The sky shines differently today than it did yesterday

[employeeoftheyear]

[Perhaps to the surprise of no one, there is no after party after that trial. Two children were dead. Two children were dead over a simple accident and the Wizard cared more about himself than anyone else. But they won't give up, they can't give up. They had to keep fighting until everything's been set right.

At the Lobby ofrenda later that night, there are six origami pieces accoupling the other memorials. A penguin, a rose, an octopus man, computer, a music note, and the last one are of a boy and girl holding hands. Along with that there is a plate of strawberry cupcakes with blueberry icing and a note that reads:]

There is still hope and love in the world

Never let The Wizard make you think otherwise 💗

Comments

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[She watches him continue to dig, carving into the earth, strike by strike. Is there a catharsis in this? She figures the answer is, yes, there is. If just for the small fact that this is something in their lives they can control.

She listened, and now, Cassandra is stuck thinking to herself. Heavy lines form across her face as she faces what must be some tumultuous feelings. Things that have been weighing on her all evening coming back to light. As she speaks, it's not like the typical Cassandra. It's small, quiet.]

He wanted to do great things, make his dad proud... just like I did. That's how we actually became friends.

[She sighs heavily, like this is taking a considerable weight off her chest. Or it would.]

When his dad was trapped, he... he turned on the kingdom, on all of us. He kidnapped the queen, threatened her. And when we came to rescue her... He tried to kill me.

[How long ago had it been? When the cold winds whipped the castle towers, threatening to topple them as they buried the land in endless snow? All to make matter worse when one boy burst into the throne room, crying for help as everyone else was freezing to death.

She shivers, even though the summer evening is rather warm.]

There was just nothing we could do.

[barberic]

[Benjamin doesn't stop digging, although the pace of it does slow, to show that he's listening to her. If he keeps stopping, he'll be here all night.

But when she's finished, he does pause, straighten to look up at her.]

...He was desperate. I can understand that.

[His own work-rough hands, calluses that fit the shape of a shovel almost better than they would the shape of a razor, or a pair of scissors.]

It doesn't make what he did right. Not then, and not now. I'm not saying that at all. But that kind of loss is hard for even an adult to bear.

...If you'd like, I could use another pair of hands. Nothing can make this better, but doing something can make it a little easier to bear.