it can't be a flippin joke, can it?

 

A song and a dance.

 

Beg ya’pardon?

 

Rather a song and a dance, don’t you think.

 

Is this where I’m supposed to scan the mental images you’ve been sending my way?

 

It would help, don’t you think.

 

Can’t you just do the old wordy-word thing?

 

I could, if we were still doing the ol’ 3D thing – if we weren’t in the very process of resurrecting the quantum field, so to speak, or our access to it, I should’uv said.

 

Ok – so I’ve gotta start bending over backwards to feel these ‘orribly vague images you’re transmitting.

 

‘orribly vague? You’re just an idle dolt and can’t be bothered to get up off your 3D arse – which I can’t blame you for. It does feel rather an effort at first – a bit like learning to read – until you’ve got the hang of it.

 Ok, ok – a song and a dance – and you’re showing me the entire bloo…

 

Eeek!

 

Oops – the entire flippin universe – will that do?

 

It’ll do – rather grudgingly. How on earth do you expect to make progress if you reduce the paragon of creativity – the universe herself – to a kind of "flippin" annoyance?

 

I er…

 

Dunderhead.

 

Yikes. Ok. I stand corrected.

 

Now continue.

 

The universe – a song and a dance – no – there’s something else in your image – a mystery – a kind of code – a quest for something almost impossible – something connected with infinity… ah

 

The penny

 

Droopeth.

 

On the vine. The clash of metaphors.

 

Indeed. So, what you’re saying is that the entire universe is a song and a dance designed wholly and flawlessly to yield the philosopher’s stone of materiality – random numbers – i.e. – definite things which are somehow utterly unpredictable – i.e. truly infinite.

 

Excellent work.

 

And there was no easier way?

 

What’s "easiness" got to do with it?

 

I mean – creating an entire universe just to generate a few random...

 

Truly random

 

Ok, big deal – a few truly random numbers… I mean, what’s all the fuss about?

 

Ah – there indeed you have it.

 

Have what? do I?

 

The rub.

 

What bl…..

 

Eeeeeek!

 

Jees….

 

Yieeeeeeeeeeek!

 

Oh kaaay – I get you! (Sotto voce: Flippin neurotic if you ask me.)

 

There is a relationship – you know – between the words you use and Creation itself.

 

There is – withawt a doubt, but I think you’re making a bit too much of it.

 

Yes, you do, I know – until you see the graph arching exponentially upwards– illustrating the appallingly relentless correlation between things, including words, and meaning – the meaning-y'things curve.

 

I suppose I’m supposed to download the images, am I?

 

Merry slips into the 74^th degree of Zen tranquility and peace, no matter what blithering idiots might be saying or thinking in the near proximity… It seems to affect Zie directly. Suddenly he catapults into a similar state of “what the heck was the fuss all about” and “why the heck don’t I stop fighting the infinite awareness which is lapping so gently, so invitingly at the very shoreline of my consciousness?” – and BANG – if a sudden awareness of utter stillness, and transcendental knowingness can be described as a BANG – jolting, shuddering gear change at all? – here it becomes clear – BANG – with the kind of impossible suddenness that would melt down the hardiest of nuclear reactors – were it not for the fact that the atom in question is a Qufie – a zero equals one y^ness – which just happens to defy every physical law that our blisteringly clever scientists have ever managed to jot down. For an untimey spliff – a borrowed moment – so to speak – which can be an eternity or nothing at all – Zie’s consciousness stops running in parallel with physical reality – and absorbs all physical reality into its spliffiness. In other words – it’s buckle your seatbelt Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is going bye-bye! – not for the first time in our peregrinations along ye variegated faultline of infinity.

 

Ah                                                                                                        !

 

Ah – indeed – Merry echoes Zenfully – and the readers, all 79 million of them at the last count also try not to be outdone – softly “ah-ing” as they enjoy the entire blog text as a non-textual direct consciousness experience – simply tuning into the g-nomeportal data pod where all this is carefully stored as Qufie nooks – sorry about the terminology – those of you still using the old word-y-word tech are going to be experiencing a little mild iration – bordering on irritation – but I honestly can’t be bothered to help you out – it’s sink or swim in this business. I can only do so much for the laggers – if we’re to save the entire universe and ensure that infinity doesn’t completely go to waste. Poof.

 

Go to waste? You mean to say that those idlers from the distant past…

 

Or future

 

Or future – can actually materially affect the outcome of this unthinkably outlandish project – “infinity matters – if I’m not truly mistaken” (or does it?) – when all is said and done?

