#scarsdale

"It's really nice of them to take her in."

"It is" he takes out a kerchief and offers it to her as gallantly as he can "I hope she is a nice person because they're nice to her. If she's not, you'll have to educate her.. sluagh style, won't you?"

"Right."

"Now, uhm.... we're going to be here for your birthday? ALL Day or just part of it, what do you prefer?"

A sigh. "I know not."

"Okay. Well, August and I have a surprise for you at Earthrunes on your birthday is why I bring it up. I think you might enjoy at least a few hours there but it's up to you when you're ready" A smile in his eyes "In fact, August made a decree"

August rarely decrees anything

Brow. "A decree?"

A nod "mm hmm"

"Not a decree over YOU, he wouldn't dare"

"Not a big fuss, I hope."

"Oh... that depends on your definition"

A bit coy but whatever it is, he thiniks she'll like it

"I hope my definition is considered, aye."

"Let me simply say that i think a few hours there would make clear what he has done at my behest and I think you will find it a delightful and unique gift, let me also say that I think you're worth making a fuss over, but it is no shanda"

"Well... I trust you, yes."

"Well, I don't blame you for caution, I have pulled a few boneheaded stunts" he nods

Smells from down stairs, wonderful foods properly aged!

When Zara heads down, she gets a gentle hug from her father who mutters "Welcome home" and guides her to the table. It would seem Hannah has given him the story, but he all ears for his daughter whether she wants to talk about the guest, or about the library at Earth RUnes.. or anything.

Papa always listens

(Fade to family)

Later, after the family is in bed... Zara opens her bedroom window. The maple tree is in easy reach, and years of practice make it a simple matter to reach out to the nearest branch and climb down to the lawn below.

Easily done, and she drops down.

As soft as the whispers she uses

She pads quietly down the block, following her nose to the burned wreck that was once the Lovingers' home.

It looks like yellow tape, which she easily ignores, blocking the access. Maybe they're still investigating

But no one is there at THIS time of night

And tape is not a barrier to one such as her. She takes a moment to listen. To listen for the cries that sluagh's ears hold a special attunement. Five dead, in a manner abrupt and violent. Lives unfinished.

"Vengeance.." In yiddish an old woman's voice calls out... to be lost on the wind, if one isn't sluagh

"A life stolen, aye, Bubbe."

"Five stolen."

"All dead? Non surived..wait.. five? Including me? WHo lived!" The image comes into view

oh she's a burned husk of a corpse like this, transparent and charred

Zara finds a place to sit, and pats the ground. "Join me, Grandmother. One. Tziporah."

"Oh, my little Tiz..." She sits down , "You would think, being dead and without a body I'd be more limber" she grumbles as she sits stiffly "I know you, you're that Schwartz girl? Hannah's girl right? But everyone else looks to be dying or decaying.. you look..well, a bit dead, but with an energy"

"I am different from the others, yes. And yes, Hannah's girl."

"You know, Tziporah bears my middle name as her first name. It meant a lot to me," She confides "I don't think that fire was an accident, and neither did the firemarshal who looked around. I heard him say so, but he could'nt hear me. Screaming in his ear I was"

"Most humans can't. I have heard some have the gift, but it is rarer than those such as I. But... why would any wish such dread on your family?"

"I see..." a pause "And I don't know. We wern't the nicest folk, I know. My son, rest his soul I hope, could be very pompous, but death? "

"Of course, there's always money... we aren't rich rich, but we're rich ish?"

"This is Scarsdale. We're all rich-ish."

"True...hence the mystery" she confesses "We had a nice house... but obviously that's not for sale after this." She ponders "Could it be because we didn't scoop up after the dog?"

"That seems harsh."

"Frankly it seems pretty harsh whatever we did to cheese them off," She observes "Someone's britches are in abundle I can tell you"

"Aye. And five lost. Not all remain as you - some move beyond, to places I cannot see or know."

"That G_d for that. even if i'm left behind"

"The ones who stay... aught ties them to this world."

"Maybe Tizzy is that tie"

"Mayhaps. Mama wishes to take her in."

"Your mother's a good woman.. .sometimes I wanted to kick your uncle Hirim in his patootie.. man has a mouth on him"