PART 2
PRELUDE TO A BATTLE
Sara was the first to climb the ridge. She turned and helped Kayla and Alyssa up. Dustin, Max, and Michael were bringing up the rear. Sarah, Jenna, and Kelsey were in a tight group in the middle, carrying the supplies they had bought at the last province. "They seemed nice enough." Sarah added as she lifted it up to Jenna.
"But they were demons all the same." Jenna pointed out. She heaved the luggage onto the top and began to set up their camp.
"Still is odd how we can be comfortable in enemy territory." Sara added as she scribbled some notes in her new journal. "And yet they don't seem to notice us."
"I think it is because we try to blend in." Max pointed out as he pointed at the demon uniforms they had taken from some demons they had met early on.
"That may be, but you would think they would sense us." Kelsey added on a side note.
"I could take them either way. I don't mind." Alyssa added as she flexed her knuckles.
"As much as you could, I really don't feel like getting into a fight." Dustin said as he stroked his beard. He opened the map and began to look it over. Sarah joined him.
"Where do you think we are?" Sarah asked as she passed him a cup of water.
"Somewhere over by the Darkness wastes I would guess." Dustin answered, pointing to a very dark section of the map.
"Yeah, I would say the same." Michael agreed. "And they say the White Palace is right past the Hopeless ravine." Michael pointed to a huge crevice slightly northeast of the Wastes.
"So we should start off in that direction tomorrow." Sarah said as Dustin rolled up the map and stuffed it in his rucksack.
"Finally, we've been wandering around for a while now." Kayla said as she and Jenna spread out the tents.
"I have to agree." Jenna added. "We do seem to have been going nowhere for a long time."
"Well, not any more." Max said as he got up and bean the fire. "Now, we are heading straight for that palace."
"Well, almost directly." Michael corrected. "We still have that ravine."
"Yeah, but we'll get through that and then it is straight through the Wastes." Kelsey pointed out.
"Which means we have to walk a really long way before we get there." Alyssa put it simply.
"Can we just get dinner started and go to bed?" Sara complained.
"If you want to." Dustin said lamely and began to put the chicken into the pot.
(2)
Sarah sat bolt up right. Something was not right. She crawled out from under her sheets and walked to the edge of the ridge. Something was going on. A big something. "Dustin, wake up!" She hissed as she shook her brother awake.
"Whatsgoingonoutthere?" Dustin asked lazily as he rubbed his eyes. Sarah pointed to it. A giant blaze was going on in the farthest city. Dustin stood up. "When did that start?"
"I don't know. I just saw it." Sarah added sheepishly.
"Wake everyone else." Dustin said as he took some steps toward the fire. Sarah grabbed his shoulder.
"Be careful." She pleaded. "It is really dangerous."
"I will. But I don't think I'm the biggest concern." Dustin departed and Sarah stood there. She watched until Dustin's cloak disappeared behind a boulder. She got everyone up as he had asked. Something was definitely wrong.
(2)
Dustin crept up to the small town. He held his cloak close to himself, trying as best he could to stay hidden. The center of the town was filled with books. They were blazing like a new sun. He crept a little closer and put his helmet on. He straightened up and walked into the pub. A large celebration was in progress. The bar was full and many of the booths were occupied. Dustin inched to the bar and tried to take a seat. "So, they finally did it?" one demon asked the other.
"Yeah, I'm going up tomorrow." The other responded. "You?"
"I think I will. I mean, we aren't exactly going to lose."
"You better. I want to be there when they finally win. It is going to be awesome."
"Win what?" Dustin blurted as he took a sip of his noxin.
"You asking me that?" the demon asked with a wry face. "You have got to be kidding me!"
"You don't know about the big invasion o' Heaven? It's only been the talk of the underworld for what….four years."
"Invasion of Heaven?" Dustin asked warily. "As in, you are going to take it?"
"Duh! We just put up the time stop. Heaven is completely vulnerable."
"Yep, and we couldn't a done this without that pretty little thing's help too." The demon pointed to a booth that was halfway in light and half way in darkness. A small squirrel sat there with her drink in between her paws. "Cheers to you love!" The demon raised his goblet and swallowed. Casey lifted hers slightly but did not even think of taking a sip.
"Casey!" Dustin exclaimed.
"Who?"
"Nothing." Dustin got up and walked over to the booth. "May I sit here?"
