Mountains of Dawn

The dream held Tanya, pulled her down into its depths. Edda's face appeared, covered with blood, then Charles with flashing eyes and an evil grin. Fire. Smoke. She pushed back and fought her way to consciousness.

The ground swayed and dipped, the seat holding her moving with it. A droning roar filled her ears. Where was she? She couldn't see, couldn't distinguish anything around her. For a moment she considered fighting, then let inertia drag her back and dozed again. Nearly an hour later, the twilight of her sleep let her drift once more to the surface. She peered through her lashes. Things were still hazy, but she could see the seats in front of her and Charles beside her. She was on an airplane.

She held still, afraid to let Charles know she was conscious, and took stock of the situation. Finally, struggled to sit upright. "Please…" she said, her eyes half closed. "Please, I need to go to the washroom."

Charles grasped her arm and pulled her from the seat, then shoved her down the aisle. His balance was not much better than her own. In the restroom, she splashed water on her face. Gradually, she felt more normal…and more frightened.

Charles rapped on the door. "Hurry up in there." His voice sounded more like a snarl. Tanya hurried. Charles pulled her back to their seats and shoved her against the window as if she were a rag doll.

"I gave you a shot of the good stuff before," he said. "The drug I have in my pocket is a new, strong spray that would put you to sleep for a long, long time." He giggled. "There's no smell. Everybody would think you were asleep…but you might never wake up completely. Not ever."

"Charles?"

"What do you want?"

"Why are you doing this? We've been good friends…"

"Friends? You little tramp, at twenty-three you have everything, all you'll ever need or want. And…and you have to fuck the first man you meet." His mouth twisted with contempt. "For me, you have nothing. Did it ever occur to you, when you wagged your plump little tail at me, that I might want you? That I'm a man, too?" He coughed, turned his face from her. "Friends. I hate you…" His face blazed red and furious, his eyes, enormous, blinked nervously. He seemed more than slightly unstable.

"Charles, I can offer you a lot of money in exchange for my life." Her only chance was to reach him on some level, a place where she could improve her chances of survival.