The Wind of Southmore Read Free Page A

old, unknown relative, probably ancient – and who, she had a
grave suspicion, didn’t even know she was coming. And how would
that look? To turn up – a complete stranger – on the doorstep, and
face the possibility of being turned away. And then where would she
go? She had no idea where her father even was.
    The whole
thing was like a dream – a bad dream – and only the anxious
churning of her insides could convince her that she was awake. She
sighed, and rubbed the grimy glass furiously with her hand,
pressing her forehead against it and focusing suddenly. Her
reflection faced her in the mirror, her pale face seeming even
whiter in the black window, enhancing the worry in her dark grey
eyes.
    And out
there. Well, all she could see out there was the blackness – a
thick, suffocating blackness so intense that it seemed to reach out
for her, even behind the protection of the smudged window glass, so
that when the train finally pulled into the rickety, desolate
little station, she had an overwhelming desire to stay on board –
anything but to face that eternity of darkness and the unknown
horrors it could contain.
    But there
was no other stop – this was the last one on the route, and here
the ancient little train would sleep until the following afternoon,
when it geared up again for its return journey to London. And how
she fervently wished she were on it, travelling back to the world
she knew.
    Alice
thought quickly. She couldn’t stay on the train all night. For one
thing it was freezing – rail budget cuts seemed to have included
the heating this year. And, as a strange, long mist suddenly stole
into the carriage, she hurriedly packed up her baggage, found an
exit, and descended the steps.
    It was as
if something besides herself was willing her out into the night.
Only it was something that she couldn’t see for the dark veil
surrounding her. Her chest felt tight suddenly, and she gasped for
breath. The blackness seemed to pulsate and writhe and fill the
air. It was a blackness that continued forever – pools of dark
cavities welled before her eyes and seemed to close in on her. She
had never felt anything like it before, and she shivered violently,
uncontrollably, in the damp, groping air.
    Suddenly,
from behind her, she heard a chuckle, a low, rasping, triumphant
sound which seemed to freeze her to the core of her being. And then
she felt a hand on her shoulder. Whipping around, her fingers ready
to strike, she found herself face to face with a tall young man,
standing by a horse and cart. He must have been waiting for some
time, as Alice had not heard him drive up, and the slight touch of
his hand on her shoulder had been as cold as ice. He seemed to be
wearing a type of dark uniform, and his eyes were piercingly blue.
He said nothing, but continued to stare straight before him. Alice
almost had the feeling that he was looking right through her. She
shivered, and took a step back.
    “ Are – are there any taxis around here?” she asked,
nervously.
    The young
man made no effort to answer her, but gestured towards the cart, as
if for her to climb inside. He turned then, and swung himself into
the driver’s seat, waiting patiently.
    Alice
didn’t know what to do. All her life she had been told not to
accept rides from strangers – and she couldn’t really be faced with
anything much stranger than this. After a few moments’ thought, she
quietly picked up her case and walked round to the station
entrance, just to see if there were any taxis, or signposts even,
so that she could walk. But there was no sign of life on the dark
road before her. Even the driver of the train seemed to have
disappeared, and she was left alone on the station with her
strange, silent companion. It seemed she had little
choice.
    Her
insides knotting into a tight ball, she walked slowly back towards
the cart. The driver did not seem to have moved since she had left
him. He was still staring straight ahead, as if he had not