The Feldborne Note

I

Nicholas felt the weight of the gun at his pocket. The polymer was warm from the way his hands rested on it. He took a deep breath and wished for a cigarette. He hadn't had one for over a year now, but in times of stress he felt the carving.

It was a cold day at the end of autumn. Even at two in the afternoon the sun was going out of the sky. A cold and a light snow was falling. Nicholas was glad of the long cat and thick trousers he wore. There wasn't many people around. It was after lunch and before rush hour. He kept walking, looking around as he did.

The bus shelter was just ahead. As Nicholas had expected it was empty. He'd arrived early. He sat, watching the patterns his breath made in the air and wishing for a cigarette. For five minutes he sat, the cold gradually working its way into him, finding ways through, even with the thermals.

There was nothing to do. Nicholas should have bought a book. An occasional carmoved down the street behind him. A delivery drone slid past at low speed, looking for its turning, a bus on the other side. He looked around and saw a thin figure wrapped in a large coat making his way down the pavement towards the shelter. The man nodded to Nicholas as he approached, raised a hand. The drone passed him and then. . .

There was a sudden pulse of brightness and Nicholas was flung backwards. Pain stabbed everywhere. He coughed, managing to raise his head. The bus was on its side at an angle. The delivery drone and the man that had been beside it. . . they were simply gone.