[Closed] Seek Peace and Pursue It

[pace_tua]

“Well, this is sort of a hot mess,” Peace muttered to Sir Pugsley, sitting in her lap. “I don’t wanna sleep, but I have to sleep. But if I dream, there’s like a 99% chance of nightmares. So. That’s going to be great. Just great.”

The dog was decidedly unsympathetic, and huffed, wanting pets more than to listen to his owner’s griping. Peace sighed, and scratched the retropug between the ears. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Less complaining, more pets. But you’re the only one I can talk to, you know? Honestly. I’m scared. We did the combover on Kingsmouth for nearly a year now. And now what? Egypt? For what? For why? Did you know ancient Egyptians used to sacrifice red-haired people? Especially men, because Set had red hair, supposedly. I just know I’m going to go in, piss off some dead ancient priest and end up with my eyeballs spooned out. This is a problem for me.”

The retropug fell asleep in her lap, and she groaned. “You are the least helpful dog, Sir Pugsley.” Peace rested her head back against the grey cell wall Q&A had been keeping her for hours, with the dog. Brief, de-brief, re-brief. All signs, all roads, they pointed straight to Africa.

Find another way in, they said, looking down their noses at the psychic girl in the hard, plastic chair.

Take the gift, the voices had told her. She didn’t want to go back. What did she deserve, really? Her whole life was turning out to be a long, semi-immortal cruel joke. God was laughing somewhere, and Gaia was smiling approvingly. She had been tempted, though. The purple, cheerfully wrapped box waiting, just waiting.

The answer to all her problems in it, a true and honest solution to them. Waiting, waiting.

Instead, she had thrown herself from the cliffs, waited for death to embrace her in the falling forever. Found the cold, hard earth of the Blue Mountain mine under her cheek instead. Immediate demands to return to New York from home base. Angry messages from Miklos blowing up her phone.

Quietly, Peace pulled out her phone and flicked through her pictures slowly, as to not wake the dog sleeping on her. She stared and stared at the image, willing it to make sense to her. Waiting. Do not wake those dreamers, she could hear the other voices say. Let them rest.