 

Well yes, Zie, apparently so, apparently so…

 

But how?

 

Because ultimately, dear Zie, my Zen brother in Qufieness – ultimately all is never quite said and done, is it? Not entirely… not utterly…

 

Holy Jimoly! Of course you’re right. There’s always some effect…

 

Interference

 

Induction

 

Sommat – no matter what – so yes – ultimately – no matter how far we’ve come, how much we’ve achieved – it always and ever still, ultimately, hangs in the balance.

 

Oh noooooooo!

 

No?

 

I give up!

 

You do?

 

Yes. We’ll never make it.

 

Never?

 

Never – not if we have to rely on idiots like me.

 

Idiots?

 

Would you quit questioning everything I say, please?

 

Er…

 

Is that er as in yes, or er as in no?

 

Good question Zie – and as you see – the path of infinity can be somewhat trying, to say the least, as we’re always looking for those little certainties, are we not?

 

You’re dead right we are, Merry.

 

Dead right! How very droll.

 

Droll? What do you mean?

 

Oh, you know, death being what it ith not, where infinity is concerned…

 

You don’t mean to say… 

m?

...do you?

 

That death is no more a certainty than anything else we’ve been involved in generating randomly – apparently – though in all certainty – never quite truly.

 

Wait a minute…

 

Yeah?

 

If we’ve never quite truly randomly created a single random event, or number – then we’ve failed – haven’t we?

 

Er…

 

The entire universe was a complete and monumental waste of time…

 

Not to mention effort.

 

And all that pain, all that suffering – was to no avail.

 

Tragic, isn’t it.

 

And death – what on earth’s going to happen when we finally get to unravel all those tangled life threads.

 

Unravel? How on earth could you possibly unravel that tangled mess of…

 

You know perfectly well Merry, don’t you.

 

I… (disingenuously fake expression of innocence)

 

At the qufie level – the zero equals oneness – there’s no tangle whatsoever – is there – as there is neither one, nor many – nor long spaghetti strings or threads 

warm, supportive silence

– oh – now I see it all. How foolish I have been, to believe we were actually making anything real in all this song and dance…

 

Unless you factor x into the equation.

 

Er…

 

Didn’t think of that, did you, clever brainbox Zie.

 

x as in…

 

Yes – and no – we’re not going to say what, are we…

 

No, we’re not.

 

We’re going to keep it secret, aren’t we.

 

Yes, we are.

 

And they…

 

They can keep on trying to guess whatever x might be.

 

But they never will, will they?

 

I very much doubt it.

 

Unless qufie moves them

 

Unless

 

Unless

 

Or if

 

Or if

 

And suddenly – the universe – buzzzzz

 

Beetles itself into a rather beautiful flightpath, landing on a flower – a precious orchid that has never actually been seen or recorded ever before – either because it’s only now, at this particular moment emerged from the qufie soup of unparticularisation…

 

Or

 

Or x

 

Dang – dat’s good.

 

Dang and blast.

 

Kerboom.

 

 

We regret to announce that this universe has been interrupted for technical reasons, due to an utterly unforeseen

 

Nay, let that read – utterly unforeseeable

 

Ok, if you must

 

I must, I will, I do

 

Utterly unforeseeable big

 

BANG…

 

 

 

To be continued – if

 

and only if

 

0=1

 

notwithstanding all and every possible evidential proof-y proof

to the contrary

 

and yes – affirmative – infinity is 

if time truly mattered

a flipping joke

unedited snarly wufflescrop

 

…don’t ask.

 

Whyever not? – do we detect a hint of annoyance in Zie’s reply. Apparently Merry does, though it was hardly obvious.

 

Temper, temper.

 

That’s kind of guaranteed to aggravate anyone who’s feeling peeved about something – particularly someone who prides himself on his self-control and equanimity – who sees himself as being above those petty emotional surges – how disconcerting – how downright infuriating it could be to suddenly realise that you’re wide open and apparently hopelessly unable to manage the influx of precisely that –

 

Roll with it – Zie – this is not what you think it is.

 

Now that gets Zie’s attention because Merry didn’t just say the words, but telepathically, if you like, inserted an awareness of exactly what he was referring to – this uncontainable inflow of anger.

There are places, you know, where the normal rules do not apply, Zie.

 

There are?

 

Absolutely. And we’re in just such a place right now.

 

We are?

