Immortal Memory (Iris' Atlantis 1)

25: Shards of Black Glass

Timothy

Evening turned to night, and night became dense darkness. Valentina left for home. I came out to see her go. I didn't really have shoes or clothes, but one of Blizzard's links had left a jacket downstairs which I borrowed, and there were heavy garden boots as well that I wore against my bare feet. The jacket was a bit big and the boots maybe a size too small. But I managed.

Our breaths misted against a starry night.

"Thank you, for coming," I said to her as we were parting ways at the corner of the house. "I am honored to have you as a friend. Still, after everything."

She seemed about to say something witty, to take away the honest edge of my words, so I insisted, before she could:

"I mean it, Valentina. You've gotten into a lot of trouble because of me. I don't know why you are the only one who can remember me. But I am really glad it's you."

"Oh, just stop it, will you?" She snorted. "I didn't start this remembering thing because of you. I needed to face what was going on with myself. You were just a happy accident in the middle."

She patted me on a shoulder.

"See you around?"

I nodded. "I think we'll meet again."

I didn't stay to watch her find her way to a night bus. Instead, I walked back to the entrance of Blizzard's little manor.

On the door, I hesitated.

Blizzard had locked me in the vault.

I withdrew my hand and walked to a wide swing in the yard. It hung over frosted grass. The wood was cold when I sat on it. The frost on it would melt where I sat and become moist coldness. But I wanted to stay outside a little bit longer. I wouldn't last long, the freezing night air was biting into my bare calves and I felt it in my neck and ears that weren't covered by hair. I reached up to untie a ponytail, to let the hair cover more of my neck. But there was no ponytail. Just short hair that didn't reach down my neck.

The burnt hair hadn't grown back yet.

I folded my arms so that I got my hands inserted into the sleeves of the borrowed coat.

I wondered what Mo would do with me. Blizzard had said last night that he would take me to see the Queen tonight. Blizzard hadn't come home yet, and I didn't know when he would. It wasn't even midnight yet.

I felt oddly alone in the world, even when Stump's presence had come floating back. He was standing right by my shoulder. Yet he wasn't there. I didn't turn to look, and I didn't say anything. Would Blizzard, or Mo, feel him too?

A hare emerged from a nearby bush. It saw me sitting on the swing and froze. Then it decided I didn't seem that threatening after all. I watched it study the yard.

Were Blizzard's berry bushes safe from the big rodent?

I raised my eyes from the hare to the heavens. It was a clear night. I could even make out a few constellations I couldn't name.

"May I sit here?"

I yelped.

I had been so deep in my own thoughts I hadn't felt the woman approaching, and now she was standing right by me in the unlit yard.

She had dark, curly hair and trimmed eyebrows. A pale, carefully touched up face.

I knew her, from the classes at the university.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Rune, but let her sit by me on the wide swing.

She searched her bag, and then handed me a small black phone and a bit bended passport. I took them. The phone felt icy in my hand. The other half of the screen was shattered. I didn't open the passport.