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Ten
I ran as fast as I could, my boots ringing against the woodenboards, my thoughts swirling around as if caught in a whirlwind.Was Katherine still alive? Why hadn’t she killed me? Hadmy Katherine stopped hersomehow? How far had I to go before I was safe?
My lungswere burning and a stitch in my side made itself known.
The gaslights seemed to stretch onwards to a black infinity. I couldn’ttell if I was any closer to the lights ofSouthend-on-Sea.
The painand breathlessness made me slow down to a fast walk. Sweat pouredoff my face and made my dress cling uncomfortably to mybody.
A waftof smoke met my nose and I glanced round, then stopped in shock.The whole of the end of the pier was alight.
Yellowand orange flames outlined the many buildings, black smoke rose todisappear into the dark night.
I’dfound Katherine and now she was going to die? Without realisingwhat I was doing I started to run back to the burning buildings torescue her.
BeforeI’d even gone ten yards the stitch in my side made me slow down,and then a massive light made me cry out in surprise. An invisibleforce threw me backwards and I rolled, tumbling to a stop against awooden bench. For some reason I couldn’t hear anything. A massivepurple fireball rose into the sky above where the end of the pierused to be.
Shecouldn’t have survived this! She was dead! I’d killedher!
Hottears flowed down my cheeks. I’d killed my love!
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Eleven
I laywhere I’d fallen against the wooden bench, my mind not able to copewith the shock of knowing I’d killed Katherine. Cold slowly ate itsway into my body. My hands and feet felt like solid lumps of ice.But I didn’t care - my love was dead, and I’d killedher.
Handspulled me to my feet and a rough blanket was wrapped around me. Iwas made to sit down on something, and through my never-endingwind-chilled tears I watched fractured gaslights passby.
A loudhiss was the only sound in the world.
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Twelve
Myeyelids seemed glued shut. With an effort I forced them open andsaw light shining through gold-coloured curtains. My eyes felt raw,my nose felt sore, my heart… empty.
A warmhand squeezed mine. Slowly I turned my head and saw Mrs Migginssmile down at me. She was wrapped in a blanket and looked likeshe’d sat by me all night.
I triedto speak but my mouth was so dry I couldn’t make anynoise.
“Just a sec, love,” she said faintly.
The hissin my ears was still there but not as loud.
She letmy hand go and reached for a glass of water.
With onehand she lifted my head up and with the other she tipped the glassso I could sip from it.
The coldwater made me choke and I started coughing. Then all the otherhurts on my body woke up.
Then the hurt insidemy body woke up.
I tookin a lungful of air and screamed at the world.
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Thirteen
Someonestroked my hair, smoothing it down.
I feltwarm.
Birdssang.
Runningwater chuckled nearby.
I openedmy eyes and Katherine’s hazel eyes looked into mine.
Withouteven thinking I reached for her and hugged her to me like I was adrowning sailor and she was the only lifebelt on theocean.
Emotionflooded me.
“I… I thought I killed you!”
Her warmarms hugged me tightly back.
I buriedmy nose in her long, wavy hair and inhaled her familiar scent.Tears of relief flowed down my cheeks and made her hairdamp.
Shepulled back and smiled lovingly at me. I smiled back, too happy forwords to have her in my arms again.
Gentlyshe leant forwards and kissed my lips. It was as sweet as the firsttime.
Her softfingers wiped the tears from my cheeks.
“No you didn’t. I was already dead when the aether spiritentered me. It was all I could do to stop it from killing you aswell.”
At first my mind didn’t take in what she’d said. She wasdead? but I was here, withher?
“I’m so, so glad you survived.”
Questions piled up like an avalanche in my mind, so many ofthem I couldn’t pick one to ask first.
Fromclose-by a bird’s loud warbled song startled me. It was then Ibecame aware of my surroundings. We sat on a plaid blanket.Sunlight warmed us through the high leafy branches of thesurrounding trees. A stream flowed past our feet. Flowers sweetenedthe air with their fragrance. She still wore the white dress I’dlast seen her in.
Iscrunched the blanket up in my hand, feeling the wool’sresistance.
I didn’thurt.
Thiswasn’t real.
I lookedback at Katherine, questions in my eyes. She reached forwards andgently pressed her finger against my lips, stilling my queries, butnot stopping my heart from breaking again.
“I have to go soon, Alice. But I needed to tell you how much Ilove you.”
Ireached up and held her hand, kissing her fingertip.
“But I want to be with you!”
“You will.”
“Now?”
“No, it’s not your time.”
“Can I make it my time?”
Shesmiled, “That’s my Alice, always questioning.”
“Well?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Shelooked sadly at me. “Things are different here. I want to be withyou as well, but you won’t if you do that.”
My sightof her wobbled as tears welled up in my eyes, then like a dambreaking they rolled their hot wetness down my cheeks.
Darkemptiness opened up inside of me. I was losing heragain.
“The pain will fade. Your memory of me will fade. But part ofme will always be here,” she touched her finger to my forehead,“and here,” she touched the skin above my beating heart.
My tearsfell to the blanket.
My soulached to stay with her, to be with her always.
Iwhispered, “Why did you leave me? If you hadn’t we’d still betogether.”
“If I hadn’t, the Men of the Cog would have found you andkilled you.”
What wasshe talking about?
“Who?”
Thelandscape became misty and she started fading away.
“No! Wait! Don’t go!” I cried desperately.
I triedto grab
