That evening after dinner, I logged into an online chat group for artists. Whiteknight: good evening, afternoon, morning, or whatever time it is where you are. Morisis: hey, Knight Froggy: hi Knight. Princess: hugs. Flower: hugs. Striper: hey WK. How's the leg? Whiteknight: it's getting better. I'm going to have it checked out soon. Ready for the cast to come off. Flower: isn't it early for that? Whiteknight: for me to want it off? No. I wanted it off from the day they put it on. Is it early for getting it off? They'll do that when the leg is healed. Princess: when do you go back to work? Whiteknight: last Saturday. There's a big case they needed me for. I can't talk about it, of course. Whiteknight: how is everyone been? Where is Speedy? I don't think I've seen him since my accident. Morisis: he was on yesterday. He said it was his sister's birthday today. He was going to see her. Whiteknight: good. Morisis: we haven't seen Specter Whiteknight: didn't he say he was in the army? Maybe he was sent overseas. A private message popped up from Kat. Froggy[»] Whiteknight: I'd like to send him someplace. Whiteknight[»] Froggy: Me too. Let the humans punish their own. He killed eight women. He won't go free. I returned to the main chat room. Whiteknight: what about phantom? We didn't scare him away, did we? Morisis: he left a few minutes ago. Princess: there's a webinar he was going to watch. Flower: what have you been doing to keep busy? Whiteknight: I'm working now. Before, I was painting. I've been doing a picture of my mother. Froggy: show us. Whiteknight: it's not done. Froggy: so? Whiteknight: there's not enough to show. Besides, it's in the other room. I don't want to get up. Flower: Let him finish it Whiteknight[»] Froggy: if you tell them I'm an elf, I'll tell them you are too Froggy[»] Whiteknight: but everyone knows there's only one elf. Whiteknight[»] Froggy: I have your picture. I will show it to them. Froggy[»] Whiteknight: fine. Whiteknight: so what wonderful topic that I interrupt? Morisis: trivia Whiteknight: Bring it. I’m ready to copy princess Morisis: In the state of Georgia, it’s illegal to eat what with a fork? Froggy: People Flower: Eww Striper: I think it’s illegal to eat them in any state Whiteknight: With any utensil. Applesauce? Princess: How do you eat applesauce with a fork? I say pizza Morisis: The answer is fried chicken Morisis: What is the rarest M&M color? Striper: Black Morisis: there isn’t black M&Ms Striper: which proves it’s so rare Morisis: What is the rarest M&M color that M&Ms actually comes in? Flower: Green Froggy: Yellow Princess: Brown Whiteknight: Brown Morisis: Brown it is Morisis: Which is the only edible food that never goes bad? Whiteknight: Those frozen burritos Princess: He said that never goes bad, not never was good in the first place Froggy: Honey Princess: I agree honey Striper: If Frog and Princess both agree, it must be right. I’ll say honey Morisis: ding ding ding. Honey it is Morisis: Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (in 1903)? Whiteknight: Madam Curie Princess: For once he didn’t copy me Froggy: But is he right? Whiteknight: I am Striper: he is Morisis: Flower do you want to weigh in? Princess: she had to answer the door. She says the opposite of whatever WK Striper: How do you have the opposite of a person? Morisis: The knight is right Madam Curie Morisis: What is the hottest planet in the solar system? Whiteknight: We have the choice of 9, if you count Pluto. Froggy: Somehow I don’t think it’s Pluto Striper: Last summer I would have guess Earth, but not now Whiteknight: it’s either venus or mars Princess: it’s Venus Flower: back. I’d say Venus too Morisis: Venus it is Morisis: Iceland diverted roads to avoid disturbing communities of what? Whiteknight: Elves. I know. I’ve met one. Froggy[»]Whiteknight: You’ve met more than that Whiteknight[»]Froggy sshh Striper: WK works with an elf so he’d know. I’ll say elves too Princess: But except that one, elves don’t exist. Do they? Morisis: if there’s one, there must have been more at one time. Froggy: he had to come from somewhere Flower: is he right? Morisis: yeah. It’s elves Striper: Knight, what happened to the other elves? Did he ever say? Whiteknight: he said he doesn’t know. They just suddenly disappeared. Striper: that is just messed up. Can you imagine it? Flower: it must have been confusing Princess: terrifying even Morisis: I imaging it’s lonely, always being different. Whiteknight: I’m still healing so I shouldn’t stay up late. Night all. Lorraine looked up when I shut my laptop. “That was quick.” “The conversation was getting a little touchy. They were talking about the disappearance of the elves.” “I’m sorry, Babe” “I just wish I knew what happened. I can relate to these kidnappings so much, not knowing what happened. Not knowing if or when I’ll see them again, or if they’re even still alive.” “Your goddess talks to you all the time. What does she say?” “Not much. Sometimes, the other gods restrict her, I think. Maybe this is one of those times.” “Are you okay?” “Define okay. I have a broken leg. That alone makes me not okay.” “Emotionally.” “I’ll get by. I’m a fighter.”