third dream [voice]

[smoke_koan]

[the creaking of bedsprings. Paper fluttering to the floor]

They don't work.

['thud'. a pen drops on wood and rolls away. His voice is quiet when he speaks.]

They don't work at all. Not against this.

[silence, the sound of breathing. A cardboard box is tapped, and seconds later there is the strike of a match. Haruka exhales. The nicotine does

Comments

[voice; filtered; visible to grandfather and watanuki]

[epicureanshield]

A dream?

[there is a thoughtful pause]

They don't work...

Neither does mine.

We're as well as can be expected.

[voice; filtered; visible to haruka, shizuka, and watanuki]

[smoke_koan]

This is troubling. [only now can you hear a hint of concern in his voice] Improving the state of one's housing can only do so much against the fog.

Any ill effects from the visions?

[voice; filtered; visible to haruka, shizuka, and watanuki]

[epicureanshield]

[a sigh]

I've noticed that. It gets in anyhow.

[a pause while he tries to figure out how to state things]

The visions are bad, but...

[he just trails off]

[voice; filtered; visible to haruka, shizuka, and watanuki]

[smoke_koan]

Through the cracks.

[pauses. He remembers seeing that; thick white smoke curling up from the edges of the window and the door, and the voices that it brought. Familiar people from long ago.]

They can be withstood with difficulties.

Have you and Watanuki-kun found a new living area?