Interlude: The Doctor
Northern Amberhorns
Winter
12 Years After The Fall
A church bell tolled, striking a mournful beat that ripped the sleeper from her dream.
Delphine woke sweating and chilled, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst out of her chest. For several minutes all she could do was sit in bed, clutching the soaked sheets and gasping for breath. Her left hand formed a fist over her breast, as though she could stem her panicked pulse with pressure like a bleeding wound.
The same dream again. How many times was this? How many times would she be forced to relive those hellish hours of stumbling through the smoke while the avenues and groves burned, while the thunder of battle drew closer with every moment and laughing things hunted her?
They’d called her name. Taunted her. Where are you going? Won’t you stay? Are you lost, good sister?
They’d killed the others. Torn them apart and worn their corpses like clothing. The other sisters had danced through the ruins and called her name over and over, and she’d…
Only as the remnants of sleep fully faded did Delphine realize the town’s bells were ringing. She often heard that sound in her dreams as well, and it took several minutes to realize they were real. Dawn already?
This wasn’t just the morning bell. They were all ringing, and the sound had a note of urgency in it. Delphine reached for the spot next to her on the bed and found it empty. That sent a thrill of panic through her more intense even than the tolling.
“Gladys?” She called mutedly, but of course no one answered. She was alone in the room.