When Old Alice's wings reached maturity, she found the door to the room unlocked. She rushed out, leaping into the air, rising up into West Spire's shadowed heights. Not one thought did she spare for escaping the dark tower; her sole desire was to find the source of the Sound.

Up and up Old Alice flew, much higher than she thought she would be able to go, and she kept on rising and rising. She rested in alcoves along the way, where she found strange fruit to eat. Always beckoned by the Sound, Old Alice's wings carried her upwards, until she could go no further, and she discovered a wooden door on the back wall of the last alcove. The Sound originated from beyond this door.

Old Alice pushed her ear against the wood, and just for a moment dreams and visions of distant places danced and swirled inside her head – but only for a moment. Fearful of what she saw, of what she heard, Old Alice wrenched her ear from the door. She covered her mouth with her hands and backed away. Though she might desire what lay on the other side, though the Sound promised so many wonderful things, it also terrified her.

"I'm too scared to go through, as well," said a voice.

Old Alice spun around.

A man hung in the air, held aloft by the slow beating of his wings. His face was unshaven, his hair messy, and his pear-shaped body was as naked as Old Alice's.

"Doug," she whispered, and he smiled.

She spread her wings and soared from the alcove, colliding with her husband, covering his face with kisses. And above West Spire's shadowy depths, they made love.

Afterwards, they lay entangled on the alcove floor, listening to the Sound which came from beyond the wooden door.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Doug said.

"But somehow terrible," Alice added. "What do we do next?"

In reply, Doug stood up and helped his wife to her feet.

"Together?" he whispered.

Alice nodded. "Together."

Hand-in-hand, they approached the door. The Sound seemed sweeter than ever, eager to welcome them. Their hands clasped, Doug and Alice pushed the door open and spread their wings.

.