Episode 7 - Chapter 24

“Why?” Robert asks, “Is there a problem?”

“Well the phone should have worked,” Tom tells him, “That it didn't means that she's probably in a protected space.”

“What kind of protected space?” Robert asks cautiously.

“I don't want this to worry you,” Tom says, as a wave of blue washes through him, “But it's likely she's in the court of one of the Fears.”

“How could that not worry me?” Robert explodes.

“Because no harm can come to her,” Tom explains, “She's just as powerful as you. She might be contained, but it's highly unlikely she's been hurt.”

Episode 7 - Chapter 23

“It's ringing,” Robert pronounces again, “C'mon Fi, pick up.”

The phone rings and rings, but eventually Robert is forced to accept that no one is going to answer.

“What happened?” Tom inquires, more as a comfort question than actually needing to know.

“It just keeps ringing,” Tom replies.

“No voice mail or recorded message?”

“No, just ringing.”

“Hmmm,” Tom sparkles in consideration, a brownish hue sweeping through his cloud. “Interesting. Maybe you should try again.”

Robert does as he's told, but the result is the same: endless ringing and no answer.

“What does it mean?” Robert asks in desperation.

“It means,” Tom replies, “That we'll have to try something else to find your wife.”

Episode 7 - Chapter 22

Robert dials his wife's number hurriedly, impatient to speak to her. “C'mon, c'mon,” he mutters as he waits for the line to connect, but it doesn't and he finds himself stood there, listening to static. After a few moments he takes the phone from his ear and glowers at it, realising only then that in his haste he'd dialled the wrong number. For his second attempt he is much more cautious, saying each number as he pushes the button, deliberately taking his time. Once he's sure he's got the right number he presses the dial key and slowly brings the phone to his ear. Again all he hears is static. His frustration is about to boil over when white noise gives way to a ringing tone.

“Finally,” he says to Tom, “It's ringing.”

Episode 7 - Chapter 21

After a considerable amount and training, Tom finally pronounces Robert “Ready to face the music of the Fears.” How much time has passed Robert really couldn't say, as there is no day or night in the meadow, just endless sunshine.

“So where do we start?” Robert asks.

“You came into the Weave to find your wife and this Raven creature,” Tom replies, “That would be as good a place as any.”

“Okay,” Robert says, full of enthusiasm, “How do we do that?”

“How would you find your wife out there, in the Warp?”

“Well I'd start by ringing her.”

“Then that's what you'll do here.”

“But I haven't got a...” Robert's words stumble to a halt as realisation sinks in. “Oh yeah, right,” he says, pulling a phone from his pocket.

Episode 7 - Chapter 20

“Lives are not important to the Forest,” Oak continued, “But species are. Balance is. Besides which, if you'd been paying attention to my words, not just listening with your emotions, you'd have heard me say the plan is to evacuate the area. Most of the unique fauna will already have gone. Agents of the Forest, in some disguise or other, will be going through the village, informing the residents that they will not be safe if they remain.”

“But all that damage,” my wife replied, “All those lives ruined. They'll all have to start from scratch.”

“I think they would be happy to be alive, were they to know the truth. And you people have insurance policies, don't you? The people of Pompeii were not so lucky, and the Forest was far less forgiving in those days.”

Episode 7 - Chapter 19

“Now,” the Angel says, turning to Larry, Curly and Mo. “How do you account for your complete and utter failure?”

“We are most dreadfully apologetic,” they reply, “But m'lady proved to be more wilful than you led us to believe...”

“You're blaming me!” There is a quiet rage in the Angel's declaration, Fiona realises he's clenching his fists. “She's managed to offend one of my... siblings, all but destroy Escher's maze, met the sandman who brought her to us and break one of the archetypes and it's my fault?”

The three midgets cower before his fury.

“We...we...we...” they stammer.

“Please,” Fiona interrupts, “I did those things, not them. Promise me no harm will befall them.”

  

Episode 7 - Chapter 18

“Worse!” Fiona exclaims. “You mean harm me?”

She looks at the bear. “Poor blind teddy,” it mumbles, only to be kicked by a guard in reply. It lets out a squawk of pain, causing Fiona to shout “Stop!”

The guard freezes, unable to move.

“And will someone answer that damn phone,” she says, “The noise is driving me spare.”

“What phone?” the Angel asks, licking his lips in delight. “I can't hear a phone.” He clicks his fingers at the guard, life and movement flooding back into his body. At the same moment the ringing stops.

“What is it you want with me?” Fiona asks, suddenly very wary.

“We'll get to that in due course,” the Angel replies, “But first I must deal with these useless specimens.”