Prologue: Cross
The Great Fog of 1893
The door closed behind her and cut off the main source of light, leaving her and the baby in near darkness. The moon was nearly full in the sky, but a blanket of clouds stole some of its glory and made the surroundings difficult to discern. As if she was giving a blessing, she pulled the baby closer and kissed her head, feeling the dream-soft hair on her lips.
She hastened her steps on the gravel road and saw the moon being reflected on pools of water here and there, like large eyes. The wind had nearly died for the night, but the chilliness of the air seemed to move on its own. A faint mist rose from a ditch by the side of the hill, reaching out with its long tentacles like a slimy sea monster looking for lost victims.
The baby whimpered quietly, making the mother want to run, but she knew that it would only attract more attention if she sprinted. Home is not far, she reminded herself, picturing the warmth of the candle light and the devotion in her husband's smile. Still, there remained half a mile through the village and the hills, which was much longer than she wanted to cross.
The faces of the small cottages looked hostile in the early night, as all the curtains had been drawn. The fresh, red markings on each door that she passed, were sticking out like warnings, which was exactly what they were. She turned her head away from them, but even as she did not see them anymore, she could feel them there, whispering local stories to the surrounding mist.
The woman passed another small cottage until she came to a clearing. There, the fog became stronger, pulling at the hems of her dress and tickling the face of the baby. Even as she knew the road better than the lines on her palms, she hesitated and accidentally stepped in to a small pool. The face of the moon shattered on the surface of the water, and she cursed silently, feeling the hem of her skirt getting heavy from the moisture it was attracting.
When she glanced up again, something moved in the left corner of her vision. She could see a pair
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