Chapter Text
Future
“They’re dead.” Marlene’s voice was thick through the fog. “Two-oh-four, if you trust the Professor. Eyes carved out, can you believe that? They would have hated to go out that way.”
The scent of metal filled the air. Dorcas hummed in agreement as she sharpened her blades.
The light at the tip of Marlene’s wand flickered, casting shadows along the tree trunks. Around them the forest rose: tree canopies scraping the sky, critters scurrying along the overgrown floor. The leaves blended into the night sky above, branching together to block out the stars.
“It’s us next, you know,” Marlene added. “Lily and James and all the other Order folk and then it’s us.”
Dorcas lifted a throwing knife to eye level and examined it, eyes black as a crow’s.
“Aren’t you worried?”
Dorcas’s only reply was a shrug.
“Most of them are already gone. And anyone left was tunneled off into hiding at the last attack.”
“Mm.” It was barely even an acknowledgement. Dorcas flipped a blade in her hand, voice rising in pitch as she continued the song.
Marlene snapped. “Would you stop fucking humming!?”
At that point, Dorcas finally had the gall to look at her. Her teeth gleamed in the night. “We all knew it was a risk.”
“We lost, don’t you understand? We lost.” Marlene ran her fingers through her hair, wild an unkempt. “Shit. Shit!”
“Yeah.” Dorcas tossed the blade into a growing pile. “We did. Now, what are you going to do about it?”