In the first part of the seventh chapter of Lifeboats, Kit deals with the ramifications of meeting a member of the Fourth. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Young Wizards.Â
Well, that was weird. Just being in the presence of one of the Fourth messed with Djam and Kit so much that their bodies had to sleep longer. Look, I still have no idea how all of this ties into a larger story, which is my take on most of Lifeboats at this point. We’ve got less than a hundred pages left in this book, and everything still feels like a set-up. Are the Fourth part of the Tevaral journey, or just a weird side story?
I don’t know yet, but Kit waking up two hours into his shift was a bit of a shocker. I guess everyone reacts differently, too, since Nita didn’t relate a similar tale when she spoke of meeting a multi-dimensional being. She did have a physical reaction to that many-eyed being she met in The Wizard’s Dilemma, but… well, now I can’t remember if she fell asleep for a long time afterwards. Maybe??? I just love the idea that this barely phased Nita, but it took Kit out. YES.
Which isn’t to suggest that both these characters aren’t overwhelmed by FEELINGS in this chapter. My favorite single moment so far is quiet and calming, and it’s also the first time that we’ve seen Nita and Kit do something you might traditionally associate with people being in a relationship. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS:
So he just put his hand out towards her, and she grabbed hold of it, squeezing it. Then they just sat together and were heavy-hearted for a bit, and Kit once more was astonished at how the pain did lessen slightly when someone was sharing it with you, clichéd though that should have been.
I don’t think it’s a cliché as much as it’s just something that works for a lot of people. Isolation and loneliness has usually made it harder for me to deal with difficult shit I’m going through. (Not all the time, and I wouldn’t generalize this anyway, since sometimes, being alone is actually a good thing for me.) I love that this is how Duane brings up their affection, though. It’s a remarkably intimate moment, one that builds off years worth of stories and experiences that have brought the two of them to this point. See, they have both comforted one another plenty of times before, but this time, they just perfectly fell into doing exactly what the other person needed. THEY ARE SO WELL-SUITED TO ONE ANOTHER.
I suppose this means I have to introduce two new Discourse related topics because WE MUST FIGHT ABOUT THIS. First:
What was the film you watched as a kid that you absolutely should not have?
My easy answer is The Silence of the Lambs, and jesus christ, I still can’t explain that one. Neither can my parents. But I also saw a ton of old horror films before I turned ten that absolutely should not have been watched at that age. Is anyone surprised that I love horror as much as I do now?
Secondly:
What is the most common food item you make outdoors?
See, I get people thinking s’mores are weird. (They’re delicious, though. SO GOOD. And I don’t normally like marshmallows!) And then that got me thinking about what other things Americans make when they’re camping or enjoying the outdoors, and I have to know: where are you from and what are the things you prepare outdoors? Like if you go camping or on a hike or are sitting around the fire. WHAT IS IT, I MUST KNOW.
https://youtu.be/pV0S3Cr68jA
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