SWNOVELS Chapter Epilogue
The mood was sombre as Dmitri’s body made its final journey down the hospital corridor to the incinerator.
The nomads lined the hallway, their heads bowed as the gurney carrying their dead colleague passed. Only a few were missing. Camile Monnier who was resting in her hospital bed above watched over by her mother. Esther who was on the roof keeping watch with Florian for company. The newest of their number Florian had been keen to be of use. He had never known Dmitri, never fought alongside the man or travelled with him. It seemed fitting that he should stand watch, but not alone. They didn’t trust him enough for that yet.
The others were gathered here to say goodbye to their friend.
Knut had considered Embers request to bury Dmitri but on reflection decided the risk was too great. The monstrous dog-things that had killed the man still lurked in the woods nearby and would most certainly be attracted to any burial party. Ronan’s first suggestion of cremating him in the car park was similarly dismissed. The fire might still attract predators from the Other-Verse. If the nomads were caught out in the open, there may yet be more bodies in need of disposal.
Simply putting the body in the hospital’s incinerator seemed at first too impersonal, but eventually, it was accepted as the best option. So the ceremony had been hastily arranged.
Father Mathias Businger spoke eloquently over the body, a moving eulogy, that seemed to remind the gathered mourners of a more civilised time. A time when it hadn’t been necessary to burn a body in an incinerator because it was too dangerous to bury it. Knut wondered ruefully if one day they would look back on this and envy even the scant luxury of being allowed a few moments of silence to dispose of their dead.
Dmitri certainly wouldn’t be the last of their number to die a violent death.