Recent content by Yorg

Ryan stayed outside for a long time, looking at the forest and the sky and his own hands. Hasty winds out of the West tore at the cloud cover overhead as the minutes passed, bathing the courtyard in occasional swaths of sunlight a little behind the bursts of breeze that lifted hair into his face...

Ryan inhaled sharply as the brisk tap water splashed against his eyes and cheeks. He spluttered and turned off the faucet, hair and beard dripping. One weathered hand rubbed over his face, and he blinked the water out of his eyes as he turned away from the sink. He did not look in the mirror...

As soon as the demonstration was over, and Josef had returned to the basement, Ryan had quietly slipped out the front door, ignoring the continuing argument in the parlor. Now the old man returned, one hand resting in his front jacket pocket. He still wore his backpack and kept one hand firmly...

Ryan's probing stare darted around the room at first, scrutinizing each of his fellow Awakened in turn. Several were gathered around the coffee table, seated on the couch or one of several armchairs. A few, like himself, kept to the periphery and waited. The blind woman, Dana, came in quietly...

Ryan hung back hesitantly as the others began to filter past the Matron and into the ragged old house. Some were more reluctant than others. A few confident souls marched brashly through the portal; most stepped more quietly and paid their host respect before entering. Ryan watched each in turn...

Ryan gave the young man a sharp look, then made a quiet sound that may have been a response. The kid was average height and thin as a rail. His dark hair was wet and his shoes were muddy, meaning he'd probably hiked here just as Ryan had. He looked foreign. As they walked, Ryan turned his...

Slush and gravel crunched under his feet as Ryan trudged along the side of the road at a brisk pace. He looked every bit the average hiker; muddied boots and jeans, with a red sports backpack slung over a dark blue polyester jacket zipped up to his neck. His clothes were muddy but not old or...