Monday, January 27, 2014
Perched precariously on a wooden ladder, Gren was leaning against the sturdy wall of the Forgotten Layers Inn. Dressed in an old t-shirt, work pants, and work gloves, he was trying to unclog its gutters from a year?s accumulation of leaves, twigs, and ?helicopter? seeds. The smell of decaying foliage made Gren?s nose curl up in displeasure. He had been scooping the debris out and dumping it into a wheelbarrow below all morning.
?A sun, a moon, stars . . . and rain, apparently . . . ? Gren muttered under his breath, referencing Jeremiah?s explanation of how the pocket realm where the Inn resided was just like other worlds. Since the realm had re-opened, more visitors had begun to appear, and Gren had been helping Izira with the Inn?s upkeep since her workload had increased. Wiping his forearm across his head, he was almost finished when he felt the ladder being roughly shaken below him.
?AAAAAH! What are you doing?? Gren reflexively grabbed hold of the ladder and hung on for dear life. Glancing down, he saw the cause of his predicament. It was Moriana, his fellow Ranger. The tall, drow woman had seized his ladder with both hands and was rattling it, glaring up at him.
?STOP! STOP! Alright already! Don?t break my neck, I?m coming down!? Wobbly from fright, Gren gingerly made his way down the rungs to stand a bit white-faced next to Moriana, who had her hands on her hips and was still glaring at him.
?Now what?s this all about?? Gren asked, after he steadied himself.
Right after he said the word ?about?, Moriana had grabbed his shirt sleeve and was tugging him towards the portal, pointing her finger imperiously in that direction.
?But I?m right in the middle of something, can?t this wait? I?m almost done here!?
Moriana punched Gren?s shoulder, then snatched his shirt and pointed again.
?OW! Alright, alright! Just give me a second to let Izira know I?m going, okay??
Moriana looked angry, but she crossed her arms and waited.
?Sheesh.? Gren trudged up the steps of the Inn and stuck his head in the door. ?Izira? Izira! Moriana?s come by, and I have to . . . . *Izira*! *What are you wearing*?? There was a long, awkward pause. ?Reward me? Well, I was almost done . . . . I mean . . . I only needed a few more minutes, but something?s come up, and . . . ? Gren looked desperately between the door and Moriana.
Moriana curled her lip, marched up to Gren, and clutched his shirt, forcibly dragging him away.
?Hold that thought, Izira! I?ve got to take care of something! I?ll be right back!!!? Gren got the last few words out before the door closed and Moriana was hauling him down the stone path.
?This better be important! I mean, someone better be dying here!? Gren was craning his neck over his shoulder, trying to see if he could catch a glimpse of Izira through the Inn?s window.
Moriana nodded emphatically.
Gren caught the nod, and looked sharply at her, then sighed ruefully. ?Oh, alright. Aw, man, she had on the *red* one . . . ?
The two Rangers disappeared through the portal, Gren giving off those shimmering blue lights, as usual.
Perched precariously on a wooden ladder, Gren was leaning against the sturdy wall of the Forgotten Layers Inn. Dressed in an old t-shirt, work pants, and work gloves, he was trying to unclog its gutters from a year?s accumulation of leaves, twigs, and ?helicopter? seeds. The smell of decaying foliage made Gren?s nose curl up in displeasure. He had been scooping the debris out and dumping it into a wheelbarrow below all morning.
?A sun, a moon, stars . . . and rain, apparently . . . ? Gren muttered under his breath, referencing Jeremiah?s explanation of how the pocket realm where the Inn resided was just like other worlds. Since the realm had re-opened, more visitors had begun to appear, and Gren had been helping Izira with the Inn?s upkeep since her workload had increased. Wiping his forearm across his head, he was almost finished when he felt the ladder being roughly shaken below him.
?AAAAAH! What are you doing?? Gren reflexively grabbed hold of the ladder and hung on for dear life. Glancing down, he saw the cause of his predicament. It was Moriana, his fellow Ranger. The tall, drow woman had seized his ladder with both hands and was rattling it, glaring up at him.
?STOP! STOP! Alright already! Don?t break my neck, I?m coming down!? Wobbly from fright, Gren gingerly made his way down the rungs to stand a bit white-faced next to Moriana, who had her hands on her hips and was still glaring at him.
?Now what?s this all about?? Gren asked, after he steadied himself.
Right after he said the word ?about?, Moriana had grabbed his shirt sleeve and was tugging him towards the portal, pointing her finger imperiously in that direction.
?But I?m right in the middle of something, can?t this wait? I?m almost done here!?
Moriana punched Gren?s shoulder, then snatched his shirt and pointed again.
?OW! Alright, alright! Just give me a second to let Izira know I?m going, okay??
Moriana looked angry, but she crossed her arms and waited.
?Sheesh.? Gren trudged up the steps of the Inn and stuck his head in the door. ?Izira? Izira! Moriana?s come by, and I have to . . . . *Izira*! *What are you wearing*?? There was a long, awkward pause. ?Reward me? Well, I was almost done . . . . I mean . . . I only needed a few more minutes, but something?s come up, and . . . ? Gren looked desperately between the door and Moriana.
Moriana curled her lip, marched up to Gren, and clutched his shirt, forcibly dragging him away.
?Hold that thought, Izira! I?ve got to take care of something! I?ll be right back!!!? Gren got the last few words out before the door closed and Moriana was hauling him down the stone path.
?This better be important! I mean, someone better be dying here!? Gren was craning his neck over his shoulder, trying to see if he could catch a glimpse of Izira through the Inn?s window.
Moriana nodded emphatically.
Gren caught the nod, and looked sharply at her, then sighed ruefully. ?Oh, alright. Aw, man, she had on the *red* one . . . ?
The two Rangers disappeared through the portal, Gren giving off those shimmering blue lights, as usual.