Steam Dream Oneshots

Voices in my head have a reckoning

Hours had passed since the others had left Gimla on the curb, the flask that Rose had given her now run cold to the touch, the wind picking up and making Gimla's red locks whip around her, freezing rain hitting her round cheeks as she looked up at the clouded sky.

She knew why this had happened, but she didn't want it to. These people that she had surrounded herself with were her charges- No, her friend's. She'd hoped that this mission wouldn't inhibit them, that they would all stay friends together since the beginning... to the end. As she stood there she swore she could still feel them by her side, jumping when a hand landed on her shoulder, mouth wide open and turning to see a grisly looking old man with a voice deep and gruff like a grizzly bear.

"You alright, little lady? Ya seem kinda... lost."

Gimla didn't know how to respond at first, just shaking her head before speaking. "I'm just fine, thank you. Needed a breath of fresh air is all," she said before she practically ran into the inn, closing the door behind her when she reached her room, breathing slightly elevated as her thoughts went at a thousand miles a minute. This wasn't, it couldn't be real. All of them had left, she saw them. The body of River had been disposed of by now. Then why didn't she come to see her? She was sure that was her outside...

Looking at herself in the flask, Gimla saw her red, bleary eyes. Had she really been crying? No... she didn't think she was. Why would she, anyway? This whole thing wasn't permanent, River had said so! The death wasn't really a death... Whatever that had meant...She could remember the night clearly before this whole mess had begun. They had just finished another night of their tour at a Ritz-like hotel, the glimmering candlelight having faded as Kiara and Rose bolted to the bar, egging each other on about being able to out-drink one another this time around, Anne following behind with a worried gaze and a small smile in Gimla's direction as they took off. She had followed behind Anne to keep everything contained, making sure those two didn't end up regretting their decisions with alcohol poisoning the next day... But she had forgotten about River.

Calm, well adjusted "Goth mom" River. She thought everything was going to be alright, River was just going to grab the money for the gig... Gimla didn't expect the last time she saw River alive to be covered in cold sweat, eyes darting around like she was in a panic, thrusting the bag of money into the red-haired woman's hands and running out the door without saying a quick, "For my people, Death is not permanent. If I do, then you will see me again as long as you remember me."

And her response, her foolish, naive response had been, "Why would I forget you? How even could I? Listen," She grabbed at River's hand with a smile, "I swear on my life and on the other's lives that I will never forget you."

And those words rang in Gimla's ears along with Anne's wails when the body was revealed, with blue lips and slashes along her arms and torso. Cause of death, blood loss. Heroin found in the bloodstream as well as alcohol... several organs removed.

Her hands were shaking now, trying to keep a steady mind as she tried not to re-live that moment. The mission, the mission should keep her collected, right? A sharp knock interrupted Gimla's thoughts, making the general jump slightly, fumbling the flask around before setting it down, hands and going to her belt for a weapon, opening the door with a blast of cold hair hitting her face, her hair moving past her shoulders.

No one was there... It was just a long, dark corridor with low, flickering candlelight.

"I'm here..."

"Hello? Who's there?" Gimla whispered into the darkness, hoping that there would be an answer. Did Rose come back? Kiara?

"Come on guys, this isn't funny..." She called, a little louder this time and took a step into the hall, looking from end to end, not noticing the door closing behind her... Or the fogging handprint on the flask, tipping it over just as the door latched closed.

At the sound of the door closing, Gimla turned with a gasp, trying to open the door again before she realized the key was inside. She reached back into her pocket to grab at a hairpin, or something before she saw a flash of white in her periphery at the end of the hall, making her turn towards where it was, hand still in her pocket.

"Rose, Kiara, seriously both of you need to quit this. I'm no in the mood for this kind of bull-" SHe stopped, voice irritated at first before a look of fear came over her features as another voice whispered in her ear, a cold wind shuddering down her spine, making her shiver.

"Come find me..." the voice said, sounding a bit farther now

Well, I would if you showed me exactly who you were. Or at least if you told me who you were. Gimla thought, walking along the corridor where she had seen the flash of white, turning to the right and seeing that... a woman in a white, wispy dress was at the end of the stairs.

"Miss, are you-?" The woman disappeared out the door, another cold breeze hitting Gimla in the face as she dashed out the door. "Wait!" She called, rushing out the door and looking around frantically. All that she could see was a barren parking lot lined with hedging and bushes, only illuminated by the light above her, stars barely visible and paling in comparison to the full, brilliant moon... That voice, she shouldn't be hearing that voice. It shouldn't be possible-

A flash of white came from the alley next to the inn as Gimla walked over to it, the few trash cans and bits of litter illuminated by a faint white light that came from the full moon above, the woman in white being more towards the end.

"You know, I was looking forward to a very quiet evening with a chance to write, maybe drink. But I guess a game of tag was a good distraction. Now... Who are you and what do you want with me?"

"Gimla..." The voice called out, that voice, that damn too familiar voice she shouldn't be hearing, it shouldn't be here! She ran down the alley towards the woman until she got to her face to face. Wait- did she run? She looked around her, she hadn't moved. But then how-? Gimla let out a gasp, eyes wide as she looked at the figure before her.

"Already so soon and you've forgotten me... A shame..."

"Ri-?!"

The figure vanished in front of her, as if she hadn't been there in the first place, Gimla reaching out into the now misty air, stumbling forward into the alley and onto her knees., tears streaming down her cheeks.

"River..."