Page 73 of Fallen Thorns
“Keep your minds locked away.”
“Roger,” Mars said, with only a hint of humour.
“Stay safe. I’ll be close all night.”
We trudgedthrough slushy mud and grass, down onto the streets. Bars and restaurants had closed up by this time, but we passed a few groups, mostly students, none of whom paid us the slightest bit of attention.
“You know, I think you fit in remarkably,” Mars said, skipping ahead slightly and turning to walk backwards to face me.
“In what sense?”
“Look around you; look at thecostumes,”they laughed playfully.
“You’re saying we all dress the same?”Of course they are.
Mars shrugged. “Notallof you. But the vast majority of Literature students, especially in old cities, do have a tendency to look as though they thrifted their entire personality from a battered Shakespeare play.”
“I take it that wasn’t a compliment?” I tried not to seem offended since I myself had already figured this out. I was just somehow disappointed my cover had been blown.
“Oh,come on!Look at you all. Is the term saturation even in your vocabulary?”
I tried to keep a straight face, but their playfulness was rubbing off and I gave in.
“Okay, you have a point! But, in my defence…”
That earned me a raised brow and folded arms. “Go on,Richard.”
I gasped in theatrical offence, wagging my finger. “How dare you call me that name! Nowthatis a serious offence.”
“Okayyyy then,Bun—”
“You haven’t actually read that book, have you?”
They raised their arms in surrender, their mouth dropping wide open. “Have you heard yourself?”
“Stop it!”
“Make me.” They started to run off and I picked up my pace to follow, clutching my long coat against the wind as my mind swelled with laughter.
We reached the main square, dotted with proud statues on horseback. On weekends, the square was filled with market stalls, and I actually got my coat from there, and my jumper…oh dear, I am insufferably predictable, aren’t I?
“We’ll head down there first,” Mars pointed down the narrow-cobbled path that led to the riverside walkway at the base of the cathedral. “It’s a bit quieter, easier to spot anything out of the ordinary.”
I followed their lead, watching my step and trying not to slip down the steep descent. I couldn’t understand how easily Mars walked in these conditions…
I was led down the narrow stairs squished between two overhanging buildings, resting my hand against the bricks to steady myself.
We were now out of the way of people, after all, this path was not intended to be walked along in the dark. I wouldn’t have even entertained the idea of walking down here alone — beforeandafter my fall.
Mars remained in charge, pushing aside tendrils and branches creeping in from all directions. Their steps did not falter, nor did their confidence.
We started to talk as we walked beside each other — simple things, innocent things — while watching our footing along the narrow dirt path that bordered the river. I kept looking down to my right to watch the water rippling over sludge and fallen branches, old tree roots protruding from its depths. I moved slightly inwards to avoid tripping and falling in.
I found my mind wandering back to the second victim: the poor man, walking alone across these very same pathways. What was he doing here by himself? My head snapped upwards at the snap of a twig, mind overly alert and on edge. Mars didn’t flinch —I’m overreacting.
In the few weeks I’d been on patrol, mostly with Mars, but occasionally with Casper or Ben or both, I’d use this time to ease my mind. A time to converse and take a breather from the daytime stresses. I wassearching for thisthing,but the less and less successful we became, the more I had allowed my mind to switch off.
Tonight felt different.