"Of course. Its not like I care." Casey responded melodramatically. She swirled her drink around and gave a heavy sigh. "You wouldn't know what I've been through."
"Actually, I do. And I'm sorry that it was all our faults." Dustin replied as he gave a glance around. Casey looked up shocked and Dustin removed his helmet slightly. Just enough to show his face for a second.
"Dustin!" Casey exclaimed. Casey spilled her drink and made to get up but Dustin grabbed her wrist, knocking his drink over in the process. Some demons looked at the strange couple.
"Listen, I'm sorry." Dustin pleaded.
"Why are you here? Are the others here as well?" Casey asked.
"Yes, they are waiting for me. I came to see what was going on."
"Well, you saw it. Now leave me alone." Casey made out of the door, Dustin following close behind her.
"Listen, I just want you to listen to me."
"Fine." Casey replied as she turned to Dustin. "What do you need to say? You already shunned me."
"And you already showed us that you are still our friend." Casey looked shocked. "You said that you were sorry right after you killed Max's father. Don't tell me that you aren't feeling some sort of repentance from what you did."
"I do feel off, but it will pass. It did before." Casey stormed off. Dustin clung to his last hope.
"Come back with me." Dustin called out. "We need you. Like I said, we are sorry." He got down on his knees as Casey stared at him. Then, he saw the Nightmare appear and engulf him. He felt the tentacles consume him and choke him and rip at him. He gave a cry of pain before he lost consciousness.
(2)
Dustin woke up in a cold sweat. Sarah was bent over him, applying a wet cloth that Kelsey handed her. "Hello sleeping beauty." Kelsey teased as Sarah placed the cloth on the back of Dustin's neck.
"How long have I been out?" Dustin asked as he got to his senses.
"Roughly an hour." Sarah responded.
"Scared us to death when you and Casey just appeared out of nowhere." Sara said as she climbed into the tent with Max behind her.
"How're you feeling?" Max asked as he put his sword on the ground.
"Just fine." Dustin responded. "Where's Casey?"
"She's outside with Alyssa and Kayla and Jenna." Sara answered.
"Michael is getting our food together." Kelsey said as Sarah handed the cloth back to her.
"We want to move out as soon as we are done." Sarah said. "No need to dawdle."
"Personally, I'm fine staying here." Max replied.
"But it isn't safe." Sara said. "The Nightmare already got a whiff of Dustin."
"How is that a bad thing?" Dustin asked. Sarah looked at Kelsey.
"Well, back in the woods, when you connected with it, it kind of got into you." Kelsey explained.
"And vice versa." Sarah added. "That was dad's gift to you. His invulnerability helped you in that fight, but the Nightmare now knows that you and us are here from contact when Casey teleported you here."
"We have to move quickly or the demons will be on us." Sara added.
"Well…" Dustin said as he got warily up. "We had best leave as fast as we can."
"Right o." Max said as he helped his friend outside. Casey was sitting in a circle with Kayla, Jenna, and Alyssa around her. They all looked up to see him walking out.
"You're okay!" Jenna exclaimed as she rushed over to him with Alyssa behind her.
"Don't scare me like that again or else this fist is going into your face." Alyssa said as she raised a fist and Jenna threw her arms around Dustin.
"I thought he was already dead." Kayla stated.
"How optimistic of you." Jenna teased. Casey turned her eyes away from Dustin.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think the Nightmare would react like that." Casey murmured. "I use it to teleport all the time. I never saw it attack before."
"It's not your fault." Kayla reassured. "It was the Nightmare that attacked."
"But I brought it." Casey hung her head lower.
"Just get over it." Michael said as he handed the sacks out to everyone. He skipped over Dustin.
"Where's mine?" Dustin asked as he grasped his neck from the pain.
"I don't think you should carry anything. Not in your condition." Michael answered.
"I can handle it." Dustin replied as he grabbed his sack and threw it over his shoulder.
(2)
Their boat split the water like paper. As Michael stuck the pole into the inky black water, the small slurp of water barely made a splash. It was as if they were alone in a silent world. In all reality, they were. Sara gave a glance over the side of the boat and gave s shudder. A quick glimpse of the body was all she needed. "Why is the water always full of dead people?"
