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Part I
Chapter One
A dinner plate, spotted with stains that were too stubborn to release the otherwise pristine dish, spins towards David’s head. Throwing his hands over his head, he ducks. The plate collides into the wall behind him and shatters. The light rain of plastic bathes his sweat drenched work clothes. I shouldn’t have come home. David grimaces as he hears his wife scream in frustration and reach for another plate. A small child in the back room screams for attention, waking another child in the cradle in the far side of the living room. David keeps his calloused hands, scarred from far too many nights like this one, over his head. He risks a peek. His wife has turned away, letting him see her straight back and crazed brown hair.
Roughly, she picks up the crying child from the cradle and rocks it against her chest. She shakes it against her body, practically jumping, as she tries to quiet it. “You oaf, you good for nothing bum!” She screams over the frantic child’s shrieks. “You go out there and get me enough money to hold this shack together and feed your kids, instead of sitting on your heels in that corner. Do something good for once in your life!”
David stands and walks over to her, stretching to his full height. Towering over her, he takes a pained breath. “Fine,” he utters in a grunt. “I never wanted to come home to the old hag anyway.” He turns and strolls out as fast as he can while keeping his dignity, and his head. A flying chair closes the door behind him. The children’s muffled cries echo through the hall as he descends the stairs of the apartment complex.
Outside, the land is dead. Canine feces, rotting garbage and the heavens know what else cover the sidewalks. David rubs the back of his neck as he reaches his car. I’ll die before I go back to that hell hole…he promises himself as he glances up to see his apartment window. It is dark. He hadn’t paid the electricity bill and they had shut off his power. His brown brow furls. Where have all my dreams gone?
He starts his car and frowns deeply, noticing that he is nearly out of gas. Pulling out with a jerk, he grumbles under his breath. As he drives down the streets without a destination, he passes a public park. Fathers help their sons onto the slide while the girls wait for their turn on the swings. His wife’s earlier words haunt his thoughts. Why couldn’t I be better, like one of them?
He is not like most fathers to begin with. After all, being in his early twenties, with two young children, differentiates him from the other fathers who are well into their thirties. The other fathers were settled into their careers and ready for a family; he was not. Sometimes he secretly wishes he had never met his wife to begin with. He often curses himself for wanting to leave behind his mistakes like a coward. I am better than that, at least, I hope I am.
As he passes a traffic light, he reaches up and wipes a hot tear from his eyes. His eyes squeeze shut at memory of his wife for calling him a sissy for crying when his firstborn was sent to the hospital due to acute influenza. He had sat beside the fearful child each day at the hospital with cookies and milk in his hands and an open bedtime story on his lap. In the following months, he had spent working overtime to pay for the medication and hospital visits.
A large truck speeds past the red light. The horn blows. David, far too lost in tragic memories, does not comprehend the sound. The front of the truck collides with the driver’s side of David’s car. The force of the crash is David’s last sensation. Before the pain reaches him, his body vanishes.
Smiling, Viridian tries not to notice the cool sweat flowing down her temples. With a sigh, she walks to the nearest tree and leans her back heavily onto the smooth trunk. For the moment, she lets exhaustion overcome her as she gasps for air. Her eyes close, trying to dull the pain in her head.
A little pain is worth perfection of a spell, Viridian thinks as her body becomes limp against the tree.
An aura’s sudden presence fills her mind. Forcefully pushing herself off the tree, she regains her standing position. Her heart beats angrily, partly at herself for showing weakness in the open.
Turning her head, she tries to find the direction of the aura. Earlier times, during tiresome lessons, she had learned to focus her concentration on the energy surrounding the mages around her. Slowly and secretly, she had learned to identify the different mage powers as no mage could before. This aura is similar to that of a mage, but without the energy of any sort of power. Her curiosity peaks.
Determined to find the being who disturbed her peace, and possibly watched her during a moment of weakness, she ventures deeper into the forest. Near the center of the forest, she locates the source and found a most unusual male attached to the mystique. He is nude. Bruises cover his left side and lower right side. His brown hair lies in disarray from his face. It is considerably shorter than the usual length of the males in the magedom who wear their hair to their shoulders. Prolonged exposure to the Star’s light is evident from his skin tone. His stature is a hand span above Viridian’s height. Considering she is tall for her gender and number of seasons, Viridian takes little notice to it. His body is lean and looks as limber as a two seasons matured sapling. A subtle youthful appearance hides behind his broad features.