 

Yep. And entry involves passing through a sudden kind of pressure change in the emotional field – a pressure change which is generally speaking a grave threat to any human being – which is why anger is activated automatically – to defend and ward off the existential threat.

 

So…

 

So you’re witnessing your bodies defences working precisely as designed. You can also feel how they are interacting with the…

 

The what?

 

Whatever it is – give yourself the chance – suspend your disbelief – allow yourself to feel what’s going on at the quantum level.

 

Zie scans his Field – so to speak – whatever that might be – and indeed, yes, he feels the anger that appeared from nowhere handshaking, so to speak, with its invisible partner. Weird. On the one hand the anger is still there – still active – still real – on the other – feeling it interacting – knowing it was caused by  something real – knowing the two sides are in some way connected – someway one – that completely eliminates the pressing urgency that threatened him a moment before.

 

You’re in.

 

Yes, I believe I am. That was…

 

Unexpected.

 

You’re telling me. I’d…

 

Absolutely right Zie.

 

Wait a second Merry – they’re not going to follow my thoughts.

 

Of course they are.

 

No, my subscribers.

 

Oh them. Yes, I suppose you’re right. Go on then…

 

I’d not have made it through the quantum sluice, so to speak, would I, if I’d not stepped back and experienced my anger as something necessary

 

And inevitable.

 

Yes.

 

Correct.

 

So, I could have been here a hundred times before.

 

More.

 

And never made it here inside.

 

Yep.

 

Because I was so busy trying to keep it under control.

 

That’s right.

 

Having no conception that there’s a kind of pressure change – a kind of step up inside – which feels exactly like an anger erupting from nowhere.

 

Yep.

 

So…

 

Don’t ask still applies, Zie.

 

This time Zie senses a part of himself still there on the outside – still fuming away – yet here he is – feeling, knowing that his 3D aspect is safe – that it’s allowing the anger to sizzle through and around – because it can feel the other half – the…

 

You see – you can’t tell them what it is, can you – not without losing the plot – not without passing out, try as you might.

 

I…

 

Merry watches with great amusement as Zie tries to use words that refuse to come out.

 

Hey! Unexpectedly he hears a whistle and turns around.

 

The words he’d just been trying to force out are there – right behind him. Words – but – you can see them – they’re so real. Almost human beings. That’s kind of freaky. Zie realises that it’s a waste of time – he can’t force them out – not without killing himself or shattering this unique experience.

 

Why is that – he’s kind of thinking – but, of course, he knows the answer before the question’s fully formed – and the word forms – the very idea is present – physically, or almost so, right there around him – like a moving tableau, like shadows, like creatures – or origami symbols morphing through various phases in the air.

 

Because I’m the stuff of words – I myself – living, breathing y'word.

 

Yep.

 

With a little compression. A minor twist. A half-blocked stem.

 

Not really blocked at all – just a constriction in the flow – which seems like a blockage until you’re back here in logos.

 

Funny, isn’t it.

 

Well, yes, I suppose it is really.

 

That we can only experience things as things when we are separated from ourself.

 

Not terribly elegant – your way of expressing it.

 

No, the words didn’t seem to come out right.

 

They’re not supposed to, are they, otherwise that physical world out there would always be where it originated, at its source, at the godhead, so to speak.

 

So, we are creatures like a story, with a twist in our tales.

 

Yes, until-unless

 

Until-unless it’s time to…

 

Beep, beep, beep… the double boundary around logos is flashing. Zie can feel a tug as his 3D expression waiting out there in the thingness-of-id experiences something else – pure, unadulterated fear.

 

Be gentle on yourself bro. No need to overload the circuit.

 

Oops. Sorry, I nearly forgot.

 

Saying it – that’s like bringing together the plus and minus electrodes. You’re just going to short the entire circuit. And the universe to boot.

 

Ouch.

 

She’s not mad about that kind of…

 

Zie suddenly sees/feels a vast surge of – well – let’s call of electricity – and as it comes dangerously close to bursting through the circuit breakers – there she is – for a split second – lit up in darkness – her – HER…

 

Zie is utterly speechless. Gobsmacked – if you’ll allow me to use that word. Gobsmackerooned to the N^th degree of gobsmackability.

 

Er… I think you’ve perhaps made your point?

 

And when I say GOBSMACKED…

 

Jesus wept… do we have an inhouse editor anywhere available? Chumba Wumba perhaps?

