heidi

<i>Dearest friend,</i>

<i>Since the news, it's grown hard to put pen to paper.</i>

<i>I want to convey my grief, pain, anger, confusion, and I want to offer you consolation, all too late.</i>

<i>But the things you've said, and left unsaid, I understand equally. The despair that's driven you to sever all, to choose to give up on this life, that too I understand.</i>

<i>What else can I possibly write? All I could say, you surely already know.</i>

<i>I—</i>

*sigh*...

Be strong, sir... this is all the first-aid I can give right now.

It'll be a little unbearable at first, but you'll be able to walk with enough effort. And if any Sarkaz come after you again, you'll be able to flee too.

Hahah. Thank you, madam...

I don't know who you are exactly, but I swear I've spotted you around before. You must be one of Lady Golding's like-minded friends.

...Yes.

Were you going to find her at the school? She's not with us anymore, exactly.

I know. Mm—I learned as much a while ago.

Please, save your strength. We need to leave this place as soon as we can. I fear that Sarkaz detachment will be back soon to sweep this area.

So we've escaped. Now what?

Do you remember delivering a letter for Golding? Do you remember the distillery worker you contacted?

If you're lost for any place to go, then seek him, and follow the trail from his place to flee the city.

I can't guarantee your safety; the line that intel came from is out of service by now. But if you do opt for it as a last resort, then you may ultimately find your way to some of the Self-Salvation Corps.

No, or perhaps you'll find some... doctors. People similar enough to them, that is.

I'd wanted to seize on her letter as an opportunity, introduce her to the Doctor, to Kal'tsit...

...In any case, go quickly. Each passing moment here is a moment in danger.

And what about you?

You needn't worry about that. I have ways to hide myself.

After all, there's plenty of ruins and rubble the Sarkaz have no interest in sweeping now, here in our grand old Londinium.

The Self-Salvation Corps will return, you know. Someone has to stay here to keep things prepared for them.

That's wonderful, then. You know which way you should be going—so don't go sticking your neck out for me, now.

You mean—oh, don't say that, sir.

I know, you know. Strange armies beyond the walls, and plenty chance of Sarkaz in any of the countless underground ways out.

And where you plucked me free, that pile of rubble? That was my home... Hahah, I'm the same really. Yearning to see what isn't even there anymore.

Now's no time to lose heart. I've heard word of others, too, Self-Salvation Corps aside.

Sarkaz forces may be outside the city, but the dukes are about to formally enter their <i>own</i> troops into the fray. The blockades will soon be dusted aside, the Sarkaz will no longer seal the city entrance, and it'll be wide open again...

Thank you. But, well...

I can only imagine how well you knew Lady Golding.

I only met her a scant few times, but I remember every time I took a letter from her hands, how gently she'd encourage me, just as you did now.

And so, from time to time these days, I wonder...

Why would someone like her choose to give up on her own life?

Why, madam?

Just walking takes some wind out of me, dragging my heavy leg. Could you go to the school for me and find an answer there?

Settle down, Leo!

The Colonel may turn a blind eye for us, but the school is <i>not safe anymore</i>!

—Urgh!

Did you hear that outside?

Even a single falling rock could spell our little classroom caving in...

But I'm not scared! Bwooom, bwoooom... I'm not scared of them!

Shut it, not a word! Lady Golding would—

Ah, excuse me, er...

Hello, Molly. I'm a friend of Golding.

I remember now, Lady Heidi... but I'm sorry, I'll have to ask you to leave.

Wait. Why?

If you wanted Lady Golding, she's been out of the school lately. I'm not sure where it <i>is</i> she's fled to, actually.

I don't mean this against you, but... as you see, everyone's in crisis now. I don't want anyone inviting more danger upon the schoolchildren.

Did I frighten you, perhaps? You seem very out of sorts.

Ah, do I...? No, it wasn't you.

It's just, so much has happened lately. How could one not be on edge?

I really don't know how I'm even <i>meant</i> to protect these children, coping by myself...

...I'm sorry, Molly.

If the Sarkaz do come knocking, then be forthcoming. Tell them I'm here.

You ARE in their sights, then?!

Please, let me shelter inside for a spell. If that's okay?

I don't know... What happened to you?

I <i>am</i> a friend of Golding's... if that explains anything.

To my mind, there's one place to hide within the school. Lady Golding didn't want me letting any old passerby know, but, well, you're no passerby.

Leo, take Lady Heidi to the underground 'storehouse', would you?

I'll stay here and wait. If Sarkaz soldiers do barge in, I'll... I'll find some way or other.

Leo, may I ask you a few questions?

Go on, ask.

What kind of place is this underground 'storehouse'?

You'll know it when you see it.

Is it a refuge connecting to the sewers?

...Who even are you?

A friend of Miss Golding's from the literary circles, that's all.

No need to be so astonished. After all, I've heard more than plenty about this school, and the children she taught.

Still... did Molly never actually tell you all that it's... not safe down there anymore?

Haven't heard anything like that. My family and a bunch of others too, they're all hiding in there.

(Does Molly really have no clue about the Self-Salvation Corps' retreat? Or could it be...)

Well, then, has Miss Molly seemed strange in any way, as of recent?

Strange? Nah, no way. You don't get to say mean things about her.

But... there's some things about her that we can't really figure out.

She's there every day, always fussing over us, and going on and on at us all the time, but then one day she suddenly ran to us and said she'd been cooped up by the Sarkaz for days on end, and thank god we're okay, and stuff.

And ever since then she's always been all nervy, like she had a nightmare, and it's scared her stiff.

(The Damazti.)

(I was only speculating at first. This place was one of the leaks in the Corps' intelligence network, so I suspected Molly had turned traitor, but now...)

(If the Damazti's found its way in, then... could even the boy before me be one of its transformations?)

(No, even if there was no sign of that shapeshifter, I'd... suspect them all anyway.)

Hey! Where are you going?

Didn't you hear what Miss Molly said? You've got to go into the basement, down the stairs. That's the wrong way.

Listen to me, Leo.

Could you do me a favor, and let me take a walk around school on my own? You can go back and tell Miss Molly that I'm sheltered well now.

Saying so, Heidi carefully observes how he reacts.

No, you're fibbing.

Unless you help me with a thing, too.

What might that be?

I want to do this ruddy Sarkaz in, but everyone says I can't go.

Humph! How come he gets to be so mean!

Uncle Jack lives in the alley over there, he's really nice, but then that Sarkaz gave him a beating, and locked him up, and it's been days now.

I saw through a crack in the window, his arms and legs all bent into this shape. It must be horrible being twisted like that. I wanna get him free.

The child's expression remains clear, unadulterated. Heidi knows; if he <i>was</i> the Damazti, he'd have no need to make up this lie for himself.

But she does wish to herself, for an instant, that this was not the true student of Golding, the eleven-year-old boy.

No. Assaulting a Sarkaz would only be asking for further trouble, you understand.