Written for Sweeney Agonistes, not
surprisingly. The characterisations of Merriman
and Gwion are vaguely taken from her Housman Quartet, which I
highly recommend.
The 200-word predicament I have placed them in is entirely of my
own making.
Standard disclaimers apply. Merriman Lyon,
Gwion, and The Dark Is Rising Sequence
are property of the wonderful Susan Cooper.
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Reflex
By: Gramarye
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'Merlion...what the devil was that?'
'"That", harper, was what I
believe is colloquially known as "saving your damn fool
neck".
And the traditional response, if I'm not mistaken, is usually
some expression of gratitude.'
'I would be more than happy to provide the
traditional response, lion, if I had any idea
as to where we were.'
'Hm. Judging by the appearance of the
buildings and the dress of the populace, I would
hazard a guess of...London. In what appears to be the middle of
the Oxford Circus roundabout.
Circa anno Domini...nineteen eighty.'
'Nineteen ei—'
'Actually, make that nineteen eighty-one.'
‘Wh...why do you say that?’
‘Because of that posted playbill
informing all and sundry that a new musical, CATS, has
recently opened its run at the New London Theatre in the West
End.’
'Er...quite. So why, may I ask, are
we here?'
'Harper, the situation demanded that the two
of us be as far away from our previous location
as possible. In the midst of an ambush that would pit armoured
horsemen against our relatively
unarmed selves, one would think to take the first course of
action available.'
'You mean you overreacted.'
'If you wish to be ungenerous about
it...yes.'
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Gramarye
gramarye@postmaster.co.uk
http://gramarye.freehosting.net/
17 March 2004
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