Since the book is nearing final draft form, I’ve started begging. Begging my friend the editor to give it a look, begging my friends and family who can actually draw for art work for my website, and begging my co-author to get a move on.
This is, of course, part of the master plan. I work best with a firm deadline. Final draft is due on November 30th, and the website will be up on January 1st, 2013. Or so I hope.
I’ve talked before about doing this for the money, and it’s true. This is how I want to make a living, by telling stories. I tried working in offices, and since I’m not a heartless, cut throat bitch, it just didn’t work out for me. I don’t mind retail, except for the customers. I just want to tell stories. I want to intrigue and delight people, and yes, I want to be paid to do it. Although, I’ll keep doing it, even if I have to get a job, lol.
The new novel structure helps introduce the two main characters by showing them in the same situations, but from their perspectives. Unfortunately, this is also a intro novel. So yeah, infodumps abound in the first part of the book. It’s unavoidable.
Nobody wants to read the same infodump twice in one story though. I have to figure out when and where to cut those scenes, and what to splice in or whether it should just be a short chapter.
So yeah, lots and lots of revision. The good news, at least I’m not doing anymore first draft material. It’s all revision and polishing from here until November.
But at the end of the process, you still have a ball of shiny shit. It’s a phrase I’m trying to keep in mind during these next few weeks. It’s right up there with “If it doesn’t work cut it.”
I reread my book this week and, as a reader, tried to find those places where stuff just didn’t work. Now I have to do some serious surgery. A few places I knew where problematic, my fight scenes mostly. But there’s still a couple of places that need a dialogue overhaul. Mostly because they were written back when writing Edie was like nailing jello to a tree. Marley has always been the easier character to write, if only because his motivations are so basic. Edie on the other hand, is very complex.
This process is made doubly hard, because most conversations are done twice. Once from Marley and then again from Edie. While I don’t cover everything twice, I have to make sure that where I do, it’s identical.
Some far less grumpy news: My friend is finishing some character sketches for me. I hope to have them by the end of the school year. And I will definitely be posting them.
Finished the reread. I avoided too much editing and re-writing. The point was to have a better understanding of what was written. I also did a word. 3rd draft comes in at 139419. Just over 10k more than the second draft. For the record, we DID cut over half the book, and most of this draft is first draft material. The next few weeks will be interesting.
As an little bonus, I leave you with this snippet of conversation:
“This all very cute,” Miguel’s deep voice cut in, “but even last stands should have a plan. I’m positive no one ever said ‘Let’s go out there and get eaten.’”
The enforced month off had some advantages. As I reread this draft, I can see the weak places in the narrative with more objective clarity. So making notes as I go along, but I think, objectively, that this version of the story is likely to be the final one.
Oh there’s work to be done, tweaks to chapters and scenes, not mention tons and tons of polishing to the actual prose. But, I think the plot, as it stands, is done. I might need to add or cut a few things, but I think all the heavy lifting is done.
My goal was to have something publishable this November 30th. With summer coming up, I believe that’s still doable. I’ll have to kick the co-author into overdrive, but we can and will do this.
It might be time to start thinking about self-publishing, kickstarter, and finding artists and web designers to help me.
I now have add all my odd names and made up words to this computer’s spell check. Stupid kids pouring milk on my old laptop…
Got up nice and early to download my book and get set up for some real writing. Unfortunately for my sanity, that took a little longer than I would have liked since I had put it under the wrong label in google documents. A few moments of tears and repeating “no, no, no” incessantly, but it’s all good. I’ll be rereading and editing tonight!
Well my computer up and died on me. I had enough warning to get the book and everything else important off of it, luckily. I’ve had exacty one month off and I am more than ready to start writing again. Start looking for regular updates again and hopefully some artwork.
I had originally thought to open the book with much more traditional fantasy chapter which would also introduce our antagonist.
The book took a different turn though and that opening won’t work anymore. But After rereading the current story, I think I can use the same chapter later in the book. Marley has a dream sequence while he is changing into a Reaver, and Edie spends about two chapters somewhere between awake and asleep after a fight. I think we could squeeze a short dream in there.
Which would be fun, cause I like Omlos and this chapter would be about him.
We’re still messing with chapter orders and few other ideas. But we do know we’re changing the first chapter, although in deference to the first thing I ever wrote for this story, Marley still plays his guitar in this chapter.
For a little added fun: I’m posting the chapter today. it’s still under construction, but I like it, and I wanted to share it.
