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In and around Seduce’s House

Beginnings

The day opens her legs to let the night in. It moves from a dark
lilac to a bottomless purple. You wait for a moment to adjust your
eyes and against your skin is a smooth coolness. By the grey
whispering light of the moon, in the distance you can make out
a large structure that almost blots out the horizon. You can’t tell
if it’s a building or something more natural, a shadow, a greater
darkness just recognisable against the blackness. Clinging to the
edges you can see movement.

The souls sail around, chit-chatting and remembering nothing.

Souls have a way of doing that. Visiting so many places, so
many people that they very soon forget where they have just been.
They only know where they are going and then, when they are
there, they are already starting to forget. They bustle and nudge
each other, some getting angry about the lack of space. A few
circle ahead, waiting for one to go back. Sometimes they nip and
scratch. They know they are only there for a short time so they
want to make the most of it. Some are bigger than others, some
are quiet but most are loud and for those that can hear them, their
squawking can be heard for miles. Their long claws grip tightly to
the perch and the small eyes look as if they are trying to remember.

A gap on the branch becomes free and suddenly several souls
race for it. A fight breaks out, as often does at these times.

And they wait. They never know exactly when it’s going to
happen, just a strong tugging that takes them back. Through the
light and the dark and the cold and the heat, and finally again the
cold. Like mothers they forget the pain. A small one manages to


beat some others off the perch. This one has been waiting for the
pull back. Wants to go. Looking, waiting, watching. Another is
squawking, loudly, screeching at the others. She pays it no mind,
she has squawks of her own she’s not ready to let go of. Sounds and trills that belong to her.
She is tired but ready to get back.