Far Away, in the Dark of the Night
Prologue
The fire warmed him even from where he sat a few feet away. It was almost completelysnowed in from the rest of the world-and the guests who were told to stay inside were restless, trying not to get on anyone else's bad side before they were able to get away from them. What few guests that had not gone to bed already were gathered around the front desk, only a few people, talking to the clerk earnestly. Will Stanton sat curled up in the corner of the large couch, staring into the fire, eyes becoming heavier and heavier with each passing second. A book of Tennison's poems lay open, forgotten on his lap.
He had wanted somewhere quiet and with enough differences and similarities from his home that him to be comfortable. He had found it in New England, along with a new career and a new life that he was quite content with. Unlike his life in Britain, here he owned a bookstore; instead of mainly researching and lecturing on books, he sold them.
Will softly hummed an old carol he used to know, trying in vain to lull himself to sleep; he wasn't going to be able sleep anytime soon, however. A deep cold penetrated him, an uneasiness that made him nearly sick to his stomach, and chilled his skin. He drew his knees up towards him, sinking into the corner as the book of poems slid to the floor with a thump.
The door opened in a flurry of snow and Will found the ice crystals hit his skin even from where he sat on the opposite side of the room. A flash of reddish-brown hair covered in snow was all Will saw for a moment, as the man who had entered went straight to the front desk which was hidden from his view.
But when the startled clerk led him around into the common room and towards the stairs, and when Will caught sight of a scarred face, and bright blue eyes that glanced over at him, he paled, staring helplessly. The mouth, one side marred slightly by scars, twitched into a disconcerting smile.
Will sat shivering, pressing himself into the fabric of the furniture. The fire gave off no warmth now. How quickly his peace was broken.
