Cogs in Time Anthology (The Steamworks Series) Read Online Free Page A

stone, and cursed aloud. Limping, she continued past all of the dilapidated storefronts and emerged in the center of town.
    No carriages passed on the road, and Amelia noticed only a few people wandering the other side of the street, passing the more presentable shops. A man yelling about the end of the world caught her attention, as he waved wildly in the air. I think I’ll pass on asking him anything, she thought.
    She looked up at the oversize hands ticking away on the clock tower and gasped. Confused, Amelia watched as the hands moved counter-clockwise, as if rewinding time. A dirigible floated overhead, drawing her attention as the steam puffed from the vents in the rear of the airship. It, too, was floating in reverse. Eyes wide in disbelief, Amelia brought her hand to her mouth to stifle the scream. What is going on? Where am I?
    Without thought, she took three steps and fell against the clock tower, sliding down the cold stone exterior to sit. Get it together, Amelia. There is a rational reason why you can’t remember anything before the attack, she chanted to herself. She hung her head, headache still battering her skull, and tried to reason through everything that had transpired. She could recall, in vivid detail, the attack and the man with the silver eyes reaching towards her.
    As if summoned by thoughts alone, she glanced up to see the silver-eyed stranger standing on the corner watching her. Amelia gurgled on her scream and stood so fast that she scraped her back against the uneven stone exterior of the clock tower. Turning to run in the opposite direction, she tried every shop door on the opposite side of the street, only to find each one locked.
    Risking a glance behind her, she found the street corner empty and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. As she continued walking, she pinched her nose in an effort to block the overwhelming smell from searing her nasal cavity. The further she walked down Main Street, the stronger the smell became.
    Flames, as high as the roofs, blazed at the end of the road, blues and purples intermingled with the orange glow. Curiosity and bewilderment carried her towards the scene, joining the handful of others standing around the blaze as if it were a bonfire.
     
    ****
     
    Staring into the flames, Amelia became entranced. One by one, each of the peasants walked into the fire, like moths to a flame. She wanted to scream, to stop them, but she could only fight the urge inside her that wanted to join them. She watched their clothes and hair ignite, but still, they walked closer until they were fully engulfed. As the skin melted from their skeletons, Amelia screamed in her head, her mouth never manifesting the sound of her utter horror.
    Against her every instinct, one leg inched forward to carry her closer to the fire. A shove from behind made her stumble and land hard on her hands and knees. The skin on her palms bled, her skirts ripped, and her knees screaming in pain. The aching in her knees cleared her head, and she looked back to see the attacker from the night before glaring at her.
    That’s impossible! Amelia scrambled to the side, still on all fours, while watching the man advance on her. Bumping into something hard, she whipped her head around and up to find the silver-eyed man glaring at her attacker. Amelia whimpered and crawled on the freezing ground to hide behind her savior.
    A gust of wind blew the gentleman’s long coat into her face, blinding her for a moment. Her arms finally gave out as she collapsed on the frigid stone and watched in terror, face turned and eyes wide, as her attacker approached the man guarding her.
    Her guardian took two steps towards the terrifying man, and Amelia wanted to reach out and grasp his ankle, silently begging him. Please don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me like this!
    As afraid as she was of the silver-eyed stranger, she was more horrified at the man gaining ground towards them. His teeth were black and rotting as he