490 Absconding

The Wine Master took a step back and staggered, almost falling over. His ruddy features were now a ghastly pale, and twisted in agony. “I was a clown and nothing more. I’m sorry I troubled you. Had I known, I wouldn’t have been around all the time. I apologize. I won’t bother you any further, but I will say that the Horologium is still just the same as it was. Come by, if you’re feeling nostalgic. It’s been forty-two years, your store is the same but many other things are different. Otherwise, I promise that I won’t disturb you anymore.”

A pain difficult to put in to words struck at the old man’s heart. Over forty years of waiting, only to discover this. He felt empty, like his dimensional rifts had carved away the inside.

The former Clockmaker looked at him in stunned silence. She watched as he retreated a few steps, then turned as though to leave. His shrunken frame quivered, and an amorphous light splayed out around him.

Forty-two years, and he still…

ζ