There were no mirrors in the hayloft barracks of the First Dragoon. Not that there was much Thomas could do to improve his looks, even if he could check them. He had been shaved bald during his indoctrination into the cavalry. He could feel stubble when he ran his hand over his head but certainly there was nothing there to be combed. Was stubble preferable to completely bald? He wasnt sure. The only thing still clean-shaven was his upper lip. He washed his face, brushed a few stray hayseeds from his uniform, and hoped he was presentable. Farr gave Thomas a grin of approval when they met in the outbuilding housing the mounts. The lieutenant seemed steadfast about treating Thomas a cousin despite the fact Thomas wasnt Alfred Brookhart. They took their mounts, riding through the streets that were growing quiet. Windows were open to the warm night, letting the smell of hundreds of dinner cooking. Someplace children were playing, their shouts and laughter echoed off the buildings. At the corner of the city square, someone practiced a piano in an upper apartment. Careful, slow runs up and down the scales, beautiful in the simple purity of the notes. Without a word, he and Farr stopped on the street below the open window to listen. God, I missed this. Farr said quietly. Paris was so quiet. The silence was like a solid thing. I would find myself standing still, listening with my entire body, for something other than just the wind and the rustle of the undead. There were times Id been tempted to scream and shout just to have something to hear. Thomas understood. Hed been lost in the silence; feeling like the world only contained him and the pirates. Sometimes it felt like the crew of Ida of Lorraine were the only humans left alive. All the cities are like that. Budapest. Salzburg. Vienna. We cant let the revenants take Calais. If it does, Dover is sure to be next. You really think they can cross the channel? I dont want us to retreat to England and find out were wrong. Farr pointed at the shimmer of the barrier distorting the starlight. Thats the only reason we can make the stand here. Weve always counted on the channel being our greatest defense. Compared to the fortified cities of the continent, England is an open feast. Thomas had seen darkened barrier towers all over Europe. But they always fail in the end. Just takes one undead to unravel the whole system. The barrier only keeps the revenant from forming in the city. If the zombies breech the tower, the whole house of cards comes down.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 11:08:37 +0000
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