River, the Arno River, the Ganges River, the Indus River …
The degree of impact was of course determined in part by the topography and type of settlement on the land surrounding the river. Dams were often built for flood control as well as hydroelectricity.
Mark decided that he didn ’ t like the humming of the HVAC system and that he was rather hungry — the granola bar that he had packed had been long since eaten. He checked his new Garman Forerunner watch and experienced a surge of panic. He had been very focused on getting here, and getting the map, or at least access to it, and had not really thought through getting home. He wanted to be at his new desk right now in the basement of the Sinclairs ’ house eating a pastrami sandwich and wearing his slippers. He checked the bus schedule that he still held in his hand underneath the map of the college. The next bus left the college at 3:20. It was a ten minute ride to downtown Coventry and then he had to switch to the Coventry Estates bus, which left at 3:50 and took another fifteen minutes to get to the stop near the Sinclairs ’ house. Even if he left right now, it would be 4:15 and almost dark before he got home.
Mark staggered to his feet uncertainly, the cortisol flowing over him in waves. He turned to lurch off down the hall when he saw Dr. Ford approaching at a rapid pace with a woman and two men in tow, his black and white dog following meekly. Mark ducked his head immediately, but Dr. Ford had already spotted him and was giving him a look that even Mark recognized as displeased.
Mark pulled into a full stop and plastered the largest smile he could muster on his face. The woman eyed him like a piece of unwelcome food on her shirt, her narrow face clasped in a furrow of undisguised irritation. Mark decided that perhaps this was a good thing. At least he wasn ’ t confused with regard to their emotions.
He focused on an odd abstract sculpture at the end of the hall and forced himself to speak. “ I came for the map, ” he said. “ You promised. ” The campus map and bus schedule felt damp in his hands.
He couldn ’ t help but notice out of the corner of his eye that the woman seemed to be wearing a lot of black, save for a single crimson scarf tied around her neck. The men were dressed similarly, but sported long black trench coats in place of the red scarf.
He had the vague impression of Dr. Ford clenching his teeth in a smile. “ Right. Of course. I didn ’ t promise you the map. I promised you that you could trace it, but I think it would be best to just make you a copy. I ’ m afraid I don ’ t have time to make you a copy right now though. I ’ m in the middle of a very important meeting. You ’ ll have to come back tomorrow. ”
“ I rode the bus, ” Mark said.
The fuzzy tips of Dr. Ford ’ s hair rose in tandem with his eyebrows.
“ I rode the bus to get here, ” Mark repeated. “ I ’ m not allowed to take public transit. I need the map. ”
“ Right, yes of course. I understand, but you ’ ll have to come back tomorrow. ”
Dr. Ford went to push past Mark, but Mark extended his hand and grasped Dr. Ford by the shirt.
*****
“ Mark isn ’ t here, ” Abbey said. “ Si, what if he got lost on the way to the college? ”
It seemed strange to be talking like this to Simon while Mantis, “ call me Sylvain, ” occupied their living room couch, typing something on his phone, his long limbs folded at exaggerated angles and his fine-cut suit jacket draped over the back of the chair. He had chittered amiably about talking computers with Simon on the way home, but when they had arrived back at the house and discovered Mark missing, Mantis had become distracted by his email.
“ Maybe he ’ ll be home soon, ” Simon said, watching out the window down the road that led to the bus stop. Ocean and Farley nosed in and around all of them, mewling and wagging to emphasize their lengthy abandonment.
“ Are you certain he
The degree of impact was of course determined in part by the topography and type of settlement on the land surrounding the river. Dams were often built for flood control as well as hydroelectricity.
Mark decided that he didn ’ t like the humming of the HVAC system and that he was rather hungry — the granola bar that he had packed had been long since eaten. He checked his new Garman Forerunner watch and experienced a surge of panic. He had been very focused on getting here, and getting the map, or at least access to it, and had not really thought through getting home. He wanted to be at his new desk right now in the basement of the Sinclairs ’ house eating a pastrami sandwich and wearing his slippers. He checked the bus schedule that he still held in his hand underneath the map of the college. The next bus left the college at 3:20. It was a ten minute ride to downtown Coventry and then he had to switch to the Coventry Estates bus, which left at 3:50 and took another fifteen minutes to get to the stop near the Sinclairs ’ house. Even if he left right now, it would be 4:15 and almost dark before he got home.
Mark staggered to his feet uncertainly, the cortisol flowing over him in waves. He turned to lurch off down the hall when he saw Dr. Ford approaching at a rapid pace with a woman and two men in tow, his black and white dog following meekly. Mark ducked his head immediately, but Dr. Ford had already spotted him and was giving him a look that even Mark recognized as displeased.
Mark pulled into a full stop and plastered the largest smile he could muster on his face. The woman eyed him like a piece of unwelcome food on her shirt, her narrow face clasped in a furrow of undisguised irritation. Mark decided that perhaps this was a good thing. At least he wasn ’ t confused with regard to their emotions.
He focused on an odd abstract sculpture at the end of the hall and forced himself to speak. “ I came for the map, ” he said. “ You promised. ” The campus map and bus schedule felt damp in his hands.
He couldn ’ t help but notice out of the corner of his eye that the woman seemed to be wearing a lot of black, save for a single crimson scarf tied around her neck. The men were dressed similarly, but sported long black trench coats in place of the red scarf.
He had the vague impression of Dr. Ford clenching his teeth in a smile. “ Right. Of course. I didn ’ t promise you the map. I promised you that you could trace it, but I think it would be best to just make you a copy. I ’ m afraid I don ’ t have time to make you a copy right now though. I ’ m in the middle of a very important meeting. You ’ ll have to come back tomorrow. ”
“ I rode the bus, ” Mark said.
The fuzzy tips of Dr. Ford ’ s hair rose in tandem with his eyebrows.
“ I rode the bus to get here, ” Mark repeated. “ I ’ m not allowed to take public transit. I need the map. ”
“ Right, yes of course. I understand, but you ’ ll have to come back tomorrow. ”
Dr. Ford went to push past Mark, but Mark extended his hand and grasped Dr. Ford by the shirt.
*****
“ Mark isn ’ t here, ” Abbey said. “ Si, what if he got lost on the way to the college? ”
It seemed strange to be talking like this to Simon while Mantis, “ call me Sylvain, ” occupied their living room couch, typing something on his phone, his long limbs folded at exaggerated angles and his fine-cut suit jacket draped over the back of the chair. He had chittered amiably about talking computers with Simon on the way home, but when they had arrived back at the house and discovered Mark missing, Mantis had become distracted by his email.
“ Maybe he ’ ll be home soon, ” Simon said, watching out the window down the road that led to the bus stop. Ocean and Farley nosed in and around all of them, mewling and wagging to emphasize their lengthy abandonment.
“ Are you certain he
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