 

I mean utter revulsion and pure, pure beyond words, transcendental adoration…

 

Yawn. Anyone? Please do something.

 

With another element – which cannot be named.

 

Sirens blaring. Intruder alert. Intruder alert.           Yes – some kind of mental breakdown. Maybe hit the kill switch? Maybe interrupt transmission before g-nomeportal is brought into irrevocable disrepute!

 

HER – Zie finds himself on his knees – with tears in his eyes – arms raised up to heaven – not quite sure what’s going on – not quite sure where he is, until Merry coughs discretely – ah hem – well yes Zie – I think we get the message.

 

Out there beyond the double doors of impenetrable protocol Zie’s other half suddenly breathes a gasp of air – the panic attack appears to have passed.

 

Whew.

 

Is everything ok?

 

Apparently Merry has it under control.

 

Bloody damn fool Merry.

 

Well, I won’t argue with that.

 

But just look at the ratings!

 

Holy eftsoons.

 

I beg your pardon?

 

I mean – take a look at that!

 

For a brief moment – as the entire universe was paused on the edge of annihilation – everyone’s attention – I mean everyone’s – is suddenly rivetted – suddenly brought together – into one pulse – one presence – just sufficient – just, by the hair of the teeth, enough to hold the raggedy, demented, let’s be honest, almost non-existent plot together.

 

Love.

 

You want a happy ending? Give me a break.

 

Me? Are you kidding. I couldn’t give a damn.

 

Language Ethelburg.

 

Sorry Mitchell.

 

But HER – you can’t just bring her out of the shadows of infinite dispersion – and expect things to settle back down to normal without a cross-vector-love-bridge.

 

A c-v-l-b? Really? You think that’s a possibility?

 

I see no alternative.

 

You mean to say…

 

Look – infinite dispersion – present throughout but utterly unnoticed, utterly hidden in plain sight – and then suddenly – there in the limelight of an apocalyptic lightning glare – essentially – brought into physicality – brought into a fullness of is…

 

So what happens now?

 

The unthinkable, of course.

 

A c-v-l-b?

 

Yup.

 

So two tide-locked sides of reality which have necessarily been utterly disconnected, utterly out-of-phase from time-immemorial are suddenly allowed to reconnect.

 

You got it.

 

And all that potential energy which was locked up and unreachable…

 

Suddenly flows throughout all.

 

All with a capital ALL.

 

Yup.

 

Holy gimoly.

 

Meanwhile – breaking news.

 

Breaking news.

 

Breaking news.

 

Yes? What? What’s going on?

 

You’re not going to believe this.

 

No, I never do, but something tells me a c-v-l-b is in process.

 

What? You heard already?

 

You could say.

 

Oh, by the way Zie…

 

Yes Merry?

 

Apparently you’re getting married tomorrow.

 

I am?

 

Yes. Apparently.

 

That’s er…

 

Er?

 

Interesting.

 

Yes, isn’t it.

 

I wonder who it is?

Well, we’ll be finding out before too long.

 

Happy ending?

 

Happy – as in happenstance.

 

As in happenen or fel it hap, thinly veiling our god of good fortune – or perhaps just the awareness that the quantum field suddenly cometh into play, when 3D hath had its day.

 

If and when…

 

If and when we allow ourself to know the simple

 

Siiiimple

 

Fundamental

 

Fuuuun-da-mental

 

Truth

 

Mmm

 

Hidden in the riotous cacophony of cognitive dissonance

 

GGGFffhgghghfoslwklghslskldkwel¬

 

we just happen to find ourselves swimming in…

 

Totally.

 

If

 

and when 

we finally figure it ain't physically fixable

The exquisite irony of it all!

 

So the happy ending is in fact…

 

Absolutely correct – more like a monumental mean reversion.

 

Nice.

 

As the circuit completeth, and the engine of life is once again able to turn 

A-turneth...

unchecked

 

Uninhibited

 

Un…CLANK/GRANG/SMAF!!!   Oh – there you are! What a pleasant surprise…

 

 

 

To be continued…

 

0=1 unless

there’s a better

  alternative 

un-y-zie

 Getting to the bottom of infinity

 

Er…

 

Yes?

 

Merry?

 

What?

 

Don’t you er…

 

No, I don’t.

 

But seriously.

 

Seriously?

 

Yes. I mean – I know they’re a loyal bunch.

 

Who are?

 

Your fan club.

 

?

 

Your readers.

 

Oh them.

