excerpts from adra's journal

[bloodspeaker]

ENTRY 200

Lɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴍᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ's ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀ ᴛᴇʀʀɪʙʟᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ.    Pʟᴀɢᴜᴇs. Bᴏᴍʙs.  Bᴏᴍʙs ғᴜʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴘʟᴀɢᴜᴇ.

 

Bᴇʟᴛʜᴀᴢᴀʀ ɪs ɢᴏɴᴇ; ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ Aᴢᴇʀᴏᴛʜ.  Iᴛ's ᴀ ғɪɴᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ, ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ.  Tʜᴇ ᴄʜɪʟᴅʀᴇɴ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxᴇᴍᴘᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜғғᴇʀɪɴɢ; ɪɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ, I'ᴅ sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʀᴇ ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀsᴛ ᴏғ ɪᴛ.  I ᴡɪsʜ I ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ Jᴇʀɪᴄʜᴏ.  Hᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ.  Nᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴅᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ.

 

I'ᴍ sᴏ ᴛɪʀᴇᴅ.

ENTRY 190

Sᴏ I ᴡᴀs ᴡᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴅᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ I ᴡᴀs ᴀᴄᴄᴏsᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜɪs ғᴀɴᴄʏ ᴀssʜᴏʟᴇ ᴡᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ᴇxᴛʀᴇᴍᴇʟʏ ᴇxᴘᴇɴsɪᴠᴇ ᴊᴀᴄᴋᴇᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ I ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴄʀᴀᴠᴀᴛ.  I ᴡᴀs ᴄᴀʀʀʏɪɴɢ ɢʀᴏᴄᴇʀɪᴇs ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ sᴘɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴅᴇᴡᴀʟᴋ.  Sᴀᴅ, ᴄʀᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴠᴇɢᴇᴛᴀʙʟᴇs ᴀʟʟ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅᴅᴀᴍɴ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ.

 

Bᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜʏ ᴡᴀs ʙʟɪɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ I ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʀᴜsʜɪɴɢ.  I ʜᴇʟᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏᴛ ʜɪᴍ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ.  Sᴛɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴛ sᴜʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪᴍ, ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ.  Hɪs ᴄʟᴏᴛʜᴇs ᴄʟᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴍᴀʀᴋ ʜɪᴍ ᴀs ᴀɴ ᴏᴘᴘʀᴇssᴏʀ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ.

ENTRY 114

Rᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ, Bᴇʟᴛʜᴀᴢᴀʀ ᴀɴᴅ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ.  Hᴇ's ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇssɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟʟ ɪɴ ʜɪs sᴛᴜᴅɪᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ I ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʜᴇ's ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅᴇʀ, ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴ-ᴍɪɴᴅᴇᴅ.  I ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪᴛ's ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴀsʏ ғᴏʀ ʜɪᴍ.  I'ᴍ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴘᴀᴛɪᴇɴᴛ.  I'ᴍ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴛ ʜɪᴍ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ, ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ, I'ʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ.  Aɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ ᴡᴇ ɢᴇᴛ sᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ, I'ʟʟ ғɪɴᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴏɴ Aᴢᴇʀᴏᴛʜ.  I'ʟʟ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ʜɪᴍ ʜᴏᴍᴇ.

 

Oʜ, ᴀɴᴅ I ɢᴏᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʀᴏᴏᴍᴍᴀᴛᴇ.  Hᴇ's ᴀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴇʟғ, ᴛᴏᴏ, ᴀɴᴅ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜʟᴇss ɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ɢᴏᴅᴅᴀᴍɴ ᴡᴀʏ.  Nᴏᴛ sᴜʀᴘʀɪsɪɴɢ.

ENTRY 80

Bᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴀ ʜᴇᴅᴏɴɪsᴛɪᴄ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ ɪɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴅɪsɢᴜsᴛɪɴɢ ᴏʟᴅ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴍᴏɴᴀʀᴄʜ's ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ɪs ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀss ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴡᴀʀ, I ʜᴇʟᴘᴇᴅ ᴄᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴀ ᴍᴀsǫᴜᴇʀᴀᴅᴇ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ.

 

Tʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ ɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀɢᴇ ɪʀʀɪᴛᴀᴛᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sʜɪᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ.  Hᴇ's ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ɢʀɪɴs ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴘᴇᴀᴋs ʟᴀʀɢᴇʟʏ ɪɴ ʟᴇᴡᴅ ɪɴɴᴜᴇɴᴅᴏ sᴏ ᴀs ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴʏ sᴇᴍʙʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ.  Iɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ, I'ᴅ sᴀʏ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ ɪs ʜɪs sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟᴛʏ, ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ᴡᴇᴀʀs ᴀ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴍᴀsᴋ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.  Iᴛ's ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴅɪsɢʀᴀᴄᴇғᴜʟ.

 

Bᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ ʜᴇʟᴘ, sᴏ I ɢᴀᴠᴇ ɪᴛ.  Dᴇsᴘɪᴛᴇ ʜɪs ᴜɴᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇʟʏ ᴛᴏᴏ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴄᴇs.  

 

Aғᴛᴇʀᴡᴀʀᴅs, I ғᴇʟᴛ ... ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ sᴏʀᴛs.  I ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴡᴇᴀᴋɴᴇss.

