#vss365 #fueling I tenderly lay the yellow kitten on the pillow, covering him with the blanket, gathering the strands of my magic in the tips of my fingers, fueling the verisimilitude of life, sympathy tugging him a fraction closer. If all goes well, his little spirit lingers.

#vss365 #nervous The kitchen has outdone itself. The cake’s bright yellow icing is spangled with lemon drops and white rosettes. The scent of citrus rolls through the room like a conquering army. We quiver with nervous exaltation at its puissance.

#vss365 #training The servitor enters and sets the refreshments on a low table in accordance with its training. The pillow is placed in the sunshine on a windowseat. Odie is hypnotized by the cake. I am too, to be frank. Cake is magic without an ounce of extra magic added.

#vss365 #sneakers Glancing outside I see the servitor approaching with the cake, pillow, blanket and glasses of milk having extruded three extra limbs. My sister Eugenie makes all of our constructs. Sneakers and squeakers and trundling tanks she calls them affectionately.

#vss365 #lottery Odie looks around the room. Books, mechanicals, bottles and other curios. His eyes are snagged by the clutter on my desk. “Why do you have a hand over there?” I roll my eyes, looking away from my winnings in the inheritance lottery. “I wish I knew.”

#vss365 #unexpected “And a pillow with a lambswool blanket,” I call after it. “He needs to rest,” I tell Odie, who nods. I’m not versed in the magic of life and death. Nor are any of my siblings. Unfortunate, but not unexpected. What a damn poor time for my father to be dead.

Odie and Tiger on the steps of the tower #vss365

#vss365 #bravery “What’s your name?” “Odie.” “What’s his name?” I ask, stroking the downy head. “Tiger.” “Good name,” I say. “You can call me Magnus.” “He’s going to be big and fierce with a heart full of bravery,” he assures me. “Can you help him?” “I don’t know.”

#vss365 #sound He makes a sound of interest as he studies the map. “Where do you live?” “Rats and Roses Road.” “Right there.” I point it out on the map. “That’s the flower market. And that’s the rat circus.” “We live by the Dandelion Gate.” That’s the bad side.

I was bringing in the plants today because I’m starting to worry about the frost. I knocked two of the blossoms off one of the begonias.

#vss365 #delta Earnest brown eyes watch me. I lead him to my study, carrying the kitten cradled to my chest. His eyes catch on the enormous map behind my desk. Our island. The causeway. The Veyr with Raktport sprawling around, over, under and through its ever-changing delta.

#vss365 #calm This kitten is dead. Standing there, holding that tiny body, I find one of the edges of who I am. (Author’s note: Remain calm. No dead kitten in any story of mine stays dead. Literary punch is lost exposing this, but I have no interest in punching anyone anyway)

#vss365 #quake “How long has he been sick?” “For two days. He won’t eat and he won’t drink.” “Hmmm. Why don’t you take him to a healer?” “No money for a cat. They’re free everywhere. Mama says.” A tiny quake comes and goes in my hands as the kitten shivers for a moment.

#vss365 #siren A subsonic buzz zaps me. I throw a dirty look at the siren I keep in the jar by the door. Her look back is venomous. What the hell? The boy appears to have heard nothing. Interesting. I take the limp body from him, cradling the small creature in my wide hands.

#vss365 #sin I look from the kitten in his hand to his face and back. “Does your mother know where you are?” “No. She said never come here.” “Why not?” “All the stories say you are bad sometimes. Mama says you’re full of magic and sin.” I had to give him that.

#vss365 #island He looks up at me and sniffles again, obviously in distress. He must’ve crossed the causeway to reach our island. “What’s wrong?” I ask him cautiously. He holds out a limp, striped form. “My kitten is sick.” He sniffles yet again. Choices, choices.

I saw Digger today for the second time. Great film. So many threads woven together. Every character is as strong as hell. Best use of sound I can remember from any movie. Made me think and think. I saw it in Dolby first then IMAX. So beautiful it needs the big screen.

#vss365 #sail Sailing down to the foyer, I throw the door open. The other towers rise serene. No one is there. Sniffling makes me glance down. A small boy stands on my doorstep. Shocked, I realize I haven’t seen a child in two decades. Words fail me. Struck dumb, actually.