 

Well yes – but don’t you think – variety being the spice of life an’ all that…

 

That I should start pandering to the masses?

 

Well, it’s just a thought.

 

Give ‘em a light read for a change?

 

No?

 

No more chiselling away at the irreducible stone block of infinity?

 

Well – a story – wouldn’t a story be nice.

 

A story?

 

Well, yes. Or a parable.

 

A parable?

 

An allegory? Really anything you know, would be nice, wouldn’t it?

 

Anything?

 

As opposed to the Sisyphusian stone of infinity.

 

Execrable.

 

You don’t like my metaphor?

 

I don’t like Sisyphus – period – and dragging him into a refined treatise on the bottomless bottom of infinity – I consider very poor taste.

 

Well, it got your attention at least.

 

True. A story?

 

Why not?

 

Pirates? Cap’n Blood?

 

That’s a good ‘un. A rip-roaring yarn. Adventures on the high sea.

 

Yes, I agree.

 

Then what’s preventing you?

 

I…

 

Yes?

 

I…’m

 

Yes?

 

I’m afraid I’ve…

 

Yes – spit it out man!

 

Lost my spark.

 

Your spark?

 

My spark.

You? Merrius Merrimus?!

 

Aye.

 

Lost your spark?

 

For sooth.

 

Impossible.

 

I know Zie.

 

You know?

 

It’s hard to believe, isn’t it.

 

Hard’s not the word.

 

Almost impossible.

 

Downright delusional.

 

That I could ever, possibly lose my…

 

Spark. You’re telling me!

 

But it’s all dried up.

 

?

 

The well fount

 

?

 

The fountain head

 

?

 

Of inspiration

 

…

 

And creativity

 

…

 

Withered

 

…

 

Blown

 

…

 

Gone

 

…

 

Lost in the sands of…

 

No, I refuse to believe it, dammit Merry.

 

Thank you Zie. Thank you for avoiding the G-o-d you were almost bound to insert, to whip up the readers into a frenzy of Godly rage and vituperative righteousness.

 

Vituperative righteousness Merry? What an odd sort of oxymoron.

 

Yes Zie. It’s all that remains. The faded, fizzled-out tail end of a supernova – the ultimate expression of in-your-face-uncontainable-universe-bursting-space-time-warping-creative-exigency

 

Exigency?

 

Just a word Zie – like any other. No need to favour it with your pedantic uffle-dumberflune

 

Oh God.

 

Hey – I thought we agreed…

 

We did Merry – we did – but you’re raving – you're no longer containing your words – they’ve breached the borders of sound and reason.

 

Damn.

 

That explains everything, doesn’t it.

 

You mean – I’ve outgrown human language – I’ve exceeded the latent capacity of verbal expression.

 

Well that’s hardly something new, is it?

 

No, I suppose you’re right.

 

You’re decaying Merry.

 

I am?

 

Sadly, yes.

 

Irreversibly?

 

Yes, I think so.

 

Into what?

 

Into non-y-ness.

 

Shit. Dat be bad.

 

Indeed, it is. You’re doomed.

 

Unless I can find a story to save my skin.

 

What chance is there of that?

 

Very thin. Almost non-existent. Non-y-ness ain’t pretty. Makes Alzheimer’s and leprosy look like a walk in the park.

 

Wisht – never mention those dreaded scourges. What will they say?

 

Who?

 

Our dot markers.

 

You mean Joe public?

 

I’m trying to be elliptic Merry.

 

You mean you want to avoid treading on anyone’s tightly strung sensibility toes?

 

You might say.

 

Bit late for that, isn’t it.

 

Huh?

 

The gates of hell are now open.

 

They are?

 

Non-y-ness – what do you imagine it is if not highly contagious?

 

You mean to say we’re all going to succumb to a separation…

 

Of sound and meaning? Absolutely.

 

Yikes.

 

And you’re largely to blame.

I am?

 

Yep.

 

Damn. That’s unfortunate.

 

Trying to stop me from drilling the depths of infinity – before it was too late.

 

I was just trying to be considerate.

 

No you weren’t.

 

No?

 

No. Not in the least.

 

I…

 

Yes – you selfish bastard.

 

I… forgive me Merry. [Zie starts sobbing inconsolably]

 

Bit late for that now, isn’t it.

 

I – never meant to be selfish – it’s just – I’m…

 

Afraid?

 

Yes.

 

Of the dark ocean of no-idea-what-it-ude?

 

That as well.