"Because there isn't enough room for the living people." Jenna answered as she also gave a look over the edge. She shivered a little and set her eyes back on the inside hull of the skiff. Sarah ducked beneath a tree limb as Kayla shuffled the cards for another game of spit with herself and Alyssa.
"How much farther till we are out of this thing?" Kayla asked as she counted out the cards.
"I have to admit, it is kind of spooky here." Alyssa said as she picked up her pile. Sarah gave a look to her brother, who sat there with his lantern held at his side.
"Any answer?" Sarah asked.
"That's fine. I'm used to being ignored." Kayla added as she and Alyssa began to play. Kayla was slow to start but Alyssa was not taking this into account.
"I'm not sure." Dustin said as he unrolled the map again and, with Max's help, flattened it against the bottom of the boat.
"We just passed that." Max pointed to a large tree that took up a good deal of river.
"And that rock is coming up." Sara said as she pointed to a large boulder ahead.
"So that makes how far?" Dustin asked. He was never good at doing math. Sarah had it added up in a heartbeat.
"That makes for twelve miles to go." Sarah answered.
"That's a long way." Jenna observed, fingering her bow in caution as she took another look over the side.
"Don't worry." Casey reassured. "You can cut across the small island coming up. If you could call it an island."
"Well, I guess that is our call of action." Max said as he patted Casey on the back. Casey cringed a little. "You have got to lighten up. We don't hate you."
"Yeah, I'm better now." Dustin said as he stared back at the map. His face tensed as he saw the small bubble of water soaking through the center of the map. "Water!" He cried as he lifted the map up. The crack in the boat widened slightly as another bubble of water forged its way through. Michael stopped his steering for a moment, allowing the pole to get lodged in the mud.
"No. My staff!" Michael cried as the skiff floated outside of reach. The rod was standing straight up in the murky, corpse filled water.
"Never mind that!" Max yelled as he pulled Casey onto his shoulders. "We have bigger issues." He pointed to the fingers that had appeared in the small hole. Casey gave a small squeal and shivered behind Max.
"We gotta get out of here!" Michael shouted as the boat began to crack further. An entire arm was now floating in the mossy grey water. Jenna grabbed her bow and arrow and aimed a shot. The arrow whizzed through the air and hit its target with precision.
"Everybody grab on to the rope!" Jenna shrieked over the yells and screams of the trapped passengers. They complied, but a little too late. The skiff broke in half, sending them splashing into the water. Their packs sank quickly to the bottom, only impaired by the rising bodies.
"Guys, I don't think this is safe anymore." Kelsey said as she scrambled for a rope.
"What do you mean?" Sara asked as she turned to her. She didn't need to ask. She could have just seen the arms rising on their own to put it together.
"Head for shore!" Max cried as he helped Kelsey onto the rope.
"Just keep moving." Casey instructed as she crawled onto the dry land. It was not long before each was trying to pry off the corpses clinging to their flesh. Sarah was the second to reach the shore.
"Grab the staff!" Sarah shouted as she held her pole out to Kayla, who was taking on water. Only her eyes were visible above the wave of dead flash and rotting bones. Kayla happily obliged. After she was pulled ashore, Max and Sara came on land too.
"Where are the rest of them?" Casey asked as she gave a sad glance over the now churning water. Dustin, Alyssa, and Kelsey had disappeared from view. Jenna was half way across the rope with Michael fighting off attackers behind her.
"Help her up!" Max shouted, as he lost no time in wading out a little and helping Jenna ashore. He then dove back into the fray and reemerged later holding Michael in his arm.
"What about the others?" Sara asked as she saw three bodies dive deeper into the water towards something.
"Casey, help them." Kayla pleaded. "Use some of your power."
Casey gave a short squeak and then closed her eyes. She bent over in concentration and then let the Gateway blast out of her hands. The bodies ceased to move and, in fact, they began to sink. Then, simultaneously, Dustin, Alyssa, and Kelsey all resurfaced. They all had red faces and Kelsey had a small chunk missing from her leg. Dustin's bead was no longer there, a clean red gash in his chin no resigned there. Alyssa seemed the least bruised out of the three. They stroked to the shore and hoisted themselves onto the ledge of earth.
"Are you alright?" Jenna asked as she bent over Alyssa and Kelsey.
"Barely." Alyssa responded. She coughed up a finger and lay back down. It was not long before the air began to chill and a kind of shadow passed over the Waste.
