Punch's Cousin, Chapter 156

Marjani’s footsteps echoed through the vestibule as she carried Julian/Punch into St. Louis Cathedral. The air was still quite thick with the dust of construction, though the rebuilding of the stately church had mostly stopped two years earlier. Marjani lowered Mr. Punch’s body to the floor and wiped her brow, taking a deep breath. The cathedral smelled new—not at all like it did when she had first been there—years earlier as a girl, newly off the boat and set for a life of slavery. She’d stood in that church, relishing the coolness of the walls around her as she nervously waited—shackled to her sisters—to be sold to the highest bidder. The building was different than she had remembered—grander, taller, emptier, but nonetheless beautiful. Moonlight filtered through the windows and danced on the patterned floor.


“Holy Mother!” Marjani called out. “I done brought this man for ya to help him. Don’t fail me. Look down at us with all them angels and saints and find it in your kind, big hearts to save him for he done no one any harm.”

Julian’s body shook with pain as Mr. Punch cried out. “It’s cold.”

“Won’t always be so, Great Man.” Marjani said sweetly. “Soon, it’ll be warm and you’ll feel the arms of those who love you pick you up and carry you home.”

“Home,” Mr. Punch mumbled. “Home. Me master’s got a home. Two homes. No, three. There’s the monster of a house in the country, there’s the fine, tall townhouse in Belgravia, and there’s the room what he lives in—that room inside of us.”

“Don’t forget your home here, Mr. Punch.” Marjani smiled as she knelt down beside him, stroking his sweaty hair. “The home that you share with the Halifaxes and Toby, with me and Gamilla and Meridian and my Columbia.”

“I’m a lucky man,” Mr. Punch groaned.

“You ain’t lucky, Mr. Punch.” Marjani chuckled. “You’re what they done call ‘fortunate.’”

“’Spose so.” Mr. Punch nodded. “Guess if I were lucky, I’d not be here bleedin’ on the floor of some church.”

“I reckon not.” Marjani nodded.

Mr. Punch coughed and moaned.

“Jus’ keep talkin’, Mr. Punch.” Marjani said softly.

“Talkin’ ‘bout what?” Punch asked. “Think maybe I run out of words.”

“No.” Marjani shook her head. “You ain’t never gonna run outta words. You got lots of words in ya. You got words enough for two men.”

“Julian don’t say a lot.” Mr. Punch gagged. “He likes to be quiet, he does.”



“Don’t mean he don’t got words. Sometimes the quietest of men got the most words. If anyone would stop to ask them, they’d have a lot to say.”

“True.” Punch sputtered. “It hurts, Marjani.”

“I know it does.” Marjani nodded.

“Am I…are we gonna die?”

“All men die.” Marjani said gently.

“Where’s your Holy Mother?” Mr. Punch groaned.

“She’s here.” Marjani sighed. “Watchin’.”

“What good’s watchin’?” Mr. Punch asked angrily. “Watchin’ ain’t helpin’.”

“Isn’t it?” Marjani smiled.

“Here, how’d you find me?” Mr. Punch asked.

“I knew where ya was, Great Man.” Marjani said, stroking Julian’s hair again. “I jus’ had to get to ya.”

“Weren’t you scared?”

“Scared?” Marjani grinned. “Scared o’ what? Them three witches? I ain’t scared o’ no witches. They don’t got limitless power, ya know.”

“Don’t they?” Mr. Punch asked weakly.

“You tell me,” Marjani said firmly, trying to get Punch to keep talking. “You’re here, ain’t ya?”

“Yes,” Punch grunted. He shut Julian’s eyes.

“Don’t sleep now, Mr. Punch. They’re comin’.” Marjani whispered.

Footsteps and voices filled the vestibule.

“Thank God!” Adrienne shouted as she rushed to Mr. Punch.

“How’d you know, old chap?” Cecil asked Robert as Robert hurried to Punch’s side.

“I…I’m not sure.” Robert muttered as he leaned over Julian’s body.

“I’m here, dear Punch.” Robert whispered.

“Evenin’, chum,” Mr. Punch grinned weakly. “You found me.”

“I did.” Robert sighed as he unbuttoned Julian’s coat to see the damage.

“I been shot.” Mr. Punch said.

“I see that.” Robert replied softly.

“Are we gonna die?” Mr. Punch asked.

“Not this night.” Robert answered deeply. “Not unless I’m going with you.”

“Marjani brought me here.” Mr. Punch mumbled. “She brought me here so that you’d find me. The Holy Mother is watching, you know?”

“Marjani did?” Adrienne asked, looking around.

“Yes.” Mr. Punch moaned as Robert pressed his chest. “She’s right here.”

“Where’s she gone?” Cecil asked.

“She’s here.” Punch answered.

Robert, Cecil and Adrienne looked at one another. Marjani was nowhere to be seen. They were alone with Mr. Punch in the vestibule of the great cathedral.

“Of course she is, my man.” Robert smiled. “Now, will you do something for me?”

“Course,” Mr. Punch answered weakly.

“I want you to bite down on this handkerchief. Will you do that?”

“Yes.” Mr. Punch replied in confusion.

“This is going to hurt,” Robert said as he gently placed the balled-up handkerchief into Julian’s mouth.

Punch bit down as he felt Robert’s fingers slip into his wound. The room went black.



Did you miss Chapters 1-155? If so, you can read them here.