Rain made fleet footed patterings across the rooftop and against the glass of the window. The curtains were drawn, more cannibalized sheets than curtains, but it helped keep the room dark. A room that was meant for gathering together now in the solitude of one girl's bedroom. Lirssa lay on the top bunk beneath the covers. It was not late, but she had been tired. A nap was her intention, but slumber kept her longer than she had wished.
She climbed. The wall face was flat but covered by hundreds of eyes blinking, turning, watching. Hands came out of the dark red bricks. Some pulled her up, others pulled her down. She kept climbing though her fingers and toes bled, stinging in the pain of needles. At the top was a dark cellar. A light turned on. It glowed soft then brighter. It grew, bloomed, turned into flame and reached out to her. She ran to the where the edge was and found a wall of swords spinning, glimmering as the flame began to consume the room. She tried to push past the blades. They did not cut but only stung. She could not get away. Water began to rise to her knees, a table floated by and she climbed on. The water was flowing somewhere but the swords kept coming and the flame kept growing.
Lirssa woke with a scream in her mind. Siva who had curled up against her flicked her tail, eyes barely open scolding Lirssa for being irritating to her rest. Lirssa gave her a gentle pat of apology and swung her legs out from the tangled covers to drop to the floor as soft as any cat.
The house was still. Everyone must have gone out. Bare feet curved, light touched to the floors as she walked the hallways in search of any other signs. Missie, a surprising discovery upon returning from delivering candles, had built a sheet fort. It remained but there was no Missie in sight. No one was there. A chill crept over Lirssa's arms. She wrapped her arms tight about her, hugging herself as she continued to walk on to the front room and look out past the weaving paths of raindrops on the window to the city beyond.
Even in the weather, people were coming and going, moving on their way through their lives. Lirssa watched them. The memory of flames and bright metal pulsed like one of the flickering gas lamps struggling against the rain and wind. In the wiggle of path picking people below, on figure stood still. She could not see a face beneath the dark shadow of the cowl, but the angle aimed the face up to where she stood. She could feel the eyes and wondered if whomever it was actually saw.
Was it just a curious stranger, catching the movement of a small figure in a high window" Was it someone coming for her or another of the dangers that swam circles about the people who dwelled here" "Just go away," she murmured. "Go away."
The figure did not move. Rain came, people passed by, and both Lirssa and the figure stood across that bridge of space stalwart. A soft touch at Lirssa's ankles sent another shiver up her spine. It was just Siva. Lirssa picked her up and cuddled and petted her. Whether Siva was comforting her or Lirssa was comforting herself with the motions, did not matter. Lirssa backed away from the window. She checked the locks of the house and walked the space of rooms. Over and over she walked, cradling and caressing the cat, until she heard the arrival of others.
Even there something wasn't right. She ran to her room, setting Siva down just outside, closed the door, and then went in and crawled into the cool of the lower bunk, tucked against its corner, in a den of her own.
She climbed. The wall face was flat but covered by hundreds of eyes blinking, turning, watching. Hands came out of the dark red bricks. Some pulled her up, others pulled her down. She kept climbing though her fingers and toes bled, stinging in the pain of needles. At the top was a dark cellar. A light turned on. It glowed soft then brighter. It grew, bloomed, turned into flame and reached out to her. She ran to the where the edge was and found a wall of swords spinning, glimmering as the flame began to consume the room. She tried to push past the blades. They did not cut but only stung. She could not get away. Water began to rise to her knees, a table floated by and she climbed on. The water was flowing somewhere but the swords kept coming and the flame kept growing.
Lirssa woke with a scream in her mind. Siva who had curled up against her flicked her tail, eyes barely open scolding Lirssa for being irritating to her rest. Lirssa gave her a gentle pat of apology and swung her legs out from the tangled covers to drop to the floor as soft as any cat.
The house was still. Everyone must have gone out. Bare feet curved, light touched to the floors as she walked the hallways in search of any other signs. Missie, a surprising discovery upon returning from delivering candles, had built a sheet fort. It remained but there was no Missie in sight. No one was there. A chill crept over Lirssa's arms. She wrapped her arms tight about her, hugging herself as she continued to walk on to the front room and look out past the weaving paths of raindrops on the window to the city beyond.
Even in the weather, people were coming and going, moving on their way through their lives. Lirssa watched them. The memory of flames and bright metal pulsed like one of the flickering gas lamps struggling against the rain and wind. In the wiggle of path picking people below, on figure stood still. She could not see a face beneath the dark shadow of the cowl, but the angle aimed the face up to where she stood. She could feel the eyes and wondered if whomever it was actually saw.
Was it just a curious stranger, catching the movement of a small figure in a high window" Was it someone coming for her or another of the dangers that swam circles about the people who dwelled here" "Just go away," she murmured. "Go away."
The figure did not move. Rain came, people passed by, and both Lirssa and the figure stood across that bridge of space stalwart. A soft touch at Lirssa's ankles sent another shiver up her spine. It was just Siva. Lirssa picked her up and cuddled and petted her. Whether Siva was comforting her or Lirssa was comforting herself with the motions, did not matter. Lirssa backed away from the window. She checked the locks of the house and walked the space of rooms. Over and over she walked, cradling and caressing the cat, until she heard the arrival of others.
Even there something wasn't right. She ran to her room, setting Siva down just outside, closed the door, and then went in and crawled into the cool of the lower bunk, tucked against its corner, in a den of her own.