The Affinity Bridge (32 page)

_{Chapter Twenty-One}

Veronica sat beside Amelia on a wooden bench on the grounds of the asylum, wrapped up against the chill. They were watching the other inmates as they circled the airing court like a flock of birds, each following the others as they walked, their feet crunching noisily on the gravel. Nurses kept a watchful eye from one end of the courtyard, gossiping amongst themselves and dressed in thick winter coats. Their breath plumed in the frosty air.

Veronica glanced at Amelia, who—even dressed in a heavy coat and shawl—was shivering with the cold. She put her arm around her sister, hugging her closer for warmth. Veronica knew that she shouldn’t have come. She could think of a hundred reasons why she shouldn’t be there that day, why she’d have been far better off staying away, yet none of them seemed quite as important as the reason she had finally given in and made the journey across town. Now, here, she could barely face her sister, who had been delighted by the unexpected visit and had clutched her brightly, kissing her fondly on the cheek. Tired and emotional after a difficult morning, Veronica had chosen to walk with Amelia in the gardens before broaching the true reason for her visit.

After Sir Charles had deposited her at her Kensington lodgings, Veronica had found herself alone in her apartment, her housekeeper out running errands around town. She had stripped out of her filthy clothes, poured herself a scalding hot bath, and sat weeping on the bathroom floor, her knees drawn up to her chin, tears streaking down her blood-caked cheeks. She sat like this for at least an hour, cycling through the full gamut of emotions, from relief to anxiety and then back again. She had been so terrified by those detestable creatures as they attacked the cab, trying to peel the door away to get at her and Bainbridge inside, that she had done little to aid in the battle. She cursed herself for being so weak. She was a strong woman, a fighter, but she had seen no way out of that dreadful scenario, and had almost given herself over to her fast-approaching fate, when Sir Maurice had appeared out of the fog and taken on the two monsters single-handedly, drawing them away from the cab. She felt ashamed that her first thought had been to flee, to get away from there as quickly as possible whilst she had the chance, to abandon Newbury to the monsters in an effort to save herself from harm. Reason had reasserted itself, however, and she had remained in the carriage, knowing that there was little she could do to help him as he fought the creatures in the fog-enshrouded street. She had come close to rushing out there to aid him when she heard him crying out in pain, but she knew in truth that she would have only served as a distraction and that, had she taken on one of the creatures herself, she would have surely lost out to its brutish strength and animalistic will.

The worst horror, however, had been seeing Newbury in such a desperate condition after he’d managed to make his way back to the cab. Even now she feared for his life, feared what this ‘Fixer’ character may do to him, and worse, feared that his words of reassurance regarding the revenant plague were simply that—words—and that before long he would succumb to the terrible blight and, regardless of how tightly she had tied his bandages and how well she had stanched the flow of his lifeblood, she would lose him anyway. She couldn’t bear the thought that Newbury might transform into one of those horrifying creatures, and she knew that he, too, would rather die than let that happen. So she had resolved to visit Amelia at the asylum, to take advantage of her sister with a long list of difficult questions, and to try to ascertain what the future held.

Amelia was watching the other inmates as they went about their laborious routine. “Tell me I’m not reduced to that, Veronica. I feel like a little bit more of my life is sapped away from me each and every day I spend in this terrible place.”

Veronica hugged her sister closer. “You’re not, Amelia. You’re not like that at all.”

“Then why do I have to live like this? What have I done wrong to deserve to be locked up in here? It’s basically a prison cell.”

Veronica didn’t know what else to say. “I’ll get you out, Amelia. I promise. I’ll find a way to get you out.”

Amelia shifted slightly in her arms, and smiled. “I know you will, Veronica. I know it’s just a matter of time.”

Veronica looked at her sister quizzically. “Do you know something? Have you seen something in one of your visions?”

Amelia shook her head. “You know it doesn’t work like that,

Veronica. I only remember snatches of what I see, dream-like sequences and unconnected images. In one of them I see you and I, walking down the street together, away from this place.”

“Can I ask you something? Something I promised I’d never ask you?”

Amelia slipped out of Veronica’s embrace, stiffening slightly on the bench. “What is it?”

“Have you seen what becomes of Sir Maurice? In the future, I mean.” Veronica couldn’t meet her eye.

“No. Nothing.” Amelia shrugged. “Well, that is to say that I do not recall seeing anything. Why, what happened?”

Veronica was exasperated. She balled her hands into tight fists. “Try for me, Amelia. This is very important. Try to remember if you’ve seen him during a recent episode. Anything at all. Even just a glimpse.”

