Back at the campsite, the peaceful silence of the Heaven's Crib barrier was broken by a low, pained groan.
Johnn tossed and turned beneath his bedroll, his brow matted with cold sweat. In the depths of his sleep, the world was a blur of fire and screaming. He was running, his legs felt like lead, heavy and slow, reaching out toward a fading silhouette.
"MOTHER! WAIT!"
His fingers brushed against the hem of a dress made of light, but the more he ran, the further she drifted into the white void of his memory. The desperation in his chest tightened until it felt like his heart would burst.
"Mother!"
Johnn bolted upright, his shout echoing off the thin fabric of the tent. His chest heaved, his eyes darting around the small, shadowed space in a panic. For a split second, he didn't know where he was. The smell of smoke from his dream lingered, replaced slowly by the scent of morning dew.
"…Mother?" he rasped, his voice cracking.
