deep breath...SV fic post: Out Of A Foreign Land part 0f 10/10

[roxy]

Title:: Out Of A Foreign Land
Author:: Roxy
Pairings/Characters:: Lex/Clark
Rating:: varying to nc-17
Word Count:: 33,453
Summary:: Captain Trips has destroyed his world, but gives Lex one more chance to alter fate.
Notes:: written as an answer to the sv_renaissance "Steven King Challenge" 2008. The link will take you to wikipedia's entry for The Stand, and explain everything that I've left out of the story, hopefully make the ending sensible to those of you who don’t know the original story. And those of you who do. *g* The characters I've taken from the book are Mother Abigail, Stu Redman, and Trashcan Man('mutant' with missile.) And of course, Randall Flagg (the Dark Man). The character of Adam, I took from SV, and combined aspects of him with that of Julie Lawry and a pinch of The Kid. The nice parts of that character Adam were all from SV's Adam Knight, who underneath it all was a fairly decent guy.

Thanks so very much for taking the ride with me; I hope you had as much fun as I did!

Steven King's The Stand



Word count: 2898
Rating: NC-17

Out Of A Foreign Land

When the wind lies in the east,
'Tis neither good for man nor beast;
When the wind lies in the north,
The skilful fisher goes not forth;
When the wind lies in the south,
It blows the bait in fishes' mouths;
When the wind lies in the west,
Then 'tis at the very best.

Lex opened his eyes to bright sunlight and a wall of spring green leaves, stalks…he was facing a bright field of growing corn. He turned, and behind him in a dusty square, sat an old fashioned house—bright pots of flowers sat on every sill, and lined the steps up to the front door. The last time he'd seen the house, it looked old, empty and about to fall down…now it was shining with care and love—and Mother Abigail sat in her rocker on the porch, her guitar leaning against the porch post. She waved him to her and he ran, across the yard, up the porch steps and dropped to his knees to take her hand.

'Mother! We came for you, but you were gone.'

She nodded, 'I'm gone from there, son, gone from that plane. I'm almost done here; I delivered my message to those who needed it, now I've got one for you. Listen well, Lex out of Kansas and remember: when the time comes, you must tell Kal not to.'

''No to'? Not to what, Mother? What do I tell him not to do?' He was alone on the porch, sunlight sparkling off the bright green corn.'

Fire burned down to glowing coals in the fire pit, tossed shadows over the truck and against the tent…Lex shifted in his sleep and threw a leg across Clark's, burrowing closer. Clark sniffed and sighed in his sleep, pressed his face into Lex's shoulder and sank deeper into dreams.

'Kal, come here son.'

'Mother Abigail.' Clark looked around; he was at Mother's side on her porch, her tiny soft hand in his. Sun made the new corn gleam, it was warm, and bright…he squeezed her hand and gasped. 'Oh! I see. You've left us,' he said, sadness taking an edge from the joy of seeing her again.

She nodded. 'I got one more message, and then my time is truly done. You listen to me, son and remember. You're such a sweet boy, Kal, but you got to get that stubborn streak in hand. Lex is going to do something you won’t understand, but if he drops, you pick him up again.'

Clark smiled. He said, 'Of course I' will pick him up, promise,' and let her hand go, drifted away from her…

******

The wind whistled and pushed against the windows of the truck. Lex could feel the force of it, felt the body rock a little. He glanced at Clark, who looked absorbed…they'd been descending slowly, closer and closer to their goal, but gusts of snow and high winds were making the roads a treacherous place to be. The truck rocked harder, and slowly, majestically, sailed sideways across the road. The rock wall on one side of them came closer and closer--Lex grabbed the door handle with a curse. Clark fought with it silently before managing to straighten out again, with a sigh of relief. "Wow," he gasped. That was…something."

"Far be it from me to question your ability, but maybe we should pull over. Or, maybe you—"

Clark shook his head vehemently and said, "I know what you're going to say and no. Not until I'm certain my flight doesn't cut out. I can't take that chance with your life."