I can’t believe this is the best idea I could come up with.
Marley sat, guitar in hand, waiting for the right moment. He had set up his stool between two of the thick posts that held up the roof of the long porch. He had a clear view of the sun rise over the turquoise sea. For a moment, the water turned a brilliant gold, before the glare of it forced him to close his eyes. The sight of the golden water glowing beyond the pristine white sand brought him peace in a world that had long since gone mad.
The morning light cast long shadows about his feet. The porch was wide and long, and filled with wooden chairs. Heavy beams broke up a low wide railing. Each beam was incised with a howling wolf head. Marley leaned back and rested his stool against on of the beams as he enjoyed the steady breeze coming off the water.
At least I have one hell of a cell.
The thought was a common one, and bitter. Edie had promised him he could leave, some day. Just like every other day so far though, it wasnt going to be today. Marley had come to realize that Edie said a lot of things but the most important information was always in what she didnt say. And there was a lot that went unsaid. It was strange how the inability to leave a place made you so anxious to get out. All around him was an unbelievably gorgeous landscape the kind of place he had only read about in travel magazines, back when there were magazines, and all he could think about was getting back to the rubble he left behind.
Not that he had anywhere to go earth-side, or anyone waiting for him. The technocrats had ravaged most of the country. Outside the Haven he was completely alone, no friends, no family.
Ha! The Haven. Maybe if you walk in, but when you’re dragged the name really doesnt fit.
Marley suddenly felt apprehensive about what he was about to do. He chalked it up to Stockholm syndrome from hell but that wasnt really the problem. It’s easy to fall in love with your captures, they give you protection of a sort, they have power and everyone wants to be near power. So making the decision to join the Pack was easy. In the end what choice did he really have? Convincing them that he should be allowed to join was going to be much harder.
And this was the best plan I could come up with…
Marley ran a hand over his head. It had been four days since his last transformation and he finally had what amounted to five o’clock shadow on his scalp. His hand bristled the tiny folicles but he couldnt will them to grow any faster. Edie had joked he would need to develop the patience of an olive farmer. Marley resolved to look up what that meant but it was one of those things that got put on the back burner to make room for more important tasts, like sulking on the porch. He might not have minded losing the hair if he hadnt worked so damned hard on growing out those freaking dreds. More than that the stubble was a particulary harsh reminder of his situation. His entire world was changing and he was grossly unprepared for it.
He had no real fighting experience; all of his abilities were from the Reaver. A fist fight or two over a choice corner to play his guitar was nothing compared with what the Pack did. The Reaver, on the other hand, had easily defeated two of the Pack’s best before anybody could even try to stop it. Guilt enveloped him, as he suddenly thought of Brenda’s pale blue eyes looking up at him. Even now thinking back to the tightness of his hands around her neck he could smell the sweet scent of her fear. The terror in her eyes disgusted and excited him.
I would have drained her too, if Randal hadn’t been there.
Marley took a deep breath, and ran a shaking hand up the strings of his guitar. He didn’t have anything in mind to play, he just wanted the feel of the instrument. As always, the instrument brought calm and balance, like a gambler thumbing a chip or a smoker flicking a Bic. Sometimes it felt like his guitar was all he had left. Marley looked out at the clear turquoise water, hoping for the tiniest reminder of the peace he had recieved earlier. Unsurprisingly, peace eluded him.
Joining the Pack wasn’t just a matter of fighting. For him it would be more about control. He knew he could never truly be one of them until he could control the Reaver. He didn’t deserve to be one of them, until that day. Still he wanted his allgience known.
Today he was starting his campaign. There was a lot of work to do. Randal was no friend of his. Marley knew it was likely he’d be goaded into a fight. He wondered how long he hold out.
I’m angrier than I should be. That’s what Edie said.
Marley shied away from the thought. Control was control. The Pack respected self-control. Marley’s small smile was bitter. He had learned control from his father, on the streets. Paolo’s lessons were always on his mind.
Maybe I should follow those a little more closely. That crazy bastard was usually right.
Feeling calmer, Marley turned his thoughts back to the Pack. He’d never get Randal on his side, so he’d just have to concentrate on the rest of them. It wasn’t entirely without hope there. Even aside from whatever was going on with Brenda, he thought the other speedsters liked him, the masters had all been friendly too, or as friendly as the Librarians allowed them to be.
Quit lying to yourself, your only real advantage is that you can play guitar.
