A figure long tied to the short-handed held their leadership — Hodge Tuckerweiss—carried that name.
Patient.
Steady.
A calm presence, even when chaos swirled nearby. This one spoke without raising their voice, yet others leaned in. Surrounded by gusts, they stayed fixed like a post in deep sand. Others watched. Their stillness caught attention more than any shout ever could.
Out there, it hardly ever happened.
Waking into a world that felt foreign, Angelica found help in him again and again. Not that they shared much history. Bonds usually formed quicker with those whose faces matched their years — something her appearance rarely did. Time passed, yet the mirrors lied just the same.
Even so, her faith in him remained. Yet he held her trust.
Out of nowhere, when things fell apart, fo
