Round birth territory“Duncan,” he heard Sarah say in a raised voice. “Crispin was asking about the iron ore mine being built at Brannock’s ford.” ~ ~ ~ Death wasn’t cheap and the funeral director met with would-be charity cases every day. Poor sad widows and confused children, brokenhearted lovers... they all came to him asking for a deal. I’m so doped up that I’m teetering. “How lovely Pauline looked, yesterday evening!” people continue to say, out of habit. And nobody dares say, or even think: ‘Why? What’s he up to out there? What’s he going to do to us?’ Bury us, was my guess. Bury us or burn us. Light a fire under us. That’s what I’d have done. I listened for the sound of petrol being doused about. round birth territory “I don’t know,” he said. “Karinger would’ve had a plan. Even you might have something in mind. But my motto’s always been, ‘Just be there,’ and usually whatever needs to happen will happen.” Hei?ur gets in the passenger side, puts her arm around my shoulders, and asks whether something unusual happened. ~ ~ ~ Dad’s phone rings a long time. If he leaves his room, no one answers the phone. His roommate’s so deaf that he doesn’t even hear the ringing. Now the child is finally on her way east, where she should have been the entire time, on a late, special trip, with her mother and Hei?ur and the doll Cosette, which was named after the character inLes Mis?rables. He doesn’t follow my index finger, and instead places his hand on my cheek and plants a dream-prince kiss on my mouth. He puts his arm around my shoulder, turning around so that we both face the northern lights as we stand side-by-side in the narrow hallway. I lean my head against his arm in total silence, as I’ve done in many a dream. “That’s one way to think about it.” Behind us, the sandy cloud blocks our sight. No Hj?rleifsh?f?i, no ocean. All that exists is what’s ahead. Maybe we’ve avoided the worst? Maybe time and wind direction have been favorable to us, the wind’s decided to side with us after all these years? Finally, after all these years. “I’ve been thinking of suicide every other minute since I left yesterday morning,” I said. Smith dismounted and turned back expectantly to Ross, who with a sheepish expression gestured several men forward then after a chastising glance from Smith sent them back to retrieve their muskets. The show of prisoners needed a show of guards. ~ ~ ~ “Hello, Coco,” someone said. “And if I,” she stammered, “get you the things? Will I see you again?”. |