"In the mid 17th century..."
Even as Nick said those words the three of them had perked up and sat a little closer on the end of the bed. Nick had wondered whether to start with 'once upon a time' it seemed that long ago. It would most likely sound like a fairy tale to them anyway. She didn't know how to word it, or how much she should reveal. Part of her wanted to help them and yet another part didn't want to make it easy for them. There was a small burning inside her that said it was wrong, that she was a betrayer. She was confused and felt like a double-agent who didn't know what side she was playing on anymore. Was she on her own side? She really didn't know.
The Gunner was looking more concerned. Would she tell the truth?
"... a lot of girls started to disappear. Women also. It got the government suspicious but nobody could find any clue."
She paused, trying to figure out the best way to tell it. A brief glance at Edie showed growing anger, as if she already knew the reason why. Nick then spoke a lot slower, not wanting to tread on any stones, but she knew that she must.
"As you must all be aware now, the Walker had a particular… fascination with Glints."
Like lightning Edie stood up, her finger out straight pointing in a threatening stance.
"Has. Not had. He tried to drown me!" she yelled. George stood up and placed an arm around her shoulders urging her to sit back down.
"What comes around goes around," Nick's eyes narrowed back at her. Edie's mouth opened slightly but she hesitated, decided not to say anything and sat back down.
Nick looked to the floor and didn't make eye contact with any of them as she spoke. Maybe they weren't ready to hear what she had to say.
"Anyway, it wasn't just the Walker. The Stone too had become increasingly aware of Glints and the power that they hold. It planned to…get rid of them."
The words cut into Edie as she fought back the anger. George tightened his arm around her. There was nothing threatening about the way Nick spoke, but neither was there anything sympathy. Edie needed someone to blame for what was happening and the cold, passive tones in which Nick spoke made herself an easy target. Nick continued:
"The Stone was also becoming increasingly bothered by the role of the common man in society. More people were moving into the city, more and more buildings were being raised and areas were being split into sections. Not to mention it was at a time the Plague was devastating most of the country."
George remembered back to his history lessons with Mr Whitehall. He had learnt about the Plague last term. Oh how long ago that felt now.
"The landscape was being carved up; the sacred land that the Stone held its own. It needed to put an end to it. It almost did."
There was another long pause while this statement was considered.
"What happened?" Edie said, the first to dare ask. The hatred in her voice had now died down and been replaced with anticipation and concern.
"A fire…" Nick swallowed. "The Fire."
"Wait-" said George "You don't mean…" George had a flashback in his mind chasing up the Monument looking for Edie at a time when all this began for him. He was at the top. The Raven swooping down and grabbing his trouser leg. George clinging on to the metal pole and staring at a plaque dedicated to-
"The Great Fire of London, 1666." Nick breathed out, looking to them properly for the first time.
All three of them were shocked and a little confused.
"Are you saying that the Stone started the Great Fire of London?" George exclaimed.
"Well a Stone Servant I presume, or a group of them. Nobody knows now. The Stone probably had them sworn to secrecy, or worse".
Edie gulped. She didn't like the sound of that.
"It was a brilliant plan. Horrible of course, but brilliant," Nick carried on. "The city was reduced to rubble. The fire tore through buildings and cut the population, many were killed from the lesser world, probably Glints too."
They couldn't help noticing a slight tremble in Nick's voice, but that could have been the cold. The Gunner thought he was mistaken, but he believed he saw crystals forming in her eyes. Nick noticed him staring and moved her face into shadow.
"The lesser world?" Edie besmirched with distain.
"The world full of clueless eyes and no imagination. The world which dismiss all what they see and discard this world layered right on top of them. The unLondon from which you left, George. The place where on the whole, the majority of people are just plain stupid and don't see their own mortality staring at them in the face. Them and their pointless life's they consider to be of utmost importance, like everything revolves around them. So easily and willingly able to throw away the thought of the existence of my world because of their irrational and senseless beliefs. They're fools."
"That's the Walker talking, not you" said the Gunner.
"You say that like you know me," Nick replied. "If you think I am issuing a brash assessment then please, stop me. It could be so much more. There's so much potential. I've seen Maker's put there pride and soul into sculpting. If only they realised how true that statement actually was. If they had any sense they would know what they're feeling, but even when it's staring them in the face they're oblivious. They have to be pushed into this world to see sense." She shot a glance at George then looked away again. "Unfortunately I've seen the same kind of people smelt down spits to molten core, there creation's purpose melting in a slag furnace, a spirit torn, a soul destroyed, once again nothing but an idea in someone's mind."
