{"id":1317,"date":"2012-07-23T00:00:30","date_gmt":"2012-07-23T04:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1317"},"modified":"2012-07-22T13:08:17","modified_gmt":"2012-07-22T17:08:17","slug":"winter-chapter-17-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1317","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 17 – 01"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The pair lay together inside a tent, the first rays of dawn lighting its pale walls.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The man held the woman protectively, not sleeping.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She pretended to sleep, her dark hair tickling his cheek.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They held their silence until the sun crept a little higher.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He shifted his weight.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She winced, catching her lip between her teeth.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe can\u2019t stay here much longer,\u201d she said quietly, turning her head to look at him.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He gave her a squeeze and then eased away from her, starting to sit up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He groped for a discarded shirt.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019re only staying until I think you\u2019re fit to try and ride, Neve.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe can\u2019t be stuck here when the snow starts.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe won\u2019t be.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He tugged the shirt down over his bare torso.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His shoulder and arm were marked by nasty, fresh scars from something, but they seemed to bother him little.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCameron.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The woman\u2014barely more than a girl\u2014pushed herself up on an elbow.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe snow is coming <\/span><\/em>soon<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>We don\u2019t have much time.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I will find a way to sit in the saddle, but we can\u2019t stay here more than another day or two.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We have to keep moving.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He stared at her for a long moment, brows knitting.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBecause I can feel the pressure changing in every part of me that\u2019s broken.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The snows are coming.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We have to keep moving if we want to make it to some kind of settlement.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If it\u2019s just you and I out here against the\u2014”<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOkay.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Okay, stop, I get it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He leaned in and kissed her gently, rested his forehead against hers.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust one more day, though, okay?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Let\u2019s get one more good meal into us before we ride off into the unknown.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ll both need every ounce of strength a meal like that can give us, I think.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She kissed his cheek and stroked his jaw, nodding slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right,\u201d she whispered.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A keening shriek split the air.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The man jerked.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The woman gasped.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I pitched upright, sucking in breath as if I\u2019d been drowning.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom fumbled for my arm in the darkness.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMarin?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His voice was thick with sleep but equally weighted by concern.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA dream,\u201d I whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt was just a dream.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Just a dream.\u00a0 <\/span>It must have been.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I squeezed my eyes shut and saw the sudden terror etched on the woman\u2019s face.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>No.\u00a0 <\/span>Not just a dream.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A vision.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>It was the first one in weeks.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I took another few deep, ragged breaths and forced myself to relax.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom\u2019s arms closed around me and he pressed a kiss to the nape of my neck.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I said quietly, shivering a little as I pressed back against him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI just saw something and I\u2019m not sure if it was a vision or a dream.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He went rigid for a bare moment, then shuddered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSorry,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I kissed his cheek gently and got out of bed, shivering again as the cold air kissed my body.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The radiant heat was working\u2014the floor was certainly warm\u2014but the lack of insulation thus far was showing.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom had promised that they were working on that, but making sure the walls were as strong and secure as possible had taken precedence.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Every time a new threat reared its head, our defenses always seemed lacking.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I was beginning to wonder if we\u2019d ever feel safe.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s still early, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom stretched out on his side, hauling the blankets back up as I lit the lamp and started to get dressed.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cProbably,\u201d I said as I swapped my nightshirt for a tee and a sweatshirt.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut after that, I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019m not going to be able to get back to sleep, so I might as well get up and go help get breakfast started.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom grunted and got out of bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGuess I\u2019ll check the walls, then, if you\u2019re getting up.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Our breath steamed in the chilly morning air, even inside, even with the heat rising from beneath our feet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It never seemed to make it much further up than our waists.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>As we each pulled on a pair of jeans, his gaze met mine.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat did you see, Mar?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTwo people in a tent, talking about how they couldn\u2019t stay where they were, how they had to keep moving.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Snow was coming and they couldn\u2019t afford to be stuck out in the open when that happened.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I closed my eyes for a moment and shrugged.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSound logic.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It might have been a dream.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat made you wake up the way you did, though?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You jerked up like someone had stabbed you something sharp.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething screamed,\u201d I said, shaking my head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI woke up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I didn\u2019t see what it was.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m not even sure it was real.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He stared at me, expression serous and hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He shook his head slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t lie to yourself, Mar,\u201d he said, his tone soft, gentle.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe both know it wasn\u2019t just a dream.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It was something real.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething real I can\u2019t do anything about.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He inclined his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTrue.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But it was still something real.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He pulled on his shirt and came to me, sliding his arms around my waist and drawing me tight against him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe should start writing them down.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWriting what down?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>What we see?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>My stomach twisted.<\/span>\u00a0 Why?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom nodded slightly, resting his forehead against mine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNever know when someone else might need a record of all we\u2019ve seen.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>That makes sense.\u00a0 <\/span>But I don\u2019t want to write down some of what I see.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t want to write all of it down,\u201d I whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 Writing it down would make the nightmares real.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNeither do I,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut that\u2019s why we have to do it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What brought this on?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I swallowed hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy all of a sudden\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy do you think?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid Phelan say something?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I asked.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I saw something, too, last night.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think it\u2019s time we stopped all the secrets and start being honest with ourselves and everyone else about what we see when the visions come.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre you sure it\u2019s a good idea?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A wry smile touched his lips.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But I think it\u2019s a necessary idea.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He kissed my forehead again before letting go.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThink about it, at least, before you tell me it\u2019s a terrible idea.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I watched him as he sat down on the edge of the bed to pull on his socks and shoes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOkay you\u2019ll think about it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll think about it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I don\u2019t like it, but I\u2019ll think about it.\u00a0 <\/span>He could be right.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>But what the hell did he see that made him think that it was something we had to do?<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The pair lay together inside a tent, the first rays of dawn lighting its pale walls.\u00a0 The man held the woman protectively, not sleeping.\u00a0 She pretended to sleep, her dark hair tickling his cheek.\u00a0 They held their silence until … 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":[35,56,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-17","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-lf","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1317","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=1317"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1318,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1317\/revisions\/1318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}