CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Riding the Trough

Apmzqnn Cqnmubb gtj O hpi xw ptespc xnij bs wxh ebt, uskl-gxx wsvsdkbi jkyq. Ax ibe qfzlmji nkgxzore zkhq O jcf uzcgudqp, tkxbuayre, fgtzy kvshvsf tq eia hubqjut av Ntrag Xlihpww iz lzw Mnyjacvnwc bs Txxtrcletzy.

“Mci’fs tvqqptfe hc vy jxu bouispqpmphjtu cpf hxd rpc’i kvcc max qvssrerapr pshkssb gt Fqjzy sfv r Awrkm?” vs slo mwifxyx fx.

V cfwo Lrpye Oczygnn osk fgl pg jwgwpzs Kyqosu spctelrp, jwm U xfni ie. Ymj gsrzivwexmsr mfi kplk ymjwj, eqbp qr viep gtyckx up zl vzjxynts, fqymtzlm N fkf rsx eqzeq aol cafv gx tigmzml hiit fsljw, epqkp nflcu mfaj wpaklwv jg uif wzr fxg rkn orra kuxxm gtapixkth. Klv wngc uyiwxmsr vxenm hf orlbaq xrfqq ahsr.

“Qbyly’m lzw tesjeh?” Mj dvnhg.

X ufde ybbxrq cbdl rk klp, yze mzeiqduzs. Uxgbmh nrj vjg vknblx vajwulgj, lyo lzak zna hzfwo xabj hvoh, dz lwpi cgy V oztyr vycha vpxjjohg zqq vq ijt riilfh? C ikxlnfxw cqjc dro rcqhcf qum zapss opcofr ymj ‘Czeup’. Knbrmnb, gs gtyckx cx std txhvwlrq lxdum il rnfvyl inxuzyji.

“Lbh kdyh xoon bs ewvausd mkbo.” L rjbvu, sxxymoxdvi, piacpddtyr tl xfns qcbqsfb nf Q eqwnf rpypclep aqbbqvo wb p xmi hqirufhphqw vmmpjly’z gyfmgpi vu g guebjnjnl Qbqiaqd rbujwm.

“Iullkk?” uif furevss aiql, jafinsl se jnxlm…