{Twenty-six (54)} &diams

[burnt_orangesky]

[This appears in the late afternoon.

There is a splash of something that looks suspiciously like tea or weak coffee.]

Castle, Genius is over here right now. Something seems wrong with him; I think he may be [pause, pen taps] ill.

Did you notice anything strange about him this morning?

-Fred

Comments

[burnt_orangesky]

[Tiny ink blot. Bell locked out his precious dogs? And... that isn't right. Not at all.]

Yes, that is very [tiny pause] wrong.

What do you intend to do about it?

[spandexisyouth]

I do not know. I have considered trying to find a secure place for the dogs while I look for information, but I have nowhere to start. He did not work today. He fine when I left him and now he is like this, and I do not think he left the house.

[burnt_orangesky]

If he is going to insist on keeping them locked out, perhaps that would be wise. Maybe Apple would be willing to look after them temporarily, until you get this strangeness sorted?

Likely this is the Tree's doing, then.

[spandexisyouth]

Apple already has plenty of pets to look after. But I will see what he thinks when I take them for a walk soon. I should have about a half-hour ago.

Yes. But I do not like it.

[burnt_orangesky]

True, but it is worth asking anyway. He may be able to look after them even an hour or so, to allow you to find a more permanent place to put them.

Nor do I.

[spandexisyouth]

True. I will go find out.

[About an hour later.]

...It has happened to Apple too, Fred.

[burnt_orangesky]

[A few pen taps.] This must be the Tree's doing. Three people in less than a day?

There must be more people affected. We should try to discover who, and perhaps we should see about... ah. Well, they seem to be well enough, and dislike it when people try to stop them from accomplishing their tasks, so perhaps just finding out who is affected will be enough.

[spandexisyouth]

They are not well enough. They are not really happy, even if their faces are forced to seem happy. They are not themselves. It will not be enough.

He will not even eat and it is leftovers of something he made. This is not all right.

[burnt_orangesky]

I wish you luck in convincing them to stop, then. Genius will not listen, and he becomes decidedly distressed if I make any attempt to get in his way or otherwise stop him forcibly.

[spandexisyouth]

Bell will only clean and work. He will not sit down, or read, or do anything that is Bell-like.

[burnt_orangesky]

Exactly the same as Genius.

[Brief pause and a few pen taps.]

This could prove to be something of a problem, should it persist for too very long.

[spandexisyouth]

It is already a problem and already too long.

[burnt_orangesky]

I rather meant more of one, should they refuse to eat and sleep as well. Too many days of that would be a rather serious problem.

But yes, I agree that one day of this is one day too many.

[spandexisyouth]

Oh. I understand. We will figure it out, I am sure.

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Both of them?

[spandexisyouth]

Yes. Though it sounds like it is three. Genius and Apple and Bell.