Category Archives: 05

Henrietta

“We’ll have to call this Widow’s Peak after this,” offered still all grown up Kate McCoy (the Real McCoy) to the others sitting around this 4 chair table. Still grieving the death of spouse Jack Snow all the way back at the end of section 1 of this here photo-novel, 18th in the series.

Irish Lass Phyllis Klondike across from her, surname reverted to her maiden one after the death of hubbie Ben Wolf in that newest Bena coup in 2 — *supposed* death — turned around in her seat to look at it. Audrey, the most recent of the widows (husband = just shot Jeffrie Phillips back in Urqhart), followed her gaze. Parasol (wife of The Mann, killed at the end of section 3), didn’t want to look but just pulled a drumstick out of her pocket and began to munch. “Grey matter,” she garbled to the now staring others. “So good.”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0018, 0504, Corsica, Henrietta

real!

“Eleph?”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0018, 0503, Corsica, Henrietta

Eleph

From his Holy Island in Henrietta, red rose holding Marcus Fox Smartville receives more information from the laggy, texture overloaded Oracle before him.

Corsica is an elephant — yes. He already knew that, staring beyond the Oracle into the far corner of the building. He imagined the fantastical, imposing elephant there trumpeting additional, savage notes with his huge trunk which emerged as ants that came into view after spilling on the floor before it and marching toward the Oracle, hell bent on protection. Symbiotic relationship.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0018, 0502, Corsica, Henrietta

different

Blue rose embellished Arthur Kill stands in red ones in Joffy and peers at a picture of three, child carrying blue-ish elephants, with the 3rd also rainbow tinted. That’s the one, he thinks from his thorny position. Better get this back to Marty.

Corsica is an… well, you know the story by now.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0018, 0501, Ashenlave, Corsica, Henrietta

tables

Axis again worships Lu Ellen Hutchison (or Hutchinson) before entering his NWES coffee shop. Who is now his wife, at least last time he checked (Wednesday).

He enters the coffee shop proper…

… only to see two avatars sitting at his favorite table instead of the one he expected. The conversation already taking place was briefly interrupted.

“There he is,” whispered Man About Time to Tracy Austin. “Behind the column. It’s as if he doesn’t think we can *see*.”

They talked about many things that night, the two of them and then all three together when Axis finally came out of “hiding”. One by one (by one), they began to understand all revolved around Peter — after all, the only Variant at The Table who was never a Variant. Peter and “Lamb”. They vowed, 3 hands clasped together at the center of *this* table (standing, remorseful Axis from the side), that Grandpapa didn’t die in Vain. Because, of course, we already know he died in Kowloon. His “Lamb” will live on.

“I am pleased,” I can hear him say from that Great Elderly Center in the Sky, lost cane back in hand again.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0017, 0517, Jeogeot, Kowloon+, Neptune, NWES Island

price to pay

—–

“I can’t believe it,” Guy Benjamin exclaimed a little later to Grandmama after she broke the news. “Grandpapa’s dead!”

“Did in with his own cane,” she explained, her voice starting to waver. “The old fool.” She was inconsolable for months, maybe years. Axis had done a bad thing. A bad bad thing. We must reexamine the ultimate motives of his character in light of this horrendous act.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0017, 0516, Kowloon+

seeing

There was only one place to go.

“I can’t see, Fish Head. I had to borrow an old man’s cane just to get here. He’s laying back there in the alley — may want to tell the local authorities in an hour or two. Make it two… since I’m blind. Anyway, you better tell the Heart Queen that I’m going to have to abort the mission.”

Fish Head began mixing the booze in his hands again, eventually saying, “she’s not going to like it.”

“I know, I know,” Axis followed quickly. “Just tell her.” He points to his sightless, red eyes. “Not much choice.”

Fish Head retrieved a glass underneath the bar and poured the mixed drink in from the canister. He pushed the glass toward Axis. “Here. Drink this down. Then have a re-consider.”

Axis knew he wasn’t going to “have a re-consider” but took the drink anyway. Free booze was always a weakness. But Fish Head, of course, knew that already. “Go ahead,” he urged. Axis drank.

—-

He woke up in a trench beneath the water. He wasn’t blind any longer — looked up and saw a spinny red, fabric-like thingie wielding scissors and knife in metal hands. Another doctor.

He knew he had been fixed up.

He stands up and makes his way through the trench back to the surface. Still in the service of the Heart Queen obviously.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0017, 0515, Kowloon+

not today

I’m very close to the answer, Axis thinks while staring up.

He turns. Very close.

He buys the “white eye” offered on top of the old drum can for a linden dollar, wears, and instantly becomes blinded.

“*Shite*.”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0017, 0514, Kowloon+

ground

Feng Sui and Qi stare at the door waiting for customers that never come. “Damn that Fish Head,” sitting Qi exclaims at one point. “Damn the Head and the Fish,” reinforces her standing sister at the time, then later thinks, while still standing and staring over: maybe we should fix the bullet holes in the door. Maybe that doesn’t help with the customers. The Store Zero slaughters were a long time ago, after all. Maybe it’s time to finally heal the wounds. “We can’t have a repeat of the past, sister of mine,” she speaks down to Qi after telling her the same. “Oh *no*,” Qi doubles down. They both know, no matter what’s going on with Fish Head and the Bird above them, that they cannot return to the ugly, brutal past. The Dark Days.

Qi rises from the stool. “I’ll go try to find some sealant.” ‘Bout time.

—–

Later: back at their nearby apartment…

… Qi dwells on the dark past…

… while Feng Sui discusses what to fix for supper with Uncle Jack.

“Quinoa all right?”

Jack: “You’ll have to ask Uncle *John* about that,” indicating the man sitting in the rocking chair on the balcony. John Lockfry 01. Been a long time.

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0017, 0513, Kowloon+

Found

Tronesisia sits out of the way on the docks so that Baker Bloch can get a shot of “pipe alley”, leading to the doctor. He suspects this may be the Dr. of “Lamb”….

But then Baker Bloch changes his mind and has Tronesisia interact with this so-called doctor, who turns out to be an old friend: Dr. Diper, who helped her (and her parents) out immensely when she was a mere baby. Before she became, well, robotic. Gynoidic.

“It’s so so good to see you old friend,” he began, instantly recognizing his work. Perhaps his greatest work.

“Likewise Dr. Wiper!” cheered Tronesisia, just glad to be in a scene again.

“Diper,” corrected the doctor. “But we’re both grown up now. Call me…”

“Peter?” Tronesisia guessed. Yes. It was Peter. One of ’em.

Clanking within. The doctor was working on another case. Another Peter.

“It wasn’t going to hurt me,” he practiced, and then swiped his bloodied knife in front of him again, a built-in reflex action.

“Good, good,” the tv doctor cooed. “*Why* wasn’t it going to hurt you?”

Jack appeared beside him. Glowering. “Yeah, *John*. Why???”

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Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0017, 0512, Kowloon+