PROLOUGE

[Lee]

"Lee, Wilf. He's awake." "Wassat?" Wilf says, "He's awake. Todd. He's back." I know she can't hear my noise over comm, but still I send it, I send my genuine happiness over to her, or I try. I say, "that's amazing!" and I mean it. Because I'm happy that she's happy. I guess that's what true love is, isn't it? "Ya," Wilf says. Seemingly in reply to my comment to Viola, but he's looking at me, and I can tell he's likely referring to my noise a second ago. Tears streaming, Viola hangs up.

1 hour earlier

[Todd]

I hear the voice again. But it isn't in my head. This time, it's thru my ears. "Our military man, Davy Prentiss," it says, "Says we shouldn't look for scapegoats for a simple crop failure." I think it's her, is it? Is it you, Viola? Is it? "But that's you waking up again in the next room." And I open my eyes. "How funny that it's…" and the voice stops, because it's Viola.

(It's her)

And I sit up. All she can say is, "You're awake Todd, you're back." Tears are coming from her eyes, and they're coming from mine, and I run over to her and fall into each other. Then I realize. I'm shirtless. My noise goes pink with embarrassment. I back away immediately… "It's okay," she says. I stand back and stare. I'm drawing a blank. Then I realize what this is. It's the Pathway's End; the Spackle healers are surrounding the tent, and the stone tablet I was rested on. Next comes the realization of why I was here. I look down at my bare chest. I feel a small indentation and a scar where the stream of acid hit. Then I remember it all. The war. And I back away a bit more and I curl up, trying to contain it all… I AM THE CIR… But I stop mid thought, cuz he taught it too me, didn't he. It's the thing that made my noise quiet, and Viola hated me for it.

[Viola]

He's on the floor, curled up in a ball, and he's thinking about the Mayor, the war, and… and how I hated him for his noise, when he silenced it.

(Todd, oh, Todd.)

(What have I done?)

I just walk up to him and sit down; because that's all I can do. Haven's being re built around us, literally. The new settlers arrived in late winter, and have been helping us rebuild. 1017's arm got to the point where eventually had to take the cure, so he didn't die. But he held off 'till the last possible second. That was the point when I came my closest to forgiving him for what he's done. Anyway. Bradley's pretty much replaced Mistress Lawson as the head of the planet, really. Wilf and Lee still play a major role. They are off on an exploring expedition, though. Ben still visit's here everyday. Right now, he's gone to lunch. Me, I barley ever eat, and the last time I was outside, the snow was just starting to melt. So I missed my first ever snow fall. My first Christmas on this planet even. Bradley brings me news when there is any.

[Todd]

She just sits there, on the dirt floor, thinking. I don't know about what, but thinking. Then we hear noise outside, not Spackle noise, but someone else… It's quiet, but I can hear it. Viola looks up at the tent entrance. Then Bradley bursts in. First, he looks over at the chair that Viola must have sat in when I woke up, and the stone slab I was lying on. When he doesn't see us, his noise get's worried, but he hears me and immediately looks over to the dark corner we occupy. And he says "Todd," in a way that's perpleksed and happy at the same time. "Viola," he manages, "are you guys okay?" "Yes, he just woke up," Viola sobs. "Okay. I'll let you guys be…" "No, just what is it?" "News from the exploration party." Viola stops tearing and looks up. I don't. "Five dead. Lee and Wilf are okay, barley. They're heading back now." My neck snaps up immediately. "Exploration party?" I'm puzzled. Bradley can see it in my noise. "After the settlers arrived and helped start rebuilding, we sent parties north and south of this forsaken River to the poles of the planet. 's a shame you people never expanded beyond it." He chuckles. "You've missed a lot in 5 months, son." "5 months!"

(Oh, Viola)

(Viola)

Oh, don't deceive me

Oh, never leave me

I left you for a while, Viola. And this is what I get.