"And I will show that nothing can happen more beautiful than death" - Walt Whitman, Starting from Paumanok
He watched her walk away, expecting her to turn around, to make one more passionate appeal. Gene knew he wouldn't be able to say no to her, not a second time.
Alex Drake didn't look back … his argument had been more persuasive than he'd thought and she walked through the door into the Railway Arms. There was a brief, brilliant flash of light and then she was gone. Gene frowned to himself for a moment, wondering what it meant. There had been no pyrotechnic display when Ray, Chris and Shaz had crossed the threshold. He looked down at the epaulette number she had placed in his hand.
"All alone. No one to care. Ah…Diddums,"
Gene turned towards Jim Keats. The man seemed unhinged, growling like an animal. He grabbed Keats, holding him in place for a second before shoving him away.
As he stood on the pavement, utterly alone, Gene Hunt had no choice but to forget that a woman called Alex Drake had ever walked into a pub called the Railway Arms.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Warmth, light, peace. The bittersweet knowledge that this well earned rest was her reward. Time meant nothing in this place. No pain, no tears… no dreams…
"Mum! Mummy!"
"Get the child out of here!"
Why then was Alex Drake having nightmares?Hearing voices… harsh distorted. A world outside the one she thought she knew.
A single unforgiving note that never seemed to end, pulling at her, telling her that this place wasn't her home. This wasn't her time.
It made her want to scream.
"Mummy!"
"She'll be alright, Scrap."
Pain… searing … never ending. Alex couldn't move, couldn't speak. Her eyes refused to cry. She wanted to tell them that to leave her be. She didn't want to be saved.
The call was strong. Alex fought against it, not knowing, not understanding why this was happening. But, inevitably, she didn't have the strength to deny her daughter anything. Her spirit surrendered...
And then she was somewhere else.