The Devil's Ringmaster

Chapter One: Bloom/Dedalus

The town hall clock was striking six as Thomas opened his eyes.

Outside, beyond the glass, it was raining heavily, and still very dark. He did not know quite where it had come from, but at some point during the ten or so minutes he’d been sitting on the bus, the heavens had opened. And “opened” didn’t quite do it justice, Thomas observed, as he blinked …