Chapter 6

Supermassive Black Hole

The snow fall has picked up speed as I staggered and tumbled my way down the ridge, and it added to my confusion, the sparkling white flakes like television static, hissing into my migraine, making everything seem even more intangible and surreal.

Worse to me though was the chilling, crawling sensation, which seemed to flow through the very landscape around me. The knotted, twisted green boughs seemed like claws, the vibrant tangle of great roots seemed like immense tentacles. I felt dwarfed, no, swallowed by some immense, eldritch beast.

I fought my weakened body through the tangling ferns and growing drift, my blood still shallow in my veins from where I let Buffy drain me.

Edward. Help me.

I could hear no response, maybe I was lost. Maybe everything was lost. But I kept hope, and staggered on. Because I am confused and in pain, so perhaps I could not hear him because of all the imagery crashing about in my mind.

Edward!

My outer world was all static snow and beastial trees. My inner? Realities grinding against each other like immense tectonic plates. The vibrations shaking me from this time stream. I fought to stay linear, to stay on the path. I heard the call of crows through the trees, the sound of my ice frosted legs feet piercing snow.

I was weak, weakening to the point of greying out. Buffy's words came to me, as did the taste of Willows blood on my lips.

What have I done?

Finally I fell, but strong arms caught me. I let free a groan of joy. Edward. My brother had found me!

"Trivia. The three. Veronica get her… three rivers." I managed. I was frustrated at how disjointed my words came, how disjointed everything was. "Prophecy. Three seers. Three rivers. Veronica search… Trivia. End. World. Tell me. Tell me you understand."

"Course I do, deary." A voice came. "I know this all like that which flows through my veins."

"Drusilla?"

"Shhhh now childe, someone's lips have been naughty. Can't have naughty lips in times like these. One big, bad mouth is enough. But two is a treat."

"Willow… she…" I felt my soaked and weak body being laid down on a jagged rock floor. I fought to stand, but a powerful clawed hand held me at my chest.

"Oh now, don't you worry. Grand Auntie will be snugly tucked up as you, real soon. Both of you to bed. You still get supper but you won't taste it."

"Drusilla, please… " I said, all but a hoarse whisper. "Please… must..."

I saw the vial then, she produced it from her petticoats and waved it before me like a treat. And to my horror, I knew it was The Irkalla poison that had been buried with the corpses of the mercenaries. She dipped her talon into the thick treacle within, and with a gleeful giggle places it to the tender part where my throat meets my jaw.

"Drusilla…"

"Once. Perhaps. But I am like Little Miss Edith now, head twisted so I can't see the games." She said, her face falling. Her razor claw pressed into my flesh. "But I have a shred of decency left. I shall bury your body now, little Mary. Deep under the snow were the worms would play. It's overdue."

"No! Please… no."

"Sweet little Mary Alice Brandon, do say hi to daddy for me."

She thrust, and agony erupted through me. I heard my flesh part, the tinny grinding as her finger worked its way deep inside my skull. The sickly chemical sensation followed, heavier and darker than before.

I slid from the time stream, the static filling me, the weakness became warm comfort. All was glaciers melting in the dead of night. No map, no compass. But I needed none where I was going.

My soul felt hot, blazing hot, rippling through me, burning up my body.

I felt sucked down. Down towards into something massive and inescapable.

Drusilla sang me a lullaby as she dug into the earth.