The verdure under him is still green, though crushed. There are no other creatures around him. Viridian supposes the strange male has not been there more than a glass. The mage scans the areas of his body without moving him. He seems all right, besides the minor injuries. With that done, Viridian does what any other mage would not; she takes him back to the castle.
Viridian covers the stranger with her black cloak, for a Gathering spell would have dangerously put her below a safe level of energy. Creating a shield of air around both of them, Viridian moves toward the castle. The stranger does not stir as she levitates him horizontally beside her.
Reaching the front gate, she speaks with the gate guardian, an Earth Mage. Giving in to her pleas, the gate guardian opens the gate for both of them. She continues to float into the infirmary where the Healing Mages complete their duties. Many of them give her disapproving looks as she lays the nearly unclothed male on one of the mage beds. Grabbing her cloak and replacing it on her shoulders once more, she gives the Healing Masters the information that she gathered and watches as the others treat his wounds. Nearby, Matter Mages create a pair of dark colored trousers and a loose tunic and hurriedly place the clothes onto him for the female mages to start their duties comfortably. The stranger finally stirs.
His attention returns to those working busily around him. Some move their hands in wild gestures to strengthen their spells. A few females stand to the side, watching him from the corner of their eyes and whispering amongst themselves. No one pays attention to the awakened stranger.
This has to be a hospital, he thinks. Sighting the stone ceiling above him, David smirks, so that’s where my taxes go. Remembering his responsibilities, he looks around for his worried bonded and noisy children. Strange faces surround him.
Finally, one of males working on David looks toward the female who has not moved since David noticed her. The male shakes his head grimly and motions his hands for her to leave. She performs the slightest of a nod. David feels the warmth of the bed leave him as she levitates him above the bed.
David’s first emotion in this new world is fear. He starts to scream curses at the mages.
The female looks at him blankly. Her pitiless eyes, black as shadows, silences David for the moment. Damn, I’m dead, David swears to himself, I’m dead and this is hell.
The mage floats alongside David as they pass through corridors and stairs. Reaching a room, the door opens on its own accord and the mage lowers David onto another bed. She turns to leave, but David begins to curse at her again.
“You can’t leave me, damn it. Who the hell are you? What is this place? Damn it, answer me!” He pauses only to catch his breath.
“Do you mind being quiet?” She replies calmly over her sloping shoulders.
David’s second emotion in this world is shock.
“You—you understand me?” David stutters. She turns and gives the stranger another blank look, wondering why he does not understand her powers.
“It is a permanent translation spell. I speak my words and they correspond with your words. This is a spell of a Healing Master to communicate with their patients. I added an illusion spell to make it seem I was moving my mouth as those who speak your words do. A Healing Master will come in to see to it that you rest.” Her voice is cold as stone, emotionless.
“Mage… Master… Where am I? Who are you?” David asks in disbelief, forgetting about his earlier thoughts of death, now convinced that the world as he knew it had suddenly changed.
“You are in my magedom.” She stops, seeing the stranger’s obvious ignorance of her words. “A magedom is a community of mages living together, on a sphere called the Mageworld. A mage is a male or female who can control one or all powers in addition to the necessary abilities such as summoning clothing, defensive and offensive attacks within each power, and simple spells such as curses. I am Viridian the Worldly Mage, meaning that I have all different types of powers, but all my powers must be on the same level before any of them are to advance.”
“Why—no, better yet—how did I get here?” David asks, knowing this situation is not a hoax. The female before him seems sincere in her knowledge about mages, not to mention the levitation feat.
“I will find out soon. You should rest.” With that, she walks out, leaving the confused stranger be.
Feeling the stranger is safe, Viridian heads directly to the Time Master’s quarters.
The elderly master greets her with curiosity for she barely needs to inquire something of another mage for the scrolls and volumes in the public quarters seem to answer all questions. In her personal quarters for quick and unknown access, Viridian also has secret duplicates of everything she read, including the spell books of her teachers.
The Time Master is one of the eldest masters of the castle. His hair, though few, is pure from countless sets of seasons of existence. Being a hermit, his skin is naturally as light as the inner core of a tree. His beard reaches the midpoint of his chest, while his skin sags in the same direction. His stature is about the same as Viridian’s, though his many numbers of seasons had bent his back lower.