The voice was his father’s, and Marley remembered Edie, in his room, with big brown, lying eyes. She had said that Brenda grabbed his guitar after the attack because they hadn’t had someone who played an instrument in awhile.
That’s, of course assuming, I can trust anything she says.
Marley ran an exhausted hand over his face. Sleep had been espesically elusive last night. Anger and depression did not make for a good night’s sleep. And without Edie’s magic lightening his mood, the meager three hours he’d been averaging the last month had been restless. Sighing, Marley realized that the Healer kept creeping into his thoughts. She was a distraction, and a particlarly bad one. Marley strived to push her away, and concentrate on what he was about to do. He adjusted himself on the high stool again. He really wasn’t sure his plan was sound at all.
It had seemed so easy after a nearly sleepless night alone in his room. Just sit where the Pack could hear and play. Then make friends. He had played enough coffee houses, restaurants, street corners, and barbeques to pull it off.
This has got to be the lamest thing ever. They’re going to kill me where I sit. I shouldn’t be out here alone. That’ll just set Randal off. I need to come up with something better than this.
Mind made up just that easily, Marley started to slink back to his room when he heard the swinging doors slam into the walls as the Pack came into the kitchen for breakfast. Marley froze for a second and listened to them. Their voices all blended together, but he could hear Miguel’s deep baritone, and Brenda’s fast-paced patter weaving in counterpoint to each other. He couldn’t pick out their actual words in the cacophony, but just hearing their voices gave him hope.
I can creep through the Pack and back to my room, probably unmolested, or I can try my half-baked plan.
Marley looked out at the waves. The morning sun was soft and golden and it danced on the water. In that moment he could hear the music in the waves and the wind. Marley felt his sleepy mind clear.
If I walk away now, I’m not coming out here again. I’ll be too afraid.
He sat back down. ‘Band of Brothers’ had gone down very well with the speedsters, so Marley opened with that.
The chatter stopped immediately. Marley ignored the silence. Paolo had always said that silence meant people were listening. Marley kept singing. Half formed images of his father beside him and the city below him flashed behind his closed eyes, but Marley hardly noticed. Good music had always been the goal when he played, a means to an end unto itself. He missed it when the first voice joined his. He actually didn’t notice any of them until Brenda hit a sour note. It made him smile. When ‘Band of Brothers’ ended, Marley kept going. Edie and the Pack had shown a preference for Touch of Orange, and Marley knew every one of their songs.
Paolo loved them too. It seems like that’s all we ever played together. Guess it came in handy.
Marley only got through two more songs before Brenda and the speedsters joined him on the porch. They were wearing their downtime uniforms, soft black pants and white tank tops. A few of them wore thin black slippers, but most were barefoot. The youngest speedster, the dark haired kid, was the first one out the door. He had a huge smile on his face.
“Tell me you can play ‘Beautiful Void!” he demanded. Marley just grinned and started the song, although he did wonder briefly about a Pack member who requested a love song. The thought promptly slid away when the other guy started to sing. The Indian kid had a tenor that could make the devil weep.
Who broke his heart? That sounds personal.
When the song was over, Marley noted the delighted smiles on the speedsters, especially Brenda and Jesse. Feeling more confident than when he started, he leaned towards the dark haired kid.
“You got a name,” he asked with a laugh. The kid’s smile got wider and he took a step closer to Marley’s stool.
“Yeah, I’m Danesh, Dan,” he answered hurriedly, “Do you know how to play ‘Wise Cracking Reptile Population’?” Marley laughed and ripped into the song. It was extremely fast paced, but Danesh knew every word and kept up beautifully. They sang in harmony, Marley instinctively backing Danesh up. When it was over, Marley was astounded to realize that the rest of the Pack had joined them on the porch.
I can’t believe I missed that. I haven’t gotten that involved in a song in awhile.
A sudden bolt of fear hit him, and he looked around for Randal. He didn’t see him anywhere and he couldn’t catch a whiff of the other guy’s habitual sulfur stink. He quickly had to give up his search, as requests for songs were coming in loud and fast.
He heard Brenda call out for ‘Moebius Stripclub’ and without consciously deciding, he started to play it. Danesh opened his mouth, but Marley sang over top of him, claiming the song as his own. The kid didn’t seem to mind, at least he was still smiling as he stepped away from Marley’s chair. Marley nodded to him once, before closing his eyes and just playing for the crowd.
