A double boom echoed across the landscape, but she appeared unfazed.John swung wide, looking for an opening. The thorn troll was trying to pull the sp...ar out, and failing. And the butt looked like it was fixed in place, keeping him just far enough away that he couldn’t hit Sygraid from where he stood. Trusting that Sygraid wouldn’t be ignoring the thorn bearer without a really good reason, John angled behind the other troll. She kept jabbing at it with her sword, keeping the thing’s attention. I was wary but didn’t refuse it. Jenn went to climb in, but was asked to leave me alone for a while. I vaguely heard her whine a little. She gave me a kiss on the cheek.Five hours later, I woke up hungry and feeling stronger, so I climbed out of bed and walked to the kitchen.“Hey Tiger,” Katie said. “Are you feeling rested?”“Yeah! I sure do feel stupid, fainting like that. I thought only girls fainted.”“As sexist as that remark is, you are mostly right. Are you hungry?” she asked.“Yeah, maybe. Nothing changes and everything goes on. You have to, too. Somehow.I'm vaguely conscious of your presence. It does not fill my head like it's supposed to. The fire's been reduced to a spark that needs to be fanned. Even when I look up into your dark eyes, it's a struggle to recognise the passion, compassion and primal lust in them. I miss your eyes. I miss your gaze. It gives me my worth, and I need to feel worthy today more than ever.Shutting my eyes, I shift slightly in my bonds. The cloth. She seemed to be shocked to see them, her eyes were big and her mouth a bit open. In her hands she was carrying a store bought coffee cake. ‘Hello Shemp’ greeted Carol’s Father to the woman and Carol had to hide her grin. Her Father privately called her mother’s three neighborhood friends the Three Stooges. Steve thought it was an insult to the Stooges, those icons of slapstick, to compare the ladies to them. So he privately called the ladies the Three Witches. Carol, thought it an insult to.