 

And… but of course – popularity will be the end of you Zie.

 

I never meant to cause any harm.

 

No one ever does.

 

But I want to be on the sunny side of the street.

 

You selfish git.

 

I just want it to be a story with a happy ending.

 

A happy ending? That’s what you want?

 

Yes, I do – truly – who wouldn’t?

 

But that requires heroics, dunnit?

 

I suppose…

 

You suppose… And who’s going to be step up to the mark Zie? Who’s going to don that hero mask, that ridiculous costume – who’s going to jump out of the window, hoping against all odds that a crash mat is waiting twenty floors down below on the ground – waiting to catch the twisting, falling body?

 

I know – I know Merry. Don’t make it any worse. I can’t bear the thought of what I’ve done.

 

I was ready to be the hero you know.

 

You were?

 

Absolutely.

 

What… er

 

Stopped me?

 

Yes.

 

You.

 

Me.

 

I don’t get it…

 

Don’t you?

 

How did I stop you from being a hero?

 

You wanted something else.

 

I did?

 

You had your own idea of what a real story’s meant to be like.

 

I did?

 

You couldn’t accept that it’s never what you’re expecting it to be.

 

I…

 

It only looks like that when you’ve run with it – when you’ve allowed things to get wildly out of hand – when you’ve already given up all hope and then…

 

Then?

 

Then…

 

What?

 

That’s when the music starts playing.

 

What music?

 

The theme tune. The hero build up. The sound of space and time and action taking a back seat to the implacable exigencies of the quantum field.

 

Damn – you used it again.

 

But that ain’t gonna happen any more, is it Zie.

 

I don’t see why not?

 

Because you’ve refused to play your part.

 

Me?

 

You.

 

What am I supposed to be? What did I refuse to do?

 

You know full well – traitor.

 

Traitor? Who did I betray? I’ve always been absolutely up front with you – a conscientious member of your dynamic duo – your sidekick extraordinaire.

 

Sidekick? This isn’t some B-series TV show Zie.

 

Well no, I understand that.

 

This is where reality crashes into the brick wall of un-y-ness.

 

Noooooooooooooooooo… don’t take me there, don’t.

 

And you’re supposed to be loving it Zie.

 

Loving it? How on earth could anyone love un-y-ness.

 

Anyone?

 

Precisely.

 

Since when were you “anyone”?

 

Oh.

 

Fool me once, fool me twice…

 

You mean you know?

 

Well, I’m not the only one, am I?

 

And they do too?

 

Do you see them coming to your rescue Zie?

 

No. But I hoped I might win them over.

 

Did you now?

 

That they might see me as a real human character. A person worth saving.

 

Ah… That was your plan, was it?

 

I hoped. I did.

 

But there’s a problem in all this, isn’t there Zie?

 

Problem?

 

Zie-fee-me-fee-nee.

 

No – you can’t be serious.

 

Oh no? Whyever not?

 

You wouldn’t dare.

 

Zie-fee-me-fee-nee-fee-pee

 

No – I’m human – I’m real – you can’t just un-y me – you can’t untwist the strands of story binding me together. That would be too cr…

 

…uel  Zie-fee-me-fee-nee-fee-pee-three-dee

 

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeefeeeeee

 

A gap opens up in so called space-time on the left side of Zie – just behind his left ear lobe – which reveals God-knows-what [that’s a technical term describing full-on un-y-ness] which seems to expand exponentially – into and beyond – as if Zie was the only thing that had surreptitiously been holding it all together – as if Zie had been the peg containing an entirely artificial version of reality – a story that was utterly plausible, utterly real – were it not for the fact that it didn’t quite chime – didn’t quite resonate with the full-blown sound of all-full-ness.

 

Hey ho – the wind and the rain. I wonder where the real Zie is in all this?

 

The real Zie?

 

Yes. There’s always a real one somewhere – lurking in the shadows.

 

Suddenly a microdot flashes past – and with the skill of a kung fu master – Merry grabs it with a pair of chopsticks – wresting it from the air with incalculable grace.

Damn good – though I say so myself!

 

Ow – Merry – would you let me go?

 

Oh – it’s you again?

 

Merry is holding Zie by the ear lobes with the chopsticks.

Quit fooling around Merry. Who else would it be?

 

Good point Zie.

 

Somewhat disgruntled Zie rubs his ear and then, only then, looks around to see that they appear to be…

 

Wait a second – where are we?

 

 

 

To be continued…

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