[Dave]

Now, is this great or what? Three chapters in three days!
But I don't want to spoil you. So, no more chapters until Saturday!
Bwa ha haa!

I'm so lame. I'll try to get as many chapters out as I can as I go along.

Oh, right! The Chapter! Well, since you've all been so accomodating, here you go!
Note: If you see little squares around sentences instead of the hooks that I meant to have there, they are suppossed to be punctuation. No need to panic.

Chapter 14

The ride across the river was mostly uneventful.
Unless you count the part where my hand almost got swallowed. It was pretty nasty.
We were lazing slowly along, and as people on rafts sometimes do, I allowed my fingers to trail in the water, leaving long trails and ripples. The ferryman (who insisted on being called simply The Ferryman) warned me in his friendly voice that the water was haunted or something stupid. I was just waving away his warning when the water suddenly got thick and sticky, like gooey honey. Except it was a lot less pleasant.
The goo began to stick and crawl up my fingers and up towards my wrist. So, naturally, I panicked. I was about to try and brush it off with my other hand when I realized it would probably get stuck just as easily.
The Ferryman finally turned his head to check on all my fussing, and saw a hideous, clear substance working it’s way up my arm. “Hey there, Ferryman?” I tired to sound cool, calm, and collected. I think I managed to sound shaky, scared, and disturbed. “What do you say to this?”
The Ferryman sighed a deep, exasperated sigh. Oh, not again, that sound meant. “Just ignore it. It feeds on your panic, so just relax and it’ll get bored. Then away it goes, bay-beee,” he finished, a little comically. He even flourished and bowed a little.
How one was to relax when his arm was being devoured by glue was just outside of my comprehension. But, okay. I could distract myself.
I decided to try my little psychic link thing with Patch. I thought about it, and decided it would be like thinking at him. Sure.
⌠Hey there, Patch? Can you hear me? Think “Yes” if you can!⌡
I was suddenly struck with shame, as if I had interrupted him doing something private.
⌠Yes … Dante? Is that you?⌡
I was relieved. ⌠It sure is. Did I startle you?⌡
⌠Yes … I was just sitting down to … relieve myself … and all of a sudden, poof! Dante’s voice in my head!⌡ He sounded a little embarrassed. ⌠Anything I can do for you? Paramite powers already?⌡
⌠Not yet, Patch,⌡ I told him. ⌠I just need to distract myself from these gooey waters. It’s a good thing you told me about it, huh?⌡ I added, sarcastically.
Patch laughed in his head. (I guess for you humans, it is sort of like seeing someone type “LOL!” in an “instant message.”). ⌠Yes, a good thing, indeed. Well, glad I could help you, anyhow. Give me a buzz any old time, Dante. Now, can I finish my business?⌡
I winced, remembering he had been about to poop. ⌠Sure, guy. Go ahead.⌡
Just about then, the ferryman spoke up. “Mister Dante, can you hear me? We’ve been at the dock for about five minutes, and you haven’t been responding. Say something, or I’ll have to take you back across to get help!”
I shook out of my little daze, and immediately checked my hand. The goo was gone. You’d doubt that it had been there in the first place, I remember thinking.
Then I noticed the weather. It was suddenly a lot cooler around me, and the sun had set.
“Uhh, I’m fine,” I said stupidly. “Thanks for the ride.”
Relieved, the Ferryman grinned. “Anytime, Mister Dante! Enjoy Muto!”
And he set off again without another word. I wanted to call over and ask what the time was, but it seemed like I knew. It was mid morning when I left Oblim and reached to port. The ride across couldn’t have been more than a half an hour; I could see the opposite shore clearly.
But the sun was no where in sight, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and it was really, really cold.
Ahead of me was what looked like a shadowy cave entrance. Or maybe an opening into a path through a forest. Or someplace warm. So, shuddering, I stumbled forward and through the trees (as they happened to be), hoping for the best.


I hope that will tide you over for a bit. Be happy and be healthy.