inbox;

[nonfictional]

Comments

[nonfictional]

Yeah. Hit me.

[ Is he ever doing anything else other than hunching over his typewriter? ]

[howtheyshine]

Well, um-- [A pause.] Has anyone told you about the sleeping thing that happens to people on board sometimes? Norton calls it stasis, most of the barge calls it a 'barge coma.'

[nonfictional]

Did Saga go down?

[ the guess is almost immediate. ]

[howtheyshine]

[STARTLED.]

No, Saga is fine, it's Charlie.

[nonfictional]

Oh.

[ The oh isn't disappointed--he's switching gears. ]

Where is--he's taken care of?

[howtheyshine]

Uh, yeah, my brother took him to his cabin. We found him in the library.

[SORTA.]

[nonfictional]

[ Was Alan there? Was he just not paying attention? No. That's stupid. He'd hear it. He cares about Charlie. He has to stop second guessing himself: ]

Okay. great--he's staying there until he wakes up, right?

[howtheyshine]

Yeah. J... [He falters, and the words get more of an edge than he means them to.] John will check on him, I'm sure.

[nonfictional]

Good. [ He means it. There's a tinge of relief lacing the words, and a fraction of a pause. ]

I appreciate you letting me know--how are you holding up? You close with him?

[howtheyshine]

No. [The word isn't sharp but it's most definitely crisp.] He doesn't like me.

[It is probs not appropriate to say "at least I won't be looking over my shoulder or be careful of entering a room while he's asleep." SIGH.]

You're getting along with him, though?

[nonfictional]

Yeah, he's great. [ Alan means it--there few people he's felt an instant connection with. Charlie's one of them. It's the sharpness of the other's tone that really makes him pause. ]

He doesn't like you, but you're taking the time to make sure his acquaintances know he's out. That's pretty responsible.