His awareness was that only of hedonistic trance bestowed upon him by Verna. Verna was a drug with overwhelming intoxication, seducing, consuming, off...ring the utmost in mutual pleasure. With all euphoria, it may be indulged in for so long before there in uncontrollable consumption. He and Verna both realized this, and with shared concern, released each other gently and carefully. He gradually became aware of his regular perceptions as if aroused to consciousness from a hypnotic but real. He guessed it would be close to one month’s salary for the Watanabe’s. ‘Yes Yokomoto. I mean Mr Yokomoto. We could not afford that. It is out of the question.’ ‘But you’d pay it if you could then? I mean, you’d buy the grade? If money were not a problem, you would pay me?’ Sayuri looked from her mother’s face to the teacher and back. Something in her mother’s face said yes. For Sayuri, suddenly the idea of a fresh start flickered. An opportunity to make a break from the oppressive atmosphere. I don't know what happened. I know that Sunday afternoon, like he's done every other Sunday afternoon since I've known him, Seth walked into Crossroads from our bedroom. Fifteen minutes later, he was back in our bedroom lying dead at my feet," Leora sighed."You believe in all this?" I've been there. Early on, I accompanied Seth as his companion. I went on three missions with him and when I was nearly killed, Seth insisted that I stay home. He didn't have to insist very hard. After that. Enough questions for now. Come to me. I await you.” For the first time since setting eyes upon the dark lake, I became aware of the sounds filling the vast expanse of the cavern; the pulse of water against stone. The sigh of a subtle breeze. The barely heard echoing thrum of distant machinery. And the soft buzz of electrical current in the distance as suddenly lights began to flicker across the water in sequence, each one closer, illuminating a previously invisible bridge from the platform.