"Clark, have you seen the weather out there …" Clark looked firmly out through the windshield, not willing to discuss flying…ever since the night before, when Mother Abigail finally re-appeared in their dreams, Clark had been quiet, thoughtful. They understood that she was no longer in the world of the living. Mother Abigail hadn't just left the house in Hemingford Home, she'd finally left the world behind—but not without a final admonishment to them separately to "no more lollygagging, there's deeds need completing, witnessing to be done."

"Do you think she was the voice of God?" Clark asked out of the blue, and Lex considered, knowing exactly what Clark was talking about.

"I don’t know Clark—anything is possible and that makes as much sense to me as anything else we've experienced. It seems we are in an age of miracles."

Clark snorted. "Miracles—three-quarters of the world is gone—the infrastructure's evaporated, what little is left of civilization is certainly going to collapse completely and this Boulder Free Zone is just the last gasp before it's all gone…"

"Clark, such cynicism, "Lex said admiringly."Now you're talking like a reporter. What you say may be true, but it's up to us to do as much as we can to stave that off that final collapse—or soften it. We won't know until we get there, I guess. But I'm betting it’s more than a last gasp."

Clark smiled at Lex. "See? You never give up, Lex."

Lex smirked. "Of course not. Not after all the work I put into trying to save this world."

"Hmm."

Clark looked at him with a ghost of the aggravated expression he used to level so frequently at Lex and he tried not to smirk. "I think we should pull over, Clark—it's really getting too treacherous to drive." He leaned back against the seat and smiled.

******

"Lex, Lex, please…"

The bench seat in the truck couldn't have been more uncomfortable, but with the rising heat of their bodies, at least it wasn’t too cold. Clark put out heat like a furnace, his dick radiated heat enough to warm his hands, cheeks—he rubbed the head over his face, his mouth…Clark flicked his hips and the silky heavy weight slid between Lex's lips, over his tongue…saliva pooled up and he swallowed hard. Clark's whispered groan above him sent a hot streak of lust rocketing through him. He smiled around the shaft in his mouth, sucked harder, tried to take more of it in. The taste, the smell…musky, thick…he shuddered and laved his tongue over the smooth warm crown, pressed into the slit—more. He needed more. He breathed deep and relaxed his throat, and the hot length slid deeper. The good feel of fullness, the slick rub against his tongue made him feel hot and loose and wild—his own hips pumped along with Clark's. He pressed his palm against the aching bulge in his pants, scrabbled at the waistband--yanked savagely at his zipper. He shoved his hand inside, ignoring the bite of metal teeth. The touch of his own hand almost sent him over the edge; the moan around the pulsing dick in his mouth wrung an answering moan, and a snap of the hips he tried to hold down.

If Clark was going to come, he was coming with him. Hands gripped him slightly tighter; the tiny groans came louder, faster…He jerked himself and kept up a tight, fast pace on Clark, a little rough, a little toothy. Clark showed his appreciation by arching, flooding Lex's mouth with a soft curse. Lex heard a peculiar popping sound—Clark's fingers punched ten little holes into the vinyl under them. The low frantic curses, the pop-pop-pop of his fingers tearing through the upholstery—Lex shuddered all over and groaned—he came on the bench between Clark's legs.

Lex dropped flat on Clark, and they rode out the aftershocks of bliss together. "I can't wait," Lex panted, "to do this in a bed, with a thick mattress and fluffy blankets and soft cottony sheets, God--stretch my legs out…"

Clark smiled down at him, dragged fingers across his belly and licked the wet away. "Hmm. Yeah, but this is nice too…"

Lex watched him--shivered and licked his own lips. "Yes, but…" he sighed and plucked their clothing off the floor. As they struggled to dress in the tiny space, he went on. "*Sheets*, Clark, fresh washed and smelling of lavender and then after, a hot shower--imagine it--a long hot shower instead of walking around tacky and smelly."

Clark adjusted his clothes. He looked offended, but carefully re-buttoned Lex's flannel shirt for him. "Smelly? You think we stink? Well, *I* think we smell good."

"Clark, you're alien. That's probably why you think we smell good. 'smell good'", he repeated and shuddered.

Clark shrugged. "I like the smell of sex. And you're just hung up about stuff like that. Probably part of that control freak thing you have—oh."

Clark sat up, nearly dumping Lex off the seat.

