Characters, like children are conceived given names and a chance to grow and someday they may comfort you   He faded to an overlay a faded ghost   “Well. Now what?”   “Two characters of my own invention Micah, definitely Micah and— no, not Abigail I’d probably get her pre-Mem—“   “You’re thinking at a million words a minute Stop the train explain,”   Bailey adjusted her glasses “Micah from Three Dark Roses I’ll call him and he’ll come.”   “That’s three one more—“   “I haven’t finished Abigail’s character development yet. Blimey, what I wouldn’t give to summon the Doctor But…he’s not mine” She rolled her lips into a pouty face. “So…. Tova Yes, Tova Nice motherly type No tragedy                   “Are you implying that Elizabeth--

  She cleared her throat “Come to me, my Children of Ink Across the words I call you Come, Micah Shoshannah of Naveyl Come, Tova mother of Niriel!”   “Tiran complex?” I teased                 But they came                   An elderly man in a cream gown with embroidered roses joined by a motherly woman with vague Semetic features and agape in her eyes   Bailey stared for a moment “I did it By the Lion’s Mane I did it!” She threw herself into Micah’s arms “I love you!”   Micah just stroked her tangled hair “Did the Witherers place you here?”   “Among others. But mostly my nightmares” She turned to Tova “And you, my first breadwinner”   Tova glanced at the barrier “Now, what is this?”   “If I knew I could escape.” Bailey adjusted her glasses. “Any ideas?”                 Micah ran his fingers over an imaginary harp “My singing voice is not as skilled as my hands, but maybe”   Tova laid a hand on the invisible barrier “It tingles slightly but I think “ Her fingers penetrated and came out on the other side she kept walking right into me “I’m sorry What’s your name?   “Laura I’m Bailey’s friend.”   “Are you a moon too?”   “A moon?”   “Let Arkn explain later,” Micah called “For now, let me try.” He strode forward ignoring the barrier till he stood next to me “Now, to go back” The barrier provided no hindrance to him.   “So, what have we learned?” I asked   “Charries can go through it but I can’t”   “But if they go with you maybe you could escape,”   Tova stepped back into the prison “It makes sense” She stood on one side of Bailey and Micah took the other side   The three of them an awkward donut, moved toward the wall   stopped “It’s still there”   Tova separated and reached through the wall “I can still pass through”   “So much for that idea,” Bailey muttered   Micah touched a scar on his palm “I have a plan,” He took a rose from his sash pressing the thorn into his palm letting the blood flow after a few minutes He pulled out the thorn “That should be enough” cupped the bleeding hand dipped his pointer finger into the crimson fluid   He ran the finger over Bailey’s glasses ears, hands, lips Then took her hand “Step forward”   “I assume you have a plan, then Micah”   “Just walk” he repeated   She took one step then another hesitated momentarily but kept going out of prision   “Hey, watch it there” I called “I don’t want blood on this cloak”   Bailey removed her glasses “I’m out I’m out.” Then she blinked “Anybody have something to clean my glasses?”   “Let’s get out first” I suggested   “We are out” Tova grinned “Don’t you see the sky?’   I craned my neck overhead was summer sky stretching into infinity “It’s like the Stable”   “Let me guess why that worked Rule of Symbollism You’re a charrie so your blood tricked it Eyes, ears mouth, hands— the senses I use to creat”   “Exactly,” Micah nodded “But Tova and I have to return now farewell”   “Don’t think this is goodbye We need to discuss Joel” Bailey told him   He nodded then they vanished without goodbyes But I saw a woman walking toward us