{"id":1216,"date":"2012-05-07T00:00:33","date_gmt":"2012-05-07T04:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1216"},"modified":"2012-05-07T07:06:40","modified_gmt":"2012-05-07T11:06:40","slug":"autumn-chapter-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1216","title":{"rendered":"Autumn – Chapter 10 – 01"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMr. Thom, Mr. Thom, there\u2019s snow out there!\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom muttered something under his breath, rousing slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He blinked blearily at Angie in the dim light of dawn.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLittle patches of snow,\u201d Angie said, tugging at his hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWill you come see?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It looks like footprints.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right, all right,\u201d he muttered, gently disengaging from Marin and easing her down to the ground next to the fire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They\u2019d fallen asleep sitting there together after their encounter with the silver woman\u2014that\u2019s what Thom found himself thinking of her as\u2014the night before.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He kissed Marin lightly and got his feet under himself, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His limbs felt heavy, sluggish as he moved, but at least his ankle and his ribs weren\u2019t hurting as much anymore.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right, kiddo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Show me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The little girl took him by the hand and led him to the far end of the tent.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The grass beyond was lightly frosted\u2014except for in a dozen footprint-shaped spots, where there was definitely a crust of snow.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFuck,\u201d Thom breathed, momentarily forgetting the girl was there.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s where she was, where she walked.\u00a0 <\/span>Her feet seem so damn small, looking at those prints.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>They were already softening slightly around the edges from the warmth lingering in the ground.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomeone was making those footprints last night, weren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Angie said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid you see them?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The morning sun would erase the marks soon enough\u2014once the sun had actually risen, anyhow.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom took a few unsteady breaths, looking down at Angie.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou can\u2019t tell anyone else about this kiddo,\u201d he murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThis needs to stay between us\u2014you and me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Did anyone else see these this morning?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMr. Jay, maybe, but I don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Paul and Miss Stasia went right out to check the animals, so I don\u2019t think they saw.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Paul said I could come out here and play with my soccer ball as long as I was quiet.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She bit her lip for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201dI\u2019m sorry I woke you.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He pressed her against his hip and though in a one-armed hug, then exhaled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCome on back by the fire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ll make you some toast before you come out here with your ball.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOkay,\u201d Angie said, letting him lead her back toward the fire\u2019s glow.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Damn.\u00a0 <\/span>I sure <\/span><\/em>hope<\/span> those footprints are gone by the time everyone else starts getting up.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom scrubbed one hand roughly over his face.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He, J.T., and Marin had all agreed not to talk about their shared experience with that woman if they could avoid it.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He wasn\u2019t quite sure who she was, but he\u2019d felt her power from the moment the mist began to gather outside the tent.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>More importantly\u2014and frighteningly\u2014he\u2019d been able to see and hear her clearly, something he hadn\u2019t experienced in months.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It meant something.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He just wasn\u2019t sure what.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy\u2019d you wake me up, anyway?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom asked as he started working on a couple of slices of toast for the girl.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Why me instead of Marin?\u00a0 <\/span>We were both right here?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Or Jay if she saw him this morning\u2014she could have asked him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Why me?<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Angie shrugged, playing with a half-empty jar of peanut butter.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I guess I just thought that you wouldn\u2019t get angry or lie to me about where they came from.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She gave him a tremulous smile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re a nice man, Mr. Thom, and the bad things are right to be scared of you and Phelan and Miss Marin and Mr. Jay and Miss Kellin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They are.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You\u2019ll protect us from the bad things, won\u2019t you?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>People like my brother can\u2019t always see so they don\u2019t know how bad some of the things are.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Damn, kiddo, I don\u2019t even see it half the time.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom tried not to shiver as he put two pieces of toast on a plate for her.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll do my best, kiddo.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She smiled, standing up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him before she bounced off into the early morning sunshine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom rubbed his ribs and watched her go.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I should either find that kid\u2019s faith comforting or terrifying.\u00a0 <\/span>Maybe both.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat was touching,\u201d Phelan rasped to his left, eyes half-lidded and gleaming with fever.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs it a promise you can keep?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI hope so,\u201d Thom murmured, feeling a brief tremor shoot through his limbs.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow long were you awake?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust a few minutes.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan coughed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWater?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom reached for a jug sitting a little ways away from the fire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGlad you\u2019re awake.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. and Jac were afraid it\u2019d be like the time she stabbed you the <\/span>first<\/span><\/em> time.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou mean I <\/span>haven\u2019t<\/span><\/em> been unconscious for three days?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan groaned, lifting his bandaged hand to cover his eyes, pausing in mid-motion to study the wrappings as if he couldn\u2019t remember why they might be there.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid I win?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom froze.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou don\u2019t know?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s eyes drifted shut again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d he mumbled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe last thing I remember was going over the edge of the ravine with her.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Damn. What does that mean?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom finished filling a sports bottle and handed it over to Phelan, who seemed perfectly capable of drinking on his own.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo you don\u2019t remember anything?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust going over.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>And something about not being able to breathe, or move, and it <\/span>smelled<\/span><\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMatt and Jay fished you out of the river.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan snorted, then groaned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOh man.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Well, that explains it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat, the smell?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd not being able to breathe,\u201d he rasped. \u201cThroat feels like I swallowed an electric sander.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom sat back down next to the fire, idly running his fingers through Marin\u2019s hair.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHas this ever happened before?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHas what ever happened before?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan asked between gulps of water.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot being able to remember after a fight?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan paused, staring at the tent\u2019s ceiling for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOnce,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut only once.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMr. Thom, Mr. Thom, there\u2019s snow out there!\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom muttered something under his breath, rousing slowly.\u00a0 He blinked blearily at Angie in the dim light of dawn.\u00a0 \u201cHuh?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLittle patches of snow,\u201d Angie said, tugging at his … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,35,48,14,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autumn","category-book-2","category-chapter-10-book-2","category-story","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-jC","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1216"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1218,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1216\/revisions\/1218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}