“Did you send one of your mages to bring a person from another time here as an exam?” Viridian asks specifically. It is common knowledge that the Time Master’s exams are the most bizarre in the castle.
“Certainly, I would never! That is a most dangerous venture! Why would you ask such a question? Does that have to do with the stranger you brought in from the forest whose body rejected our healing spells?” His glassy dark eyes question and press her for the truth. Viridian silently curses the gossiping nature of the infirmary Healing Mages. She nods. Time Master’s expression changes dramatically to emotions Viridian cannot decode. A frown places itself on her face, believing he will start a notoriously long lecture.
Instead, he challenges her. “Can you find Garth the Time Mage’s whereabouts and bring us there?” With a nod, she scans the castle for Garth’s essence, a useful ability she learned form the Seer Masters. Viridian finds him quickly in his personal quarters. In the next instant, they are at Garth’s door, made of a moveable piece of a tree’s trunk.
“Garth,” calls the Time Master. Footsteps reach the other side of the door, but it does not open. The Time Master calls more angrily, “Garth!” A moment passes. There is no movement from within the room. The master looks at Viridian and nods. In turn, Viridian plunges her hands past the door, into the room. Her hands find Garth’s collar and quickly drag him out of his quarters.
Wide-eyed Garth stares at the Worldly Mage and Time Master in front of him. “Yes?” He says as Viridian releases his collar. He is a hand span shorter than Viridian, though growing steadily. His hair is red as a fire orb with eyes as blue as the heavens.
“Did you look into the Other Times Glass, after I specifically told you to keep your distance from it?” Time Master asks, knowing the answer. Garth nods, casting his eyes to the floor. “Did you bring a male to our time?” Time Master asks as he brings his old, yet strong, hand under Garth’s chin to force the mage to meet his eyes.
“Yes, sir,” Garth answers, “but he was in an accident. He is in the far past, before mages came to power, when they called Mageworld, Earth. I did not want him to die, so I brought him to a safer place. No one noticed his body’s absence; there was so much fire and chaos that they declared the fire must have burned his body completely. After I brought him here, I saw into the possible future that she, Viridian, would bring him here. The male and Viridian will do something for the better of this magedom as well as another magedom.” He says quickly as tears gather in his eyes.
“It is alright Garth.” Viridian says before the Time Master can trap Garth, along with her, in one of his lectures. “Just tell us, what good will he—we do? He is from another time. He knows nothing of mages and masters.” Viridian does not bother list her flaws to the mage.
“I just know he will do good things for us, with help from you…a lot of help. He will make trouble at first, but I can feel the good things that will come out of this in the future.” Garth adds as his voice cracks in fear of his punishment. Before the Time Master can sentence it, Viridian nods and points Garth back to his quarters.
“What was the meaning of that, Worldly Mage Viridian?” Time Master asks, reminding her of her inferior position as soon as Garth has returned to his quarters.
“I have a Time Mage’s powers too, and I can see the truth as Truth Mages do. I can see that Garth is telling the truth, but I can see conflict. I cannot see as far as you or as far as Garth’s full power, yet. However, I can see that Garth did something that will lead to something for the greater good.” Viridian ends quickly before she starts a lecture.
“Fine, just do not let him cause this castle too much trouble.” The Time Master says as he turns from Viridian and returns to his quarters. Viridian cannot stop the smirk that makes its way to her lips. She smirks victoriously; the master had seen what she believes to be true, though he does not know what it is either.
Viridian hurries off into the public quarters to where she had read about a past when the inhabitants called the Mageworld ‘Earth’, a time when mages did not exist, until the humans, as they called themselves, and their civilization had ended and the mages’ came to be.
“What is a Healing Master?” He manages as he pulls himself into a sitting position on the bed with only a slight stinging sensation along his side. He leans back onto the cold stone as he watches the elder female.
Light brown hair with a few stray pure hairs cascade to her waist. Her soft gray eyes watch him cordially, giving no sign of wishing him harm. No cloak adorns her shoulders, as the Worldly Mage had fashioned. Her gown is complex, intricate patterns in lace covering the sleeves and skirt. With a nod, the Healing Master walks to a chair at the foot of David’s bed. Pulling her skirt slightly upwards, she sits comfortably.
