The Blue Deck Podcast: Into the Attic of the World

In chapter 25, Charles and his friends arrive in Atsuma, the Great City. The city is a sprawling metropolis, colorful skyscrapers everywhere. But like on the train, the city is inhabited primarily by children. Charles doesn’t understand why the place hasn’t gone to ruin. If left to the upkeep of kids, any city in his world would return to the earth in a mountain of overgrown vines or runaway fires would burn the whole place to ashes. They’re not kids, he suspects. They might look like children but something in this world makes it where people don’t grow up.

There were two notable exceptions, however. A woman in her sixties is talking on a payphone and, strolling across the park outside the bus station, there is a policeman wearing a ninja sword on his back.

The police officer walks straight to Captain Kid and says the king is looking for him. Also, he wants to know why Marshal Rayban isn’t there.

Dawn explains that the marshal didn’t come, but the officer wants to hear it from the captain.

“The chief just answered you,” Captain Kid says. “Why do you look at me?” Then, before agreeing to follow the policeman to the palace, he wants to know how the officer knew they were coming.

The man’s answer is another puzzle. “The cyclops saw you coming.”

Buy Into the Attic of the World on Amazon

Buy After the Pandemic: Visions of Life Post COVID-19 on Amazon

Twitter: @josephmazerac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JosephMazeracAuthor/

Email Joseph Mazerac, joseph@thebledeck.com

Website: thebluedeck.com