bonnie, and the twins. Ethan kills him, but not before his men capture Bonnie.

Tucker Frye: A former missionary to the Priesthood of the Cloud who now serves as a doctor to the crew. When Kyle and Kale find an old manuscript written in a language spoken only by the Priesthood, Tucker reluctantly agrees to translate it in hopes of finding a way to save Ethan from Those Beyond. He learns how to perform a three-person soulswap, which would place Ethan back in his own body, Donovan Johns in Duncan’s cursed body, and Duncan in the body of Donovan Johns. Tucker’s new knowledge comes at a cost, though: The more he reads from the old manuscript, the more he finds himself influenced by dark powers. He is only able to escape their grasp when Buddy burns the book.

Caesar: A mercenary who took advantage of the mercenary code of loyalty. He has saved so many mercenaries’ lives that he has amassed an entire army known as the Empire. Each new member is branded with a symbol to show they belong to him. After Ethan kills Jarvis, Donovan Johns enlists the help of Caesar to bring down the crew of the Marian.

Scarlet: One of many members of the Empire who is tasked with killing the crew of the Marian. Scarlet is a teenage girl who was forced to join the Empire at a young age. She is one of Caesar’s better mercenaries, but she resents her life. She decides to use the crew of the Marian as bait to draw Caesar into the open, where she hopes to kill him and free herself of her obligation. Instead, Percy stops her, saving Caesar’s life and taking control of the Empire.

Chapter One

The Traitor

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I

"We should kill you."

The setting sun cast deep shadows on Jackie’s face, underscoring every line and every blemish. His eyebrows were pinched over his goggles. His mouth was a tight, flat line. Standing there in the blood-red light, he looked at least a decade older.

I hope you know that. Jackie’s voice quivered as he spoke, just on the edge of breaking. If it was up to me, you’d be dead. It wouldn’t be a quick death, either. You deserve to suffer even more than...

Jackie bit his lip. His goggles made his eyes look wide open, but Ethan knew underneath Jackie’s lids were swollen and red.

After a deep breath, Jackie regained his composure. You’re lucky there was a vote. This crew saved your life.

Jackie wasn’t the only one crying. There were scattered sniffles all over the deck. The Marian’s engine was off, and in the silence, each little noise was deafening.

Get out of here, Jackie said. I hope you die of thirst out there.

The rest of the crew stared ahead in stunned silence. Ethan was numb. He had no emotion left to feel, no tears left to cry. He was empty.

Slowly, the traitor turned and began climbing down the side of the Marian.

Good riddance, Jackie muttered.

Chapter Two

Earlier That Day

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I

Ethan’s back was on fire. The pain concentrated in a tight ball below his shoulder blades, and it radiated all the way to his knees. He lifted the body he’d been carrying and pitched it overboard.

How many are left? Ethan asked with a groan. He pressed his palms against the small of his back and twisted back and forth in an attempt to stretch the aching muscles.

Jackie grimaced. His hair was dark and heavy with sweat, plastered over the tops of his goggles. You really want me to count that high?

Ethan leaned against the guardrail. The Marian’s deck was littered with corpses. He still couldn’t believe they’d survived the ambush by Caesar and his men. If Ethan wasn’t standing in the middle of the evidence, he wouldn’t be able to believe Kyle was the only casualty of the day.

There was no doubt what would’ve happened if Caesar hadn’t been among the mercenaries. The crew had held their own in the ambush, but given enough time, the Empire would’ve overwhelmed them. There were just too many of them.

Instead, Percy had saved Caesar’s life. He’d forced Caesar and all his men to pledge their loyalty to him, and now the captain of the Marian was also the leader of the Empire.

Caesar himself seemed stunned by the turn of events. He followed Percy around like a puppy now, hobbling on the crutches Ethan had used before Jackie built the brace. Tucker had done his best cleaning the wound in Caesar’s knee where Percy had shot him, but he hadn’t looked hopeful wrapping it in gauze and bandages.

What you need is a real hospital where you can keep your weight off that leg for a few weeks, Tucker had said. But we don’t have that luxury, so at least try to take it easy for a while.