Her powers are like the physicians of his time, David learns, though more potent and without the need of medication. Her most remarkable ability is to tell stories, despite her healing powers. Upon the stranger’s request, she tells him almost everything about her family and her life. David listens as a mage would during their first lesson. She tells of her marriage to Truth Master who is many seasons her senior.
“He sounds like a cop.” David declares after the Healing Master gives him a description of the Truth Master’s duties. After the slightest pause, she nods and continues to tell of her worries that the malevolent mages, whom the Truth Master is frequently in the company of in the dungeons in the subterranean level of the magedom, will affect him. I thought she was a shrink, David thinks, now I have to hear all her problems.
To David’s gratefulness, she shakes her head to rid herself of the thoughts before she continues, speaking fondly of her two sons and daughter. Her sons being Earth Mages and her daughter being a Healing Mage, they live in different areas within the magedom. A happy family, David pictures, a shame the magedom separates them by powers instead of grouping families together.
There is a subterranean level within the castle made for the dungeons and the Truth Masters and Mages’ living quarters. The next level, plane with the outer ground level, holds the infirmary, Great Room, public quarters and housing of the Healing, Earth and Energy Masters and Mages. The second above ground level contains the personal quarters of the Illusion, Air, Water, Fire Mages and Masters. The third compiles of quarters for all the mages and masters with the powers of Seer, Time and Matter. The final level is for Worldly and Weather Mages as well as several rooms for weak or reviving Mages.
In the back of his thoughts, he slightly wishes his society would separate his family.
Consciously, David wonders if he really is in a world as Meriad describes, of powers and mages. With nothing else to do, he listens, hoping he will wake from the too detailed dream he still believes this world to be.
“Can you pinch me?” He asks, after a lengthy silence. The Healing Master looks into his earth toned eyes and smiles.
“This is reality, where no pain will wake you,” she states, “unless you wish to leave all the worlds.” She quickly changes the topic of the conversation, trying to calm the stranger.
A knock on the door forces the Healing Master to stop before she begins the explanation of energies. Viridian enters. Her face a little brighter than the last time David saw her, though she still shows no emotion. She relays the information from Garth and the texts, including that human civilization ended, for reasons yet unknown, and mages came into being and have reigned over this sphere ever since.
“You being a creature we have never encountered before,” Viridian explains further, gesturing at herself and Meriad. “All our spells placed directly onto you do not affect you. The Healing Mages are working on a spell to heal your wounds as we speak.”
Hearing these words, David feels the need to return to his home, where things made sense. Another thought surfaces, asking himself what good he would do for his bonded and children. The life insurance money, he thinks, will give them more than anything I could earn. With his questions and desires answered, David remains silent.
Meriad stands from the chair abruptly. She looks over at the Worldly Mage. They speak through their eyes for several moments, making David uneasy in the silence. Meriad nods finally, and turns to David.
“Keep the castle unbroken.”
Viridian smirks, the first expression on her face David had seen since arriving. This small show of emotion makes David curious.
“What’s going on?” He enquires to both of the mages. The Worldly Mage finally shakes her head and looks at David sternly.
“Garth, being a Time Mage, can see into the future. He said you will bring the castle good, but will go through a few troubles first.” David sighs heavily. Great, he thinks, I am their knight in armor who will do something good, for a change. But, I have to go through hell first. Just great.
“Um…” Viridian interrupts his thoughts of world salvation. “What am I to call you? Do you have a title from your time?” David takes a moment to think, trying to remember a distinguished sounding title. After a few moments, he decides against it. Starting my stay in this strange new place with a lie will definitely be one of my worse decisions. Besides, he adds, they probably have a lie detecting spell or something like that.
“I’m David. I don’t have a title. I do have a wife and three kids.” David says, slightly dreading the last parts. Viridian gives the stranger a blank look. David understands that as her polite ‘I-don’t-have-a-clue-what-this-stranger-from-another-time-is-saying’ face.
“I have someone like Meriad back home. I’m like the Truth Master to her. We—” The stranger stops, realizing how unintelligent he sounds as he is about to explain the process of conceiving a child.
“You have a bonded and other kin?” Viridian asks, trying to clear up the stranger’s relationships.
“Yes, that’s what I meant.” David says enthusiastically. Though ‘bonded’ makes it seem as if he is chained to her, it matches his perception of his relationship to his wife. I’m here, he thinks optimistically, and my vows didn’t include other worlds so maybe…
Abruptly, Viridian turns her eyes upwards, towards the ceiling, catching the stranger’s attention. David follows her gaze. There is nothing in her line of sight that gives him any interest. Meriad looks as if she is listening to something. After a moment, they both turn their attention to David.
