Page 58 of Backpacking through Bedlam

“Think someone in this place has a sleeping bag I can borrow?” Sally asked. “No offense, and I trust you two not to get frisky while I’m in here, but I’m not sharing a bed with two people I’m not banging.”

“Were you this picky in the bottle dimension?” I asked, halfway amused despite myself.

“Nope,” said Sally. “Didn’t have the luxury of pickiness when we were all huddling together for body heat, or when we couldn’t spare the water for bathing more than once a month. You learn to put up with a lot. And you know what else you learn?”

“What?” Now the amusement was complete.

“You learn not to dwell on shit. The thing that tries to kill you today will try to kill you again tomorrow, and all you’re going to do if you sit around thinking about it is give yourself an ulcer. I’m back in the real world.”

“Technically, all worlds are real—” Thomas began.

“The real world,” Sally repeated, more firmly. “I am in the place pizza comes from, I am almost certainly going to get to stab some people, I have clean socks, and you’re intending to keep me, meaning I don’t have to try to figure out how I’m going to explain any of this bullshit to the Hendersons. I loved them, I did, and they tried their best to love me, but they adopted me because their church told them Jesus wanted them to, and then I turned out to be gay and weird and not very interested in their version of God, and so they were already falling out of the habit of loving me when I vanished. I’m sure it was a relief to everyone but James when I went away. And if I spent all my time sitting around dwelling on that, I’d scream forever, so instead, I’m going to go get some damn pizza. Anyone coming with me?”

“I am.” I stood. “Verity can’t risk being seen, but if the Covenant spots me, they won’t recognize me. Even if they do, they won’t believe it. They may catch the Carew look. That’s fine. Let them come after me, just as long as we don’t lead them back here.”

“Is this one of those situations where I would make things worse by insisting on coming with you?” Thomas asked.

I hesitated. “Actually . . . maybe.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“One woman who looks kinda like she might be a Carew, but maybe not, walking with a Korean woman? Not that suspicious. A Carew and a Price, on the other hand . . .”

“They still hate us that much,” said Thomas, and sighed. “I’ll stay here, then, and get a better sense of the lay of the land.”

“Good plan.” I turned to Sally. “Ready for your pizza?”

Verity was in the main room, talking quietly with a cluster of dragons. She turned when Sally and I emerged. I waved her over, causing her to scowl briefly before she half-walked, half-trotted toward us.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Sally wants pizza, so we were going to go for a walk before we figure out how to take down the Covenant. What’s the protocol for leaving the building?”

“Go out through the convenience store, try not to look suspicious while you’re doing it, and call for Mary to meet you on the sidewalk and let you back in,” said Verity. “If she doesn’t show up within a few minutes, keep walking, and do a few circuits of the block before you try calling her again. If she doesn’t come after the third time, take a walk. Get at least a mile away, then call her again. I’m guessing you don’t have phones?”

We both shook our heads. Verity sighed.

“Okay, we’ll add that to the list for tomorrow. Right now, it’s just Mary for access for you. Or Sarah, if you see her, but you can’t count on that. I really wish you wouldn’t just wander off.”

“But you’re not telling us not to go.”

“You’re my grandmother. Do you think I could make that stick?”

I considered for a moment, then shook my head. “Not really. But I’m armed, we’re both paranoid, and I want to get a vague sense of the atmosphere out there.”

“All right,” she said, reluctantly. “Just be as careful as you reasonably can, okay? I don’t want to deal with Grandpa getting widowed when the two of you just got into the same place again.”

I sighed. “I know I can be a little crabby sometimes, but I’m more careful than you people give me credit for. Even if I continue to hate that word and everything it stands for.”

“Less talking, more pizza,” said Sally.

“You heard her,” I said. “Who am I to stand between a woman and her burning need for pizza? I even promise to do my best not to wander into traffic because I got distracted by all the shiny lights of civilization.”

“You better,” said Verity. “I want you all to meet Dr. Morrow while you’re in town, but I’d like it to be a meet-and-greet, not an emergency surgery. I think you’ll like him—and he’s not going to ask questions about paperwork or insurance once he knows you’re with me.”

I lifted my eyebrows as I nodded approvingly. After everything we’d been through during our interdimensional travels, all three of us were overdue for a physical, and Verity was smart enough to recognize that. “Got it: save the car crash for after we’ve met your pet doctor. Ally?”

“Caladrius.”