I look in the mirror before I leave. The house must belong to a middle-aged couple. His clothes are a bit big. I can’t find any sunglasses so I’m wearing his red baseball cap with a white cross on it and her paisley scarf wrapped twice round my neck. Gloves! I find a pair of leather ones and cut the finger ends off them.
Before I leave I want to look at the Fairborn properly. I want to feel it too. As soon as I slide it out of the sheath it seems to want to cut something. The blade is unusual, not shiny metal but a dull grey, almost black. The knife feels alive but looks dead. I really don’t want Mercury to get her hands on this knife, I don’t want Hunters to get it and I don’t want it. I could leave it at the back of a cupboard here and it would probably be safely lost forever. But I take it with me. I’ll bury it somewhere. I can’t give it to Mercury, can’t let her know I have it. But she has Annalise. One thing at a time. Leave here. Find a place to bury the Fairborn. Get to Mercury. Get my three gifts.
I make my way to the main road and a bus stop.
The bus was a good idea. It stopped at a train station in a town half an hour outside Geneva. I’ve bought a map at a climbing shop near the station. The map is wonderful. Switzerland is full of valleys but Mercury’s valley is unique, with the glacier and the villages strung along the river east to west, so it’s easy to spot on the map. The train will take me so far and then it’s another bus and a hike but I’ll be back at Mercury’s late tonight. I buy a bag of energy drinks, sweets and fruit and get on the train. It’s busy. I find a seat and keep my head down.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
A Hunter’s walking up the platform. She’s scanning the train. She’s getting on. I get off. Casually.
Early morning, but it’s still dark. I’m in a wood somewhere. The Hunter can’t have seen me or I’d be a prisoner or dead by now. There’s no way I could outrun them like this. I can’t run. I’m covered in sweat, shaking and shivering, and my side has swollen. An egg-sized lump has grown on my rib. At least I have the energy drinks. I can’t risk going back to the train station. I could hitch but if I stand at the side of the road for more than ten minutes the Hunters will pick me up. Anyway I couldn’t make myself get into a car, I’d feel trapped. Besides, I have a map. I know where I’m going and I have the time to get back. It’s two days’ hike to Mercury’s valley and my birthday is three days away. I can do it. I can get back to Mercury, get my three gifts and somehow help Annalise.
It’s getting light. I’ve covered a lot of ground. Steady pace. Sticking to the wood not far from the road. I can rest now. I’m as stiff as an old man. But I can let myself have a couple of hours’ rest.
It’s twilight already. The whole day has gone, I’ve just slept through it. But I’ll be stronger now it’s night and I’ve had sleep. I’ve only got two energy drinks left but I hope I can buy more. I can relax in the trees. I change my pace, walk fast past five trees and walk slow past five. The egg-sized lump is now a fist-sized lump.
It’s getting light and I can’t walk at all any more.
Rest a bit. Don’t go to sleep.
Shit! What time is it? Midday, maybe. Keep falling asleep. Got to get going.
Keep on going. Feeling dizzy.
There’s a village. I’ll buy some drinks. I need sugar.
I need to check what day it is too.
What day is it?
Feeling odd … dizzy …
I’m back in the trees. I walk at a steady pace. Sugar’s done me good. It’s my birthday the day after tomorrow.
Is that right? I checked. Didn’t I? Someone checked.
Or did I imagine that? No, I had a drink. I checked. I saw a newspaper. Yes, that’s right.
I’ve forgotten again.
It’s a good day for a walk. Sunny.
I’m a bit slow. It’s sunny, though.
If I walk through the day and the night I’ll be back at Mercury’s before my birthday. I think that’s right.
Just keep walking.
What day is it?
I’m wet. Sweat.
The lump is still there.
My chest aches. Everything aches.
Don’t touch it, just walk.
I’m slow but sunny.
Sunny. Sunny. Sunny.
What’s that? Someone’s in the trees up ahead. I saw someone.
Who is it?
A girl.
Sunlight. Long blonde hair. She’s running like a gazelle.
‘Annalise! Wait!’
I run but have to stop almost immediately.
‘Annalise!’
Lean against a tree, rest for a minute.
Annalise has gone. I sink down to the ground.
I wish she would come back for me.
‘Annalise!’
A giggle comes from the other side of the tree trunk.
Rose?
I crawl forward to look and Rose is lying on the ground, giggling, and then I realize she can’t giggle because she’s dead and, even though I know I shouldn’t, I try to lift her head up to check. I can’t stop myself, and she’s changed into the Hunter and I feel her blood and her broken neck in my hand.
I wake up, panting. Sweaty. Shaking again.
It’s dark. Got to get going. I’ve slept too much. I get up and my legs collapse.
It’s light already. The sun is shining through the trees. And I hear Rose giggle again.
‘Rose?’
She peers from behind a tree and says, ‘Happy birthday for tomorrow, Nathan.’