“It is the last glass before the heavens grow dark. Are you hungry?” Viridian asks. The stranger’s stomach churns. His mouth salivates at the thought of food. Then he has another thought.
“I guess I can’t get pizza and a burger here.” Another blank look from Viridian confirms David’s thoughts. “Never mind, how about some chicken, a steak or lobster?” Hell, David thinks with a smirk on his face, if I am going to be here for a while, I might as well have some fun!
Meriad and Viridian exchange worried looks, but no blank stares. They understand, but wish they didn’t.
“We…do not eat other creatures.” Viridian says finally, evidently suppressing a shiver. David sighs heavily, realizing he must have made himself out to be a monster. He starts to think things over before he speaks.
“I’ll have what you are having.” The stranger says finally. Viridian’s eyebrows cross as she shakes her head.
“I am a mage, and you are not. In addition, a storm is coming so I shouldn’t eat as much. I will bring you a little of everything. Meriad, what would you like?” David does not understand the part about the storm but keeps silent.
“Just my usual will be alright.” Meriad responds. Viridian nods in acknowledgement and disappears. David stares into the void Viridian left behind. He is only beginning to realize all the powers a mage can possess.
Looking over at Meriad the Healing Master, David is relieved of the sense of shock. Guilt takes its place. He believes he is forcing both of them to stay with him, when they can spend time wherever else to eat. Meriad the Healing Master looks up and smiles. Her smile reminds David of his mother when she used to calm him as a child.
“You only need to be concerned about yourself. Besides, it is great for me to talk to a new person. The mages seem to grow weary of my stories and advice. Well, all except Viridian. There is a polite mage. Soon, she hopes to become the First Female Worldly Master. It is a daunting task for it takes time to master every power. But if she did, she would be very powerful.” Meriad the Healing Master sighs sadly but keeps her smile.
“What’s wrong? She can’t become a master or something?” David asks, suddenly interested in the mage.
“No, no, she can. She has all the potential to become one. The only shame is that her parents are not here to witness her coming to power. When she was less mature in seasons, I would wake and hear her trying not to wake me with her sobs through our mental contact we had since her parents left this world. She tries so hard to remember them, but cannot. She would ask questions about which parent she looked like more. It pains me to say my memory is not good enough for her to develop complete images of her parents.” A question from David’s mind reaches Meriad.
“They were kind mages. Talented as she will be! Her mother was a Worldly like her. We all thought her mother could become the First Female Worldly Master. Strangely, she mastered the complicated spells Viridian does not know how to cast now, along with some Earth spells. I was the Healing Master who brought Viridian to this world. I suppose that is where my bond with her began. Her mother and I were already close friends, though my bonded did not seem to enjoy her company. I do not understand why; she was a perfect companion. Viridian’s father was an Earth Master. That explains her looks of stone, does it not? Her father tried to teach her mother every thing he knew. He was proud of his family.”
Meriad clicks her tongue against the pain of the memory. She grimaces for an instant, folding along fine lines beside her eyes and lips. “They died too early. Their energies were too low after a complex spell against a dragon. It had attacked the castle about five moons after Viridian’s Arrival. Her mother was still weak from the Arrival, and her father was weak from a battle earlier that moon with…oh, I cannot recall. Either way, you have no need for useless details.” The Healing Master stops, shaking her head as if to clear the unneeded details from her mind.
“They were weak and died in battle. It is peculiar how the dragon lost interest in the magedom after killing her parents and simply flew off.” She sighs again in remembering the crying Worldly Mage in her arms. The images flooded her with a destructive fury: the tears streaming down Viridian’s face and onto the Healing Master’s gown, her deafening screams at the dragon, at first pleading, then vowing revenge. Meriad could not recall any other time Viridian showed her emotions publicly after her parents’ death.
“Now,” she continued steadily, trying to cast off the memory. “Viridian is raised by everyone here. I think she even thinks of me like a mother. I have taught her everything about healing others as I had taught my daughter. The rest of the castle knows she is a Worldly, so everyone here has something to show her and challenge her. That teleporting you just saw was by the Matter Mages. The levitation, which I heard you witnessed with a fright, was by the Air Mages. I am sure you will see her passing through things soon. That was partly my teaching. Healing Mages must learn that spell to remove something malign from inside a patient.” Meriad answers David’s question before he voices it. Without pausing, she continues explaining Viridian’s life.