The rest of the performance was a blur. Marley remembered when the speedster Charlie and the rest of the other young members left the porch for the sand where they could be rowdier. They moshed and slammed into each other, kicking up sand and generally acting like idiots. It was exhausting just to watch them. But they had blast.
Marley nearly died laughing when he saw Miguel and Ronnie paired up and twirling around the porch when he took a breather and played “The Lead Footed Waltz.” Miguel towered over Ronnie, like he did everybody, but the two of them danced well together. The bronze skinned giant and dark Inker moved with a stately dignanty that made the younger Pack member howl with laughter when then they failed to mimic their elders movements. Marley briefly wondered at how old the two of them were. They weren’t supposed to leave the Haven.
He wasn’t sure how long he played, but when he finally took a decent break, the sun was overhead, his throat was dry, and his fingers hurt. He hadn’t played for such a long time in months. But as he looked out at a Pack that was relaxed around him it was worth it.
Relaxed around me? Hell, I thought Dan was going to hug me when I challenged him to name any Orange song.
It wasn’t just seeing the Pack smiling at him though. For the first time since his mother died, Marley felt like his old self. Sitting in the shade of the porch, playing a meandering melody on his guitar, listening to laughter of people happy to have him around, some part of Marley’s wounded and tattered soul had healed.
“I don’t think this is what the council had in mind when they said he could stay.” Randal’s words were like somebody pulling the plug on a mic. Everything got very quiet very quickly.
Then Brenda snorted with disgust, “What’s your problem?” Marley found himself unable to look away from her as always. It wasn’t her unusually pale, nearly white hair, or the stark contrast of her black tattoos on her equally white arms. And where Marley generally went for girls with curves, and Brenda had was a tiny, thin thing. She looked so delicate. Marley knew first hand how deceptive that appareance was.
He didn’t know what it was about the speedster that had drawn him to her from the beginning, even if he had too slow to see it. He suspected it was just her attitude, she had never feared him.
No fear and the fact that she’s been unabashedly trying to jump me since I woke up here. Ethusiam tends to be attractive.
Now she stood there, hands on her slim hips, pale blue eyes boring into Randal’s yellow ones. Randal was a good five inches shorter than Marley, but the heavily muscled tank towered over Brenda.
The old instincts kicked in, and Marley started to gauge the crowd. The Pack didn’t like to show emotion to outsiders though, and most kept carefully blank faces. Marley was learning to read them and the tension was obvious if you knew where to look. The side long glances Ronnie and Miguel shared, the way Jesse’s shoulders tightened. Marley knew the animosity between Brenda and Randal went beyond him, but he had never known what caused it. He would have plenty of time to find out.
Suddenly, Randal smiled down at Brenda. The smile was confident, even friendly, but it was frozen, and fixed. The effort behind it plain. When he spoke, Randal’s voice was too calm, too even. “Look, I just think we should finish all the tests before we let a Reaver run around.”
And if you kept it on that level dude, I’d probably back you up, even now.
“Unreasonable.” Miguel said suddenly from where he stood off to Marley’s left. Marley felt as shocked as Randal looked.
“How is that unreasonable?” Randal asked, a flash of his usual anger showing in his voice. The big man stood up and walked to Marley. The Healer’s brother stood over seven feet tall. He was covered in more tattoos than any Pack member there. Not just his arms were covered. Black images were vaguely visible through the thin white tank top he wore. The Blacksmith was covered from neck to toes.
As he stood staring at Marley, the arrow-like rune below his Power Runes began to glow bright red. Marley sat very still, afraid to move. He had seen that red light before from Miguel, and it had never ended well for him. This time though, nothing happened. After a few anti-climatic moments, the Pack began to whisper, but Miguel just stood in front of him, face blank, and Rune glowing.
Only when a few of the older members started to chuckle did Miguel let the Rune fade back to black as he turned to Randal, and said, “You ever see a demon that didn’t attack a glowing tank? If he’s a Reaver, its buried deep, and he can’t control it when it gets out. Not his fault, man. You should really let this go.” The rest of the Pack broke into quiet conversation. Amidst the chatter, the big man stepped closer to Randal, and spoke very quietly. Marley wasn’t sure if he heard it correctly over the buzz of the Pack, but he thought Miguel said, “You need to let a lot of things go. Before you get yourself hurt. Or worse.”
Marley was trying to puzzle out what Miguel meant when a flash of white off to his right caught his eye. Once he realized it was Brenda was heading into the kitchen, Marley followed her into the house, calling out, “Hey!”
