And so the story goes on…
Day 39: She suspected she would debate the question with herself until she finished her business in the lost city and returned.
She suspected she would debate the question with herself until she finished her business in the lost city and returned. Anna was fine with that. She didn’t need answers immediately. She would prefer to think through every angle and debate with herself until she came up with a concrete decision. On the whole she liked the leisure to make such decisions slowly instead of on the fly. She liked planning and contemplating the angles.
When she first ran, Anna didn’t have that leisure. She ran and learned to plan as she went, quickly sorting through options. It was why once she got ahead of the hunters and reached a new city she mapped out escape routes, and set up safe houses before settling in to do anything else. Her efforts at her arrival helping to give her more space to plan.
‘And now it keeps me from boredom,’ she decided. The distance she needed to travel was long and while she did have to watch her footing to ensure she didn’t stumble on the broken stones, it was a straight line. She did not have to check directions. She only had to walk, eat, and rest. The most exciting part of her day involves looking in on Marcus and his continual search of the city.
When she stopped, Anna watched Marcus follow the trails of everyone with magic throughout the city. He found several black market operations but none of the trails he followed led to her. Anna was pleased with herself for keeping clear of the magical community and from erasing her trails so thoroughly.
‘It does present an issue,’ she decided after watching Marcus interrogate several people. Now that someone had been looking for her and that someone caused much interference in daily business, Anna doubted she would be able to join the community here.
‘So I would either have to find other sorts of work or leave and rejoin one of the other communities.’ It limited her options going back. ‘Marcus arrested several of the black marketeers,’ Anna thought. ‘That’s bound to make some people upset.’
It was another piece of information in her decision making process. And something else to think about. As Anna’s journey continued, she realized she was not over all much of a nature lover. She liked the views and she thought the wildlife was beautiful. But after a few days it grew monotonous. There were many flowers and trees but they were all the same varieties so after a while there was nothing new. It was spectacular, but more of the same spectacular.
She enjoyed the sun rise and the sun set as both were moments of beauty. After a few more days of travel, Anna began to long for the cityscape. She missed the infinite variety of people and conversations and buildings. ‘I suppose I am a city person at heart.’
Anna continued on her way. She checked in with Marcus twice a day, pleased that while he may have been causing disarray among anyone practicing any sort of magic, including the fakirs and fortune tellers, he had not even found one of her safe houses.
‘Let alone my actual apartment.’
Anna felt a source of pride.
Ten til Midnight 