I had come three thousand miles and sold my business in principle, the details to be worked out later when I returned home. I think I did it here so I...would not have to face my world and my irrevocable decision for these three days. I would have the rest of my life to face the decision. I did it with no fanfare nor any real plans for my future, but it felt like I had dumped the weight of the world. Now no one knows where I am or what I am doing. I turned off onto a side road across the. “Hello again, Lauren,” Marina said, as she came over to greet them, giving both Lauren and Colin a hug in turn. “And it is a pleasure to meet you too, Colin. Let me introduce you to all the gang here today.”“Oh, Marina, I didn’t know you’d be here today,” Lauren said, “I so wanted to thank you –”“No need for thanks, you are honoured guests today.”She pointed round the table, around which were ten chairs, seven of them already occupied. One man stood up, a broad red-faced man with a friendly. She created several letters from fictitious teachers that praised her as a dutiful student and included an unglamorous headshot in each admission request form. She applied to five small colleges in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. Three schools granted her admission. She chose Seaside College in New Jersey which was known for its liberal arts program, environmental studies department and its swimming team. She picked Seaside it because it was closest to her home, only five hours away at 75 mph.. Vennoa shot a firebolt at one of the flying kobolds, but it went too far to the side and hit nothing. Fender had quickly loaded her crossbow and fired, and gave a whoop as she hit the other flying kobold. However, even with the bolt sticking out of its leg, it continued flying towards them.Vennoa steadied her aim to fire again, but was pushed to the side by Agate. She harshly turned to him to yell at him, but saw another kobold, a regular one, slash a dagger where she was standing. It must have.