Schism

Chapter 6 part 1

Chapter 6

The tarp was stiff, but over the pile of rags, it had served as a good enough bed.  Not comfortable, but it kept William off the cold concrete of the warehouse floor.  He stretched his neck out against the kinks that had taken root while he slept and stared around the room.

Before any details other than the grey of concrete and cinderblock could register, the fog seeped into his vision.  For once, there wasn't much difference between the gray of the fog and the external world.  In here, at least, he wasn't missing much.

William sat up and the voices formed around him.  The Advisor led the way to the window.

 *

The fire escape below had been an easier climb than the one earlier that morning when he had stolen his new clothing, but William stalled just below the roof.  He felt the rough brick wall under his palms and stared up at the white stone eave of the roof just two feet out of his reach.  The Hunter could pull him up, could make him stronger, but William knew the building across the street, and this close to Jessica's apartment, he didn't want any of their help.

He'd never felt a particular fear of heights, but a climb onto the fire escape's railing, then a pull-up onto the roof with only the flat stone to grip wasn't a comfortable notion.

Still, he wanted up there.  From the roof he could see the whole front of the building, including her apartment windows.  Inside her apartment was the only better place to protect her, and he didn't think he'd be welcome there.  Not yet.

William kept as much focus as possible on the brick wall and lifted a foot onto the top of the rail.  Slowly, he contracted the long underworked muscles and pushed himself within reach of the roof's edge.  He reached fingers over the lip, searching for a better hold, some crack or nook, but found none.  The edge was all he had.

He pushed again, to the ball of his foot, another few inches less to pull up.  His fingers tightened and he pulled, his back and arms sharing the work.  One foot, then another, left the railing.

He continued to inch up for a moment, half way, and then his tired muscles began to shake and he sank down.

His feet missed the railing.

As he lost his hold with one hand and jerked down, the surge of adrenaline gave him a brief rush of strength and William snatched at the roof with his dangling arm and pulled up again.  His legs scraped the sides of the railing, but missed the top.

He inched up, back and arms straining to lift his eyes over the edge.  The stone eaves around the building were at least eighteen inches thick.  He'd have to give up his grip with one hand and throw it over the edge to grab the far side.

As the adrenaline oozed out of his tired muscles, the fog swirled.  The Hunter, suddenly crouched above William, reached down and gripped his wrist.  The numb disconnect spread through William's body along with the sense of power and his arm easily reached out to grasp the far edge of the eave.  He pulled himself up and rolled down onto the tar papered roof flooring.  He didn't stop to push the fog away, but walked directly to the far side of the roof and looked down on Jessica's apartment building across the street.

To William, her street-side, first floor windows were shrouded in fog that not even the late afternoon sun could cut through, but he knew they would be lined with the thick, rough drapes she loved.  Past the drapes were the kitchen where they had cooked together, the living room where they had sat in front of the fire and the bedroom where they had slept.  He frowned and looked away.  Inside the apartment were memories that William had to keep at bay.