PREMONITION

Sophie quietly closed the door behind her, hoping that it was so late that no one else would be awake. It was easily past midnight now, having only just gotten back off the boat back from London. Once the door had clicked closed, Sophie stood listening, trying to hear if anyone was in the main room. When she heard nothing, she began to walk towards the stairs to sneak up to her room.

"Where have you been then?" Polly's voice pierced through the night.

"Oh fuck!" Sophie yelped, clutching her heart in surprise. "You could be a spy, Pol' - were you even breathing just then?"

"Don't avoid the topic, Soph'. I called Ada when you weren't back by 8, she said you left ages ago." Polly eyed the young girl suspiciously, taking a long drag of her cigarette.

"I met someone, Pol'. Just got distracted and lost track of time, okay?" Sophie said quietly, smoothing out her skirt nervously.

"A man?" Polly enquired, smirking at her niece.

"Yes." Sophie did not want to give any details away, she feared that the beautiful evening would be tainted by Polly's realism. She would inject it with questions of if Sophie was going to see him again and the realisation that he would now be nothing more than a beloved memory left a sour taste in her mouth.

"I won't tell your brothers, but you better hide that giddy smile on your face or else they'll figure it out for themselves. Thomas can read you like a book."

"Did they not realise I was late getting home?" Sophie asked, desperately trying to keep the conversation away from Alfie. It was odd that Tommy wasn't here questioning her as well, he seemed to think he was her parent half the time much to Sophie's dismay.

"I told them that you were doing errands for me before you came home. Didn't want to panic them if you were just wandering around London with your head in the clouds, free spirit that you are." Polly's eyes scanned Sophie up and down, assessing her for any changes. "Men will fuck with your heart Soph', don't let them think they have it." Polly stated nonchalantly as she stood from the chair she sat at and swiftly and silently left the room, leaving Sophie alone with her thoughts.

Her mind instantly drew back to ash coloured eyes and broad muscular shoulders, her lower back suddenly feeling cold without his touch. Sophie felt ridiculous, blushing like a silly little school girl over a man she'd only known a few hours. Dancing with him was so special though, it was as if everything around them had been a blur. They were in their own private bubble just drinking in each other's aura. She hoped she'd see him again, but it wasn't likely given it was pure coincidence that they had even met in the first place. Why hadn't she asked to meet again? All of these romantic feelings felt so unfamiliar to her, she didn't know what was the right thing to do. Then her mind began to wander, had Alfie had these romantic feelings for her too? Was he more experienced with things like this? The thought of Alfie with another woman made her skin crawl. The young girl shook her head harshly, desperately wanting to be rid of the image.

Taking a large step, Sophie marched up the steps to her bedroom and shut the door carefully, not wanting to wake her brothers. Her room was a stark contrast to the doom and gloom coating the walls of the rest of the house. Colourful pictures and fabrics were thrown about the room, bright blue and green blankets covering the bed and bright paintings pinned up on the walls. Bright purple and red scarves with gold coins stitched onto them were wrapped around the bedknobs. A bold royal blue dress was hung up on the wardrobe door, silver stitching around the hem, branching up to perfectly branch around the breasts of the dress and breaking off into silver thin straps. She'd bought it in hopes of there being an occasion soon for her to wear it but now she wasn't too sure about wearing it, it was rather flimsy and thin for the weather they'd been having lately.

Quickly stripping down to her undergarments and throwing on her thin pale pink nightgown, Sophie jumped under the covers. Thinking only of Alfie's smile and the way his hand felt on her waist, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

—-

A woman dressed all in black, a hat and veil covering her face, was stood in the middle of the empty street. She was holding onto a matching black pram, and although Sophie could not see her eyes she knew the woman was staring soulessly at her. The street was so quiet, Sophie could swear she could hear her own heartbeat. In all her years of living on this street, she had never seen it so empty - it was unnerving. Waves of what Sophie could only describe as death and loathing emanated from the mysterious woman.

All of a sudden, a bright hot light obscured the side of her vision. Turning to investigate the light, Sophie see's her beloved home has been filled with fire. A sharp gasp leaves her mouth at the sight of her childhood haven begin to slowly disintegrate, engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds. The image of the woman shakes her mind, sending an accusatory glance back at the woman Sophie finds that the woman is no longer there. Only her black menacing pram had been left behind.

Flames lit the street, excruciatingly loud bangs echoed across the houses as the windows blew out of the small terraced house. Tears streamed down her face as her hair raged wildly in the strong wind of the night. Stood in a beautifully delicate periwinkle blue nightgown with ivory stitching along the breast line and barefoot, Sophie watched her family home fill with fire.

"Sophie!" A voice that sounded distantly like Tommy called from inside the house. Before she could even fully register what was happening, Sophie darted to the front door. Wrenching it open she lurched into the house, desperate to find her brother. Flames were licking up the walls at an alarming rate, the heat causing sweat to start gathering at the girl's scalp and drip down her forehead. Whipping her head from side to side she saw the flames were bending around the corridor, not spreading to the floor or obstructing her path. Eerie whispers could be heard hauntingly summoning her to venture forward down the corridor. Sophie began to take slow careful steps down the corridor. A sharp pain tore through her feet as she stood on the broken glass of the windows. She winced harshly, bending down to pull a large piece of glass out of the heel of her left foot.

