The preparations for Christmas were a bitch. Emerson was no help, as usual, except to make stupid suggestions on what color the labels needed to be on the Christmas Tonic bottles. I really could have used some help, as the demand was so great last year I decided to triple the batch. I had hoped Tobias would be there to help out, but he was no where to be found, and Kaylee wouldn’t lift a finger unless it had to do with her pies, and threatened hell on me if I left her bakery a mess. Ha! As if!
Then, THEN! What’s this? Emerson hires a new guy. Out of the blue! And you know what? That’s just ducky. I could use a break. I shook his hand, showed him where I kept things and how to keep the cash boxes, always leaving a little in the one Emerson had the key for and leaving the rest in a safer box so we wouldn’t go under, then I packed a bag and raided the kitchen for enough stores to last me a week and headed for the passage through the catacombs from the basement.
Dunsany!
How I have missed the dark, the warmth of the earth, the profound silence. Some things have been moved, Tobias must have come back here. He must have been homesick.
I unpacked my things in Dr. Foehammer’s room and shook out the linen of the bed. My room now.
Mine.
***
I forgot to wind my watch again. I said I wasn’t going to do that. Dammit! It must be Boxing Day now. I hope that new guy has to serve those digusting brats for Junie’s urchin banquet. He better have sold all that tonic to pay for it. Screw it. You know? I don’t care.
My thoughts go back to the Island. After they came and brought me home, I asked Lapis what he thought about “going native.” He said it depended on whether you wanted to be a leader or an assassin. Damn Lapis for never being direct! His answers make you ask more questions! Maybe I was wrong to go native on the Island, but I was naive. And with Thomas.
Tobias is not in the library. It is dusty, no one has been here. I have kept myself from going to Thomas to find him. He must be with them.
I’ve been sorting through my grandfather’s things. His clothes are well taken care of, dated, but still serviceable. They are a little loose on me, but not that much. We were about the same height, I might have been a little taller but the size is close enough, if I wear my own belt.
***
It’s been so hard not to go find Thomas. I’ve been passing the time reading, and rearranging my library. I might be able to stay a month if I wanted to, with the things I have stored down here on previous trips. I am rereading Foehammer’s journals, they make more sense now. It almost feels like he is here with me.
I will be here in my house. They will know I am here, and they will come, like they always have. I will wait.
***
Leviticus came.
He must be Thomas’ lieutenant now. He said Thomas wanted to see me and demanded me to follow him. I did not. I did not ask about Tobias either, as much as I wanted to. I remembered how grandfather spoke, and couched my voice to his, and told him that if Thomas wanted to see me I would see him in my office. Leviticus did not argue! He looked puzzled for a moment, then left.
Now we shall see!
Into the Dunsany?
That dumb bugger must have the haiku of a sack of seagull turd— or is it ice cube? You know what I mean, that word that means smarts.
Into the Dunsany… jeesh!