The Night Rider

Chapter 5 - Overtaken

Hawkins hated crowds.

It wasn’t the masses of people that unnerved him, or the constant monotonous speed of the masses walking as one unit. It was that being in crowds meant there was no escape without causing some kind of trouble, with or without your Trait. It was an unspoken rule among the working class that those who let their Trait roam free were not fit to work among their ranks, Mediators or otherwise.

Hawkins groaned, the morning flash of sunlight blinded his eyes, not used to the sudden change in time zones. Thanks to the Divide’s protection, day and night were different in each part of Para Dormus. Here, in Beggars End it was mostly a dull, monotonous change, barely noticeable until the neighbouring Axis borders closed over for the night. Unlike Opalis which was always a bright shining beacon with no need for the night sky until the Divide began its patrols. It started much later than anyone else’s, long after the people of Beggars End had turned in for the night.

Hawkins yawned, unused to the change as he tried to hide his otherworldly mannerisms from his fellow citizens. People didn’t yawn in Beggars End. Showing exhaustion wasn’t an option when you barely had any sunlight to call it daytime. Soon enough, the light which had blinded him for mere moments had suddenly dimmed beneath the horizon once again bathing them in constant shade.

He trudged along, keeping his face blank as he shuffled with the growing crowd only to be jolted into the opposite direction a moment later. With his home being such a drab hovel, he’d had to look elsewhere to find out the information he needed. Hawkins internally groaned, knowing full well he’d had to return to the place he’d just spend two extra days escaping from.

“Just think of the grimoire, think of the grimoire.” He muttered, a droning mantra sending his eyes drooping closed once again.

Hawkins kept his eye on the dull suited greys and blues of the working class in attempt to keep himself awake only to suddenly become jostled by the crowd. He turned around sharply, annoyed at the scuffle only to catch the eye of the row of green and brown coated strongmen a little ways behind him.

They stuck out like a dragon in a pet shop, emblazoned with a garish grey coat of arms as the dragonfly shimmered alongside their crudely hidden grimoires brazenly tucked under their jackets, barely bothering to hide them fully. They were confident. Too confident.

“Shit.” He muttered, staring straight ahead as he did his best to think of a plan.

Eyeing a nearby alleyway, he watched cautiously as the crowd drifted ever closer to the edge of the Axis border, bricks shifting and changing to suit the speed and position of the daily commute. The small gang of green had gained momentum, attempting to surround him on all sides, unnoticed by the others more out of fear than anything else.

The masses of people may not have known the gangs target but the tension in the air was enough for them to realise something was wrong. Hawkins stood his ground, a metre or two away from the edge of the cobbled pavement still slick with rain. If he lost his footing now, he was sure to be trampled. Regardless of who was following him he could not let that happen.

Dealing with them in Axis was trouble enough.

Fishing his trusty lighter out of his pocket, he flicked open the cap and slowly sifted the smoke through his hands. Wisp emerged from the container, much more calm and subdued as he lazily rested within Hawkins cupped hands, the smog ruffling a little as he tried to settle his nerves, brushing his fingertips against Wisp with his free hand.

“It’s alright, it’s alright. Shhh.” he said, more for himself rather than the puffball still snoozing away.

The five burly looking men had kept track of all the known exits which would soon divide the commute in a matter of seconds. He had to act now. Hawkins kept one eye on the interchanging bricks as he muttered quietly to Wisp who had began to awaken, listening intently despite the situation.