Elysium: Book Six of The Liminality

Chapter 33: Chrysalis

Karla woke up in the chill alone on the front seat of the Audi, the windows all fogged from her breath. She wiped a sleeve on the glass and through the clear swath recognized the quiet side street behind Robbie's flat. It was early morning again, the sky just beginning to brighten. Street lights flickered off one by one like fallen sentinels.

Another entire day wasted. She didn't understand how so much time could have slipped away on this side. Her most recent excursion to the Lim had felt briefer than most. Did traveling in the Sea of Souls compress time more than usual in the after realms and expand it here?

She tossed aside a scratchy woolen blanket that smelled of mildew and stale cigarettes and sat upright. The car doors were locked. She popped the locks open and burst out onto the pavement, struggling to keep her balance on the coarse cobbles.

A rumpled figure came slouching around the corner. It was Alec, carrying a steaming cup of coffee, gnawing on a soft pretzel. He glanced up and paused abruptly, startled.

"Oh! You're awake. Didn't think you would be. I didn't get you anything. Shall I go back?"

"No. Don't bother. I feel queasy. Did you leave me out here all night?"

"Not alone. I stayed right beside you. Expect for when I had to run in to go pee."

"Why didn't you just bring me inside?"

"I didn't want to disturb you. Last time we moved you, you were kind of upset."

"Because you took my bloody pants off! You could have brought me in, just leave my pants on."

"Your face. It was so clammy."

"You touched me?"

"They say you shouldn't move hypothermia victims. It can trigger arrhythmias."

"I wasn't hypothermic. My soul was traveling."

"But you were so cold."

"All the more reason to bring me inside."

Alec smiled weakly. "Next time. I'm sorry.

Karla smoothed out her hair and tied it up in a ponytail.

"At least you could have gotten some rest that way."

"Oh, I did fine. Snuck in a cap nap or two."

An intense shiver passed through Karla and rattled her teeth. She clutched her arms around herself.

"Here." He peeled off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

He waved his half-eaten pretzel in her face. "Want a bite?"

She grimaced. "No thank you. So what happened at St. Dismas?"

"You passed out."

"I know that. Then what?"

"I carried you back to the car. Drove here."

"That man in the parking lot? Did he say anything?"

"Not really. He looked at us funny and grumbled something unitelligible. I told him you were sloshed."

"Any chance he recognized me?"

"Don't think so. If he did, he didn't show it. He just turned up his nose and went on with his business."

"We need to go back there."

"Sure. Maybe later?"

"Now! These are Papa's people. The ones we've been looking for. I am sure of it. That man is Mr. Finley. I knew him as a child. He is a Sedevacantist and he is hard core. Inner circle. One of Papa's lieutenants."