"I think I made an oopsie." Casey said as she began to walk backwards.
"What do you mean?" Kelsey panted as Michael helped his sister up.
"Well, I the Gateway may have attracted the Nightmare by accident." Casey said as she gave a small flick at the shadow that was now descending upon the area.
"Well, my idea is to RUN!" Sara shouted as she took off running. Michael helped Kelsey along as Dustin and Alyssa ran on foot at the back of the group. And as they took flight from the Nightmare, the fog began to roll. And the fog spread so thick it was impossible to see the rocks in front of your feet. It was also impossible to see the ledges that led to steep drops
"Casey, where does this shortcut lead?" Jenna asked as she stumbled over a large hill.
"Well, it cuts off five miles." Casey replied. "But we would end up above the ravine instead of in it." Their faces dropped, as did they. Sarah thrust her pole to the wall. It snapped clean in two. Dustin grasped for anything but was quickly thrown into Sara, Jenna, and Michael. Max, Kayla, and Kelsey were the first to disappear into the foggy bottom. They all hit the ground hard. And they were all much worse off then they were before.
(2)
Michael got up slowly as he began to rub his rib cage. He pulled his hand away, blood smeared over it. His breath was tight as he began to crawl on his knees to Kelsey who lay a little ways away. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her over. One of her eyes was missing. He gave a small, faint sound. Max, who was extremely bruised and missing three of his fingers on his right hand, answered it. "We know." Max said as he tended to Michael. He wrapped a bandage around his chest. The pain seemed to increase, obscuring his vision.
"Thanks." He said faintly. "What about her?" Max looked down at her and took out a bundle of cloth and put it underneath an eye patch. The bleeding was subdued. He then bent over and lifted her onto his back.
"Come on." Max said as they rejoined the group. As they approached, they saw the rest of them standing up. Many of them were in the same condition as Michael and Max were. Casey however was completely unscathed. No doubt the Nightmare had saved her. "All are here, Dustin."
"Good, because I can see the palace up ahead." Alyssa responded as she handed Dustin the telescope. Dustin took it with his good hand, the other having been broken in what looked painful to even think of. He lifted it gingerly up to his eyes and gave a small laugh.
"There it is." Dustin said with a small smile. Off in the distance stood a towering white structure that looked so out of place against the surrounding darkness. "Let's head out."
(2)
The giant white palace towered over everything that fell in its shadow. Jenna gazed up to the topmost spire. It was impossible to see the details. "And your parents made this?"
"I think that Morcius helped them." Kelsey stated as she twitched. She was shaking as she touched her eye patch.
"Maybe Blared helped out a little." Max suggested. Dustin and Sarah reached the wall and gave a loud sigh.
"There is no door." Dustin whined. He checked the surrounding pillars for a sign of entry.
"Maybe it just needs a gentle touch." Sarah said as she placed her palm on the marble wall. A hole instantly opened and a great light escaped out and illuminated the injured and saddened travelers. Then, they began to crawl inside. The place was just as they had left it, with spears and some black goo on the floor.
"Hasn't changed much." Sara claimed as she climbed inside the warm light.
"How would it have?" Michael asked. Dustin and Casey stood together over the center of the floor. Casey gave a fast punch over the floor and it slid open to reveal a small space. Inside of it, swirling contently was the Gateway.
"Okay, now we get dad back to finish this." Dustin said as he took a step down towards it. Casey grabbed his shoulder.
"I don't think you can do that." Casey said as she frowned.
"Why not?" Max asked. Casey turned to him.
"Well, that isn't its purpose anymore." She stated.
"It's purpose?" Alyssa asked. "What was its purpose in the first place?"
"Well…" Casey began. "It all started when God saw t trouble humanity was in. He flooded the Earth of course but then he found another way to help out. He put three items on Earth that, when combined, would be able to defeat the devil. Of course, he had to split them up. It was too dangerous to keep them all together."
"So, what does this have to do with the Gateway?" Kayla asked.
"The Gateway is one of them." Casey said. "And it is the most powerful."
"How so?" Jenna asked.
"Well, it gives immortality to those who survive it and it is also a direct link to the afterlife. I mean, it can also create things. Look at Blared. He was created from it. And, God isn't exactly stupid. He put a safety device in all of them. Whenever the Phantom Blot is acting up around them, they kind of lay low. In other words, they will only work for the good instead of him."
