Story: Wordspace, XVII

(Part I , XVI , XVIII)

Mystery realigned its thoughts and took one last lingering look at the garden. It had been so long since it had seen Lies' peculiar touch with the wild verbiage that the beauty was overwhelming. Time was ticking away, however, and outside everyone was depending on the resourcefulness and unpredictably of the one they called 'Mystery'.

"Ready or not, here we go." Mystery declared to itself, and then pulled itself up by the vowels to take itself over to its companions. Lies looked much as it had all those years ago when it had been sent into exile, and Club was obviously torn between its distrust of that living legend and its enjoyment of the tales being spun.

"Ah, Mystery, my lad! I was just telling this friend of yours about the time we raided the larder in the Commission of Absolutism's mansion. I'm afraid it's not one of my finest moments, but you did very well! Also, those beverages were much the better for the drinking, eh?" Lies was apparently in full flow and sparing no details. Perhaps it had been alone for all this time, with no-one to talk to... An upswelling of compassion flowed out, but was swiftly put aside. There was no time.

"Sadly, my friend, we didn't come just to chat and make small talk. The world outside is in great peril, and perhaps even the world in here too." Mystery wasted no time in its explanations, during the latter portion of which Lies stood quite somberly.

"You must be wondering where they all are, all those grand Destructives? The banes of our existences before their imprisonment in this palace of... of banal nonsense?" Lies gestured at the outside wall of the dome, somewhat moodily. "I'm afraid you're going to have to put your preconceptions away, and your hopes on a low light."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Asked Club cautiously.

"You had best both come with me. Mind your head now, and watch your footing. The jargon underfoot is most uneven. Many a time I've tumbled end over end." Lies led them out of the garden enclosure clockwise around the edge of the dome, and for the first time the two emissaries saw the Zone proper. A grand wasteland it was as far as they could see, a gentle peak rising up into the center and obscuring all that lay beyond. They continued on around, Club watching their surrounds to the right, while Mystery and Lies caught up in small chatter complacently. Eventually they reached a village. Yes, a village, quite surprisingly.

"It's deserted." Was Mystery's first comment, which amused Lies apparently. It chuckled.

"They'll be in their own garden. It's just around the back of the club hut." Lies led them around the back of a large round hut, where they saw some of the worst and most terrible words in the wordspace. They were drinking tea. Everyone facing them stood up politely, and the giant who must have been War smiled politely and held up its cup in salute, before making the totally unexpected greeting: "Hello! Nice day, what?"

It was possible that things might not go to plan...

To be continued...