#odyssey

"Well, why any of this? Still think it might be secretly homework."

And as Symon opens the left door.. stumbling a bit...

it opens...

He peers.

and he sees what he most wants.... home! As it should be..and more. Every house, the lodge, has a crawl space where he can listen in on them and wiggle around. His mom having more free time from her work job, and his dad too. Where he can find them. Dirk learning basketball...fierce and monstrous when he needs to be, but never when it would be too loud... his best friend Dagmar showing him moves. Lily pestering for secrets and thus challenging the older sluagh to find creative ways to appease her.

A troll jumps as they find one of his taxidermied specialty items

He stares.

Every miniature in a proper position

"Mm?" Inquisitive grunt.

It’s perfect. Achingly so. He may make a scene of being a Saruman or Sauron lackey, but deep inside, is he really just a Baggins dreaming of a content hole? Maybe.

But... it’s too perfect. He frowns.

Then a ball gets thrown at him "Think fast, twerp"

Dirk is still dirk even in a fantasy

He ducks and flinches! Habit!

"Ha ha!"

“It’s.., a lie.” He whispers to Dagmar... but... he still looks.

Dagmar can see it. SHe may not understand that this is what he wants... but it's there.. exposed.

"It looks like home? Not quite right, but close."

"Got your new mittens" His mother says "These are shaped liike bunnies"

He flinches. “So what? It’s not a room of tomes filled with eldritch knowledge. Or a statue of me in town square- God, no. So what if I like things how I like ‘em? That doesn’t make me less of a sluagh.” Who is he arguing with?

“Try the other door.” He pulls the door shut, looking away so he doesn’t have to see the faces when he does.

"Um - sure? There's nothing wrong there. I like home, too." She goes to open the other door.

"Oh dear, took the edge off the edge lord did it? You try to give folks what they want..."

And Dagmar opens the door.. another home scene

“We want the map.” He says, his tone as firm and convincing as he can make it.

CJ is crying.... wailing in squalor

She frowns immediately, that crease appearing between her brows.

Tove takes out her cigarette, then glares at Dagmar "Damnit, Samantha... are you just bumming around here again? It's bad enough you've fucked everything up... now all you're doing is just bumming around? Connor's dead. You screwed up. Move on!"

Jaymes sits in a wheel chair... and shoots a look of profound disgust at her. NOt healable? Not.. treatable

She grips the doorknob, a crushing-tight hold.

Jaymes mmmrr and looks away ("You disgust me why did I ever... oath with.. that")

They hate her. Even CJ cries louder at the sight of her

And a clammy hand wraps over hers. Trying to pry her fingers loose.

. “Your funhouse tricks are played out.” He hisses.

"MY tricks? Oh no, this is each of you.. My trick is just sharing with the world a bit... you're trying to steal from me, and I shouldn't defend my property?"

“Sam has already seen that shit. And she got through it. You can’t scare Dagmar that way.”

Maybe he can try. But Symon has faith in her anyways.

“Who said steal? This is a carnival. Give us a chance to win the prize.”

She allows him to pull her hand from the door, though she's still staring at the scene.

A sneaker lifted and door kicked shut.

"I like the cut of your jib, boy" A chuckle "A chance to win.. oh but you have no tokens, no tickets. "

(To BE Continued)