The whispers grew louder, infiltrating Sophie's head and taking control of her consciousness and putting her into an almost trance. Ignoring the pain in her feet, she was guided towards a closed door at the end of the corridor. Sophie shakily gripped the doorknob and turned it, pulling the door open. The room was completely filled with flames except where they parted in a small circle to reveal a large red puddle. Something about the sight filled Sophie with an unshakeable dread, wracking her body with sobs that were barely audible over the harsh loud whispers that now felt more like screams. Falling to the floor on her knees in front of the puddle, she could see a large teardrop shaped sapphire in the middle. A musky metallic scent attacked her nostrils as it dawned on her that this was blood and the sapphire was sitting in a puddle of blood.

"Sophie!" Tommy's voice shouted, louder now than before.

"Tommy! Tommy, where are you?!" Sophie sobbed loudly, suddenly coming to her senses and jumping to her feet. As she reached the doorway of the room, the door swung shut with a bang.

"Sophie!" Tommy shouted again.

Sophie began to slam her hands against the door in a pathetic attempt to get it to reopen. Hysterical sobs shook her tiny frame so viciously it felt as if her body might snap in half. The girl slowly became more and more unhinged as she banged her tiny fists against the wood over and over again, screaming for help.

"There will be a war, and one of you will die." Polly's strikingly calm voice rattled through the girl's brain. The words made the panic in Sophie's heart rise higher, tears leaving her eyes in waves.

"TOMMY! TOMMY, PLEASE! TOMMY!" She screamed, burning her throat at the volume.

"Sophie, wake up!" Tommy shook the tiny girl awake making her eyes snap open wide, chest heaving up and down quickly. Quickly taking in her surroundings, she was in her bed in the same house she had been dreaming about but the flames were nowhere to be seen. Her lamp on her bedside table had been switched on and her blankets were thrown around the bed. Tommy was kneeling over her shirtless and hair all over the place suggesting he had been sleeping not long ago. His eyes however, were wide and alert - staring intensely at his youngest sister. Realising she was finally awake, he loosened his grip from where he'd been tightly holding her upper arms and sat down on the bed next to her. Tentatively Tommy brushed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "You're awake now - it's okay, Phi'."

"How did you know I was dreaming?" Sophie hesitantly whispered, her voice feeling hoarse.

"You were screaming for me, Soph. What were you seeing?" His gravelly voice held a hint of panic. Her screaming had woken him up, his heart stopping when he heard her pleading for him. He'd grabbed the revolver he keeps by his bed and sprinted to her room, expecting her to be in some sort of danger. Only he found her thrashing from side to side in her sleep, drowning in sweat and tears. Thomas loved the young girl immensely, often viewing her as if she was his own child, not just his baby sister.

"I-I-I'm not really sure." Sophie murmured. "I think it was just a bad dream."

Thomas didn't push her but he knew she didn't believe that. He'd never seen her this shaken from a dream before, even the ones that were laced in Romani magic. The young girl's eyes were still wide with fear as she pushed herself up to be sitting on her bed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She spoke softly, placing her hand on his arm in an attempt to ease his mind. "I'm fine, you can go back to sleep."

"M'alright." Tommy said deeply, staring hard at Soph. "Tell me about the dream."

Sophie feels a lump in her throat as her chest tightens slightly, the images of the dream flashing across her mind. She could barely make sense of what the dream meant so how was she supposed to explain it to Tommy now. Wringing her hands anxiously, Sophie cleared her throat.

"I don't know what any of it was supposed to mean, this house was on fire - and I-I-I could hear y-y-you shouting for me from inside. When I tried to find you in the house, there was this big puddle of blood and I-" Sophie began to choke on her words, threatening to break into sobs. "The door- I couldn't- couldn't get out-I was trying to-"

"Sshhh - it's okay, it's okay Soph'" Tommy soothed as he pulled her into his chest, cradling the back of her head as she sobbed into his chest. Not many people had seen Thomas like this, so tender and caring, but Sophie had been privy to it a few times before. He quietly stroked the young girls hair and waited for her to calm herself back down. Throughout her life, Sophie had had many gypsy dreams and they very rarely were pleasant. Often the dreams were foreboding warnings for things to come with a frightening accuracy. If they were predicting trouble for Thomas then he knew to prepare for something big and unexpected.

"Tommy, please promise me you're being safe." Sophie whispers into his chest, her loud sobs having weakened into silent tears. Tommy stills, his hand frozen now.

"You know there's no such thing as 'safe' in my line of business."

Sophie pulls away to sit up straight, looking Tommy deeply in the eyes. Not wanting to give him any opportunity to misunderstand her words.

"Tell me you're at least being smart then." said Sophie, clear and precise. Her eyes were cold and sharp, Tommy knew this look well - it was the exact same as the one he often wore. No room for emotions or softness, only seeking serious honest answers and she could always tell when they weren't.

"Yes, Sophie." Tommy matched her with the same gaze. His intelligence was a gift, it was how he had risen so far from the lowly means they were born into. However, it was also doomed to be his undoing - a mind too intricate and active to ever allow him to rest and live a simple life. Sophie believed that there was not a man or woman alive that could out-think him, but unfortunately wars are not fought with cleverness alone.

"Beware the woman dressed in black, pushing a baby's pram." The words burst from Sophie, as if she had not been the one to speak them. Her tone monotonous and solemn, it shook Thomas to his core. In fact, they'd rung repeatedly in his mind like an old grandfather clock striking the hour every hour for the next couple of days. Their volume heightening to a deafening volume when a few days later the Garrison was burnt to ashes with two warped and melted prams crashed into the scorched front doors.