"Watch out, I'm trying to wipe up the—Clark. What's wrong? Clark? CLARK!"

Clark's eyes were on some far distant point and then—his head flew back and punched the side window out, his elbow cracked the dash and his hand went through the windshield. Lex crouched down, trying to avoid Clark's panicked flailing. Clark's back slammed against the door and broke it off its hinges; he tumbled out of the truck to the ground. Lex threw himself after, climbing up Clark's prone body to lock his hands around his head. "Stop—Clark! Come back—"

"Let me *GO*, I have to go, I have to save them now! They're going to die—Las Vegas is going to die—"

Lex screamed himself, behind closed lips. This was it—the thing. He saw the others—people he knew but didn’t know, the other Good Guys, all that was left of them, caged and in chains, and sunlight played over them—a beautiful day. The sun lit the lawn they stood on, dancing over the lush green grass, the colorful crowd….

The Dark Man was there. His face flashed through changes, changes—Lex watched him change and screamed inside.

"I have to go, PLEASE!" Clark yelled, "I see them, he's coming." He struggled to push Lex off without hurting him, and Lex hung on as if it were the last thing he had to do in life.

They both saw it—Death coming. The Dark Man's puppet was bringing death to him. Lex saw a—a mutant come from out of the desert, bringing fire to the Devil—puking and rotting, barely upright on the seat of a tractor, pulling a nuclear missile behind him. Lex was there with him--could see every pus filled lesion on his blind face, hear the thready song of praise and love as it came, and most horribly, *feel* the terrible, terrible joy as it brought it's Master a gift—the LGM-30 Minuteman, just like those he'd seen rise from silos in another vision long ago, nuclear death rising up on thin strands of smoke and suddenly he knew the truth--what Cassandra had misread….

Horror filled him, froze his blood, Lex felt it to the pit of his soul. *This* was why he'd been sent to Clark—not to save him, not to wake him to save thousands of lives and be Superman again. It was to *stop* Clark saving lives. Because only someone like himself, with one foot in Heaven and one foot in Hell—only he could clearly see, that sometimes thousands had to die, so that others could live *free*.

And that was a burden almost too much to bear. He felt his eyes fill and the laugh that ripped free of him was full of bitter amusement. So. He *was* that guy under the bloody rain after all—you funny, funny mother fucker. You fucking cosmic comedian… "Clark you can't, it has to be this way!"

"But I can save them—they don't have to die, I can save all of them and defeat That Man, and—and—no one has to die—not that way!"

"You've got to let it happen." He could feel tears running down his face, his, Clark's….

Clark screamed "I hear them! I hear all of them…" He shouted at Lex, "I hear them dying, why? Why do you want to stop me?"

Lex felt Clark's heart beating crazily in his chest; they were in the air—rocketing upward---straight up. He held on tighter to Clark, and only spoke when he felt his grip begin to slip—"Clark," he said, and let go.

He dropped like a stone into water, he felt the wind tearing at him, and a rushing shriek of sound in his ears…he was too numb to pray, or hope, he just dropped straight down, arrowing towards the earth--

"NO!"

Something hit him hard enough to knock the breath from him, he could feel his body whirling around and then Clark had his arms tight around him and his head was pressed into Lex's neck as they dropped gently to the ground.

"How could you, Lex?" He stared at him, reddened eyes full of accusation. "You don't understand—you can't know what it's like to hear all that and not—not be able to *stop* hearing it…"

Lex stepped away from him, dry-eyed. He'd felt a thousand souls evaporate on a wind of fire. He felt every single one of them—and accepted it. He'd never tell Clark he felt the missile blow—he'd been with them as mothers reached out for their babies, children turned their faces to the new sun, been with lovers together in their last minutes, telling each other how much they loved one another as the wave of light blew over them—blew them to pieces…it was his burden. His penance.

Clark cried. "You let them die."

