The piece I chose is Grim’s new novel, Grimaulkin: Necromancer. Yes, this is probably a spoiler for it. I have a vague idea of point B (the end) and this might help clarify things.
1 (the one the muse has been giving me)
Grimaulkin finally let go of the seat as the plane touched down. He reached up for his knapsack as soon as the plane ground to a halt and the fasten-seat-belt light went off.
He grabbed the first non-stop flight that would take him out of the Eastern time zone. They wouldn’t try to take down a plane with hundreds of people on it, which is why he didn’t take a bus. He had needed to get out of New England, and fast.
As Grim got off the plane, he glanced around the terminal. “Welcome to Detroit, from Southwest,” said the sign greeting him in the hallway. Detroit, he remembered somewhere, was an important hub, and he could see why, since it was full of people. Planes were taking off and landing constantly, from what he could see through the windows.
He had no idea where to go from here.
2 (invented on the fly)
“How far and how soon is the next plane leaving?”
The woman blinked at me. I wondered if she ever got this question before, from a worried teenager who probably looked like I was running away from some hounds of hell or worse.
I was, as a matter of fact.
“There’s a plane going to Chicago at gate four in ten minutes–”
“Any seats?” I yanked out my wallet. I saw it was funny money, but she would see real cash.
“Sir, we don’t take cash here.”
“What airline does? Quick!”
“None do, sir–”
“Oh for the love of Pete. What about a prepaid Visa? I really don’t have time for this.”
I looked around the terminal and met eyes with a business man. The spell came unbidden to me, as he looked down. But I needed to touch him, to draw the rune on him –
I stepped away from the desk and went over to the man. People watched me. He looked up at me, his face changing from curiosity to a cold distant look. I reached out and touched his shoulder and drew the rune quickly.
He got up, a puppet on a string. He followed me back to the girl and she smiled up at him. “I’ll pay for this young man,” he said, and handed over the credit card. I handed him the cash, and he nodded his thanks. As soon as I got the ticket, I bolted three gates down to gate four.
I got one of the last seats on the plane, and settled in. I hoped against hope that no one would follow me, and two more people did get on after me. The door closed, and I fastened my seatbelt.
I was terrified. What if the Rozies were going to take down the plane – with me on it? Were they that ruthless to stop me?
And what was happening with Q?
The plane taxied to the runway and we were told we were number five, so it could be a while. It was a non-stop flight for me. I would end up in Chicago. What the hell was in Chicago?
3) Originally meant to be the epilogue.
Bennett Geldreth continued his reps even after he heard the caw from the window. He’d be damned if nothing would stop his routine, his mindfulness at counting each lift of the weights, and press against his chest, each breath as he pushed up. He was in a zone, but the caw breached it temporarily and pissed him off. To piss Raf off, Garrett would make him wait until he finished.
He set the weights on the hooks, and lifted himself to a sitting position, wiping the thin sheen of sweat from his face. The caw became more insistent. He looked back at the window with his one good brown eye, and heaved his well-muscled but taut body off the weight bench. His other eye, white and unseeing, was like the bird’s that sat on the windowsill, bouncing. Larger than a crow but smaller than a raven, its white feathers and white blind-looking eyes peered into the cellar of his weightroom.
“What the fuck do you want now?” snarled Geldreth as he threw open the window. “I’ve given you your goddamn–”
“Someone’s coming!” the bird screeched in a semblance of human English.
Geldreth scooped the bird into the room but it flew back up to the windowsill. “No! No, someone comes for you! Rafzekiel says to bring it to him! He can use it!”
It. Someone didn’t register as a person to the white bird.
“Bring it to him! Remember when you see it!” The bird flew away.
“Fucking demon,” Geldreth swore.
4) (to come)
Words: 812