The Gunner swallowed a lump in his throat and said nothing.
"It's not their fault," George interjected, "You can't blame them. They don't know any better, if they only knew then-"
"What? Things would be better?" Nick snorted. "Tell me, George, why didn't you tell you're school about what happened after you broke that carving outside the museum? Heck, you even chose the Hard Way just to stay here. What does that tell you? Edie, why haven't you told anyone what you can do?"
Both George and Edie looked blank for an answer.
"Because that world is a cruel place, and people will hurt you for being different. People of the lesser world want all too quickly to sweep their problems under a rug that they become blinded by there own assumptions and anything different beyond their parameters for tolerance is considered wrong. They are too hasty at interpretation that they rely on the certainty and assurance of what has gone before because it is the safer and easier option. But what happens is they end up misjudging it completely. It's lazy. They are agile at brandishing notions they don't understand will give a negative credence, and use labels such as trickery or fraud. There's a reason Glints don't tell these people. Do you know what they used to do to Glints when I was a child? Huh? They hanged then. Burned them. Drowned them. Tortured them. They called them witches!"
Nick spat the last word and let the silence surround there feelings into forced isolation.
"Things are different now," said Edie firmly.
"But for the better? Laws for rights and justice have improved but those people are still without a clue. They don't tie Glints to stakes anymore, no, they just stick them in padded cells. Asylums for the mentally instable. How's that any fairer?"
Edie knew all too well that Nick wasn't pouring any exaggeration into her words. She thought of her mother. It was the hard-cut truth.
"So, The Fire. What's all that got to do with you?" said the Gunner, steering Nick clear from the high waters of her outer protection of turning things around on other people.
He knew there was something hidden within her. Nick's face flashed with unsettlement and she knew the Gunner had picked up on it. Like a small child been caught stealing sweets. Nick stared at him. She had been stalling by telling them this part of the story, now it would get personal and she didn't know how much to reveal about herself. She was never one for talking, especially about herself.
"I…I was in that fire" she said, staring out of the window almost daydreaming as if trying to detach herself from the very words coming out of her mouth.
The three of them sat there very still, not one of them able to come to terms or figure out what had just been said or put into words the questions they had. After another long pause Nick decided to go on.
"I was four. It was about three o'clock in the morning and I was woken by a dog barking. I was coughing really badly. There was already smoke everywhere and I could hear crackling and loud snaps downstairs. The crackling soon turned into a roar. I heard distance shouts but couldn't figure out where they were coming from. I shouted out loud, shouting for my parents." Nick noticed that her eyes were becoming wet, she turned her back on the three of them. It stretched her tied up hands to the limit but she didn't care. "My door was locked. My parents did this in case there was a break in. The handle was too hot to touch anyway and the window was too high to jump. I went over to the corner furthest away from the door and bend down. I was…terrified."
And with that Nick was unable to keep the strain out of her voice. Edie put a hand to her mouth. George and the Gunner just sat listening.
"I don't remember too much of my past but I remember that night. The smoke got so thick I was chocking and thought that it was the end. The door blasted open: and I thought I was dead. But I could still open my eyes, albeit it was difficult, by this time there was ash and debris flying about. Bits were landing on me, burning me. It was incredible just how quick the fire spread. It was at a time most houses were thatched and made from wood; a bit like this house in fact. No wonder the entire city had gone up in flames. I wasn't dead though, unbelievably there was someone standing in the door frame. It was just a silhouette to me, the flames rising up behind it. It came closer and stretched out a hand. For a moment I thought it was the Devil. Wasn't far off..." she tried a smile but it didn't hold. "I took the hand and it took me away. After that it's all a blur, I can't remember anymore."
Nick decided to stop. She had already said more than she needed to. She had never told this to anyone but saying it out loud had some sort of healing effect on her. The tears never left her eyes but the lump in her throat made her unable to continue. There were so many questions left to ask but at this moment nobody wanted to say anything. The pause was a welcomed silence that rested in the minds of everyone. Finally George summoned the strength to talk.
"Who was it? Nick who rescued you?" he said, a small nervous touch in his voice.
"The Walker."