"So, he would need someone else to take it for him." Max concluded.
"Exactly." Casey answered. "And right now, we are in Hell, his home. And that isn't the least of your worries."
"What is the least?" Kayla asked. Casey gave a small frown and glanced at them."
"The Phantom Blot has just launched an attack on Heaven and he has the Stone. It is shut off but we can't win without it."
"What!" Dustin shouted. Everyone else was thinking the same thing.
"You mean that he has already acted?" Max exclaimed.
"Then what about the Gateway?" Sarah asked. "What are we supposed to do with it?"
"I don't know!" Casey said as she gave another glance over them. "We just have to move it." Casey then got an idea. She stuck her arm out and the Gateway instantly flew to her. She gave a small giggle. "It tickles." Then, the walls grew dark and they were suddenly made very aware of all the soldiers that had formed outside.
The spears and staffs clinked and clanged as the soldiers banged on the walls and the palace began to crumble. They screamed as staffs began to break through the marble, searching for a body to spear. Then, the noise faded and they were swept away in a swirling light. It was then that they felt the hard earth beneath them. They blinked their eyes and the world came into focus. They were sitting in a large room that looked old and musty. There were couches arranged in a square and a raccoon and old duck stood guard at the doors. They all recognized it.
"It's the waiting room." Sara responded.
"Why are we here?" Kelsey asked as she got up and was instantly hit in the eye. No pain came. She blinked and noticed her eyesight better then ever. Her eye was healed. Max stretched his new fingers and Michael examined his ribs. Not only were they healed, but shining gold armor was over it.
"What just happened?" Michael asked as he observed the others' armor as well.
"Welcome to the future." The duck said as he glanced at them. Meghan gave a large smile.
"Thanks for finally coming." She laughed and then ducked. A bullet zipped past her ear. She aimed her gun at the assassin and hit him dead in the head.
"Meghan?" Alyssa asked. "What…who are you?" She pointed to the old duck still at his post.
"Me. Why I am the renowned inventor Ludwig Von Drake." Ludwig answered.
(2)
They stood there in shock. "I read your legacy." Jenna said as she recovered.
"Ah! So it was not for naught." Ludwig responded. "I guess Mickey knew what he was doing before he died."
"What do you mean?" Dustin said as he walked forward a little, his new armor making a high clink.
"Your father planned his and his friend's deaths. He told me that he wanted me to contribute to his Sanctum because he wanted you to know me if you ever made it this far. He also wanted you to know what happened back then to use it later." Ludwig took a breath and gave a look out the window.
"So, when are we exactly?" Max asked.
"You are in the year 4096." Meghan responded. "And you just happen to be in the middle of the Phantom Blot's attack."
"He is attacking here too?" Sarah asked as she looked at Casey.
"But…He wasn't going for this though." Casey stuttered.
"Then how do you explain that?" Meghan asked. They looked out the window and saw massive Blot Birds flying across the steely sky. The Sky! It was a golden black. Small hints of red suggested a sunset but the sky said cage.
"What is that?" Sara asked as she pointed to the sky. It was completely encased in a steel wall.
"Well, we had to protect the Earth some how." Ludwig remarked as he gave a bang to the door. "With all of the Global Warming I had to shut out the sun. Stop the heating."
"But, wouldn't the heat build up?" Jenna asked.
"No." Ludwig responded. "I've made it so that the warm air escapes but the sun cannot get in."
"So, the Earth is wearing a giant iron mask?" Alyssa summed it up.
"'Till the end of the world." Meghan remarked.
"Now, we are here not just for you." Ludwig explained. "We are also here to get some reinforcements."
"What reinforcements?" Michael asked as he looked around.
"The ones that are sleeping." Meghan answered. The group looked at each other.
"They are sleeping?" Kelsey asked.
"Beneath us." Ludwig said as he hurried to the door. He flung it open and they gazed into the musty room that had once been the Musketeer Captain's office.
"Under here?" Dustin asked. "But, I used to work in here all the time."
"And we would have small parties too." Max reminded him.
"I know." Meghan remembered. "But there was more to this room than you know." She crossed to the chair and pulled the small lever and the chair instantly dropped bellow the floor. They gathered around the hole and gazed into the creeping darkness.
