Leah Carstairs (Book #2)

The Vision

2008

Oskino spent much of the next fortnight begging for alms at the usual spots in New York – with little success at elevating his spirits. He had morally refrained from robbing people in clubs; Catarina's tiny blue face – contorted in disappointment – kept popping up in his mind, not permitting him to repay her kindness with deceit and heist.

He was beginning to notice that youngsters, especially those who showcased a particular talent on the pavements, tended to make more at the end of the day.

A dirty, shady-looking man like him – who, let alone a talent or a life, was not even sure whether he was a demon or a mundane right now – would have a tough time competing with these kids.

Oskino had considered getting a small job somewhere – but he doubted anyone would employ him, without legal identity proof.

Just when he had seated himself outside Barnes and Noble, intending to spend his day in dullness and boredom, a sudden wave of dizziness and cold sweat hit him.

It happened for the split of a second that Oskino involuntarily visualised himself moving at great speed along a narrow street in New York – taking swift turns before he recognised himself standing in a dark, cold alley. Damp brick walls of buildings rose intimidatingly on both sides.

A brief flash of maroon fabric. A dazzling amethyst colour. The aerial view of a lady walking in the alley. And watching her from a window above was a man. A man with pale blond hair.

Oskino blinked rapidly to find himself back on the pavement. A man with a great deal of facial piercings dropped a coin in his bowl, startling him.

Oskino was so absorbed in his thoughts about what had just happened, he didn't even bother to give a nod of thanks to the man with the piercings. He hadn't experienced something like that in a long time - specifically, since the day he had jumped into the heavenly fire.

He had just had a vision!

He wasn't completely sure if it indeed had been a vision (chances were that he was walking the pathway to lunacy; hallucinations were perhaps the very first symptoms). But the brief dizziness. The cold sweat. The involuntary transition into the future. Those were only too familiar to the Demon Oskino.

A part of him believed it was impossible. It couldn't be so! He had lost all his powers – all that was demonic in him – when he had departed from Edom. And yet, a part of him really wanted it to be a vision. This part was only too glad about the prospect that he would perhaps not remain a poor, helpless mundane forever; he had something supernatural, something familiar to associate himself with, now.

And there was only one way to know whether what he had just witnessed was indeed a glimpse of the future, or not.

Oskino hastily got to his feet, emptied his bowl in the pocket of his jacket, and set off to find this particular alley. New York City was full of dark, dank alleys – lined by tall brick walls full of unpleasant graffiti. Oskino knew he was going to have a hard time finding which one was the precise alley he had witnessed; but he knew better than to give up.

This vision had been the most interesting thing that had happened to him in a few months; he was determined to not let this opportunity go waste.

It was late in the afternoon by the time Oskino had arrived at the right alley. Through some kind of psychic sixth sense, he knew it was the right one as soon as he had set his eyes on the alley. The scene he had witnessed earlier in the day, became clearer to him then.

The brick walls on either sides were eerily tall and damp with seepage. He couldn't help but overwhelm his spirits with a wonderful, thrilling sense of déjà vu. And after a minute of silently walking down the alley, his breath caught in his throat. There, a couple of yards ahead of him stood a lady – the lady – wearing a maroon dress and a beret.