And the Author doesn't know a thing anymore.
All his plans for a moralistic and edifying essay of uplifting qualities have by now gone sadly astray.
Bowing to the inevitable he fast falls asleep in a rocking chair.

The next days were no easier, the sun was taking its toll on them all and even his once so mighty war steed had started to falter in her steps. If he had had the eyes and flight of a falcon he might have found reason for hope, seeing as that stony desert was coming to an end just a couple of days ahead. But as he didn't, he now had started to doubt if they were going to survive this journey at all. To be honest he didn't really care any more, it was just the cravings of the flesh that now and then disturbed his inner reflections, and the plight of his horses.

They had come a long way to die here he thought, but on the other hand, is that not true of us all. You never know where your next choice might lead you. That step outside your door to throw out your trash might end anywhere. Even to here, he thought, sunk into a black mood as he continued riding, as if in a trance, steadily step by step eating the miles away. That night he gave the horses the last of the water. He had tried to shelter himself and them from the worst of the heat by waiting in the shadow of a old ravine for dusk. Now he knew that it was time for that last attempt, if they didn't find water and shelter in a day or two they were going to perish here.

So he rode straight through the night, trusting in his horse to find the right path, never giving in to his exhaustion. Following Beltherus, shining so steadfast in the skies, trusting it to help him going in the right direction he found himself, as the dawn slowly moved in, almost at the edge of the desert. Not that he knew it though, there was noting proving it to be so from where he could see. As luck would have it they found a small natural well coming up from under the stony ground, creating a steady trickle of water. They all drunk their fill and for once he could relax some, he now had to decide if they should wait out the day or continue their march.

He Looked at his steed Eila where she stood, she seemed almost impatient to continue he thought. Maybe she knew something he did not, "so what do you think girl?" he asked. "Should we press on, or should we wait." At least we have water here, he thought. But Eila seemed to be of the opinion that they should keep on moving, It was easy to see as she pranced around, moving impatiently. And Anne's steed jinn also seemed to wanting to keep on, so in the end he decided to trust to their sense of survival. If it had been only him he would have waited for the night behind some small outcrop, but there was no rock large enough to offer his horses any shelter from the sun. And water or no water he could still see their ribs standing out under their skins.

So they marched on, this time though he didn't have the heart to ride her, Eila wouldn't complain, but he knew that they all were at their ropes end here. So they walked through the simmering heat with dust and heat as their only companions into the evening. He offered the horses what water he had left and they rested as the evening came. He had stopped sweating under the day and that, as he knew, was a sure sign of his body's imminent collapse. Now, as the cold came as the dusk crept in he found himself starting to shiver violently.

He collected the horses and forced himself to start walking again, knowing that he no longer would have the strength to keep going if he stopped to rest. The canopy of stars lightening his way made him feel as if he was walking inside a mighty cathedral, he didn't know it but he had started talking to himself. "Anne." He mumbled to himself. "How I miss thee." His voice cracking from the lack of water he could only whisper. "We will meet soon enough my love."

Saying so with the conviction of the newly saved or the nearly delirious. As the night proceeded so did his delirium, somewhere under the night he had stopped walking, falling down without noticing it. He had crawled the last miles on his hand and knees, somehow succeeding in finding a shelter under a bush, hiding himself in some sort of primal reaction against foes, as well as the sun. The horses, that faithfully had followed him through the night even as he no longer could stand, had now split up.

Jinn had proceeded toward the smell of water but Eila remained to steadfastly guard her friend. As the night moved into morning Eila saw her friend and master slowly stop shivering. She bent down to smell him and neighed softly, but he didn't seem to notice her any more, and no movements were to be seen. She seemed to stand still thinking, as if undecided for a moment, then she turned towards the smell of water and whinnying a last time she set of at a brisk pace.

Suddenly Joe felt someone shake him, "Joe." He heard a voice from far away. "Joe, it's time to wake up, come back now Joe." He forced his eyes open to look bleary eyed on Evelyn smiling down at him. "Come on sleepyhead, you don't want to miss this." She said. "here, drink this." It was some kind of tea with milk, very strong and sweet and after some minutes he started to remember where he was again. "Evelyn, remember to ask me about my dreams later. Promise me." He said as he sat himself up, trying to relax his cramped muscles.

"Where they that strange, Your dreams?" He heard a soft melodious voice beside him. Turning aside he saw that it was Jéena looking at him. She studied him with frank curiosity, "did they seem that real then. Were they portends thy think?" She said then in a low voice. "You should tell us all Joe, but not before we have sat up new wards to protect the sanctity of our hall." But now Alphonz bid them all to quiet as he started the rest of his tale.

"Know," He said, "That time to protect itself and all inside its fold have to have the faith of those living there, know also that consciousness is in time." Here he looked at Evelyn. "And so we at last come to your question Evelyn, what indeed would happen with us if time failed?" he stopped to solemnly look around.

"Now , you must remember that this is at best only circumstantial evidence though, as no man or woman that ever been outside that flow of time have come back to tell us their tale. It is said that when we die we still exist in some way, death may be the great divider of souls but not of consciousness itself. So consciousness is one thing, life is another. What then will happen if time no longer define us? One thought on this matter is that we are like fishes in the sea, the sea then being consciousness, although the fishes, which then would represent us, would die the sea would still remain."