"Just go." Ludwig mumbled as he jumped bellow. They followed his lead. Their armor clanged with a metallic lightness as they landed on the ground. "Just down here." Ludwig held out his flashlight as he hurried them along the underground passage. They soon came into a room with a strange machine in the center.
"This was beneath here?" Kayla asked as she looked around. Jenna and Alyssa were looking over the machine carefully.
"What should we do?" Jenna asked.
"I don't know." Alyssa responded. "But if it does something weird I'll just smash it." Jenna glared at the words running across the screen.
The soldiers you seek sleep inside the wall.
"What the heck does that mean?" Kayla asked. Jenna gave it another look over and stared at the walls. She noticed a convenient circle above one of the walls.
"How many soldiers were you looking for?" Jenna asked. Ludwig saw it too.
"Three." He responded as they both looked up at the three circles arranged in the shape of the Royal seal. "Stand back." He raised his gun and smashed it into the wall. It instantly crumbled and three pods were exposed. Inside of them, sleeping contently, were Huey, Dewey, and Louie.
"It those three guys that saved us!" Sara remarked.
"We came here to get them?" Casey asked.
"Well, they beat the Nightmare once. They can do it again." Meghan remarked. Instantly the pods gave a hiss and each creaked open. The three ducks swayed and stepped out of their pods.
"Where are we?" Huey asked.
"When are we?" Dewey asked as he looked at the glowing armor.
"How are we?" Louie said as he checked himself over.
(2)
They exited the cellar some time later. Huey, Dewey, and Louie were yawning and stretching. Casey led the way. She opened the large, decaying purple doors in the main entrance and they instantly fell. They gazed out at Paris, a completely war torn city. "Oh. My. God!" Sarah stammered as she stepped outside for the first time in millennia. "What happened?"
"I told you." Ludwig said as he rushed over to his hover ship. "This is all the Phantom Blot's doing."
"No." Casey shouted. Everyone turned to her. "I know what it looks like but he NEVER wanted to take the Earth like this. He only wanted Heaven. With Heaven, he also gains this."
"Then why is this happening?" Dustin asked.
"It does seem rather convincing." Michael said.
"Well, while you sit there," Ludwig said. He rummaged in his ship for something and then stumbled out. He was carrying a rather large box. He set it down and opened it. "You are going to need weapons. This is a war after all." He then withdrew a large sword and handed it to Dustin. He withdrew two more and handed them each to Max and Michael. He then revealed a large, metal pole. He gave this to Sarah. "This is a Blaster staff. It functions as a pole but when opened…" Sarah hit the small button on the edge and the pole opened in the center to reveal a dozen blaster arrows and a slot to fire them from.
Ludwig took out a whip and gave this to Kayla. "Old fashion but with a very handy trick." Ludwig then revealed the second whip hidden in the handle. He then took out a pen and handed it to Sara. It fired a laser out of the end. "A laser pen but, as all pens do, it can draw you out of anything." Sara then drew a bird in the air and instantly, a bird was soaring across their heads and off into the war torn, steely sky. He handed a bow and arrow to Jenna with a shield attached. He gave Alyssa a mace. "As much as I know you can use your fists, I think this will come in very useful. Each spike of this mace has poison inside of it. They can be taken off and thrown to become poison knives."
"This is a mirror with a very unique power. It can shift into a club and also serves as a shield." Ludwig handed the mirror/club/shield to Kelsey. He then withdrew a long staff with a globe at the top. "And this is for you, Casey. It is a staff that has the power to release energy rays and also creates a large, shield dome. I think this will be very useful." Ludwig handed it to Casey.
"But…I know The Phantom Blot was not going to attack here. Are you certain that this is him?" Casey asked as she held her staff gingerly in her hands. Before Ludwig could respond, the air exploded in a loud thundering crack. The group was blown to the ground as they looked up at the dark red sky. They saw the monstrous beast fly back across the river as the flames began to roar around the bridge. The hover ship was beginning to lift off. Sara felt Michael grab her by the scruff of the neck and throw her into the steely inside of the giant ship. A black sparrow was sitting in the command bridge as the ship gave a giant lurch to the left. The occupants gave desperate looks out of the windows as the headquarters disappeared in a giant inferno.
"So, this is what the world has become." Sarah observed. Casey was sitting with the staff on her lap, pondering why things were this way.