Conversation · The Deserter

"Maybe we could all fit in there..." the lieutenant says.

"We could all fit in the little boat?"

"Actually, no..." He scratches his head.

He's not afraid of jail. He's afraid of something else.

Like parting from a loved one.

"Do you understand, sir?"

The sum of all the erratic movements, fidgeting and mood swings he's been exhibiting...

"What?!" The old man's eyes fill with sudden, unexpected terror at the words: "But you said I would be taken to the, uhm, the..."

This terror -- the sum of all the uncontrollable movements and mood swings he's been exhibiting...

The wind picks up. The silence on the water is broken all around you, little shivers of waves appear...

"Your Wayfarer rights have been suspended. Information provided to the officer on the scene will be used against you by the prosecution."

"I..." He looks around, confused.

"You will be provided legal counsel within one week, and must face court in 44 days."

"Do you understand?"

"..."

"Do you understand, sir?"

"No... I don't want to. I have to stay here." He looks at the reeds, eyes full of terror.

He is a brave man -- why is he unravelling?

He's sweating. Beads are forming on his forehead.

Pupils are dilated too, eyes getting blacker and blacker...

"We don't need your permisson," the kid turns to you. "We do need to talk about that boat though. How are we gonna take him?"

"Maybe I can just ask Lilienne to watch him?"

"Watch this killer?" The kid shakes his head and points to him.

"This fucking world..." He stares at something -- who knows what -- in the dust. "This world... what is this?"

Below the confusion and rage -- a fit of jamais vu, like yours? The thought passes, more pressing matters take its place...

Wait...

There it is again, to your north, as it has been since you came to the coast -- the reeds whisper, stalks rubbing against each other. But then, in the middle of it...

What?

Something completely different. It sounds like a bow, very slowly being drawn against the strings of a violin. A very small violin made of reeds and rushes.

...and then it's gone. Drowned out by the kid's voice -- "Maybe there is room for three on the boat..."

"Shush, Cuno! Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"What a farce! What are you talking about? Is this..." The old man's voice drowns in a sudden gust of wind. "... really us..."

Your skin crawls.

"You're saying we can all fit in there?"

"Why not?"

You thought you heard something but it's just the reeds.

"Maybe we could all fit in there..."

"You could come back for me. Once you've taken him to the Precinct."

The kid looks at you blankly. Then at the old man. "You fuckin' with me? Coz I can. I can take him."

"Maybe you're right..."

"This fucking world..." The old man interferes again. "What are you talking about? Is this..." His voice drowns out in a sudden gush of wind. "Us..."

Cold. From the East.

Your skin is crawling suddenly.

"Yeah, actually, that will look bad."

"We could all fit in the little boat?"

"Yeah, actually -- no." He scratches his head. "It would go down."

"Does the boat have room for three?"

"Yeah -- no." He shakes his head. "Only two are gonna fit in that fucker. I guess you could take him back, but..." He squints, realizing something.

Wait! But then -- who watches over him while you're coming back?

"This is not a problem."

"This is a problem," the kid says. "Cuno's literally had this problem. In a fuckin' textbook. When he went to kiddie school. This is that three piggies and a boat shit..."

"What is this... farce?" He looks around, with some desperation. "This a fucking farce, I can't..."

Something is happening. Stop.

Lilienne. You could ask her.

"But then who watches him -- there -- while I come back for you?"

He squints harder. "Fuck, it's the three piggies and a boat problem..."

There's something you're not getting here that he has just realized.

"But what? There's something I'm not getting, right?"

His eyes shoot wide open. "Cuno understands what's wrong. Who watches this fuckin' killer in the village, while you come back for me?"