Now Joe asked. "Are you saying that if time disappeared we all would become as ghosts?" Master Liam who by now had started to jump up and down in his chair agitatedly answered. "No Joe! Ghosts do exist, we can and will communicate with them at times. Consciousness though, is neither here nor there boy, it is like the Holy Grail of existence. It is what is and through us it observes itself" Alphonz now bowed ever so slightly at Master Liam then just as smoothly concluded his tale with saying "So in a way the potential of us would still be here even without time, but as for us living now? We would no longer exist. And that brings us to the crux of the matter." But now Jéena interrupted.

"Alphonz, the wards have weakened, we need to strengthen them before any more discussion." Joe heard someone gasp and several of those sitting there started to move as if uncomfortable. "Also I think we need some sleep. There is enough rooms here for us all, so I suggest that we continue this discussion in daylight instead." Alphonz whom now seemed to be in his own world for a moment suddenly acclaimed. "By Jove Jéena! You are right. They have weakened, remarkable indeed, as we sat them only yesternight?" He peered at us all asking quickly. "Anyone against us taking a break? And seeing to the wards. No? Good." He then turned to me and Evelyn.

"Joe, if you and Evelyn follows Jéena she will see you to a room so that you can get some sleep. This discussion should in fact have been made in daylight but unfortunately we had to help the Benner's family with their wards. Now is that a coincidence or not?" Here he thought for a moment and then said. "Never the less, try to get some sleep friends. We will all meet in the morning again." Jéena took us up to our room saying as we went. "I want to hear all about your dreams tomorrow Joe. I think they should be told." Evelyn looked at her strangely and then at me. "Why? Is there something you know?"

Jéena just smiled at us. "Why don't we discuss that tomorrow, I need to get out there with the others, to help with the warding if you excuse me. Promise to wait with discussing anything until tomorrow, please." Now Jéena and Evelyn exchanged some weird look of concern and Evelyn moved closer to me as if suddenly feeling very protective. "Don't worry Jéena she said. It can wait until the morning." As we went into a dimly lighted room with a big comfortable looking bed as well as a small vanity table and some chairs. I for one was still extremely tired and wanted nothing more than to get some sleep.

Evelyn and Jéena went to the window and started to make weaves around it and after they finished there they went round to all corners of the room doing the same. It was a octagonal sided room and high in the ceiling. I liked it immediately and really wished that I could have had one like that when I was living in Mundania. On the wall opposite the window there hung a big Bronze mirror and on all the other walls there was a smaller one. I just had to ask. "Evelyn? Why are there so many mirrors here?"

Jéena answered, "they are spirit traps." She said. "Huh?" I said. Now that Evelyn finally seemed satisfied with the wards too she explained to me as one would do to a inquisitive child. "They are traps for evil spirits intruding on the living, the smaller ones just scare those spirits away by showing them themselves but the big one is a what we call a soul-well. It takes them and hold them until we decide what to do with them. And now you can feel totally safe baby cause Mama will soon be with you,"

I heard a low sniggering sound at that from somewhere, but as I gave Jéena a suspicious glance she just looked back at me, perfectly poised and serious. Shit, I thought, did it come from the mirror? First werewolves and now? Evil spirits too? In my bedroom! "Ah Evelyn, do we really need that big mirror in here? It makes me kind of nervous." I admitted. Jéena who had been on her way out now froze in happy anticipation, just to hear what Evelyn would answer. "Oh mamas little sweetheart, scared of the nasty mean mirror are we, no don't you go worrying your little brain here. Mama will make all them bad things go away, and your Auntie Jéena will help too, oh yes she will."

The last was clearly addressed to the silent figure standing in the doorway turned away from me, shaking with the effort of withholding her mirth at Evelyn's all to blatant baby talk with me. Then Evelyn delivered the coup de grace "Jump into bed now baby. Quickly now, so that Auntie can kiss you good night as a good boy." As I actually already was in bed she didn't really need to say that, I think she did it just to tease me. Jéena who now had stopped her shaking turned back into the room and gave me a sweet peck on the chin. Though she couldn't help saying "Sleep well now baby, Auntie will just go out and chase them bad wolves away."

Now why the hell did she have to remind me of those? And just as she was leaving I saw them both doing a very strange weave together. It reminded me of a high five if you know what that is. Asking Evelyn when she had gone to bed, she told me that this only was a simple security ward sealing the door way from spirits, and didn't she say that there was something more? Ah yes, it seemed to take care of bad breath too. That one I thought was kind of strange. But rather smart too, especially in the mornings.. Well whatever, anyway, as soon as we came together in bed I fell asleep, and this time I didn't dream a goddamn thing.

When I woke up I had this lovely feeling of absolute satisfaction, As I experimentally moved my tongue I realized why. It tasted like Evelyn, in my mouth? As I opened my eyes I saw this soft but firm mammalian milky-white round object in front of me raising like a small Zhumulangma (Tibetan mountain) into my mouth. I felt someone caressing my hair and Evelyn's sweet voice crooning "Mama's Gonna Buy You a Mockingbird. If that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a…" Well you get the idea. I don't know how I happened to be there but I have to admit that I gave into the moment. Not that I'm weak, no way, just that is was kind of… Comforting, might be the word here? Anyway, don't snort at things you don't know, that's my advice, and yes, that goes for coke too.