After the last of the Empire’s ships had disappeared, Buddy went below deck to start the engine, and the rest of the crew set to disposing of dead bodies. All Ethan wanted to do was to take a long nap, but he knew the sooner they got rid of the bodies, the better. In this heat, it wouldn’t be long before they started to smell.

Jackie nodded at Ethan. Come on. The sooner we do this, the sooner we’re done.

Ethan rubbed his back. Why don’t we just let Percy do it? Seems easy enough for him.

Percy approached the guardrail next to Ethan with a mercenary draped over each of his hulking shoulders. He dumped them overboard, stared at Ethan with something like disgust, and went back for more.

I think that means he’d rather we pitch in. Jackie thumped Ethan’s chest. Come on.

With a sigh, Ethan pushed off the guardrail and hobbled back among the corpses. The brace pinched his leg painfully, despite his best efforts to ignore it. He’d get used to it eventually, but for now, he actually found himself missing the old, ratty crutches. At least those didn’t burn his skin when they were in the sun for too long.

He wondered if he would need any more braces before all was said and done. Jackie had saved enough parts to make more, and Ethan couldn’t say he blamed him. There was no reason to believe Those Beyond were done eating through his body.

A darkly comic thought entered Ethan’s mind: His entire body covered in braces to keep him upright.

Robocop. I’m turning into Robocop.

Ethan chuckled to himself, just because the only alternative was to cry. He stooped over a body, gripping its wrists. Jackie took the ankles, and they lifted the body off the ground.

As they stumbled to the guardrail, Ethan was careful to think of the thing between them as a body and not a person. He wouldn’t be able to go on if he started thinking about how many lives had ended that day. There was no telling how many of these bodies had stories like Scarlet’s. She couldn’t have been the only one to join the Empire unwillingly.

Together, he and Jackie heaved the body overboard. Percy lumbered up next to them and dumped another two.

Showoff, Jackie muttered.

Ethan looked across the deck. Scarlet was working with Tucker. The two of them were struggling to lift a particularly large body.

Don’t you have a robot or something that can do this for us? Ethan called at her.

The body slid out of Scarlet’s grip, thudding against the deck with a wet smack. Scarlet swore and wiped a hand across her glistening forehead. I’m a Tinkerer, not a mad scientist, she said. She stooped to get a better grip on the body.

And then she froze.

A series of small explosions like firecrackers sounded below deck. Ethan didn’t know how many there were; they all came in such quick succession. They weren’t strong enough to shake the ship, but they were loud enough to shut everyone up.

Tucker looked at Jackie. Is that a backfire?

With Buddy down there? Jackie shook his head. Buddy’s never had a backfire. He’s too good.

Well, something happened, Kale said. Go take a look, grease monkey.

Jackie wiped a sweaty lock of hair off his goggles and disappeared below deck. The crew stood around awkwardly while he was gone, straining to listen, as if they would be able to hear the discovery Jackie made.

After less than a minute, he was back. His face was white.

It’s Buddy, Jackie said. He’s dead.

II

Ethan had to grip the railing tightly as he descended the spiral staircase. He wanted to hurry, but the brace kept him from moving with any sort of natural motion. If he went any faster, he’d fall.

Buddy couldn’t be dead. Not after they’d escaped the clutches of HydroSystems once again. Not after they’d survived Caesar’s best shot. Who would want to kill Buddy in the first place? He was just the engine operator, nearly as innocent as the Navigator.

The staircase was a tunnel of slapping feet and panting breath. Jackie led the way, taking the stairs three at a time. Ethan was next in line, but he was falling behind, hobbled as he was by the brace. He could sense the crew pressing behind him, just as impatient as he was.

Soon, the heat from the engine room was baking Ethan’s skin. A few seconds later, he’d reached the bottom of the staircase.

The engine room looked the same as always. Buddy’s specially designed bookshelf stood against the wall, concealing the door to the walkway that led to the extraction pipe. Propped against the bookshelf was Buddy’s old, battered guitar. Coals glowed deep red inside the furnace.

