Hymn of the Elder Gods

Parallel

She woke to the sound of whispering.

"You have to wake her."

"No. She has to rest."

"Yeah, at this rate, we're all going to end up in eternal rest. I don't care if you're trying to be a gentleman, or some other stupid idea has gotten lodged in your head, but I can guarantee you that she won't be happy to wake up and learn of this."

"Watch your tone," Samir whispered, sharp air hissing past his teeth.

Awareness came into her limbs all at once. For a long, breathless moment, Eve considered going back to sleep. Emptying her mind of all the countless worries and concerns plaguing her brain.

But time waited for no one, not even the gods. She peeled herself upright and found herself in a grimy, smoke-stained motel room. The bedframe, cheap white-painted metal squeaked as she stood. Her clothing stuck to her, as disgusting as the rest of the room. How apt.

Outside, the voices went silent, a guilty sort of pause lingering between them all for several moments. A room this cheap had no soundproofing to speak of, and they all knew this. Eve tested her weight, taking several rickety steps forward, and yanked the door to the hallway open.

"Morning boys," she murmured, feeling two heavy, evaluating gazes lodge on her face. They were sitting on the floor, backs against the wall opposite the door, dimly lit by cheap, fluorescent white.

Arman seemed to barely suppress a roll of his eyes. "So, the sleeping beauty awakens."

"Unfortunately," Eve retorted in a soft voice. "Date?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not really."

"Well just so you know, it's been two days since you passed out." Arman shifted, drawing his legs up under him and stood stiffly upright. Then he sighed, low and exhausted, crossing his arms over his chest. One eyebrow lifted. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," she said curtly. "What's going on?"

"Business as usual," the redhead shrugged. "Except that the world might be ending."

Eve felt her brow furrow in quiet frustration. She understood that her...absence over the past few days would not have improved her standing in Arman's mind, but she had saved both their lives. The absolutely unveiled disdain rippling in her direction was beginning to feel a little unfair. Her evaluating gaze sharpened to a glare.

"Why are you saying that as though it is somehow my fault? And what do you mean?"

Arman's face contorted into a grimace as he threw his hands up. "I give up. Samir, you show her."

"Show me?" Eve was beginning to feel more and more confused, her frustration dissipating and the scowl sliding sideways off her face. "Show me what?"

"It's a little hard to explain," Samir said, and he too, stood - reaching after a moment for her hand, as though it was something expected. It slid, cool and steady and familiar into hers and pulled, ever so gently, guiding her back into the dingy motel room to the window. Then he drew the curtain back.

New York unfolded below them. It was early morning, and a thick cloud cover hung low over the buildings, licking across the tops of skyscrapers. It bathed the city in a drab gray-white, early morning lights and shadows bleeding through the mist.

Her stomach flipped.

Eve squinted, unsure why she felt so unsettled by the scene. More gray shapes twisted through the fog. Shapes that were, in absolutely no way, human in shape.