"In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life; it goes on." --- Robert Frost

[kent-whitman.livejournal.com]

Sunday, June 17th
Past midnight, on Silk

Continued from here

Shit. It's today. I knew it was today, what? Two weeks ago? But somehow, the fact that today is Wanda's birthday escaped me. But only slightly. I already have a present, and Rose and I planned on waking up early to make her breakfast...

but had I remembered I might not have stayed out quite so late tonight, wandering about and stopping to have a drink or four with some of the guys from my crew.

So with a bottle of strawberry meade in hand, I decide it might be time to get my sorry and bruised ass back home and to my lovely wife, silently thankful she likes to sleep in on Sundays.

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[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"That is a twenty mile walk. And you walked?" Well, flying's never been a gift I had. "No wonder you are tired," and he trails off, and I shrug.

"It's not the walk so much's the digging," I say, and then he's looking like the mead in his stomach's turned back into honey and there're bees crawling up his throat.

"You left town? You were able to pass the town limits?"

"'Course I did," I say. "Why, 'd you think I oughtn't be able?" Really, wonder what the hell Wanda's been telling him.

[kent-whitman.livejournal.com]

"'Course I did, Why, 'd you think I oughtn't be able?"

Oh, if it's true, that might be the best present I could give Wanda. The hope that we can leave.

"I can't." Say simply. "Wanda can't. Lucien couldn't, if memory of what Wanda told me was correct. We both tried it, a few times.... walk one direction or the other, end up back here." It was the strangest thing, yet true.

"Just hearing that someone with ties to town is able to leave makes me hopeful whatever has bound us here may have loosened it's grip." I say with a glance towards the North. "At least it might be worth the trying again."

It is late and she looks like she could sleep standing and I still need to get home before sunrise. "I am sorry, I am keeping you from your bed, I should let you get home."

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"I can't. Wanda can't. Lucien couldn't, if memory of what Wanda told me was correct," and I nod. "We both tried it, a few times.... walk one direction or the other, end up back here."

"Well, fine, but why did you think I couldn't?" I say. "Mean, not as if I swore myself t'the thing in the tower, nor was woven up by one beholden to it and one half its daughter, and Lucien was tied up with the Carnival. There's Dorian Gray as's left town, bloody sure Hollow at least crossed its bounds last winter when the Abney girl went missing, that sulking rat as used to work the Tavern, Essa Timcar's daughter..."

"Just hearing that someone with ties to town is able to leave makes me hopeful whatever has bound us here may have loosened it's grip."

"Best to you both, then," I say, "but not guessing my ties to town are a match to yours," and then he's after making apologies for keeping me up.

"Bloody aren't," I say, grinning a little. Mean, we've been walking as we spoke, and hardly as if I'd not cut the talk short were I minded to. "Go along home, then, if you're after hurrying." Wave him along, and settle back to my stroll.