Landing

Journal Entry

Fresh starts feel good.

Smudge blinked. His head felt fuzzy from all the truth that had just exploded out of him.

“We… uh… we want to find the Sanctuary,” he said at last. “The one with—well—impossible shapes and glowing geometry and all that. We want to find it.”

Tether’s expression softened—only a fraction, but enough for Smudge to notice.

“Ah,” she said softly. “So that’s your dream, is it?”

Smudge flung his hands up (technically down, given his predicament, but let’s not get technical).

“You know it?!”

Ignoring the question, Tether wandered over to them, reached up, and gave one of the ropes the slightest, most elegant tug.

Smudge and Biscuit’s return to earth was, however, anything but elegant. They landed with an “oof” and a “woof,” respectively—Biscuit on top.

“Well,” she said, “you’ve got a fresh start now at least. A clean slate. Without that, you weren’t going to get very far at all.”

Smudge rubbed the back of his head and frowned. “So… what happens now then?”

Tether turned toward the door. “Now? You sleep.” She gestured lightly toward a neatly made bed and a small dog basket.

“There are some ordinary cookies in the cupboard. Help yourselves. And in the morning…” She paused, glancing back at them. “In the morning, we’ll see what we can do.”

And with that, she left.

Smudge watched her go, feeling just a little more hopeful.

Biscuit, meanwhile, was already in the cupboard.

Zero shame.