{"id":1531,"date":"2012-12-07T00:00:20","date_gmt":"2012-12-07T05:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1531"},"modified":"2015-08-31T20:59:22","modified_gmt":"2015-09-01T00:59:22","slug":"winter-chapter-27-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1531","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 27 – 01"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom stood very still, thoughts reeling.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>How would she know that I\u2019d need that kind of message?\u00a0 <\/span>There\u2019s no way for her to\u2014unless he knew.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>How could he know, though?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>How is <\/span><\/em>that<\/span> possible?<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And if they knew, why didn\u2019t they tell Phelan before they left <\/span><\/em>him<\/span>?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat certainly sounds like her,\u201d Phelan\u2019s voice said wearily from behind the stunned pair of Seers.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin turned toward Phelan, nose wrinkling slightly as Thom tried to collect his thoughts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere were you?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan held up his kit of herbs and odds and ends.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWas sound asleep until about fifteen minutes ago.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think some of Carolyn\u2019s little friends decided my head would make a good dance floor, though.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s what it feels like, anyhow.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom shook himself and looked at Phelan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething tells me the way that your head feels has quite a bit more to do with what you and Marin did to that thing out there, not any faeries tangoing on your face.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cProbably right.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan looked past them to Cameron, who was staring at the three as if they\u2019d each grown a second head.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cChrist,\u201d Cameron muttered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs everyone who lived through the end of the world batshit crazy?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust most of us,\u201d Phelan said with mock cheer before he slid past Marin and headed for the door behind Cameron.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron just stood there and watched before he glanced at Thom.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs he always like this?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cExcept when he\u2019s being depressed, usually,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He nodded toward the door.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe were coming to check up on everyone.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Is it going to get insanely crowded if we step inside, too?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron grimaced.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cProbably.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin\u2019s fingers slid into Thom\u2019s.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe could head over to the cook fires and have something hot to drink.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>How long has it been since you had a cup of coffee, Cameron?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s Cameron, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRight.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He smiled weakly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd it\u2019s been a long time.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I don\u2019t think I\u2019d say no to a cup at this point.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You guys actually have some?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cEverything that the local stores and coffee shops could furnish us with,\u201d Thom said, grateful to be back in control of <\/span>something<\/span><\/em>, at least temporarily.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd we\u2019ll keep on having it until we run out or it somehow becomes undrinkable.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron nodded, glancing over his shoulder again toward the doors.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He tugged them shut almost reverently and turned back toward Marin and Thom.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere\u2019s a fire where we\u2019re going, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDecent-sized one, yeah,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe still do most of the cooking over open flame, but I think Tala said she\u2019s almost ready to test the oven.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe said it yesterday,\u201d Marin confirmed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She looked at Cameron as they began to walk toward where the cooking fires still burned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou guys had a hard road to get here, huh?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His lips thinning into a tight line, Cameron nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019d been so interested in getting his lover, Neve, taken care of that there had only been the chance for the most perfunctory of introductions and questions.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom couldn\u2019t blame him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019d have done the same in the former pilot\u2019s place.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Oh yes, he\u2019d very much noticed the flight suit that had been in the other man\u2019s saddlebags.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He wasn\u2019t above snooping when lives might be at stake.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah, we did,\u201d Cameron said quietly after a moment, \u201cbut we\u2019re here now and we\u2019re safe.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Now I just have to figure out why I was drawn here in the first place.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Drawn here, huh?\u00a0 <\/span>Interesting.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ll have to run that one by Phelan, I think.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cProbably to even the odds,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Marin elbowed him sharply below his ribcage, the impact enough to send ribbons of fire across his chest.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGoddammit, Mar,\u201d he said as his eyes started to water. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThose still aren\u2019t in one piece, remember?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She swore under her breath and shook her head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m sorry.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You okay?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think so.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He gingerly touched his side to check if anything seemed out of place, but everything felt relatively normal.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSeems like.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron stared at the two of them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow many walking wounded do you have around here?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFewer now than we did a couple weeks back,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTrust me, we\u2019re a lot more solid now than we were before.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron shook his head slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSeems like it\u2019s been rough all over.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou could say that,\u201d Marin said as she pulled Thom\u2019s arm around her shoulders.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They stepped out of the main \u2018building\u2019 of the settlement and into the tent where they still did all of their cooking around one of two fires that stayed tended day and night.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Greg was sitting by the main fire and lifted a hand in greeting.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA little late for you to be up, isn\u2019t it?\u201d he asked as they joined him by the fire.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCouldn\u2019t sleep,\u201d Marin said before Thom could say something about the strange vision she\u2019d had and then barely talked about.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The fact that she\u2019d said as little as she had about it meant she was well and truly unsettled by whatever she\u2019d seen.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCameron hasn\u2019t had coffee in forever, so we came out here to talk.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Greg nodded with a wry smile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGood thing I just put a kettle on, then.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Was going to have some tea myself.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA very good thing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You want coffee instead?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Marin began hunting for the current canister of grounds and the coffee press.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron just shook his head in bewildered wonder as he sank down to the dry ground near the fire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow many of you are there?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThirty or so,\u201d Thom said as he seated himself.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRoom for a few more at this point.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We started out with more, but we terrified some so badly they left.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>After everything that keeps happening, I can hardly blame them.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMost of the survivors here were students at the university,\u201d Greg added.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cVery bloody clever students.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin grinned as she came back to the fire with mugs, the press, and a canister of coffee.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe had to be, Professor.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Otherwise, we weren\u2019t going to make it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTrue,\u201d Greg said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCouldn\u2019t have been easy.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut neither was your road to get here.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron winced.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe were going to talk about that, weren\u2019t we?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYup,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe were.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron heaved a heavy sigh and stretched before he resettled, edging a little closer to the fire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>What do you want to know?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin settled in next to Thom.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy don\u2019t you just start at the beginning?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOh.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>All of it, then?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll of it,\u201d she said, giving him a warm, sympathetic smile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t worry.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You tell us yours and I\u2019ll tell you mine.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom smiled wryly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019ll tell you ours, she means.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron took a deep breath, nodded, then started to talk.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom stood very still, thoughts reeling. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How would she know that I\u2019d need that kind of message?\u00a0 There\u2019s no way for her to\u2014unless he knew.\u00a0 How could he know, though?\u00a0 How is that possible? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And if they … 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":[35,66,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-27","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-oH","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531","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=1531"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2598,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531\/revisions\/2598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}