Page 14 of Defined and Defiled (Ghostlight Falls)

ep·i·logue: a concluding section that rounds out the design of a literary work

Richard helps me carry out the boxes, maneuvering the weight around his pages. It takes us several trips until my room is covered in dusty boxes.

The first box just contains pamphlets on "The Caring and Keeping of You & Your Poltergeist." Which I don't even want to think about.

Richard's been trying to increase his knowledge of modern slang so he sets himself up in the kids reading nook while I start unloading boxes.

“Velvet-wrapped steel!”

Richard squeals as he reads the book.

I shake my head at her.

“You're supposed to be looking at research books Richard, not,”

I glance at the title ‘A Sea of Heirs and Mates’?”

His cover turns pink for a moment before returning to his normal cream.

“It's just amazing how many words there are for penis.”

I set down the abacus that I just unearthed from a particularly moldy box.

“Dick.”

He smiles.

“Member, Anaconda.”

“Manhood.”

“Package, Pecker, Rod. There's so much more where that comes from.”

A muffled feminine voice comes from behind me.

Richard and I stare at each other before he removes his flaming sword from page 204.

The box I had stacked on top behind me is slightly shaking as Richard lifts the cardboard flap.

“Thea?”

I join his side and look down.

“It's about damn time someone found me.”