Gatekeepers

EXCERPT FROM POSTED: STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE CONTACTING OF, AND NEGOTIATION WITH, GENIUS LOCI

Proposed NY-376, HPWL, A

Mediator: Frederick Gladstone

Compiler: Una Reed

An indirect approach was necessary. Several weeks of attempts were an absolute [redacted] waste of time because I was working under the [redacted] assumption that an offering (or 20) and a call would be enough. As they’ve always been. [redacted - see my letter to you on the 5th - U.].

It was only after exhausting the local residents’ patience, and offering every category of item I could imagine at every species of tree I could identify, that I noticed that the only thing taking interest in my activity was a small field mouse. It sampled the foods. It scurried off with the silver. [redacted - London, I’ll require some reimbursement - U.]

When it finally dawned on me I sat, put out some grain beneath a birch, and attempted to communicate when the little guy inevitably showed up.

[See Report NY-376, HPWL, B for details regarding the communications.]

The mouse lead me to the fox, the fox to the stag, and the stag to the [redacted] Genius Loci. And for the record, each entity demands the same respect you would give to the one above it.

Also for the record, should Mae or anyone else ever have to deal with a field mouse - they’re [difficult].

Two Drops

Excerpt from Posted: Standard Operating Procedures for the Contacting of, and Negotiation with, Genius Loci

London,

A quick note for you. Fritz’s report included a description of the Genius Loci he encountered at the southern bounds of Poughquag, but I called for a follow-up inquiry. If you look at my depiction, you can see why. The ones with thorns, or vines, or no eyes at all, I’ve come to expect those. But this? A winged eyeball…this feels to be a stretch for the imagination. I don’t mean to call into question Fritz’s reliability, but is this not out of the ordinary? Is this truly a Genius Loci that he’s negotiated with or are there things in these woods that need to be classified otherwise? Anyway, I leave the report to your scrutiny. I’m still working on Mae’s report for the proposed path of Route 7. She’s having difficulty making contact and so I have multiple reports to stitch together. I may need to meet with her, too, to fill in the blanks.

Lastly, I want to draw your attention to field 4 on Fritz’s latest report. Two drops of blood were drawn. Let that sink in. I pray we’re still dealing with the same entities.

-U.

We Knew It Was Time

They walked for miles across the plains, searching the skies like they might perish from thirst. With her books and her quavering voice, said the travelling woman, “The child’s salvation is out where the wind is lonely.”

The bruised clouds promised them all that the tears and prayers and specialists couldn't.

"All you have to do is ask."