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  It means the world that you keep reading. ?? Ayela**

  

  My eyes opened to a dark bedroom and a clattering sound. Hail. Wow, there was a doozy of a late summer storm pounding away outside. I snuggled further under my duvet, but remembered to set my mind to the important task Cora and I had agreed on.

  I remember my dreams with ease. My first thought is, "What was I just dreaming?’”

  I let the prompts roll around in my mind as I floated in the in-between state that wasn’t quite wakefulness, but wasn’t sleep either.

  If I’d been dreaming, I didn’t remember it. It didn’t take long for me to be fully awake, so I pulled on a sweatshirt and made my way to the kitchen and coffee. Mug in hand, I settled onto the couch with my pad and keyboard.

  Scrolling back through the chapters I’d written last night, I re-oriented myself to my Discord story and found it easy to get in the flow.

  By the time the sun came up, I had several more chapters down, so I popped a frozen bagel in the toaster and re-read what I’d just written. Bong!

  I accepted Cora’s video.

  “Morning,” I said to her.

  “You look chipper!”

  “I’ve already written several chapters this morning, so I’m pretty damned proud of myself.”

  “Congrats. Didn’t sleep?” she asked.

  “Hail storm woke me up, but honestly, I don’t mind since I got in the writing groove. I’m a little worried, though, ‘coz I’m at the part of the story where shit goes down, and that means I’ve gotta put myself back in the mental state of all that bad crap so I can really write it authentically.”

  “Is that what it’s like? Writing a book? You have to experience it all again?”

  “I dunno how other people do it,” I started. “But for me, I become the character for a bit, so I know what they’d say and do, how they’ll react. And in this case, it’s my own autobiography, so I already know the mind fuckery and what it’s gonna do.”

  “What can I do to help?”

  I shook my head at the screen. “I think just knowing you’re at my side helps. And HC and Paddy, and Rhoda! Dear god, what would I have done without Rhoda—“

  “Well, thankfully, we don’t have to speculate because she was there.”

  “Exactly! Now that I think about it. . . it wasn’t very long ago, Cora, but I feel like an entirely different person than I was when I got fired from my babysitting job. Like, my whole reality has been re-oriented. I don’t wanna get too cocky, but I feel like I can face all of this down now!”

  “Then it sounds like you’re ready to write all the bad shit, Sam. I’m so proud of you, for all of it. Now, go write! And I get to see you in two days, so pound away at that keyboard and get the book done! Deal?”

  “Hah hah! I’m trying. I dunno if I’ll finish the whole thing that quickly, but I can certainly try.”

  “Good. Did you dream of me?” she purred.

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  “If I did, I don’t remember. There was nothing to write in my notebook, so I must’ve just crashed asleep.”

  “Well, well, well. Guess who’s the better dreamer then?"

  “What?! What happened, Cora? Sexy dreams?"

  “Nothing that good. But nothing bad, either. Just weird. Want me to read it to you?” she asked.

  “Absofuckinglutely!"

  

  Everything was emerald green light, and it surrounded me. It felt almost misty, but it was only light, not wet. It glowed so pretty, and I wanted to stay in it because I felt so happy. Then I felt a gold light right in the center of my body, and at the same time, outside of me was a gold sphere of light that seemed almost solid. I started to walk to it, but it zoomed straight into me.

  It didn’t feel like anything, but it became part of me. Or— maybe it already was a part of me? I felt so happy, like it was my favorite song I’d always known but had forgotten.

  It seemed like it was in my teeth or part of my tongue and wanted out, so I opened my mouth. Then the whole area exploded with song so powerful I’d never heard anything like it.

  It was like the very firmament was song, but I hadn’t known I’d been standing on ground.

  I was the song, and the song was the world, and nothing could stop such beauty from existing.

  I woke up filled with longing and hope and felt like I’d been somewhere I had forgotten and just remembered.

  “I was the song, and the song was the world, and nothing could stop such beauty from existing?” I asked softly.

