Duncan sat on the living room sofa, leisurely reading the newspaper he had bought from the streets that morning, occasionally glancing at Sherry, who was sprawled over the coffee table, writing furiously with a troubled look, and at the dog beside her, engrossed in a book titled "A Brief Modern History of the City-State," feeling a sense of contentment.
In this strange and eerie world, he had finally found a bit of the familiar rhythm of life.
On the other hand, bringing the dog, Sherry, and Nina over was like fulfilling a long-considered idea of his—Captain Duncan's little classroom was back in session.
He turned his head and looked at the other side of the coffee table, where Nina had placed a small stool and was sitting there, earnestly doing her winter vacation homework, with Morris supervising by her side, occasionally helping his student correct some minor mistakes.
"You're a responsible teacher," Duncan said to Morris, "Nina is lucky."