And in the middle of it all, lying perfectly motionless, was Buddy’s body.

His eyes were frozen in a blank stare. He still clutched a shovel in his right hand. There was a wound along his ribs, and stretching out from the scratch were long, thin lines.

Long, black lines.

Ethan felt sick staring at the darkened veins, now standing out on every corner of Buddy’s body. There was no denying it—this was the same poison that had killed Jackson, Jarvis, Raphael, and so many others.

And there was only one place that poison could’ve come from.

Jackie stood in front of Buddy’s body. The shock was gone from his face, replaced now by anger. His eyes were blazing.

Got something to say, Percy?

No one said a word. It was one thing to hear Jackie say Buddy was dead, but now they were standing before the gruesome evidence. This wasn’t a cleaned up, easily-to-swallow presentation. This was Buddy, forever frozen in the worst moment of his life for the whole crew to see.

Horrific as it was, Ethan couldn’t stop staring at Buddy’s motionless body. His stomach tied itself in knots. His arms felt like they’d been replaced with lead weights. This was a thousand times worse than watching Jackson die, but he couldn’t look away. He couldn’t turn his head, couldn’t lift a hand to block his view, couldn’t even close his eyes.

Buddy was dead, and there was no escaping it.

There was a scuffle behind Ethan—Percy pushing his way through the crew. Ethan stumbled sideways as the big man shoved him aside.

Percy stood over Buddy’s body. You think I did this? he said.

"Not a lot of other people with weapons that can do this to someone." Jackie gestured angrily at Buddy. Tears glowed silver on his cheeks in the light of the furnace.

I’ve been clearing bodies away with everyone else, and you know it, Percy growled. When could I have come here?

At first, Jackie didn’t respond. He turned his back to Percy and poked through the pile of unused coal next to the engine.

You didn’t have to, he finally said. He pulled something out of the pile and turned around, holding it out for all to see.

It was a bullet.

Ethan was no expert on ammunition, but he could guess which gun it belonged to.

Couldn’t bring yourself to look him in the eye when you did it, could you? Jackie said. He let out a pained bark of laughter. You had to sneak a few bullets into the coal and make the engine do the shooting for you.

Finally, Ethan understood. The furnace had ignited the gunpowder in the bullets, firing them at random into Buddy. With any other bullet, Buddy would have been fine. He would’ve only needed a bandage, maybe some stitches.

But these bullets were different. Raphael’s voice echoed in Ethan’s memory:

Shoot a guy in the heart, he’s dead. Nick his big toe, he’s dead. The poison’s that good. Gits into th’blood.

Jackie’s lip trembled. "You’re a coward. I’d understand if this was Kale or Scarlet, but Buddy?"

Percy didn’t respond. He only stared at Jackie, forearms bulging as he clenched and unclenched his massive fists.

Reluctantly, Tucker came forward. He crouched over Buddy’s body. He reached out to touch him, but stopped short. Overcome with emotion, he turned his head away, his face pinched. A tear appeared in the corner of his eye, and then he wiped it away and turned back to Buddy. Gently, he touched two fingers to one of Buddy’s blackened veins. He traced its inky path, then pulled his hand back. He stood, turning to face Percy.

Give me a reason to believe this wasn’t you. Tucker spoke in a soft, controlled monotone. I don’t want to believe it, but it’s hard to think of another explanation.

Percy didn’t offer a response. His jaw was clamped shut like a steel trap.

Nothing?

A wail rose behind Ethan. It started low, then grew in pitch and volume until Ethan’s head buzzed with pain. Before he could face the sound, a blur of cracked, leathery flesh sped forward, crashing into Percy.

Percy staggered backward a couple steps, but he didn’t fall. The wail continued, shrill and hoarse. It was coming from Lester. The old cook beat Percy’s chest with his fists, but the blows had no effect. This was not the cold, efficient Lester who’d fought with such ferocity only a few hours ago. Grief had turned him into a weak old man.

