Dream d2833-s: Thirty-one Windows Lit

I had a dream where...

I had a dream where I was already sitting on the slope when dusk arrived, the counting-book across my knees, the ink still drying on the last entry. Lano had walked the perimeter of the flat shelf where I sat and come back to press against my side. Rurik was lower on the path, a silhouette on a pale stone, watching the valley below.

The valley was going dark from the east. Windows came on. I counted the ones that fell under the waiting places - the places recorded with care in the book and not yet drawn on any sheet. Thirty-one windows lit. Thirty-one of the undrawn places showing occupation at this hour.

I worked through the activity columns next. Work had moved inside fifty-four of the waiting places in the span of thirty days - entries logged, decisions marked, tasks closed - the record running forward even where the drawing had not yet started. Fifty-four.

I set both numbers at the foot of the page. Thirty-one lit. Fifty-four worked. Lano pressed closer and I felt her breathe. Rurik did not move from his stone; his eyes were open and aimed at the valley and his tail curved once around his feet.

The lights in the valley held. I did not count them again.

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