The Cupid War by Timothy Carter Read Free Book Online Page A

else and try again.”
    Fallon did, several more times. Three guys and four girls, one of whom did prefer Jenny Lane over Claine. Caleb explained that the amount of Love Fallon gave out was in direct proportion to what was needed. The people in the audience got just enough to be starstruck, and Fallon could do several more before his supply of Love ran out.
    â€œNow that you’ve had some practice,” Caleb said, “let’s go and try the real thing.”
    â€œJust one more,” Fallon said, spying a middle-aged man sitting by himself in the front row.
    â€œI’m not sure about that one,” Caleb said, seeing where Fallon was going.
    Fallon walked through the rows to the second aisle, knelt behind the man’s seat, and reached his hand in. Immediately, he felt a huge dose of loneliness. When Jenny Lane appeared on screen, the feeling got worse. The man longed for her but felt completely unworthy.
    â€œYikes,” Fallon said, pulling his hand out.
    â€œI thought as much,” Caleb said, walking up behind him. “What was it? Loneliness? Despair? Longing?”
    â€œYep,” Fallon replied. “But I can make him happy if I find the right girl.”
    â€œNo, you can’t,” Caleb replied. “He’s been infected by a Suicide, Fallon. That is why he feels so wretched. Most likely he came here thinking a romantic movie would cheer him up. Instead, it has had the opposite effect. And making him fall for Miss Lane will only make it worse.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œWith a Suicide’s taint on him,” Caleb explained, “he’s no good to himself, let alone anyone else. Have you ever had a very miserable person attracted to you?”
    Fallon thought of Susan Sides, and nodded.
    â€œYou felt uncomfortable around her, didn’t you?”
    â€œYes,” Fallon said.
    â€œThat is how people feel when they are infected by Suicides,” Caleb told him. “And love for Miss Lane will only create a deeper longing that can never be satisfied.”
    â€œCan’t we do anything for him?” Fallon asked.
    â€œNo,” Caleb replied. “He must overcome the Suicide’s taint by himself. He is strong—he hasn’t killed himself. But he has a long and difficult road ahead of him. There is, however, one important thing we can do,” he added, rising to his feet.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Fallon asked.
    â€œSuicides usually stay near their prey,” Caleb explained, “so they can feed off the negative feelings. If we can find it and stop it, we can put this man out of his misery.”

8
    F allon and Caleb searched the entire theater for the Suicide, but it was a lot more difficult than Fallon could have imagined. Their foe could walk through walls and hide inside solid objects, just as they could. They checked all the seats, and the floor around each audience member, but the Suicide was not to be found.
    â€œThat’s enough,” Caleb said after half an hour. “It’s possible our presence may have frightened it off. But we have another hand to play.”
    â€œWe do?” Fallon said.
    â€œThe movie is letting out,” Caleb said, pointing to the crowd leaving the theater. “If we follow that man from a distance, we can catch the Suicide when it returns to him.”
    â€œHow do you know it will?” Fallon asked.
    â€œThey always do,” Caleb replied gravely. “It is in their nature.”
    They searched the crowd leaving the theater, and when the man didn’t come out they hurried back inside. Fallon worried the man had killed himself in his seat, but it was nothing so drastic. He was simply one of those guys who sits through all the credits.
    â€œCaleb?” Fallon asked. “What do we do when we find the Suicide?”
    â€œWe shower it with Love,” Caleb told him. “That is what I did to the Suicide attacking you. You fire your Love like a spray all