I wanted to post this for Sunhollow, and since I'm leaving tomorrow, now seems a good time. Sorry it may be short.

Perspective: Lora

"Dave," I said into the phone, "I'm not going to be able to come into work today" A pause, then my boss's voice said, "Well, Lora, I...if you can't, I understand, I'd only hoped...the store was trashed last night..." "Ah," I said. He was hoping I could fix it. My healing ability could work on things, not just people. Dave was one of the few people who knew that. We go way back, back to the time when I saved his son's life after a car accident. "Lora...the store was wrecked by some outlaws and Officials last night." This kind of thing wasn't new anymore--Officials were always running around, stopping people and causing mayhem to demand information about outlaws, so I wasn't surprised until he said, "Apparently the Venidal children were involved." My mind jumped. Now I at least had an idea what had happened to Aurora. "I..." I said. I almost told him, but at the last second I stopped. I didn't know how Dave would react to the fact that I had a little outlaw unconsious on my cuch. I didn't know if he believed the Official propaganda, and I didn't want to harm that little girl. "Healing emergency. I have to go, Dave." I said. We exchanged good-byes and hung up. I really didn't need to go that badly, but Dave could get chatty. It wasn't that I didn't like talking, but some people could really talk a lot. And about such meaningless things, too. So maybe the weather was rainy, but did it really merit long bursts of chatter? Especially when there were so much more deep, meaningful things to delve into and ponder, so many problems to be solved and mistakes to be avoided and beautiful things to reflect on. It always surprised me how many people liked to fill the peace and quiet with their endless talk about trivial matters. Didn't they ever just sit and think? Turn things over in their minds? Or enjoy peaceful silence for a while? That was what I was doing now, while Kindra slept on a green rocking chair. I was thinking about the girl, and about how she could have come to be dying on my lawn, and what could be done about this obviously problematic new world.

Sorry, that part wasn't too exciting. But I wanted it posted before I left.