When Noel, at last, returned to present day reality, the first word out of his mouth was a name: 

​     "Shawnacy."

     Why, he had no idea. He hadn't  been thinking about her so far as he knew. He hadn't thought about anything for decades, yet still...

     "Shawnacy."

     She touched his shoulder, and he clutched her hand. Noel sensed that he rested in his own bed in their home and that Shawnacy rested next to him.

     He checked to see that he wore a robe. He felt naked. 

     "My mouth tastes like someone crapped in it," he said. "I'll be right back."

     Noel went into the upstairs bathroom to rinse whatever the hell it was out of his mouth. It took more than a minute. It was like he was having a hard time getting his physical body to work again. When he returned to his bed, he felt for the water bottle he always kept on his nightstand. The water did not taste stale at all. 

     He was home. Oh my dear God, he was home once again. There were times in Domitika where he despaired about ever returning, and now...

     Shawnacy and Noel rested on their backs on the bed. Shawnacy stared at the ceiling. They held hands like that would, somehow, save them from the truly horrid and terrifying aspects of life. 

     And then he sobbed. 

     He'd been gone for so long, beyond thinking, beyond caring, beyond ​life, and, beyond that, nothingness for years and years. For forever. For a thousand forevers.

     And now he was back home, and his so very good friend Shawnacy was at his side...

​     and so he cried.

                                                          CONTINUE