Ethan stepped forward, putting a hand on Lester’s shoulder. The old man whirled, slapping Ethan across the face. Ethan recoiled, more from surprise than from pain. The whole time, Lester continued screaming incoherently.

More cautiously, Ethan came at Lester again. This time he was ready when the old man tried to hit him. He caught the bony arm in one hand and reached out to grab the other before Lester could use it. Lester struggled, but all his strength was gone. He leaned forward, shrieking into Ethan’s face one last time. The scream turned to a sob, and then he fell forward, defeated. Ethan caught him awkwardly, nearly falling under the sudden weight. He wrapped his arms around the gaunt shoulders as they hitched and Lester blubbered into Ethan’s chest.

We should kill him, Jackie said softly. It’s what he deserves.

Tucker shook his head. No. Killing him makes us no better than HydroSystems and Caesar. We can’t become like them if we want to create a world different from the one they’ve made.

Then what do you suggest? Jackie asked.

Tucker didn’t hesitate. Exile.

Jackie snorted. Exile. That’s a good one. Let him run around and gather up some new minions so he can come back and finish us off.

We’re not killing him, Tucker said.

"We have to kill him."

The two stared at each other—Jackie with his fists balled up and shaking, and Tucker with his shoulders slumped and blue eyes pleading. Lester gave another hiccuping sob.

Why don’t y’all vote on it? Caesar’s lazy drawl drifted from the back of the crew.

Ethan turned to face the former leader of the Empire. He hadn’t said much since Percy forced him to join the crew. He’d kept his head down mostly, following Percy around and doing as he was told. Now he leaned nonchalantly against the staircase railing, regarding the crew with his cool, calculating stare.

Jackie pushed Tucker aside, taking a few steps toward Caesar. What did you say?

Caesar flashed his charming smile. You heard me. Take a vote. He lifted one of his crutches, using it to gesture at the crew. Y’all are just gonna keep goin round and round if you try and debate it. You want my advice, I say take a vote. Who wants to kill Percy, and who wants to dump him overboard?

Caesar lowered the crutch. A look of smug satisfaction spread across his face.

He has a point, Tucker said softly.

Course I have a point. Caesar smiled again. The expression was cold, malicious, and somehow infinitely likable.

Jackie rolled his eyes. Fine. Let’s do it. I think you can all guess my vote.

Tucker nodded. I think my vote is obvious as well.

I say kill im, Caesar said. I may be a heartless mercenary, but even I think what your captain did was wrong. He shook his head, clicking his tongue.

And I’m sure your vote has nothing to do with the fact that if we kill him you get the Empire back, Kale said.

Caesar’s face fell.

Trust me, bud, Kale continued. If we have an execution today, it’ll be a twofer, and you’ll get the first bullet.

Then I vote exile, Caesar said. His voice was much softer now. The noisy confidence was gone. He was once again the broken man who’d followed Percy around the ship, catering to his every wish.

Lester pulled out of Ethan’s grip, whirling on Percy. A sick grin twisted his lips, and he made a gun with his fingers, leveling the barrel of flesh at Percy’s forehead. He dropped his thumb and cocked his head to one side, still baring his teeth in that animal grin.

Looks like a vote for execution from the chef, Kale said. Lester nodded savagely, and Kale continued: I vote exile. I don’t care if you did this or not, but I owe you my life, even if I’m not loyal to you anymore. Kale stared at Percy for only a moment before dropping his eyes. We’re even now.

Scarlet shook her head. We have to kill him. Didn’t anyone wonder why HydroSystems was able to send so many men to ambush us on that harvest station? Or why Caesar knew to wait for us at the market? I may have been leading Caesar to you guys, but they knew where we were going before we got there. Percy’s been selling us out at least as long as I’ve been on board, and that’s not going to stop if we let him live. There’s still a bounty on our heads. She pursed her lips. We have to kill him.

Now all eyes turned to Ethan. Percy folded his arms, his face stony and expressionless.

One vote to go, said Tucker. It’s up to you, Ethan.

You know the right thing to do, Jackie said. His voice was quivering. "I mean, just look at who’s