It's ten in the morning in Glastonbury, and Kim's already been awake for several hours when the phone rings.

As she listens to her mother's halting explanation unfold, she can feel the world around her growing dim and distant, each word over the line seeming to echo through a strangely ringing silence.

-- car accident - Route 401 - Morrisburg ( Read more... )

It's ten in the morning in Glastonbury, and Kim's already been awake for several hours when the phone rings.

As she listens to her mother's halting explanation unfold, she can feel the world around her growing dim and distant, each word over the line seeming to echo through a strangely ringing silence.

-- car accident - Route 401 - Morrisburg ( Read more... )

She'd begun to think she'd have to go to London to find it, but as it turned out there was a shop closer to home that carried what she was looking for.

The journal is Italian leather, with Amalfi paper.

The message on the enclosed card is simple and to the point:

I thought you might be able to use this. Happy birthday, M. I love you.

--K

It's getting colder as the year moves deeper into fall, but it's not yet chill enough to keep Kim from wandering out by the lake for a breath of fresh air.

Currently she's standing near the water with her hands shoved in the pockets of her jacket, looking curiously at an apple tree that's showing a remarkably bountiful harvest.

She's come halfway around the world to be standing at this door again, and somehow it still seems she has so very far to go.

Kim takes a deep breath, and knocks.

(Left in care of the bar in reply to this, late at night on July 31, 2009, Milliways Bar time.)

M ( Read more... )

There's someone else who might be glad to hear of her upcoming visit.

Or at least, Kim hopes he will be.

Ring.

She's got a cup of coffee at one hand, and is holding the phone handset to her ear with the other.

Ring.

Hopefully she won't have to leave a message.

M--

I'll be here when you get back.

--K

Kim's room number is written at the bottom of the note, which is folded around an extra key.

Dear Meg,

To answer your question, what I knew, what I know, was how I felt when Loren first told us about Fionavar, and then took us there. Or maybe, more importantly, when Ysanne recognized me. Or maybe any of a number of things that happened then which changed the world for me, but those are the ones that first come to mind ( Read more... )

Dear Meg,

I hope this letter finds you doing all right and that your ankle is healing well, and that it's not too hard for you to get around with the crutches and all.

... even as I start trying to write this, it already sounds--I've--

There's a blotched section, as though something's been scribbled over, crossed out.

I've been thinking about ( Read more... )