Exclusion Zone 15

 MIEKKANEITO & KUOHUTAR   Seiso' kerran neito sorja | seinänvierttä vartioiden. Vesur' väisty viiltämähän, | vasamoillaan vainohoten. Sotahuudon hihkaisi hän - | “Toivos' heitä, raatopuoli!” Vainolaiset vähemmäksi | veitsenterällä veisteli. Taiston jälkeen merihiukset | suojastansa kuoriutuupi. Kurja ilme kasvoillansa, | kun kuolonjäämiä katseleepi. “Kuolonjäämää näin kihtistä, | ei kestitä ees' Pohjolassa.” “Ei koivuvitsaks kiedottuna, | ei kekkereissä kostehissa.” Miekkaneito hiljaa väitti, | virkkoi, kuiskas käheänä. Kun kuohut kauniit kääntyi kohti, | katse kullankiiltävänä. “Etkös sää nyt idän tyttö | tahtois' luitas' leputella?” “Kylään kahdeksankin mahtuis, | tai kaksi kuvankaunihista.” Illanpäätteeks' neitokainen | makas' majas' muikeassa. Meritukka maaten meni | makuuhuonees' mainiossa. Idän neidon sidottuaan, | hurmeet haavoist' hoidettuaan. Makas' meri myrskytönnä, | matkalainenkin miekattaan.   EXPLANATION

Street Prowl “ You ever had, uh, Kentucky Derby pie?” Kate called out to her from behind the counter, metal clattering on porcelain as she busied herself with whatever she was doing. Truth be told, Sayori felt too exhausted to care, and despite the hunger that had stayed with her since she first woke up, she didn't know if she could stomach even a single bite of anything , let alone some weird regional stuff she'd never heard of before. “ No, I... I haven't.” Still, no matter how bad she felt, she couldn't take it out on Katie. Not now, not again. The offer seemed genuine, friendly – that much was evident from her tone, equal parts hopeful and nervous. And so, after a moment, Sayori broke the silence between them again – not because she wanted to, but because not doing so would have felt even worse. “ ...guess I haven't really had the chance yet. I've... I've kinda been meaning to, but...” “ Well, I guess today's your lucky day, then.” Kati...

Walls and Windowpanes    “So, you refreshed? You... ready to go?” Katie shot her an expectant, nervous gaze. Whatever was behind the facade was hard to make out, although it didn't take much guessing. The short break they'd enjoyed at The 'Shoe had almost been enough to instill some false confidence in the two of them. Just sitting there like they owned the joint, drinking soda and joking around, finally getting to the bottom of the peanut bowl. A pretense of control. That's all it was. But she had to be ready. It was sink or swim. No other options, no golden mean, no third choices. No matter the hunger that finally made itself known after the adrenaline wore off, no matter the slight nausea from the mixture of stale peanuts and sugary soda, no matter the wet clothes and tired legs and constant overwhelming anxiety... Sayori nodded. “Yeah, I'm... I'm refreshed. Raring t-to go.” “Attagirl.” Two fake smiles. Pot and kettle. The rain hadn't le...