prelude

[singmod]

January 1st 2015

Do you remember yesterday? What is tomorrow?
How will you face this quiet apocalypse?
— Raphael van Lierop.

As the old year falls and the new year begins, the skies fill with light. An Aurora comes on the last day of December, and with it the usual signs of it: the ethereal noise, the cracks and pops in the air, the stuttering of electrics as they struggle to power on and then blare and flicker. It is, as Interlopers have come to know, business as usual — in terms of the Auroras within this world. However, something a little different happens this time.

Interlopers will fall asleep all over the town of Milton. Even the ones who fight sleep and try to stay up into the small hours of the night will find themselves drifting off for a short while — as if their eyes just feel too heavy to keep open, and their minds slip into a deep kind of quiet darkness without their realising. And at first, there is nothing — nothing but the quiet dark. Something peaceful, almost.

A dream comes.

The first thing you notice is blood in your mouth, the cold in your bones, the deafening din in your ears — as if you are caught in static and the sound of howling winds through pine trees. You are afraid. At first, you do not know why. You find yourself on your knees in the snow. The skies are filled with green light, the air is thick with smoke. And then the realisation comes:

This is the ending of all things.

You look up, to the sight before you: a huge, shapeless shadow. Towering above you, over you. A head peers down at you: a cluster of three wolf skulls, eye-sockets glowing green and terrible, and their three open maws, dripping with more green. The sound it makes is unnatural, you cannot put it into words. The darkness draws in, you are so cold, so tired.

This is the ending of all things.

It is so hungry. You are so tired. The world falls away, you cannot see the stars, the dark hiding them from view. Were they even there to begin with? Or did they go out? You have forgotten. And you know, you know—

This is the ending of all things.

The skies glimmer, licks of strange, colourful wisps curl above — a voice screams out your name, from the static and winds. Through the noise. A woman’s voice. You have heard this voice before, in the lights and noise. Do you see? What could be? What you could become?

Can you hold on? Please. A hand grips your shoulder, but as you turn — the dream ends.

For some, they snap into waking with a shout or cry. Some will shudder awake to find tears in their eyes. All over Milton, the Interlopers wake: shaken, unsure, afraid. They will awaken to the dark: the Aurora is gone — slowly fading from the night skies into an otherwise calm and clear night.

It is a new year.

Comments

[castitas]

You're... police?

[ She breathes it out. A sheriff. And there's a flicker of relief in her expression. Because of course there is. Because of course someone like her would be relieved to know that there's law enforcement here. They're good people, they protect others. They keep order. ]

I'm... I'm really glad you're here. [ She nods, her smile is small but genuine. ] This place is... kinda hard enough as it is, but I'm glad you're here.

[ There's a beat before she adds. ]

You'll know Lieutenant Little, right? He does a lot of patrols and stuff.

[ Not police, but a position of authority. But from her tone, it's clear she thinks very highly of him. ]

I feel a lot better knowing there's people like you and him around.

[bigbaddy]

[ .. oh, sheesh.

This is the first time Bigby has had this reaction practically anywhere. Sure, some people here have been nice to him about what he is, but.. this is the first time him being a sheriff has seemed to reassure someone, rather than just make them angry at him. Coupled with the fact that he's glad it could bring some relief to a seemingly sweet girl like Kate, the slight smile on Bigby's face grows a little bit, and the man has to duck his head for a moment to hide the faint fluster that creeps in. ]

Thank you. [ He manages once he raises his head again, still smiling at her. ] And-- of course I know Edward. He's a great guy.

[ Granted, calling him 'Edward' probably gives the impression they're very close, but.. it's more just Bigby being unused to human formalities.. ]

We're working together to try keep things safe around here. So if you ever can't reach him and you got a problem, you can always come knock on my door. [ He does figure that Kate would rather go see Edward, since her expression says so much about how fond of the man she is, but Bigby doesn't mind giving her a backup option. Who knows when it could come in handy in this place. ] Especially if it's-- uh, let's say.. a problem that maybe can't be solved with words as easily. I think words are more Edward's speciality, while I do..

[ He makes a vague hand gesture.

Yes, he does mean the monster fights. ]

.. y'know, other things.