Amelia looked pained. “Veronica, I’ve never even met the man. This is not something I know how to control. It happens, and then it is as if the episode somehow leaves a residue in my mind, fleeting images I can sometimes remember. It’s not as if I can recall the entire episode at will.”

Veronica tried to fight back the tears. “I know, Amelia, I know. I’m so sorry.” She turned away, breathing deeply to steady herself.

Amelia put her hand on Veronica’s arm. “Don’t be. Clearly something terrible has happened and I want to do everything I can to help.”

“You already have. I suppose now it’s just a matter of time.”

“What happened? Tell me.”

“Sir Maurice was attacked by three revenants this morning. They practically tore him apart, but he managed to get away. He was fighting for his life, bleeding all over the carriage—all over me—but we managed to get him to the surgeon.”

Amelia put a hand to her mouth. “Will he make it through?”

Veronica was solemn. “I don’t know. Worse than that, though, is the threat of plague. I have every fear that he might have been infected.”

“Oh God.”

“That’s why I came to you, Amelia. I had to know if you’d seen him in one of your visions, had to know if he was going to be alright. I should never have come. It was unfair of me.”

“Sister, you’ve done so much for me. Is it not fair that I at least attempt to repay that love and loyalty from time to time?”

“It doesn’t work like that, Amelia. You don’t owe me anything.”

“I know
exactly
how it works, Veronica. That’s why I love you so.”

Too late, Veronica noticed that Amelia was starting to take short, shallow gasps at the air, beginning the process of inducing an episode. She clutched her by the shoulders. “No! Stop it, Amelia! Stop it now!”

Amelia shook her head, gasping for breath.

Veronica held her tight. “I’m sorry, sister.”

“…I…know…” Amelia began to fit, her body shuddering as her muscles went into spasm. Her eyes rolled back in their sockets, showing the milky-white underside of her eyeballs. She rocked back, saliva running from the corner of her mouth.

Veronica glanced around to see if any of the nurses had noticed. They were still engaged in conversation by the main asylum doors. She clutched Amelia close, trying to keep her safe.

Amelia began to babble. At first it seemed incoherent; a long chain of moaning sounds and half-formed words, but then Veronica began to make sense of what she was saying.

“…from the sky…like a child’s balloon, tumbling…tumbling towards the ground…water…shouting…confusion.”

Veronica shook her head, trying to get through to her sister. “No Amelia, that’s already happened. The airship has already crashed!”

“…water…dripping water…a clockwork man.” She gasped, gulping air down into her lungs, her entire body shaking as the fit took complete control of her body, “…a dark place…a woman’s voice…Veronica!” The shuddering stopped. Amelia turned towards her sister, her unseeing eyes fixed on Veronica’s face. It was the most eerie thing Veronica had ever seen. She let go of Amelia, reflexively forcing herself backwards on the wooden bench. She heard footsteps on the gravel behind her.

“It’s all in their heads, Veronica. Tell him. You must tell him. It’s all in their heads.” Amelia collapsed back into spasms once again, and Veronica, shaking, looked round to see two of the nurses rushing to Amelia’s aid. They gathered her up as quickly as they could and laid her out on the lawn beside the wooden bench, holding her down as she continued to spasm. Veronica leaned over them, desperate to see if Amelia had anything more to say, unprepared for her sister to go through all of this agony on her behalf without even finding an answer. But it was not to be. Amelia’s episode began to subside and the twitching of her body slowed. She didn’t utter another word. Veronica slumped back onto the wooden bench, thankful, at least, that her sister seemed to be unscathed.

Amelia’s breath was shallow and she looked dazed, unsure where she was or how she may have got there. She looked up at Veronica, the nurses still pinning her arms to the ground.

“Veronica?”

“Yes, I’m here, Amelia. Are you okay?”

Amelia blinked, looking at the faces of the two nurses who were holding her down on the cold grass, awaiting the arrival of the doctor. “I’ll be alright.” She met Veronica’s gaze. “Did you find what you were looking for?” Her eyes were questing, searching for approval from her older sister.

Veronica looked away. “I’m not sure, Amelia. I don’t know what it all meant.”

Dr. Mason came running towards them, then, his face flushed. He scowled when he saw Veronica sitting on the bench in the middle of the scene. “Hello, Amelia. I think it’s time we got you inside.” He turned to Veronica. “Your sister will be taking her leave of us now.”

Veronica nodded, briefly. She stood as the nurses helped Amelia to her feet. “I love you, sister.” She stepped forward and kissed Amelia on the cheek. “Be well.”

“I’ll try.”

And with that, Veronica turned and walked away from the scene, her hand on her head to keep her hat from fluttering away in the breeze.