The Normal Times

I’m startled awake by the awful ringing of a midnight call. One of the Watchers from Fauxpool called in a red flag to the Lowland office. The Lead Inspector there, I don’t know the name yet only that he’s new, immediately escalated the call to me. I listened to the whole message but I could have stopped at “Lowlands” and known I had to get my boots on. When I get a call in the small hours it’s always in the Lowlands and requires an In-Person visit. I’m hardly awake, but as I said, I only needed to hear where I’m going. I brace myself for it the same no matter which House is causing all the trouble. The call was for House Dion, which means it’s 50/50 odds that I’ll be seeing Paul or Rose this time. I do hope it’s Rose, I’d prefer an easier night.

There’s only one good thing about these late-night calls, and it’s an exquisite one. The under-rails are completely empty but for me and whoever is steering this iron worm. In the daylight hours, I find the under-rail more unbearable than the much-maligned standard rails. At least up there, though it may be sticky and stinking of the mysterious puddles hardening in the seats, everyone minds their own business. Those passengers have made an art out of avoiding each other. But on the exclusive under-rail, we may as well be a moving meet-and-greet party for us drab cogs of the State. I shouldn’t say that though, I’m a pretty important cog, so I’m approved for after-hours access to the under-rail. I wonder if there are others, or if this conductor drifts from post to post alone. Maybe he enjoys some mischief within the privacy of his cabin, it’s all the same to him anyway, passengers or not. I’ve wondered if he enjoys the emptiness as I do. Clearly, I’ve thought too much about it. The funny part is I don’t even know if there is a conductor, or if all the faith has been placed in some sturdy, old computer.

I refresh myself on the details of the call once I’m in the railcar. A Closed-Door incident that became External after an estimated time-lapse of 10 moments. How informative. I don’t even mean that sarcastically, some of these Houses really do follow a pattern of outbreak. The last time I had to do an In-Person visit for House Dion was when Rose, the matriarch, had slept through her scheduled interview with the Directory for the third time and she had a lot to loudly say to me.

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