"Did you leave someone to watch the apartment in case Marley returns back there tomorrow? She has no where else to go right now." Goober asked, just as Puck was about to leave.
"Oh, the rabbit will be fine" he said, "he knows how to get hold of us if she does."
"No, that can't be right, he's back here with us - Charley has him in her room upstairs."
"She must have wished him back. That's alright, I'll stop by and leave a note."
"Message me with any updates."
"I'll do the same" he was tense now - and as he walked out into the half-light of the forest he was feeling very definitely that he could kill someone right now.
The ages weighed on Puck's heart and all of the harm this Demon had done was crushing him. He wanted Forsythe to be gone for good, expelled from the world - to another cosmos preferably.
He looked back at his woods and saw the ethers flicking around the base of the trees like misty flames. The flowers were expiring rich fragrant vapors from their labella and their perfumes of twilight were hazing all over the ferny growth. There was a certain peace one could find with immortality, he mused.
-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series
"Your uncle Gordon will take care of you until I come back" Puck softly said to Charley, who was drinking her juice contentedly.
They had returned to the treehouse immediately after their escape. The air there seemed to agree with the infant's temperament, and she had settled there quite happily.
The Troll Security Services were replaced with a blue ribbon, top Elvin Guard, who were more costly to hire, but well worth the peace of mind that came with them. Unlike the Trolls they were faithful to their employers and would not be paid off.
Puck was angry, yet cool minded. His ringlets had grown wildly down his shoulders; his eyes had turned indigo with sadness.
From his storeroom he retrieved a fighting suit that the Fey often wore under their street clothes when danger is felt to be imminent. It was woven from a fine spider thread, yet its outer was stronger than steel. It was the very kind that comic books based their costumes for superheroes upon, but much better looking compared to a Lycra counterfeit.
Three hours had passed, yet he still had no feeling as to where Marley might be or how she was. Losing this connection with her was making him agitated. He mentally ran through his plans.
-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series
"Young man, you have a devil at your back!" he exclaimed rather fearfully. Puck's immediate thought was that this guy was being plain unkind.
"I was not mocking you old man - I was just trying to tell you that I have met Him and I agree with your sign right there."
"Look, look behind you!" he pointed, semi-hysterically, "the way he constrains that child, he is dangerous and ought to be stopped...”
They had been at cross-purposes. Puck turned around in a flash to find Forsythe travelling in the opposite direction, hurrying down the street, moving very clumsily, struggling with Charley who was trying to wriggle free from his hold.
Both Puck and the old man caught up to them very quickly. Charley outstretched her tiny arms to her father, but Forsythe had clamped a child restraint around her chest - it looked to be made for a dog, and was pinching her neck, pulling her back.
"Aye Robin Toad Fellow - look who I have" he said smarmily squeezing her tight.
Charley threw up all over the pavement. Puck quickly scanned his mind for Marley hoping she might be following behind and could help the situation, but could not feel any sense of her whereabouts.
-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series
As Puck walked out onto the main street a light rain tumbled scantily down, refreshing the musty city from its staleness. Happily preoccupied, he walked bang into an evangelist who was giving out flyers beside a large sandwich board that read "HE LIVES".
Puck smiled at the old man apologetically for nearly knocking him over. He had been distracted in a blissful haze, overjoyed at how things had all turned out. Finally, it seemed, a little happiness was coming his way.
He glanced down at the sign and remarked to the elderly man:
"He does, you know."
Puck had said this agreeably and then added, "The last time I saw the Master he was looking real buff - as though he works out." The blue truth dust was still making him talk carelessly.
The old man handed Puck a pamphlet and gave him solemn directions to his meeting place that always offered a free cup of tea. What Puck had said seemed to pass right over him ... it was as though he had not heard it at all.
-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series
All was calm, the silver bells were silkily tinkling; the Angelic host moving about, performing their unseen duties; the spheres rotated in perfect obeisance and marshmallows dripped from their sticks with a tacky glistening sweetness.
All was well with the world, in between its calamities.
There were those gentle, quiet moments, when one forgets death and all of the inevitabilities that dog each move into the future.
The ordinances of life contrive to multifariously disarrange our perspectives - enough to communicate the firm earth of our spirit-land with the sweet aroma of its cordial symphonic ethers.
-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series
Gribbles reluctantly passed the half eaten box of chocolates over to Herod, who tipped the lot face down into the dirt.
Why did he have to go and spoil everything? It was beyond the comprehension of even the worst of the Demons.
"You know that they say misery loves company?" he drily asked.
"Yes."
"Well, he doesn't - so get out of here and don't come back until you’re invited!"
"But I live here Great One."
"Not anymore" Herod was displeased that Gribbles showed weakness at every turn and he suspected criticism being thought whenever he did or said something - this he found to be a constant aggravant.
"I shan't come back" the young Demon threatened, taking up his backpack with a sneer.
"If you do come back we will eat you - and that's a promise." Herod slammed his fist firmly onto the steel table - the one that was used for both meats and dissection.
Mark Forsythe came in just as Gribbles was leaving. He had his usual business with Herod, and as ever, turned up unannounced.
"Your son seemed largely upset" he commented, as Herod got up to offer him the executive chair.
"Just disowned him fer good" he grunted.
"Only son?"
"No, there's fifteen more."
-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series
"Move in with me please" Marley asked Puck, hugging him tight as he was preparing to go. "I want us to live together like a family."
"Gladly" he said with unreserved truthfulness, genuinely happy. "Or you and Charley can come live with me - it's a bit bigger where I'm staying."
"What if I forget us again? What if I can't see you next time, what if I can't see you tonight or tomorrow? Oh Puck, I have this most awful feeling..."
"Well" he stopped and thought for a moment, taking her concern very seriously. "I'll promise to never make you want to forget anything between us, and if you are agreeable, if I have to, I can record some video to show you - like on that movie with all the first dates" he laughed, he loved making a reference to something current in the world. "But honestly Marley I don't think we will need anything like that after what has been said between us today. We can make it work. Our minds are one now."
"And hearts," she said, following him to the door to give him one last kiss before he left.
-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series
