Louder Than a Breath

Pepper Okonjo went down the Whisper Bench at dusk, sliding Beasts closer together so a breath would reach the next ear.

Half the bench was still on last night’s Miss Night. Pepper heard all of it first, as always. Pepper keeps the seating and hears every rumour before anyone, and has wanted for years for just one of them to come true.

Then a new one came up the bench from the far end, breath to breath.

“Tibor’s voice won’t last to Wednesday.”

Pepper’s stomach dropped. Across the street Tibor Kaczmarek was walking toward the Long Bend with one hand on their throat. Tibor had shouted two nights already, and even from the bench Pepper could hear how little voice was left.

Here at last was a rumour coming true, and Pepper wanted it to stop.

The bench has one rule: never louder than a breath. Pepper keeps that rule better than anyone. In all their seasons on the Way, Pepper has never once raised their voice, not for a call, not at the Landing, not even for a cheer.

Pepper stood up, put the Beast beside them in charge of the seating, which would be wrong by midnight, and followed Tibor to the Sleeve Post.

“Give me the first hour,” Pepper whispered. “Save yours for later.”

Tibor looked at Pepper as if Pepper had grown a second head. Then Tibor nodded and leaned on the Sleeve Post, on the lit side, to listen.

Pepper walked out to the first dark post. A plate sat on the post top under a cloth, scraped clean. The dark pressed on Pepper’s shoulders, heavy and soft, and the wanting to sit down came at once. Somewhere ahead a newcomer stood stock-still at a post in the dark.

Pepper opened their mouth, and what came out was a squeak. Up the road the newcomer turned toward it anyway.

Pepper took a breath that went all the way down, the kind the bench never needs. Their knees were shaking, and Pepper was frightened all the way through. Back at the Sleeve Post, Tibor was mouthing one word over and over, grinning.

“Next post!” Pepper shouted, and it was nowhere near a breath. “Keep walking! I’m right here, and I’m staying!”