page five

[fantasies]

I guess a lot of people have been leaving lately, huh?

[It's kind of an obvious observation. People have been filing in and out since he got here, but this is the first time it's hit someone he knew, someone from his own world. He hasn't talked to Belle in ages, and now he's realized it's because her nameplate is gone.

He's not quite sure how he feels about that, yet.]

How does the castle pick? Who goes and who stays. Does anybody even have an idea? It can't just be random.

[Right?]

Comments

[fantasies]

I dunno. I haven't, but I haven't been here very long, so....

[whichwayyoulean]

It might be something to look at.

[fantasies]

Maybe I can figure it out if I ask a bunch of people. The older ones, I guess.

[whichwayyoulean]

Yeah, there's gotta be some people here old enough to have noticed something.

[fantasies]

[There's some page flipping in the background.]

If not, I can always look. It seems like people announce it most of the time when people leave.

[whichwayyoulean]

And a helpful service that is too.

[fantasies]

Yeah. And the journal records it all! It's really cool magic.

[whichwayyoulean]

It sure is.