{"id":1483,"date":"2012-10-26T00:00:53","date_gmt":"2012-10-26T04:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1483"},"modified":"2012-10-25T19:56:43","modified_gmt":"2012-10-25T23:56:43","slug":"winter-chapter-24-06","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1483","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 24 – 06"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The hairs on the back of Thom\u2019s neck stirred uncomfortably the further from the walls they walked.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His hands tightened into fists and his teeth ground until he made a conscious effort to stop.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo you feel that?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA creep factor?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Matt nodded slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah, I feel it, but I couldn\u2019t tell you where it\u2019s coming from and I couldn\u2019t tell you how much of it is based on watching you react to something I can\u2019t quite consciously feel.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Great.\u00a0 <\/span>I forgot who I was out here with.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom\u2019s jaw tightened again and he swallowed.<\/span>\u00a0 We should\u2019ve stopped and rounded up some help.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere the hell is the source, though?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Matt shrugged.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot getting any sort of sense of direction.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Me neither.\u00a0 <\/span>Which means it\u2019s diffuse, it\u2019s coming from everywhere, or I\u2019m not as sensitive to this as I used to be.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He winced at the thought.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Fading sensitivity to the majority of threats targeting them wasn\u2019t going to help him keep anyone safe.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Hell.\u00a0 <\/span>Is that why she was angry with me all the time?<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGo back to camp,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGet Drew and if you can pry Rory away from whatever he\u2019s doing, grab him, too.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>And get a rifle.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t think I should leave you out here by yourself,\u201d Matt said, frowning.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll be fine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m just going to try to get a better sense of where this is coming from.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom jerked his chin toward a nearby pile of rubble. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cGoing to climb up there and see if I can see something, too.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Matt still didn\u2019t look happy.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust Rory and Drew?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd Greg, too, if he\u2019s here, and anyone else you think might be useful, but I think a group larger than six might be overkill when we don\u2019t know that there\u2019s actually anything coming.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom shook his head as he headed for the pile of broken concrete and other rubble.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCould be ambient bad vibes and paranoia.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou sound like Kel,\u201d Matt said as he turned to head back toward the open gateway.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom managed a lopsided smile as he turned away.<\/span>\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure if that\u2019s a good thing or a bad thing.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His ribs twinged uncomfortably as he scrambled up pile, cursing under his breath as bits and pieces of rubble slipped under the soles of his sneakers.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The last thing he needed was to undo all the healing that had already happened by slipping on a snow-slick pile of broken bricks and concrete.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSounding like Kel,\u201d he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing as he straightened at the top of the pile, his vantage a few feet higher than it had been on the ground.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His chest ached even as he tried to take a few deep breaths, struggling to relax and focus.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>None of this was easy anymore.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s not easy and that\u2019s probably my fault.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to turn toward the point where things felt darkest, the most questionable.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It took a few moments, wrestling with his own thoughts and emotions.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It was hard to pick out what was <\/span>real<\/span><\/em> and what he was simply imagining.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom opened his eyes and stared out into the distance\u2014north again, as usual, almost as always.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Why do all the threats seem to come from the north?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Except for when they\u2019re coming from the ravines, which are in the south.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>West is nothing but the lake and east is the ravine again and the river.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He shivered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There was only north and the broken bridge, for the most part.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>At least we found a defensible position.\u00a0 <\/span>Passably defensible.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If we can find a way to keep things from coming up out of the ravine to eat us.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The wardings they\u2019d laid helped with that\u2014he knew that much\u2014but until they\u2019d built a solid reputation as a force to be reckoned with, they weren\u2019t going to be safe.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He had a feeling they weren\u2019t going to be safe anytime soon, either, not until they faced down a few more high caliber nasties.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Come to think of it, I wouldn\u2019t mind having to guard the ravines a little longer if it meant us facing fewer threats on that terrifying of a level.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He was under no illusions that they\u2019d gotten lucky against Vammatar, Phelan\u2019s injuries notwithstanding.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He didn\u2019t have much confidence that they\u2019d be as lucky with Cariocecus\u2014the Shadow Man.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His lips thinned as he squinted into the distance.<\/span>\u00a0 There\u2019s definitely something out there, I just can\u2019t figure out what it is\u2014and I can\u2019t see it yet.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Yet.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He could feel it, though.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Something was coming, and it made him queasy.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It felt different from every other bad feeling he\u2019d gotten.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Something new?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t like it, either,\u201d Greg said from behind him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom startled, half spinning and barely catching himself as he lost his balance on the slick pile of rocks.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDamnation, Professor,\u201d Thom growled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou scared the crap out of me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI noticed,\u201d Greg said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd if you don\u2019t stop calling me \u2018Professor\u2019 soon, I\u2019m going to start punching you every time you say it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>My wrist can take the punching but your ribs sure as hell can\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom snorted and touched his ribs as they twinged again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRight, okay.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>So\u2026\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced out toward the north again, toward the distance where he couldn\u2019t see anything yet, \u201cwhen did you start feeling something?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHour and a half ago, but it was pretty far out.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I didn\u2019t start worrying until I felt it getting closer.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Greg\u2019s jaw set and his lips were a fine, pale line slashed through his face.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat started about twenty minutes ago.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd then Matt found you.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Greg nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd I decided not to wait any longer to come out here.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He followed Thom\u2019s gaze out into the distance.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhatever it is, it\u2019s coming.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Slow, but coming.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBig?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom asked, mildly curious.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBig.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Great.\u00a0 <\/span>Just great.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI hope Matt comes back with enough fire power.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe can only hope.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Yeah.\u00a0 <\/span>We can only hope.<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The hairs on the back of Thom\u2019s neck stirred uncomfortably the further from the walls they walked.\u00a0 His hands tightened into fists and his teeth ground until he made a conscious effort to stop.\u00a0 \u201cDo you feel that?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 … 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":[35,63,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-24","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-nV","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1483","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=1483"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1484,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1483\/revisions\/1484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}