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Death and Texas
Deathandtexas
Death and Texas
Author Derek Landy
Cover Artist None
Date Published 29 January 2015
Date Set In 2011
Publisher HarperCollins
No. of pages 20
ISBN {{{isbn}}}
Publication Order
Preceded by
Friday Night Fights
Followed by
Myosotis Terra

Death and Texas is a short story focusing on Billy-Ray Sanguine. It was written for, and released in, the Armageddon Outta Here paperback, along with Eyes of the Beholder.

Death and Texas is not included in the updated edition of Armageddon Outta Here released in 2022, nor in The Skulduggery Pleasant Grimoire. This is because Derek Landy had "issues with the story", and wanted to "rework the idea [...] into a non-Skulduggery thing".[1]

Due to its removal, its canonicity is questionable. Authorial intent seems to be that it is no longer canon. As it has appeared in an official book and fits into continuity, however, it is considered canon for the purposes of this wiki.

Plot[]

After losing most of his magic in The Faceless Ones, Billy-Ray Sanguine has become a mortal hitman. While completing a job, he comes across four college teenagers at a gas station (Courtney, Alicia, Bradley, and Calvin), who are out of place among the local "hillbillies". When Sanguine returns, he is surprised to find that the teenagers have attacked the locals, rather than the other way round. Sanguine decides to intervene and save the locals, as it is a situation that he can control, and because he doesn't want to be defined by his role as a hitman.

Sanguine is overpowered by the linebacker Calvin, but stuns him by revealing his empty eye sockets before beating him into unconsciousness. Sanguine then makes use of his limited magic by pulling Courtney's hair into a wall, trapping her. He tricks Alicia into dropping her guard by pretending to be scared, before knocking her out. Finally, he convinces Bradley to "settle this like men" when the latter holds him at gunpoint, and overpowers the martial artist by fighting dirty.

Courtney cuts herself free and opens fire on Sanguine, who uses Bradley as a human shield, killing him. A tearful Courtney reveals that the group are hobbyist killers and that she had feelings for Bradley. Alicia arrives, and after learning that they have each fooled around with the other's crush, the girls shoot each other dead. Sanguine is left nonplussed.

Ignoring the imprisoned locals, Sanguine decides that he needs to take control of his life. He resolves to put together a team to get revenge on the Irish Sanctuary. Sanguine is then called by someone who owes him a favour, and is told that Dreylan Scarab is about to be released from prison, setting up the events of Skulduggery Pleasant: Dark Days.

Pages[]

Since the story can no longer be easily obtained, it is archived here.

References[]

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