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Apres 5

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No, seriously, where is everybody? One of the dragons from Tarxy's brood should have challenged me by now. I mean, I know Tarx spends all his time gambling and chasing tail, but still, to make it all the way to Sarah Lake without contest is just odd.

I leave the top of the valley and soar into the sunset. There's the road to my eyrie. It's no more than an overgrown road bed now. There's the observatory. The dome is gone and the north side looks scorched.

And there's home.

I land on a crusty patch of spring snow. The house we built is still in surprisingly good shape.

I peek over the observatory wall. The telescope has fallen off its mount and lies ruined on the floor. Hopefully, the star globe on the first floor is still intact.

I pad back down to the house and curl up under the broad, sagging, veranda, pitched to accommodate a dragon.

The Sun turns the world pastel as it sets. I close my eyes. Crisp, cool air flows through my nostrils. The dying warmth of the setting Sun lingers on my face.

For the first time in a long time, I'm cold.