Descending Road - IT’S CLOSED by Dana W. Paxson

IT’S CLOSED

1563 4D

He raised himself again, to stand now in Lulith‘s pale moonlit night. The mountains and the land had not changed. Where his house had stood in the sun, now only a chimney rose over a blackened mass that glinted here and there with the moonsilvered light of roasted and blistered cellusteel wood. The whine of a van ascended the farm road; Andrew moved behind an outcropping. He knew all this. The van stopped and its rear hatch opened; three men in blue and gray brought a body, completely wrapped in tempweave, to hurl it in the back of the van. As they climbed in after it, it kicked and writhed in the moonlight.

Andrew stood, shaking. The scene collapsed into him, he staggered, and once more he stood in the vale where the two great moons had shone and the light had burst from the innards of the mountain. But now the light had left and the vale’s inner end was black. He stepped inward, reaching with his hands in the two-shadowed moondusk, until the walls of the vale narrowed to rub his shoulders. Before him, solid stone. He stooped to the ground; his fingers scrabbled in dust where the pure stream had languidly flowed.

“It’s closed.” Jeddin‘s voice.

Andrew turned. Jeddin and Turiosten and Onnhasshakh stood a few strides behind him in their own light against the dark sky. “I saw a child, and then Leil was gone,” Andrew said.

“One of your children?” Jeddin asked.

“No. It had the darkest eyes, so sad and old.” Dizziness washed over Andrew. He reached out to the sloping stone on either side to steady himself. He called out in his mind to Leil. I tried so hard. What did I do wrong? Arms came around him, and his legs let go.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	IT’S CLOSED 1563 4D He raised himself again, to stand now in Lulith‘s pale moonlit night. The mountains and the land had not changed. Where his house had stood in the sun, now only a chimney rose over a blackened mass that glinted here and there with the moonsilvered light of roasted and blistered cellusteel wood. The whine of a van ascended the farm road; Andrew moved behind an outcropping. He knew all this. The van stopped and its rear hatch opened; three men in blue and gray brought a body, completely wrapped in tempweave, to hurl it in the back of the van. As they climbed in after it, it kicked and writhed in the moonlight. Andrew stood, shaking. The scene collapsed into him, he staggered, and once more he stood in the vale where the two great moons had shone and the light had burst from the innards of the mountain. But now the light had left and the vale’s inner end was black. He stepped inward, reaching with his hands in the two-shadowed moondusk, until the walls of the vale narrowed to rub his shoulders. Before him, solid stone. He stooped to the ground; his fingers scrabbled in dust where the pure stream had languidly flowed. “It’s closed.” Jeddin‘s voice. Andrew turned. Jeddin and Turiosten and Onnhasshakh stood a few strides behind him in their own light against the dark sky. “I saw a child, and then Leil was gone,” Andrew said. “One of your children?” Jeddin asked. “No. It had the darkest eyes, so sad and old.” Dizziness washed over Andrew. He reached out to the sloping stone on either side to steady himself. He called out in his mind to Leil. I tried so hard. What did I do wrong? Arms came around him, and his legs let go.