  Cora smiled in response.

  “There are two worlds,” I quoted Sibsil Creed, and the sound came out as soft as a kiss. “What do you think it means, Cora?"

  “I think it means I’ll probably write a song that I won’t understand and then forget about it because I wish my girlfriend were here to kiss me silly."

  “Your girlfriend wishes the same thing. Here,” I said, pressing my lips to the screen.

  “Ha! That doesn’t count. Argh, Sam, I gotta go. I miss you and can’t wait to see you.”

  “I’m already looking forward to talking to you tonight!”

  “Bye, Sam.”

  “Bye, Cor.”

  Another few hours passed, and more chapters of Discordant got written. Bong! A new message from the President of Known Cosmos Earth Press.

  Bitsy: I’m ready for more Discordant.

  Sam: Greedy! I’m typing as fast as I can.

  Bitsy: Send me the rough draft

  Sam: My beta-reader hasn’t even seen it

  Bitsy: Doesn’t matter

  Sam: I haven’t even re-read it, so it’ll be very rough.

  Bitsy: Good. I’m waiting

  Sam: What’s the rush?

  Bitsy: You’ll find out soon. I haven’t seen reservations yet on my family’s rentals in Shurwinn.

  Sam: I’ll check with HC. His wife is setting the schedule.

  Bitsy: Excellent

  Sam: You seem eager. Is there a reason to hurry?

  Bitsy: I’m not sure how to answer that right now. Many things are moving, yet they are mostly vague.

  Sam: Okay. Sending my files now. When you have corrections, let me know.

  Bitsy: You’ll hear from me. Check your bank account before I go. You should've received the advance payment since you signed the contract for Discordant last night.

  Holy shit. I looked at my account, and my eyes watered. It was more money than I’d ever had in my life. More than a year’s worth of rent!

  Sam: I got it. Thank you.

  Bitsy: You’re welcome. That’s how the business works. Now go write more, and you’ll hear from me when I’ve read through these chapters.

  Sam: Thanks, Bitsy.

  Bitsy: Thank you. Sunshine greet you on every shore.

  Sam: Hi Paddy. How’s the itinerary looking?

  Paddy: So glad to hear from you, Sam! It’s freezing up here in Yellowstone! It SNOWED last night! Four inches! We need boots and hats!

  I grinned at my screen, thinking about the Miami couple freezing their asses off in northern Wyoming.

  Sam: I bet it’s gorgeous!

  Paddy: It is! You’ll never guess what Wimpy did when he saw it!

  Sam: ??

  Paddy: He wrote a Christmas-themed comedy for his murder stories! ??

  Sam: LOL! Well, if anything would inspire Christmas in September, it’s Yellowstone’s Pine Trees coated in snow!

  Paddy: Frfr! I’m sending everyone the sample itinerary. We’ll leave Earth from Denver, which is a perfect Transfer Station to head to the orbiting starliner docks. I’ve got us departing Saturday, but if Cora wants more time after her concert, let me know.

  Sam: That sounds perfect. I’ll check with her, but I think we’ll want to book it as you’ve planned. We’re all eager, and Bitsy Joon seems anxious for us to get there.

  Paddy: Really? What’s going on?

  Sam: Dunno, but she wanted my Discordant rough drafts, so I’m sending them as fast as I can write.

  Paddy: Wow, okay. Well, we’re just having fun, so keep us in the loop if something comes up. I sorta forgot to care, tbh.

  Sam: Perfect! That’s what vacation is for!

  Paddy: Totally!

  Sam: talk to you later. Stay warm!

  Paddy: ??

  I ordered a mushroom curry from the Indian delivery for lunch and got back to writing. That’s how it went for two more days. And by the time Thursday rolled around, I was nearing the end of my autobiography, had written down several dreams I remembered, and couldn’t wait to start packing for Denver and beyond.

  Because once I left Wyoming, I wasn’t sure if I’d be coming back.