I turned my mind back upon what had happened.
“There is a certain madness involved,” I said, “a certain envy of
great and powerful natural forces, that some men have. Each mountain
is a deity, you know. Each is an immortal power. If you make
sacrifices upon its slopes, a mountain may grant you a certain grace,
and for a time you will share this power. Perhaps that is why they
call me….”
Her hand rested in mine. I hoped that through it whatever power I
might contain would hold all of her with me for as long as ever
possible.
“I remember the first time that I saw Purgatory, Linda,” I told
her. “I looked at it and I was sick. I wondered, where did it
lead…?”
(Stars.
Oh let there be.
This once to end with.
Please.)
“Stars?”