56 Searing 121
The night was dark, but not yet as deep as the clouds had made it seem. The rain poured down to fill the streets that had emptied of people at the first crack of thunder and flash of lightning. Another fissure of light cut through the darkness of the clouds to illuminate a figure standing in the middle of the street. It had been a long time since she’d walked these roads.
Hair clung to her face, made her gaunt visage more ghastly. The lack of light gave her pale skin an almost glow. An ignorant watcher would call her a specter, and she might agree. Her breath was a rasp, tempered by the wet slide of rain past her lips. Her eyes slipped closed for a moment longer as she forced herself forward. A hobble of a gait, a shamble. Progress was made in painstakingly slow steps. Each one bringing forth a fresh wave of pain and frustration before she opened her eyes. She had come this far. She wouldn’t be deterred by a little more pain.
The rain, though, was a gift. The thunder drowned out stifled sobs. Smothered tears in the guise of drops of water from the heavens above. The heavens that she had sworn had forsaken her, but might have given her this minor boon for the moment. She limped forward another step, stopped.
This person she had come to see was her last hope. When she’d asked, the information had been offered to her willingly. Likely out of fear, and thus it might very well have all been lie. And she was walking into a dead end. That spoke much to the way her life had gone so far. She had no qualms. She might not have made her peace with a final breath, but she’d made it with this being a farce. She coughed, sucked in a breath that rattled her breath before she pressed on. One, two, three. Steps counted to keep her sane. To keep her mind off the ghost that watched her from a distance. Close enough to make out, but not close enough to touch.
Jieun had strayed from her since the wraiths had come. Had turned her into a silent, watching presence that could only stare on sadly. But this was what had to be done. She had no choice, no other way. She staggered forward, slipped down to one knee. If she could not walk, she would crawl. But she forced herself back up. Her weight was heavy on the door as she slumped against it. Rain pelted her as she glanced up at the signage to make sure it was the right one.
And then she slipped inside.
Hair clung to her face, made her gaunt visage more ghastly. The lack of light gave her pale skin an almost glow. An ignorant watcher would call her a specter, and she might agree. Her breath was a rasp, tempered by the wet slide of rain past her lips. Her eyes slipped closed for a moment longer as she forced herself forward. A hobble of a gait, a shamble. Progress was made in painstakingly slow steps. Each one bringing forth a fresh wave of pain and frustration before she opened her eyes. She had come this far. She wouldn’t be deterred by a little more pain.
The rain, though, was a gift. The thunder drowned out stifled sobs. Smothered tears in the guise of drops of water from the heavens above. The heavens that she had sworn had forsaken her, but might have given her this minor boon for the moment. She limped forward another step, stopped.
This person she had come to see was her last hope. When she’d asked, the information had been offered to her willingly. Likely out of fear, and thus it might very well have all been lie. And she was walking into a dead end. That spoke much to the way her life had gone so far. She had no qualms. She might not have made her peace with a final breath, but she’d made it with this being a farce. She coughed, sucked in a breath that rattled her breath before she pressed on. One, two, three. Steps counted to keep her sane. To keep her mind off the ghost that watched her from a distance. Close enough to make out, but not close enough to touch.
Jieun had strayed from her since the wraiths had come. Had turned her into a silent, watching presence that could only stare on sadly. But this was what had to be done. She had no choice, no other way. She staggered forward, slipped down to one knee. If she could not walk, she would crawl. But she forced herself back up. Her weight was heavy on the door as she slumped against it. Rain pelted her as she glanced up at the signage to make sure it was the right one.
And then she slipped inside.