Mapping The Territory (4)

MAPPING THE TERRITORY (4)

The Priestess was amazon, it didn't take long; her flat-footed stride echoed mine.

'My sweet, do you have any wine?

'Without lemons and ice, gin and tonic ain't nice. And, I must say, we've walked a long time.'

She rolled a fat cigarette and lit it.

'Well, I'm destined nowhere, so get out of my hair,' I responded: a truculent child.

'Now, now' said the woman, quite mild. 'You must cultivate grace, and not over-react. All I did was make manifest a veritable fact; that you've spent your whole life either walking or running away from the truth and towards - simply - nothing.

'Oh, you covered your tracks well; we thought you hard-working but, when all's said and done, you were only just shirking the things that - on earth - really matter.

'That's what makes this whole mess so much sadder.' She pulled out a filthy hanky from the arm of her dress, and wiped away a tear.

'My heart weeps for you, notice, my dear.'

I turned to face her.

'Can't I travel alone, don't you have a nice home you could go? I beg you, please leave. I don't care for the tricks up your sleeve. I know I'm at fault. Why else would I bolt? Just go, and allow me to grieve.'

'I would if I could,' as she stared into space. 'But, the fates have decreed I must equal your pace. We are destined to travel together.

'Chin up, things can only get better.'