So, there I was, lying on the floor, wondering how long it would take Russ to notice that I wasn't online. I had spent hours trying to find a spot to pull myself to my feet after a surprise fall.
I had one last hope. We had set Alexa to call Russ. Alexa had no trouble making the call, but it didn't sound like we connected. I tried to think of something new to try. But I got lucky; they came and carted me off to the hospital. Two days later, Russ took me back home. The cats were pleased.
The team arrived before dawn with their expensive and mostly useless equipment. Every paranormal team tested for the same abnormalities, but always expected to find something new.
The sun stood barely over the horizon when Gray Girl paced up and down the grand staircase, floating over the missing stairs without a thought.
"I'm bored." Gray Girl threw herself onto the empty hearth by Spirit.
"So are they," Spirit replied with a doggy smile.
The readings for that day became legend and were never repeated.
Gray Girl and Spirit Dog curled up by a pretend fire and slept the ages away.
Valance stood with his back against the wall, and his head bowed as though resting. Two fingers settled casually on the pommel of his sword, and to anyone who didn't know the soldier, he would appear perfectly at ease.
The woman who entered the room did not make that mistake. She looked him over as if they had never met before. "You completed your task?" She asked. No, she demanded the answer.
"Enemy army destroyed, city in ruins, people scattered. Now it is time for your part of the agreement."
She glared and then nodded. "Let us marry, Prince Valence."
They say if you sit long enough in the shadow of the North Tower, you'll see everyone you ever knew. I didn't believe it until my father walked by, jingling of metal and gold. He'd abandoned his family for the long war and died in a forgotten battle.
"Choose your side, boy," he ordered.
"What are my choices?"
"Stupid, blind -- no son of mine --life or death, boy. Choose."
"Life."
Father smiled, showing rotting teeth and a putrid black tongue. I had known his choice.
We would fight forever on opposite sides. There had been no real choice for me.
