Part 7 (1/2)

Fine, said the girl. But very quickly.

The girl who smelled of honey and smoke led Thaddeus into a cold bedroom. A man was sleeping under the sheets. His hair was brown and curly. He looked sad.

That's him. That's February.

Yes, said the girl. Are you happy now.

I hate him, said Thaddeus. I hate him for what he did.

Thaddeus stood. His chest rose and fell. He felt the sharp tip of the knife in his pocket.

The Girl Who Smells of Honey and Smoke Creates New Town After the smoke cleared from the skies, the sun came out big and glorious and the leaves on the trees looked like they were on fire. Crop fields and flower beds bloomed. Some of the children went blind from staring in disbelief at the sun. They had to walk around with cloth tied around their eyes. Bianca told everyone that the sun possessed this power, but even she stared at it and now saw black spots in the corners of the new sky.

Sc.r.a.ps of Parchment Written by the Girl Who Smells of Honey and Smoke Everyone smiled in New Town.

No one mentioned the old town ever again.

The season of February existed only in the old town.

Caldor Clemens unhanged himself from deep in the woods and came to New Town. He walked into a shop and asked, Did I miss anything, and everyone laughed.

Selah, frozen in the river, was seen one morning crawling from the muddy sh.o.r.e. She remembered nothing.

February at the edge of town and his wife came to New Town and explained how his name was House Builder and not February. He told the story of February the Creator and his war with not only the town but with a girl who smelled of honey and smoke.

Only Thaddeus Lowe was missing.

February I hear a man breathing. I hear the girl who smells of honey and smoke say,

put down the knife.

Thaddeus The girl who smelled of honey and smoke told me to hide. So I did. I watched from behind a curtain as February got up from his bed. He was a skinny man. He didn't look scary. He said something to the girl who smelled of honey and smoke about hearing her talking to someone. A man. She denied it. He asked where the light box was, and she said that she thought he was finished with it.

February said, No, I'm not. I don't think I am after all.

The girl who smelled of honey and smoke handed him a box. February uncovered it and took out a stack of parchment.

New Town, he said. What is this.

I heard a dog, no, a wolf, howling. Then I saw February run from the room with the stack of parchment. I heard heavy footsteps near the top of my head. Where was I.

FEBRUARY UPSTAIRS SCRIBBLES THADDEUS Lowe drowns. Thaddeus Lowe is attacked by bears. Thaddeus Lowe has a heart attack. Thaddeus Lowe chokes to death on an apple. Thaddeus Lowe's mouth fills with snow. Lowe drowns. Thaddeus Lowe is attacked by bears. Thaddeus Lowe has a heart attack. Thaddeus Lowe chokes to death on an apple. Thaddeus Lowe's mouth fills with snow.

Downstairs, the girl who smells

of honey and smoke writes, Thaddeus Lowe becomes a famous balloonist. Thaddeus Lowe has three more children and becomes New Town mayor. Thaddeus Lowe lives to be a hundred years old. Thaddeus Lowe forgets the definition of sadness.