Keldon shot awake.

His eyes darted around the room, feeling short of breath as he scrambled to run his hands over his chest.

“Knife leg in the chest!!! Oh...phew...” he said, breathing a sigh of relief as he sunk back into his stool. Looking around the room, keldon snapped back to reality, realizing he was surrounded by the familiar sight of book stacks at the back of Mortimer’s bookstore. The dust danced in the air, twinkling in the sunlight that poured through the windows, warming the cold feeling of dread which loomed over him.

However, while he had been calming himself down, he noticed a spider web in the corner of the room as a chill crawled back up his spine. In the center struggled a fly, flailing desperately as the brown spider skittered along the outskirts, closing in on its prey. It spun a cocoon around its victim as Keldon grimaced.

“You okay there pal?” asked Mortimer peeking through a doorway that lead to the storefront. Mortimer was a balding elderly man well into his 70s wearing a light brown tunic. He had a round nose and a twinkle in his eye which had been only slightly dampened by the note of worry in his face.

“I’m fine, Just a bad dream, Thanks though Morty”

“No problem champ, perhaps it's time to lay off the old wive's tales though. Horrors a fun genre but mighthaps not be the best thing to read as a sifter.” Mortimer said, looking around the room at the stacks of books.

“By the way champ, you do know you have to actually finish sorting these here book shipments before I allow you to read them right?”

“I mean, yeah. I’d say I'm quite familiar, Morty. It would, however, make things go by a tad bit quicker if you planned to show up here any time before oh… you know, 9’o clock? That time where you would have to open the store so that I could get in.” said Keldon with a cheeky smile. “Plus, I’ve still got some time left.”

“All this in 10 minutes?” Mortimer asked pulling out a pocket watch. “Don’t you have a shift at the hissings soon?”

“10 minutes?” Keldon asked. “I don’t have to report in until 3. You know that.”

Mortimer gave Keldon a puzzled look.

“But it’s almost 2:00 already,"

“2:00?!” Keldon yelped bolting up from his chair. Gathering his belongings, Keldon slipped by Mortimer, giving him an apologetic look as he left.

“I’ll sort the shipment when I get back!” yelled Keldon as he ran down the street. Before Keldon got too far he heard Mortimer’s voice call back to him

“Stay safe out there lad! The pits are more active this time of year!”

“I know!” yelled Keldon back

“And don’t call me Morty, champ!!”

Keldon laughed to himself as he turned the corner, running down the cobblestone road towards the familiar town square. It was midday so the town was alight with activity. Tightly packed houses of mortar and brick surrounded by wooden beams were a sight for sore eyes. Pebble lawns separated by oaken fences were split by the roads which ran down each street decorated with potted plants. It's a shame he quite literally didn't have any time to stop and smell the roses. The smell of grilled meats wafted through the air townsfolk gathered in front of popular food stalls, waiting for their turn to savor some of the town's best, and only, local delicacies.

Finally, Keldon reached the town square. The atmosphere was lively and full of vigor as sounds of chatter and laughter filled the air. The children played catch by the central fountain, watched by the homemakers who came to gossip, catch up, and enjoy an afternoon tea in the square. The summer breeze carried with it the scent of renewal as flowers bloomed throughout the town, lighting up the streets in a bashful array of colors.

On one of the benches placed just outside the corner of a bakery sat two kindly-looking women aged somewhere around their mid-fifties, each with a brown parcel of baked goods and a small cup of tea. They were talking between themselves when one of the women spotted Keldon sprinting down the road.

"Oh Hellen, one moment." said the lady, setting down her cup of tea.“Keldon! Oh Keldon!”.

Stopping in his tracks, Keldon looked around, wondering who was calling his name.

“Keldon dear! Over here” said the lady as she waved over Keldon, grabbing his attention. Hurriedly, Keldon jogged up to the lady, panting and out of breath.

“H-Hi Mrs. Maithier.” He said, trying to catch his breath. “I already put up the s-small wire ring around your garden already, so if any of your beets look like they’ve been eaten, it’s most likely birds or insects, not the rabbits.”

“Oh, I already know that dearie, just curious where you’re off to in such a tizzy. You look like you’ve just been told that the world’s ending,” she said, chuckling a little.

However, Keldon had already begun to back up, trying to politely- but firmly- leave the conversation. “Can't talk now, I’m teaching a group of trainee sifters at the Hissings today and I’m already late. Sorry Mrs. Maithier!” said Keldon, preparing to break into a run.

“Hold on dearie, take this!” said Mrs.Maithier tossing Keldon 2 sweet rolls with surprising accuracy. “That’s the face of someone who’s been at Mortimer’s shop all day and forgotten to eat.” Keldon began to raise his voice in protest, however, Mrs.Maithier cut him off.

“Bu-“

“No butts here Keldon, better luck looking for those at the tavern. Run along now, you’ll be late!” she said with a smile and a wave. He gave her an appreciative look and ran off, turning around one final time to wave her goodbye before disappearing around the corner.

“Who was that, Mabel?” asked Hellen

“Haven’t you met him already?” asked Mrs.Maithier, turning back towards the brown-haired woman and taking a sip of her tea.

“I wouldn’t be asking if I did Mabel,” said Hellen rolling her eyes at Mrs.Maithier

“Oh my, you must have left town for your ex-husband before he arrived then. Or was that your second ex-husband? Hard to tell these days.” said Mrs.Maithier smiling as she took another sip of her tea

“Very funny,” Hellen said, rolling her eyes again. “In all seriousness, however, I’ve never seen him in town before. Half of the sifters here are desperate men looking for work from out of town with nowhere else to go or the deadbeats from in town. He looks like a respectable young man, why isn’t he working anywhere else?”

“I don’t believe I’m completely sure myself to be perfectly honest,” said Mrs.Maithier shrugging her shoulders. “Whenever I asked he'd always just avoid the question someway."

Mrs.Maithier looked off towards the direction that Keldon ran off towards and gently smiled

"You should have seen him when he arrived. Mortimer had said he'd collapsed in front of his store, looking like a drowned rat the poor thing," said Mrs. Maithier. "He's better now, but you should have seen him back then Hellen, there was a dullness in his eyes that would make any mother's heart bleed."

“He’s a good kid though, a tad naïve but a good kid,” she said softly sighing. She turned back towards her friend.

“Anyhow, tell me more about how things are going in Ardentia. Rumors don’t come by very often but I happened to hear some peculiar things. ” Mrs.Maithier said changing the subject as Hellen happily indulged her.