FORTY-FOUR: Where'd you get that cat?

“Where’d you get that cat?” Siobhan said louder leaning back.

“What?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen this large monstrosity sitting at your feet under the table,” Siobhan laughed.

“I haven’t had him long. I don’t know much about him really,” Arous was confused. “We were talking about - ”

“Will he bite?” asked Siobhan.

“No,” said Arous and then smiled. “At least I don’t think so.”

“Let’s find out,” said Siobhan and ducked under the table.

Arous didn’t follow her but tried to look over at Simon. He was looking at her and smiling. She waved.

“I think he’s smiling at me,” said Siobhan.

“At you?” said Arous.

“You’ll have to see for yourself, Arous,” Siobhan said from under the table.

“Oh, him.” Arous ducked under the table.

“Men in grey suits came and picked her up.  They pulled away in their grey car after they waltzed in and danced her out.”

“Did they have mirrored, red-” began Arous.

Siobhan joined her to finish the sentence, “rimmed-glasses. Yes. An elite force of the Spartan Guard, I think. Most people don’t even believe they exist. Somehow they just aren’t noticeable.” She paused and then popped back up top-side.

 “Alippiana, really?” asked Siobhan.

“Yes.”

“Cusp or Bowl?”

“Bowl.”

“Wow. I’ve never met anyone from the Bowl. A few people from the Cusp and further out.  We have a few Idelles from the Sticks. Wow, the Bowl. So tell me – what’s it like? I heard once that if you go to the Bowl you can’t get out. That it’s like a sect or cult.  Did you have to escape?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“What is it like, silly?” asked Siobhan, then whispered “we have to keep this up a little longer.  Just follow me.”

“Well, it’s like . . .  the Bowl is inside a river, like an island. The river surrounds us like a horseshoe on the north, east and west. To the south is to the bay, a lagoon really and then the sea.   There’s some beach on the south east. White sparkling beach but on the south west there is a swamp and the Mist.”

“Wow.”

“And the air, inside the Bowl is really, wet. This dryness has been hard to get used to; it makes me really tired, weak almost. And, there it’s so heavy with water that hoveh crafts don’t work there. Most new machinery doesn’t,” Arous paused as if realizing something, “I guess, I never realized how much . . . energy that humid air gives me. Breathing it must -”

“How do you get around, I mean – it sounds big.”

“I had a horse – have a horse. And, there are other ways to get around.”

“Like?” asked Siobhan.

“Water porting.  Hoveh engines don’t work but you can port from one body of water to another. And walking.”

“What’s it like?”

“Porting?” Arous asked.

“No, silly. Walking,” she laughed.  Arous thought she was the most wacky person she’d ever met or the most clever.

“It’s like turning into a ghost made out of steam.”

“Walking?”

“No, silly. Porting.”

They both laughed.

“Like Miasmen,” Siobhan whispered.

“Miasmen?”

“Oh, nothing. Just a stupid legend,” her eyes got big and she shook her head. “You’ll have to tell me more about Alippiana another time.”

They were quiet a moment.

“Look,” said Arous, “I may need your help.”

“Oh, right. Look, I think I should be going. Maybe we can meet again,” said Siobhan.

She started to get up. Arous grabbed her hand.

“Please?”

Siobhan leaned down to kiss Arous and whispered: “I will see you again. I have something to give you. Just wait.”

“Please? I don’t know how much time I have,” Arous whispered back while keeping her mouth next to Siobhan’s ear. “My mother said she was in danger. I have to -”

“She is,” she kissed one cheek then moved to the other. “And so are you.”

Siobhan straightened up. “It’s a date. We’ll have lunch one day and I’ll show you around the City.”

“When?”

“Maybe this week. I’ll V-Dot you.  Maybe even have you over for tea. I’m sure Lady Rose would love that.”

            Arous hugged Siobhan.

            “I’ll come see you, I have a lead -”

            “Don’t. I’ll come to you,” whispered Siobhan. “Don’t trust anyone. Especially when they sit in corners and listen to your conversation.  Be sure you’re not followed from here.”