Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Fixer
12:03 PM | Posted by
Warwriter Widow
The door opened with a tiny tinkling of bells. “Be right with you,” said a voice from the far end of the store.
Idaho stood at the counter as a small, grey-haired, grey-bearded man peered his head from around the corner of a bookcase in the rear of the store. “Hi, can I help you?”
“Are you the owner?”
“Yes—“
“I want to buy this store from you.”
“I just bought it.”
“I know. The person who sold it did it by mistake. I want to buy it back from you.”
The man stepped out from the back of the store. “It’s not for sale.” He was small and older, like Penelope Yin's grandfather.
“I’ll give you twice what you paid for it.”
He brushed his hands against his pants. “It’s not for sale.”
“Three times. She made a big mistake. This was her sanctuary.”
The man smirked at him. “That’s not my fault, buddy.”
Idaho felt fire just below the surface of his skin. Anger, fury, frustration – being blocked, pushed, forced – all I want to do is help people, make them happy…and fix things. I can’t fix everything. He took out a card and calmly left it on the counter. “If you change your mind.”
He only shrugged at him, and Idaho walked out, dejected. He summoned an Ouroboros portal and stepped lightly through. He walked a few feet away from the portal and sat on the ledge, staring out at nothing for a long time.
“Mender Idaho,” called a voice behind him.
He turned around, confused. A man in a brown kilt, wearing two strange monocles and a hood came over to him. “How are you? Fine, I guess. You’re not in uniform?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve been with us for thirty years and you haven’t aged a day.” Idaho stared at him. The man shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ve gotten you confused with another Idaho-in-time. I see you as you are now. You’re just starting, aren’t you?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“You haven’t even seen the Pilgrim yet. You haven’t even started working with Mender Dundee. You both have such a long partnership, you’re friends for years! There I go again.”
“Wait, wait – Mender?”
“Sure, that’s your title – well, it will be. You’re one of the best at it, too. You’re able to walk into any time period, and see exactly the few things that are just slightly off kilter and get it just right. Aaaand…” he tilted his head slightly sideways, “it’s what you’re made to do. C’mon, Idaho, let’s get started!”
He started walking toward the Pilgrim, following the Mender quietly. “How do you know all this?”
“You told me, Duncan Idaho, when I initiated you.” He held out his hand. “I’m Mender Lazarus.”
I can fix everything...
Idaho stood at the counter as a small, grey-haired, grey-bearded man peered his head from around the corner of a bookcase in the rear of the store. “Hi, can I help you?”
“Are you the owner?”
“Yes—“
“I want to buy this store from you.”
“I just bought it.”
“I know. The person who sold it did it by mistake. I want to buy it back from you.”
The man stepped out from the back of the store. “It’s not for sale.” He was small and older, like Penelope Yin's grandfather.
“I’ll give you twice what you paid for it.”
He brushed his hands against his pants. “It’s not for sale.”
“Three times. She made a big mistake. This was her sanctuary.”
The man smirked at him. “That’s not my fault, buddy.”
Idaho felt fire just below the surface of his skin. Anger, fury, frustration – being blocked, pushed, forced – all I want to do is help people, make them happy…and fix things. I can’t fix everything. He took out a card and calmly left it on the counter. “If you change your mind.”
He only shrugged at him, and Idaho walked out, dejected. He summoned an Ouroboros portal and stepped lightly through. He walked a few feet away from the portal and sat on the ledge, staring out at nothing for a long time.
“Mender Idaho,” called a voice behind him.
He turned around, confused. A man in a brown kilt, wearing two strange monocles and a hood came over to him. “How are you? Fine, I guess. You’re not in uniform?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve been with us for thirty years and you haven’t aged a day.” Idaho stared at him. The man shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ve gotten you confused with another Idaho-in-time. I see you as you are now. You’re just starting, aren’t you?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“You haven’t even seen the Pilgrim yet. You haven’t even started working with Mender Dundee. You both have such a long partnership, you’re friends for years! There I go again.”
“Wait, wait – Mender?”
“Sure, that’s your title – well, it will be. You’re one of the best at it, too. You’re able to walk into any time period, and see exactly the few things that are just slightly off kilter and get it just right. Aaaand…” he tilted his head slightly sideways, “it’s what you’re made to do. C’mon, Idaho, let’s get started!”
He started walking toward the Pilgrim, following the Mender quietly. “How do you know all this?”
“You told me, Duncan Idaho, when I initiated you.” He held out his hand. “I’m Mender Lazarus.”
I can fix everything...
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