The Stars Were Right

CONTENTS Dedication Epigraph Title Prologue The doorbell sang out its soft tinkle… One I blew into town like the murmur of a warm sigh. Two Hunger had set in. Three The waiter set down a warm beer the color of piss. Four "You stink." Five The world was a blur… Six Taking the stairs two, sometimes three at a time… Seven The telegraph office was empty. Eight "Hi, my name is, um, Waldo Bell… Nine Eyelids growing heavy… Ten Darkness had settled over Lovat… Eleven West Lovat sits on an island… Twelve Pan. Thirteen Betrayal is an awful feeling. Fourteen The Reunified Church is as old as anything in our ancient world. Fifteen The doorman stood before the Hotel Arcadia like a gargoyle. Sixteen My conversation with Peter Black left me more than confused. Seventeen "Hey, friend! Hey! You all right?" Eighteen The water from the tap ran amber… Nineteen Hagen paid for our tickets on the monorail… Twenty The weight of the hopsack was pulled from my head… Twenty-One Chanting started up from somewhere behind our captors. Twenty-Two Pierogi. Twenty-Three Gone was the weak grandfatherly act… Twenty-Four In the serials, the hero always does something clever. Twenty-Five Behind me Cybill roared as she stirred. Twenty-Six "You...are...." Twenty-Seven For a moment I just stood there. Twenty-Eight I awoke to a choking cough… Acknowledgements About the Author Old Broken Road