Descending Road - A RAGGED MELODY by Dana W. Paxson

A RAGGED MELODY

1563 4D

In Sobi Zone, in Rumchi Zone, in Poly Town, the lights flared on, and the night street creatures recoiled. As the illumination pulsed and then remained, they melted away into the underground daytime. One by one, people began to emerge from shuttered and barricaded cubbies and homes and shops. A drum thumped. Cleanup bins began to fill themselves with debris from the understreets: clothing, spent torches, damaged goods, weapons, bodies. Vendors reappeared; fruits, vegetables, breads, sweet drinks exchanged hands.

Drum answered drum; the beats crossed, leaped; syntrells picked up a ragged melody. Militia strolled nervously, smiling at those they passed. Soon women and children came out to the understreets once more, swaying and moving along in lines as men gathered to urge them on. The intersections started once more to fill up. Corsang Run continued.

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


	A RAGGED MELODY 1563 4D In Sobi Zone, in Rumchi Zone, in Poly Town, the lights flared on, and the night street creatures recoiled. As the illumination pulsed and then remained, they melted away into the underground daytime. One by one, people began to emerge from shuttered and barricaded cubbies and homes and shops. A drum thumped. Cleanup bins began to fill themselves with debris from the understreets: clothing, spent torches, damaged goods, weapons, bodies. Vendors reappeared; fruits, vegetables, breads, sweet drinks exchanged hands. Drum answered drum; the beats crossed, leaped; syntrells picked up a ragged melody. Militia strolled nervously, smiling at those they passed. Soon women and children came out to the understreets once more, swaying and moving along in lines as men gathered to urge them on. The intersections started once more to fill up. Corsang Run continued.