Chapter 3
Joxer continued to stare long after the image had faded away. He
was blown away. He didn't know what to think. What to say.
Insanely, like a man who in the midst of a fire chooses the most
trivial object to save, a small voice in Joxer's mind berated him
for having gotten himself killed, thereby causing Gabby's current
anguish.
Ollie stood with him, and knew just what the kid was going through.
Ollie'd been able to hear the whole conversation too, and he had to
admit that as jaded as he was, even he felt sorry for these two
'star-crossed lovers'. Being a bard, he was sure this Gabrielle
would've appreciated the reference.
Before long, Joxer's awe was replaced by wonderment, then an
insatiable curiosity.
"What was that? How did it happen? Can you control it?" Joxer
rattled off these questions and more before, bemused, Ollie told
him to slow down and take it easy.
"As for what it is, your guess is as good as mine. Crystal ball,
scrying pool, magic portal. Me, I call it the 'Boob Tube'. What
matters is what it does," Ollie explained, "and that's show the
thoughts of whoever is thinking about you. Usually someone close
to you."
Ollie held up his hand to forestall a fresh batch of questions.
"There's no telling when it'll kick in. I guess whenever it wants
to, or whenever you come up on someone's mind." Ollie shrugged his
shoulders.
"It's strictly a one way thing. Believe me, I yelled myself hoarse
trying to catch someone's attention."
Joxer's face fell a little. He had wanted to let Gabrielle know
that everything was all right, and that she should feel no guilt
whatsoever. The idea of Gabrielle hurting over him made his
stomach knot up. To think that he was causing Gabby pain made him
want to curl up and die.
Then he remembered where he was.
But for all the guilt he thought he should feel, he couldn't help
but feel good. Gabrielle might be in love with him! Maybe more
than 'might' if her own feelings were to be believed. And the
thought that the girl he loved might love him back set his heart on
fire. He felt lightheaded, so he simply plopped down, a few
floating bits of mist being the only indication of doing so.
Although Ollie had his own problems, he couldn't help but feel
happy for the kid. To fall in love with a woman, and to actually
have that woman return those feelings, was the greatest feeling in
the world.
"Well," Ollie amended while stroking his beard and grinning
rakishly, "Almost the best feeling."
He'd known that feeling once, with Dinah. Truth be told, he still
did.
But while he was glad for Joxer, he couldn't help but be a little
jealous. It'd been a while since he'd seen anything in that 'pool'.
He and Dinah had been together for years. They'd had a bond with
one another. The least she could do was a little mourning every
now and again, Ollie grumbled.
The thought caused Ollie to shake his head at himself. "Selfish
bastard," he chided himself. "No wonder she left me." And with a
self-deprecating chuckle, he turned his attention back to Joxer.
"Come on," Ollie said, laying a hand on Joxer's arm to lead him
back to the 'campsite'. "Can't be sitting here waiting like a girl
by the phone. You'll know when another 'call' is coming through."
Reluctantly, Joxer got to his feet and followed Ollie back.
Perhaps that was best anyway, because he felt as though he was
shutting down, drowning or something. Yeah, he'd go back to the
camp. He needed some time to sort this all out. To think about it.
And time was the one thing he had in abundance.
Joxer continued to stare long after the image had faded away. He
was blown away. He didn't know what to think. What to say.
Insanely, like a man who in the midst of a fire chooses the most
trivial object to save, a small voice in Joxer's mind berated him
for having gotten himself killed, thereby causing Gabby's current
anguish.
Ollie stood with him, and knew just what the kid was going through.
Ollie'd been able to hear the whole conversation too, and he had to
admit that as jaded as he was, even he felt sorry for these two
'star-crossed lovers'. Being a bard, he was sure this Gabrielle
would've appreciated the reference.
Before long, Joxer's awe was replaced by wonderment, then an
insatiable curiosity.
"What was that? How did it happen? Can you control it?" Joxer
rattled off these questions and more before, bemused, Ollie told
him to slow down and take it easy.
"As for what it is, your guess is as good as mine. Crystal ball,
scrying pool, magic portal. Me, I call it the 'Boob Tube'. What
matters is what it does," Ollie explained, "and that's show the
thoughts of whoever is thinking about you. Usually someone close
to you."
Ollie held up his hand to forestall a fresh batch of questions.
"There's no telling when it'll kick in. I guess whenever it wants
to, or whenever you come up on someone's mind." Ollie shrugged his
shoulders.
"It's strictly a one way thing. Believe me, I yelled myself hoarse
trying to catch someone's attention."
Joxer's face fell a little. He had wanted to let Gabrielle know
that everything was all right, and that she should feel no guilt
whatsoever. The idea of Gabrielle hurting over him made his
stomach knot up. To think that he was causing Gabby pain made him
want to curl up and die.
Then he remembered where he was.
But for all the guilt he thought he should feel, he couldn't help
but feel good. Gabrielle might be in love with him! Maybe more
than 'might' if her own feelings were to be believed. And the
thought that the girl he loved might love him back set his heart on
fire. He felt lightheaded, so he simply plopped down, a few
floating bits of mist being the only indication of doing so.
Although Ollie had his own problems, he couldn't help but feel
happy for the kid. To fall in love with a woman, and to actually
have that woman return those feelings, was the greatest feeling in
the world.
"Well," Ollie amended while stroking his beard and grinning
rakishly, "Almost the best feeling."
He'd known that feeling once, with Dinah. Truth be told, he still
did.
But while he was glad for Joxer, he couldn't help but be a little
jealous. It'd been a while since he'd seen anything in that 'pool'.
He and Dinah had been together for years. They'd had a bond with
one another. The least she could do was a little mourning every
now and again, Ollie grumbled.
The thought caused Ollie to shake his head at himself. "Selfish
bastard," he chided himself. "No wonder she left me." And with a
self-deprecating chuckle, he turned his attention back to Joxer.
"Come on," Ollie said, laying a hand on Joxer's arm to lead him
back to the 'campsite'. "Can't be sitting here waiting like a girl
by the phone. You'll know when another 'call' is coming through."
Reluctantly, Joxer got to his feet and followed Ollie back.
Perhaps that was best anyway, because he felt as though he was
shutting down, drowning or something. Yeah, he'd go back to the
camp. He needed some time to sort this all out. To think about it.
And time was the one thing he had in abundance.