She’s nice, and funny, and interested, and super hot, and allowed to date.
Brenda stopped, and turned to him with a friendly smile. “I’m starved,” he said, “Um, where can I get some food.” Brenda just raised an eyebrow at him and then opened the refrigerator to her right.
“Right.” He stood there for a split second before he smiled and said, “Wanna have some lunch with me?”
‘Lunch sounds great,’ Brenda said grinning widely at him.
***
He didn’t end up eating alone with Brenda. The Pack joined them, only Randal didn’t stick around. Marley didn’t miss them.
He spent his lunch asking Brenda and the others all sorts of questions. For once they answered happily with no guilt filled eye shifts or sudden odd silences. Marley found out that it had been so long since they had been earth-side, that they had very little to do. They cleaned as a way of helping around the Haven, but they had been cleaning for nearly a week straight this time and had nothing to do today.
“So you guys don’t have to workout everyday?” he asked as Edie stepped into the kitchen. He tried not to look at her. Somewhere in the long sleepless night, he had discovered he was very, very angry with her.
Which might be because I have a demon inside of me. Or it might be because she’s a liar.
“That depends on who you ask,’ Ronnie said. “Some people swear that Runes work better if you’re in good physical condition, others think they’ll work the same way regardless.”
“Well, who’s right?” he asked. The smiles around him faltered slightly.
“We don’t know,” Edie said quietly. “It would take more years than the average Pack member lives to find out.” One by one the people around Marley moved away, giving Edie an avenue to walk to him.
“Would you take a walk with me?” she asked. Marley looked directly at her for the first time. She looked the same, friendly and pretty in a long purple skirt and a embroidered white shirt with long sleeves. Her light brown hair was falling into her big eyes as usual. Her smile wasn’t the big, sunny one that he loved, but it was sweet.
You’re lying, or at least hiding something.
“Sure,” he said, grabbing his guitar case. Once he was ready she turned silently and walked away
He caught up with her quickly in the yellow hallway. The familiar sunny walls were broken by more doors than portraits in this part of the Haven, and for once, Edie wasn’t yammering on about one of them. She was, in fact, strangly silent. Marley found himself trying to catch her scent. So far he hadn’t smelt much on anyone besides sweet fear and sulfurous anger, but he also hadn’t wanted to.
But any edge helps and I need to learn how to control this.
Marley could smell her shampoo, she seemed to like lavender. He inhaled deeply, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw her startle just a bit.
Maybe Edie isn’t as cool around me as she likes to pretend.
He hadn’t even realized how angry he was until he felt himself calm down. Then he noticed a warm finger on his wrist. He jerked his hand away, and the sweet scent of fear wafted off of Edie, faint but unmistakable to the Reaver in him.
“Don’t do that.” He said it as quietly as he could, pitching his voice to her ear.
“What?’ she said just as quietly.
“Don’t autotune my emotions. Sometimes, yeah, you annoy the hell out of me. Deal with it.”
What the hell did I just say?
“What hell did you just say?” she whispered back, her voice was even, but her scent had gone sulfurous.
‘Look, Edie, I don’t like being jerked around. I don’t care how cute you are when you smile. Unless I’m a Reaver or dying, keep your damn hands off of me. You have no reason to be touching me, at all, except to keep me calm. Because when I’m calm, I don’t ask annoying questions do I?” At least I have the common sense to keep my voice down.
They had reached the first junction on the way to his room. The tiled floor was checked in yellow and green, slightly darker than the paint on the respective walls. The stiller darker rugs ended where the solid tiles turned to checks.
Edie stopped and looked around briefly. She glanced up at him, and he saw in her dark eyes an anger to match the waves of sulfur coming off of her. He found himself taking a step back from her. Before he could finish backing away, Edie grabbed the front of his t-shirt, walked him over to the green wall on her right, and pushed on it with her empty hand. Suddenly, a Rune appeared on the wall directly above where she touched it. Marley froze in awe as a dark stain appeared on the wall, roughly the same size and shape as the normal doors of the Haven.
A door?
Marley noticed it then, the thing his subconscious had already seen, the darker details in the stain, the hinges, the knob, the plate with its keyhole. As Marley’s jaw dropped the door faded into reality. Edie reached down to the knob and, and swung him through the door as she opened it. She followed him quickly, slamming the door behind her.
