3.1 Interlude: The Eschatology of Orange Bend

**The Eschatology of Orange Bend**

See them running to and fro

Playing arm in arm, you know

Reenacting long ago

The kids of Orange Bend

“Hero” Flynn, his skill untried

Friendly, loyal Payce astride

All while “faster” Maya cried

Never a better friend

Hal, a healers heart has he

Piper knows there's more to see

Cara grins, the secret sidhe

magic, the growing trend

Mason holds his bow real tight

Seamus climbs the highest height

Evie keeps them all in sight

As adventure impends

See them running to and fro

Playing arm in arm, you know

Some much braver than they show

The kids from Orange Bend

They went out beyond the fence

Things became suddenly tense

They crept closer ‘til they sense

Faint words to apprehend

Careless whispers they then heard

Of a danger most absurd

Under dust their homes interred

Their beloved town to end.

Into ruins voices went,

The kids followed their descent,

Finding mist of ill intent

They could not comprehend.

See them scurry to and fro

Running arm in arm, you know

Frightened of the thing below

The kids from Orange Bend

Went they to see Missus Wight,

Cara's mother, eyes alight,

Telling her what gave them fright,

And word she needs to send.

Look she did, but nothing found

Hiding there beneath the ground.

Naught but darkness; not a sound,

nor credit to them lend.

Sent they were, back to their rooms,

Make believe, the town presumes

Though Missus Wight won't assume

All of this was pretend.

See them walking to and fro

Still Scared, but alive, you know

Annoyed at the adults, though

The kids from Orange Bend

Noon brings people of renown,

Storan's group has come to town,

He swears they won't let them down,

The people, they defend.

“But from what?” the people ask,

Prompting him to raise a flask,

Then to don bravado's mask,

Unnamed trouble to tend.

Then with cande, salt and well,

Hal and Cara cast a spell,

Seeing sights of coming hell,

Monsters they must contend.

See them pacing to and fro

Everyone on edge, you know

Not trusting Storan's road show,

The kids from Orange Bend

The worst of this new assault?

It may be all Storan's fault,

For there in the ruin's vault,

Doom his voice did portend.

But fear not did Missus Wight,

Who went alone into night,

Fists all full of magic might,

the coming doom to rend.

In a rush, Storan returned,

And at his face stomachs churned,

The odds can't be overturned,

From this place they must wend

See them scheming soft and low

Missus Wight's not back, they know

On a rescue mission go,

The kids from Orange Bend

Leaving family with Storan,

The children enact their plan,

Sneaking off fast as they can,

To Cara's mom attend.

Into the ruins they went,

With stealth and cautious intent,

To Missus Wight's death prevent

She is hurt; Hal need mend.

While to mend her, Hal prepares,

They catch someone unawares,

With stone to conjure nightmares,

Who else but Storan's friend.

See them chasing, watch them go,

Storan's friend's the one they know,

Who called monsters from below,

The kids from Orange Bend

They catch him, but from his hands,

and from his pack where it lands,

tumble stones onto the sands,

Into the ground, descend.

The earth begins to rumble,

The room begins to tumble,

With Missus Wight they fumble,

On escape, life depends.

Sprinting quick into the night,

Pursued by horrors in flight,

That rise from earth to great height,

and thus, the sky, offend.

For a dark moon blots the skies,

Tentacled with 'thousand eyes.

All its shadow touches... dies,

No sense to comprehend.

They run fast as darkness rains,

Trying to ignore their pains,

In shock, only fear remains,

They think the world must end.

See them weeping as they go,

Annihilation in tow,

Ending everything they know,

No more is Orange Bend.