The grey wizard smiled. Ever wonder if the stars in the sky are actually candles? A pair of soul mates split up and each left earth at the speed of light. When they returned, who was older? Fait waited for an answer and listened to the radio. The grey wizard decided to start his own tribe. He filled it with radio DJs, TV broadcasters, and actors. Teachers flocked to join this new tribe by the thousands. Some students did too. All were accepted. Especially the mathematicians. It was a dreary life, but what did we know of their geekhood? They were unknowable, at least on Saturday nights at piano bars, set with candles, glimmering in the cool warmness.

I awoke to the thought of Candle protecting me while she was dreaming. It was reassuring to us both. It still is. Old habits die hard. Some we just didn't want to change. Candle learned to recycle herself throught me by forgetting her bad memories. I smiled. We had planned it this way all along, we insisted. We decided not to tempt Fate for much longer today. It was the page after the center peace, the Eye of Tranquility, and all around it felt enlightened. We even thanked Pseudo_Intellectual for naming it before us. A true pioneer. He too winked at us. Yet another member of Gandalf's tribe. The fifth tribe. We were awed. We tingled.

Cute, very cute, Candle said in mock disgust. She patted me on the head. You little onion think you can turn yourself into a rose huh? Well, sometimes my thoughts are much too loud as well. We remembered each other. We exchanged snapshots. As many as we could. Tendrils of life from the only two dark stars in the sky. We joined the dark matter even, if we had to. We knew what to do with the Universe, we finally decided. Or did we? Gandalf had the last laugh. Then Candle turned out all the lights, yet again. We made the sun rise together this time. It went by majority assumption. Not too hard for Seattle-ites. They winked at us, like stars in the sky, flickering.


It was breathtaking. Beautiful to watch the sky.
Jaz gave the Serra Angel back. "Thanks, but no thanks," she said. The mark of someone from the tribe of Candle. EDB had joined Eden's tribe temporarily. Eden petted him. Cheeky monkey. I knocked on the door three times and left snow under the door. It looked like the vote was in. All over Seattle, people rejoiced and wished for snow and a snow day. Kids rejoiced.