The Fall Begins

Hours.

He couldn't get the beast’s earthy, vegetable smell scrubbed from his hands.

“I heard the voices again last night” she said, “They’re getting angry, they’re tired of just listening.”

James’ shoulders tightened, a chill ran down his spine and he turned to her, “You must… please try harder. They… the others cannot know, especially today.”

It had been a bad night, they would have to deal with the fire promptly and Jackson was still out there somewhere, beyond the monastery walls.

James could only be wrong once more and things would start to crumble, the group’s trust would flake.