Not sure what this is about? Here's my introduction.
Chapter 5 is the continuation of the story of Josiah begun in chapters 1, 2 and 5. But remember Jos and Joe, as all three stories impact each other.
Josiah woke with a start, shaking and trembling. What was going on? It was too dark to see anything. He looked around in panic, eyes wide, breathing quickly. He was drenched in an icy sweat, bed sheets clinging to his body. Then he realised that he was in his room and collapsed back into the bed, shivering with cold and the remains of terror. It had all been so real, Security was everywhere. Duke had been killed, and Amber… crushed beneath falling barrels. Amber was dead.
Wasn’t she? No, it was just another stupid bad dream, Amber was fine.
But they had gone to the market, followed the small man, hadn’t they? When did reality end and the dream begin? As he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he wasn’t sure. He needed a drink. But first...
“God of Steel, watch over my soul as it drifts from my body,” he began automatically. What are you doing? There is no God of Steel, no soul to leave my body. You aren’t a Priest and you don’t believe in Steel. Why are you still praying?
After a few words he gave up. There was no comfort there.
Josiah clambered from bed, switched on the light that swung just above his head, and poured himself a glass of water. His hands were shaking and he spilt half the glass on the floor. Why was he so clumsy? Fact and fiction continued to intertwine inside his head. The blood exploding from Duke’s body, the barrels falling for eternity. He had been too far away, there was nothing he could have done. Was Amber dead? He knew that he had dreamt it but had the dream reflected reality or was it all in his mind?
A coffee would help straighten his thoughts. He pressed the button for coffee but nothing happened. A gurgling sound and a smell of burning drifted from the Provider. The steel fist emblazoned on the machine stared at him. He sneered at it and knocked the Provider to the floor. It was some sort of cosmic joke, and he had had enough.
He turned to the wall and ripped down the fist that hung there. Its sharp edges cut his finger but that only made him angrier. He threw the damned thing with furious strength. Shards of grey plaster scattered as it hit the wall.
Then the phone rang.
He switched on the monitor, aware that he was not yet dressed and was still trembling.
“Merlin!” cried Amber excitedly, “good morning.”
Confusion and relief intermingled in Josiah’s mind as he struggled to think of an appropriate thing to say.
“What time is it?” was all he could come up with.
“It’s 5:56 am precisely,” Amber answered, “I thought you might want to come for a drive.”
“Do you normally call people at six in the morning?”
“Well, you’re up aren’t you?”
Josiah had to smile, all anger evaporating. “I suppose I am,” he answered.
“Then what’s the problem?” Amber rejoined, “I’m on level 28, see you when you’re dressed.”
Before Josiah could say anything else, the screen went dark. Embarrassed, he had to laugh.
