Page 47 of For the Strange and Surprising

The Howlers have less land, but I can’t even begin to guess why. The Dwellers have the most, though the Shades rival their size. Waterways seem to cut the Mongrel land nearly in half, while mountain ranges block the Shades from major attacks.

It’s not difficult to see why the Howlers and the Dwellers wouldn’t want to join a war. On paper, it appears that they have no natural defenses.

The map makes me question how big Spiran is. There’s no key or grid on the side of the image to measure distance. And I doubt that the creator went through and counted individual trees to show accuracy. The thought is asinine.

This version also doesn’t allude to where the villages are. I have no way to guess that, either. I haven’t been outside the Mongrels’ community since I arrived, but I recognize the boulders on the shore. There are only two, so it’d be hard to miss them.

Why does any of this matter if you want to go home?

It doesn’t matter.

Is everything bigger here because there’s no pollution? And how do they control the pollution when I know I’ve seen a few things that would create it? Never mind. That’s dumb. There aren’t billions of people here to fuel it.

And Spiran is the element of life, right? Or light… Isolde used both when we were talking before breakfast. I’d like to assume that Spiran could keep herself clean. But how do you wash filth off an island?

You make it rain.

Fuck. I scrub at my face, knowing I need to go to sleep. I’m clearly delirious, and my brain is losing the will to function correctly.

Is Spiran making me harp on these details, or do I genuinely care?

Am I ruining my perception by getting to know these people?

I fold the map up carefully and stack the books back on top of it. I almost leave them on the table, but I can’t walk away from them, so I tuck them into one of the drawers in the wardrobe.

Exhaustion hits me when I glance at the bed. I tug the straps of my dress off my shoulders and step out of it, leaving it on the floor for tonight. I’d love some panties or shorts, but I keep forgetting to ask Isolde. Although, sleeping in the nude is growing on me.

“I really do want to go home, though,” I whisper as my head hits the pillow.

“But why do you want to go home so bad?” I debate myself. “What’s left for you there?”

16

Adelaide

Day Nine

I sat in my room all day yesterday because I’m a team player. It was a fun game of how long can Ada stay away from the window.

The answer is not long.

Now I’m jittering with pent-up energy as I anxiously await my escort.

That’s a new game too. Who will pick Ada up today? I’ll consider it winning if Ecaeris doesn’t show up.

The knock on the door tells me that I’m already victorious. It’s not the persistent banging of someone trying to give me a heart attack. The sound still booms around the room, but in a way that lets me know I’ll skip the headache and go straight to spaghetti arms.

Talodus scans my clothing as he stands on the threshold, and I scrunch my nose.

“I need to change, don’t I?”

“Not at all,” he states, his voice light with humor. “I’m sure fighting in a skirt of that length is a skill set all on its own. I know I can’t do it.”

I scoff. “Are you sure? I happen to have a dress that matches your eyes. The straps are thin, but the back is open, and the skirt is breezy. We could both learn something new today.”

“No thanks,” he declines with a chuckle. “I’ll wait while you change.”

There’s only a gaping archway between the sitting area and the bedroom, so I stand by the bed until I’m sure Talodus isn’t coming in after me. I’m a bit disappointed… In myself. I was kind of hoping he’d follow me in to make the first move, which is absurd. I know.