Page 30 of A Whisper of Cinders

Mister Coldarion looks over his shoulder as the guards in black enter the cafeteria. They only intervene when something bad happens. Something that endangers the safety of others. Something like…murder.

“Be that as it may, you are the only one on the scene of crime. Did you see who did this?”

I open my mouth and close it again, like a fish gasping for air. I shake my head.

“Yes, that’s what I thought.”

The guards are doing their best to keep the crowd outside of the cafeteria, but it’s nearly impossible and maybe they want to let the others see what happens, to set an example.

“What is going on?”

Doctor Herbert. Exactly the person I need right now. The men in black move closer, forming a circle around me. I ignore them.

“Maily?” Doctor Herberts voice full of concern. “What happened?”

I swallow audibly, taking a deep breath before I start talking. “I’m not sure, honestly. The power was off for some reason, I couldn’t turn on the lights, I stumbled on a…body and did my best to help with minimum sight.” I bite my lip, hoping the pain might clear up my overemotional mind. “As soon as I knew someone was hurt, I tried to call you, but the phone couldn’t make the connection. The lights suddenly went on and…”

I wave my hand towards where Ami lays, unable to speak out loud what everyone can see.

Doctor Herbert’s gaze sweeps over the room, over Amira’s body, over me, drenched in blood. A sad understanding flickers in her blue eyes. “I see,” she murmurs. Then, softly, “All will be fine, Maily. I believe you.”

A breath shudders out of me. Those three words hold me together.

“May I?” she asks gently, stretching her arms toward me.

I flinch and step back, instinctually. She pauses, waiting, giving me the time to make a choice. The tension drains from my shoulders.

She pulls me into a hug, her jasmine scent and warmth enveloping me. I didn’t realise I was that cold. The sob I’ve been holding back finally breaks free.

“I’m sorry for your loss, little dove,” she murmurs, stroking my hair. “You did everything you could.”

Her voice is a balm, her presence an anchor. The guards ease back, giving us space. I squeeze my eyes shut, unwilling to face the reality of what happened. I take a breath⁠—

And pain lances through my neck. A sharp sting, quick and precise. My eyes fly open. I jerk away just enough to see Doctor Herbert’s sorrowful gaze.

“I am truly sorry, Maily,” she whispers. “I have no other choice.”

Realization slams into me. Too late.

My limbs go numb. My knees buckle.

Doctor Herbert lowers me to the ground, just as I did minutes earlier to Ami. If I could stretch out my hand, I would be touching hers. But my muscles don’t listen to the signal I’m sending them.

I turn my head, my vision tunneling, the numbness spreading. Ami. My kind and fierce friend. Her face is peaceful and even in death, her beauty is unmatched.

I drink in every detail, committing her to memory.

It’s the last thing I see before darkness consumes me whole.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Images pass through my dazed mind. I can’t make sense of them. I don’t try to either.

A stretcher. Me on top of it. Doctor Herbert's worried eyes. Someone whispers something in my ear. ‘This is for the best’, I believe they say, but what is?

A pounding in my head erupts, shutting down everything. Sunlight touches my closed lids. Something tickles my nose and I brush it away.

It happens again and I open my eyes to see little fluff parts of a dandelion flying by. I am back in the meadow of my dreams, everything looks the same, except for the slightly dark clouds hovering in the sky. Those are new.