" He cracked up."I tried, the taxman says he's not cheating and I can't prove he is." Sure you can. Go seek an audience I'll handle the rest." Tim pau...ed, "you don't particularly like the taxman do you?" Fuck no ... he's cutting into my offerings. If I don't get some corn in my larder pretty damn soon ... it's going to be slim pickings. I might have to glean." Well, I know where he's keeping the extra but it's well guarded. He can afford to keep feeding his men. The more men he feeds the more. “How old are you?” the voice inquired. Startled, I turned to find Arthi standing close behind me. “Thirty” I replied before continuing, “Why do you ask? How old are you?” “Just curious. I’m thirty three.” She said, and then continued with, “I hope you don’t mind if I stand for a while. I want to slim down” She patted her stomach and then continued, “But anything is uncomfortable these hot days sitting, standing, laying down, it’s so hot.” I handed her the fresh drink and she took a sip from her. She yanked the covers and felt the chilly air curl around her warm thighs and fall asleep. Little goosebumps covered her cooling skin. Sara grabbed her phone and checked the time, “6:21,” shone in white on the black background.“Maybe I didn’t have to get up,” she said to herself.Walking to her door, she opened it a crack to listen for signs of life. It was all quiet. Warm air flowed in so she left the door cracked. Sara went to the connected bathroom to pee and get ready for the day. Her. The Lodge was a folly of sorts; a small conical tower against a small square hall, built with local flint and stone. The clearing it which it stood, was worn through ages of activity; fire-ashes were still evident. A small crude table, long anchored into the ground, still survived. One could conjure up all manner of things past.“How long has it stood here Guy?”“Depends who you ask, but at least a couple of hundred years. It has a chequered history; religion, war and witches. What you might.