 

Nᴏᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʀɪᴅɪᴄᴜʟᴏᴜs sʟᴜᴛ, ᴍɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ--ʙᴜᴛ.

 

I ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴ; ʜᴇ's ᴠᴇʀʏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sɪɴ'ᴅᴏʀᴇɪ ɪɴ ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴀᴍᴇɴᴛ (ᴀs ɪs Vᴀɴᴀᴅɪ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴀғᴏʀᴇᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ sʟᴜᴛ), ʙᴜᴛ ᴄᴀʟʟs ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ ᴀ ғᴀᴇʀɪᴇ.  Oʀ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ.  Iɴ ᴀɴʏ ᴄᴀsᴇ, ʜᴇ's ɢᴏᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ɪɴ ʜɪᴍ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀ sᴛᴏʀᴍᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ ʜᴀs ʀᴀɪɴ.  

 

Aɴᴅ--I.  I ᴅʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ.

 

Qᴜɪᴛᴇ ᴀ ʙɪᴛ.

 

I'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴜᴅ.

ENTRY 65

Tʜᴏsᴇ ɢᴏᴅᴅᴀᴍɴ Iɴɪᴛɪᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ғᴏᴏʟs.  Iᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴀ ʀᴀɢ-ᴛᴀɢ ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ sᴇɴsᴇ ᴏғ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɴᴄʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴘᴀʟᴇ ʟᴀᴛᴇʟʏ.

 

I ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴍᴇᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴇʟғ.  A CHILD.  Bᴀʀᴇʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʜɪs ᴀᴅᴏʟᴇsᴄᴇɴᴄᴇ!  Hɪs ɴᴀᴍᴇ ɪs Bᴇʟᴛʜᴀᴢᴀʀ ...

 

Hᴇ's ɢᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴏʀ ᴀᴛᴛɪᴛᴜᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ɴᴏ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ғᴏʀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴄᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ, ʙᴜᴛ I sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇ I ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ʜɪᴍ.  Sɪʟᴠᴇʀᴍᴏᴏɴ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴜɴʟᴇss ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏʀʀᴜᴘᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴀɢɪsᴛᴇʀ, ᴀ ғɪʟᴛʜʏ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ (Aᴠᴀʟɪ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛᴇᴅ.  Sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs.), ᴏʀ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴘʟᴀɪɴ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ʀɪᴄʜ.  Hᴇ's ᴄʟᴇᴀʀʟʏ ɴᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs--ʜᴇ's ɢᴏᴛ ᴀ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜɪᴍ.  Fʀɪɢʜᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ, ᴜɴsᴜʀᴇ. 

 

I'ʟʟ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʜɪᴍ, ɪғ ʜᴇ'ʟʟ ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ.

ENTRY 20

I'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀᴄǫᴜᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀʙᴅᴜᴄᴛᴇᴇs.  I ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ sᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ.  

 

Fɪʀsᴛ ᴏғ ᴀʟʟ, sᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜʟᴇss, ᴛʀᴀɪᴛᴏʀᴏᴜs sɴᴀᴋᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ Pʀɪɴᴄᴇ ɪs ʜᴇʀᴇ.  As ɪғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ʙᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ғᴇᴡ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴡʜᴏ--ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴇʟᴠᴇs--ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴʟʏ ғɪᴛ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ.  Nᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴍᴇɴᴛ.

 

Dɪᴅ I ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ɴᴏ sᴜɴʟɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ?  Aɴᴅ ʜᴀʀᴅʟʏ ᴀɴʏ sᴏᴜʀᴄᴇs ᴏғ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ?

 

Lɪɢʜᴛ ᴘʀᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ.

ENTRY 1
 

I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴋɪᴅɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ.  Tʜɪs Lɪɢʜᴛ-ғᴏʀsᴀᴋᴇɴ ɪsʟᴀɴᴅ ɪs ᴀᴘᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴘᴏᴄᴋᴇᴛ ᴏғ ʀᴇsɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴀssɪᴠᴇ, ᴛʏʀᴀɴɴɪᴄᴀʟ ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ.  Iᴛs ɪɴʜᴀʙɪᴛᴀɴᴛs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏɴsᴄʀɪᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴠɪᴀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ-ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴀʀ.  Tʜᴇ sʜᴇᴇʀ ɪᴍᴍᴏʀᴀʟɪᴛʏ--ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇ ᴛᴏᴛᴀʟɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴ ᴘʀᴇsᴜᴍᴘᴛɪᴏɴ--ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴅᴇᴄɪsɪᴏɴ ɪs sᴏ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪ-ғᴀᴄᴇᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴏᴍᴀᴄʜ-ᴄʜᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪғ I ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟɪsᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴀᴍ ᴏғ ɪɴᴛᴇʀ-ᴅɪᴍᴇɴsɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʙᴏᴅʏsɴᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ, I ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇxʜᴀᴜsᴛ ɴᴏ ʟᴇss ᴛʜᴀɴ ғɪᴠᴇ ɪɴᴋ ᴡᴇʟʟs.

 

Aɴᴅ I ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪɴᴋ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ.

 

I'ʟʟ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴏғ ɪᴛ.