Wretched and Divine.

“I know Prophet has some gardning books somewhere...”

I sat on top of a tall, rickety writing desk, swinging my legs in boredom, watching Destroyer look over shelf after shelf for books covering the topic he was looking for.

“We have gardning books back home... I could bring you some tonight when I come back.”

“Really? That’d be handy.” He responded, continuing to look over the faded, decrepit binders. “Huh... I’ll have to ask him when he gets back where they are... When do you need to leave?”

“What time is it?”

“It’s four-thirty.”

I frown, “Probably soon. I was just dropping by. Where are the others?”

He shrugged, pulling a random book off the shelf to flip through it’s pages. “Looking for survivors, I think... I know Mourner and Mystic went to check on the western villiage.”

“Why don’t you all live together?”

“Beats me. We’d be safer that way, but I think people enjoy having a sense of freedom, which I can understand. All these years spent hiding in terror from F.E.A.R, it’s the little things that make them feel better. Anyways, they were dropping off rations and medical supplies. Hey, do you think you could bring back some food tonight? Everyone appreciates the change.”

Getting food for them last time was easy, because I brought my bag of Halloween candy with me. But getting larger, more prolific items, would be harder.

“I can try.”

“Cool.”

A few silent moments passed before footsteps could be heard out in the hall.

“D!” came the unmistakable voice of the Prophet. I grinned and hopped off the table to go greet him.

“D, have you seen- oof!”

I threw myself at him, hugging his waist tightly. “You’ve returned!”

“Pssh... You didn’t react like that to me.” Destroyer joked, pushing the book back onto the shelf.

“You’re early, Evelyn.” He noted, pinching the neck of my shirt, pulling my grip from his legs, lifting me into the air to study my face. “Something wrong in your world?”

“No,” I replied, batting at his hand to be put back on the ground. “I just wanted to visit.”

He put me down and put his gloved hands on his hips, nodding, then looking at Destroyer. “Have you seen my rosary?”

“No? I didn’t think you ever took that thing off.” He responded in confusion. Prophet frowned, “I didn’t think so, either.... I probably lost it in the desert... Dammit.”

He grits his teeth in frustration and frowns, then looks at D, then back at me. “What are you two up to?”

“He’s looking for gardening books.” I jab a finger at him.

“Gardening books? Oh, they’re over in that box.” Prophet points towards a little shabby wooden crate on one of the lower shelves of the bookshelf furthest away.

“Told ya he’d know.” D muttered in amusement, jogging off to grab the crate. I turn towards him again, “So what were you doing?”

“Things.”

“What kind of things?”

“Scouting, searching, gathering. The usual. Why?”

“You’re not too open to questions.”

“It’s not that I don’t like questions,” he defends with a wave of his gloved hand, walking towards the wooden table in middle of the library, unbuckling the gun holster from his thigh, tossing it aside. “It’s just that your questions are very basic and repetitive.”

“Repetitive.” I mumble, glaring at him a bit.

“Not much changes here, kiddo. This is our quant little repetitive world. Anyways, I have some stuff to attend to. You going to be good with him?”

I nod, then make a confused expression, remembering the question I had for him.

“Hey, P?”

“I hate when you call me that.”

“D was sad you left.”

“He was?” He looks confused, reaching up to tighten the bandana around his forehead.

“He was so sad in fact, that he was doing the weird hugging.”

“Weird hu-...” He stops speaking and processes what I said before clattering his knife down on the table next to his holster, marching towards D.

“You were fucking with a little girl around?!” He hisses at him, smacking his arm.

“I didn’t know she was going to show up!” D defends, raising his hands.

“What did she see? Jesus, man, she’s ten.”

“Nothing, I can assure you.”

They both look over their shoulders at me, and I pretend that the floor is awfully interesting while I eavesdrop. Prophet sighs, out of things to say.

“Don’t do it again.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Now be a good guardian and keep an eye on Evelyn. I have some maps to go over.” He walks back towards the door, ruffling my hair into a mess as he goes, collecting his things off the table as well. “Don’t kill him, alright?”

I nod, and he disappears into the dark hallway.

“So?”

“I think we’re in business.” He waves a red hardcover book at me with a grin on his face, thumbing through the pages briefly. “This one goes over how to harvest seeds from pre-existing plants...” He grabs another one, and looks through the contents. “This one is dirt preparation. Perfect.”

“I’ll make sure to grab some seeds tonight. Any requests?”

“Eve, I’ve literally eaten canned beans and jack rabbit my whole life. Whatever you bring is going to be better than that by a long shot. Take your pick, just... Whatever you do, don’t bring beans.” He stresses the end with a wince.

“You got it. Anything else?”

“See if you can get us more books. The more the better, you know? Other than that, I’d say we’re good.”

“Now what?”

“I dunno... That concludes the gardening issue for now. Want to go level some mountains?” He gets a giddy grin.

“Haven’t you already flattened every mountain within an eight mile radious?” I question him with a smirk and he scratches his neck awkwardly. “I dunno, maybe...”

I sigh, “I probably should head back. I have to space out the afternoon visits quite a bit because my Mom will get suspicious that I’m taking so many naps. Anyways, I’ll be back tonight.”

“Same time as always?”

“Of course, and not a second later. See ya!”

I hug him before I go, then I climb up and out of the sewers and head towards the tent that has been deemed as my own. Inside is a woven cot made just for my daily arrival. I lie down on it, familiar with the feeling having done it hundreds of times before.

All I have to do is close my eyes, concentrate on going home, and before I know it...

I open my eyes and I’m back in my dulldrum room inside of my reality, and my Mother is calling up the stairs telling me dinner is ready.