The room very small. There was nothing there. The white walls were bare, no windows, no furniture. The light was very faint, and with no lamp or overhead Marley wasn’t sure where it came from.
Edie stood between him and the door. The anger was gone from her eyes. Instead she looked sad. Marley didn’t believe it, candy and sulfur came off of her in waves. He backed away from her, his guitar case held in front of him like a shield.
“What the hell,” he finally managed shakily. Edie shrugged.
“It’s a trick I picked up as a kid. Everybody has a few,” she smiled faintly as she said it.. “But that’s not important right now. I’m not the enemy here, Marley.”
“You sure about that?” Where the hell did that come from? “You say you’re helping me, but it’s been a month and you still don’t know anything, really.”
“We know it’s not a spell,” she countered, her voice hot and defensive.
“Bullshit,” Marley countered triumphantly. “What are you doing to heal me?” Edie hesitated again, and Marley felt the wide smile on his face. “You’re not a bad liar, but you have to commit, and be prepared for the easily anticipated questions,” he said with a sting, and she glared at him.
“Marley, you don’t understand,” she began, he cut her off quickly.
“You’re probably right. I don’t understand everything, but I think I have figured out a little bit. None of these Librarians want to heal me. It’s easier to just kill me, since I’m not supposed to exist anyway.” Marley paused and stared at her for a moment. Edie hesitated, but she did nod, eyes on the floor. “And you really have been fighting to keep me alive, I do believe that.” She looked up and smiled at him, the sulfur was gone, but the sweet smell of fear still wafted around her, and he felt his chest tighten just a bit as he looked into her big brown eyes.
“You still could have mentioned… a lot of things,” he finished lamely, remembering the shame and horror in her eyes.
“I didn’t realize-” she began, her hands reaching out to him. He leaned back, and she froze, before pulling her hands back slowly.
“Bullshit,” he said again, but quietly, “you read emotions right?” Her face grew dark in the faint light.
“I’m new at this,’ she said in a hushed voice. Marley snorted.
“Get better fast. My life is in your inexperienced hands.” She turned darker still, and a sharp, lemony scent came off of her.
She’s embarrassed.
For a second Marley’s anger faded, but when he caught himself taking a step back and looking for her warm hands even though she was too far away to be touching him, it came back in full force. He glared at her, and Edie looked at her feet.
“What can you do about curing me?” he asked bluntly.
“We won’t know what we could possibly do until we take some blood,” she answered, her voice blank.
“Then why haven’t we done that yet?”
“Everybody’s afraid of what would happen, since we need two samples. One from you when you’re human and the other… as the Reaver.” her voice was very small. Marley sighed, and tried to stay calm. He had been expecting to hear there was nothing to be done at all. This was hope, however small.
“How do we get blood taken?” he asked her. He couldn’t keep the hope out of his voice, and Edie smiled at him before she answered, “I’m working on that.” Marley laughed bitterly, and the smile drained off her face.
“I am working on it,” she insisted angrily. Marley took a deep breath, and tried to keep his anger under control.
“I believe you,” he said. The lemony scent had faded, but she still reeked of candied fear. Something has this girl seriously spooked, and I’m not sure it’s me.
“Look,” he said, trying to soften towards her just a little, “I do believe you’re on my side.” Edie looked at him, her dark eyes wide, and Marley hoped the dim light hid his swallow, “I’m just not sure you know what you’re doing.” Her jaw dropped and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. She seemed frozen like that for a second, before she closed her eyes and snapped her mouth shut.
Taking a deep breath, Edie relaxed her face. When she opened her eyes, her face was completely smooth, no emotions showing at all. She still reeked of fear, stronger than ever.
“Is there anything else?” she asked evenly.
“Yeah, can you show me how to lock my door?” he asked pointedly.
“Easily,’ she responded. “And please, we can’t talk like this outside of-” Marley waved a hand at her.
“No worries, because until you’re telling me when you’re drawing my blood, or they’re planning to kill me, I don’t think we have all that much to talk about,” he said. She nodded, just once, and turned away from him to open the door.
Marley paid close attention as they exited the room, but he couldn’t see how she made the door disappear. Once she closed it, it was simply gone.
“Neat trick,” he said, looking at the wall where the door had been.
“An oldie, but a goody,” she agreed coldly, as she started to walk briskly down the green hall towards his room. Marley caught up to her quickly. As they walked silently, side by side, he thought about how he got here.
What a long, strange trip it’s been.