“She is so lucky a few mages here are willing to show her something. However, she learned most of her spells when the other mages tried to terrorize, taunt or challenge her with something much too difficult. Many of the mages keep their skill to themselves and teach no one.”
David opens his mouth to ask if there were any dragons around here and about the storm, but stops when Viridian appears with four trays levitating around her. One floats to Meriad the Healing Master. It stays level for her to eat comfortably. Two trays float toward the stranger. His stomach churns hungrily.
On one tray is a bowl made of ceramic material and a matching ceramic spoon. Inside the bowl, there are many different greenery as well as some flowers. On the other tray is another bowl with a thick soup with floating pieces of roots. David wonders if it was better to eat and ask later or not ask at all. The females’ gentle laughter distracts him from his thoughts. He looks up curiously.
“Grant us pardon, but you must know that Healers must know what their patient is thinking to know what is really ailing them. And a Worldly Mage has all the abilities…” Viridian trails off as she sits on air. David looks wide eyed at the comfort Viridian seems to have while sitting on nothing visible.
As Viridian’s face starts to crimson from David’s scrutiny of her, the stranger quickly looks back at his tray. His attention returns to what she had said. His face begins to redden from humiliation.
“Do not worry, it is very safe. Nothing that is bitter or sour.” Meriad reassures David as she drinks her broth and takes a bite of the fruit before her.
David sneaks a glance at Viridian’s tray. It is a much smaller tray with only a few pieces of fruit.
“You’ll starve with that.” David tells her, forgetting his manners and humiliation.
“I cannot eat much, merely enough to have energy for the next breaking of light.” David takes a moment to decode her words to mean ‘tomorrow’ in his time’s words.
“What’s going to happen then?” David asks curiously.
Viridian points to the wall facing the bed and many stones in the center of the wall disappear, leaving a hole for a window. Through the hole, David can see that he is facing into the courtyard and residing in a room on the top floor of the castle. The other side of the courtyard is easily in sight, as well as the quickly darkening heavens.
“You can see it in the coming breaking of light.” Viridian says with a weak smile.
“You will do fine.” Meriad reassures Viridian then turns toward the stranger. “I will make sure you see it. It is quite a sight, even if I have seen it over a score of times.”
They quickly finish the rest of the meal. Viridian teleports again to bring the trays back to the Energy Mages, who control the meals as well as certain aspects of ceremonies. During that time, David asks Meriad questions, though not about the storm or dragons.
“Is Viridian bonded to anyone?” David knows it is a rude question, but from Meriad’s appearance and his limited knowledge of this world, David speculates that she had her children around Viridian’s age.
“No, she is a bit too immature in her skills for that now. Besides, the males worry about female Worldly Mages. Many consider Worldly Mages the most powerful types. With the added touch of being female, the males fear they will not control her. She enjoys the freedom of being unbound; she hates being controlled, but she is obedient. Why do you ask?” Meriad enquires, finally curious about the stranger.
“I was only wondering what kind of mage she would be bonded to.” David says, not lying completely.
Viridian reappears just as David ends his explanation. She looks at Meriad and nods. The Healing Master leaves by way of the door, not teleportation. The stranger supposes Healing Mages do not have that ability. Viridian then turns her attention to David.
“Are you too warm, too cold?” She asks. The stranger’s eyes scan the room, wondering if there are blankets nearby. He does not see any. Not wanting to trouble her, he shakes his head.
“Have you forgotten already what I said about Worldly Mages?” She asks, as she steps closer to David’s bedside. She raises her hands above him. After first, David thinks she will levitate him again. Instead, the air around him gradually warms to a sleep welcoming temperature. Letting her hands fall to her sides, she walks to the window and turns to face the stranger she brought into the magedom.
“Do you wish for the room to be darkened?” She asks, though it is unnecessary. With a nod as the stranger’s honest reply, Viridian gestures at the window. A gathering of threads slowly arrange themselves into a drape.
“Are you comfortable?” She asks while the fabric is completing itself. David begins to drift off to sleep as she speaks, knowing she does not need a voiced answer. Viridian leaves. The stranger shuts his eyes to sleep.