"Listen to me—if you saved them, the world would only remember that there was a disaster in Vegas and Superman saved some people and That Man would find a way to kill you just as publicly—and he'd go on killing. Imagine a country under his rule; a world…Captain Trips would seem like a week at the beach, Clark. It had to be that way, people had to see the death…I'm sorry but--sometimes you have to sacrifice…everything. After today, no one will ever forget that to follow The Dark Man means death." Lex reached out, but didn't touch Clark. "I don’t expect you to forgive me—just know I did it for you and the world. I owed it." He dropped down on the ground and closed his eyes, and waited for the end of his story.

"I hate it… but I know what you did was…needed. I *hate* that it had to end like that, but…" A big warm hand rested on his shoulder. "This is what we are, what we do. We are the balance that protects the world, don’t you remember?"

******

There was a crowd in the square, just people going about their business like any ordinary day, normal as hell. Greg Rivera shook his head as he crunched through the iced rimed snow. Months ago, he'd been damn sure he was a walking dead man, probably *everyone* in the square had thought that about themselves and now…here he was, heading off to work in the community bakery, and it was a fucking miracle, that's what it was. He tilted his head back—clouds were gathering and for sure they'd have more snow by tonight…he watched an eagle soaring high. It was a good sight. He followed its flight with a little smile…it was dropping through the clouds…pretty damn big for an eagle…real big for—"Holy shit!" He pointed at the man—men—falling out of the sky, dropping like they'd fallen out of a plane—everyone was pointing and screaming now, dashing away from the square and suddenly, the falling bodies just—stopped. In fucking mid-air, they *stopped* and floated the rest of the way down towards the ground.

"Hey—" a cheerful voice called out. "Can you tell us where to get in touch with the Free Zone Committee?"

Greg swallowed, and waited until he was pretty sure he could speak without stammering. "Well…I guess you ain't heard…"

******

Lex stood on the broad steps of the house, conscious of the crowd behind them and the increasingly louder whispers. The door opened and the face of the man who came out was familiar to Lex. Clark pushed closer behind him and whispered, "It's him…"

The man looked puzzled, and limped to the edge of the porch. Lex held his hand out. "Stu Redman?"

"That's me," he said, and his voice was soft, quiet, but Lex knew he'd be a fool to think this was a soft man. "You look familiar—" his hand wavered for a moment "—aren't you…damn." Knowledge widened his eyes; he glanced over Lex's shoulder and did a double take, looked back at Lex "But…you're--"

"Lex Luthor, right." Lex clasped his hand, and said, "And we're damn happy to have finally made it here."

"Yeah, yeah…that's, um—your friend—"

They heard the whispers grow even louder—…who is it--is it really—Superman--Luthor….

Clark reached over Lex's shoulder and said, "Boyfriend. And *you* can call me Kal. I don’t go by Superman anymore." He looped an arm protectively around Lex's chest, his palm resting on Lex's shoulder. "We're here, and we want to help."

Lex leaned back against Clark and smiled. It'd be nice to think that they were finally home.

And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.



fin
2-16-2008

Comments

[kira29.livejournal.com]

*claps* *throwsflowers*

Bravo! Bravo!

The Stand has to be one of my favorite books, besides the fact that I always seem to get a cold after reading it. LOL You wrote an amazing story, that follows it but shows it from a totally different point of view. I loved it.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness! That was fast! Thank you so very much--if you know the book and still enjoyed the story, I'm flattered beyond words! *Thank you!*

[luvmax1.livejournal.com]

Lovely end, Roxy. And I'm glad Stu showed up, even if it was just for a paragraph or two. He was always one of my favortie characters.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much my dear! I had to have Stu show up--he was my favorite too!

[kyanoswolf]

It was necessary for Vegas to die. Lex was the only one who could hold Clark back.

And now Clark can just be Kal, Lex's boyfriend. Super, but no longer playing the world's savior. Because the world has to save itself by not following evil. As Lex was finally able to do.

Such a wonderful story.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you *so* much!
And now Clark can just be Kal, Lex's boyfriend. Super, but no longer playing the world's savior.

I think that's the best happy ending they can get--to just be themselves.

[supercaptain182.livejournal.com]

Awesome!

Absolutely amazing. I think this fit perfectly in The Stand universe. *g*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks you so much lovey! This story was a joy to write all the way through--I'm so happy it was so well received!

[(Anonymous)]

The Mother's admonitions tying to Cassandra and Naman and Segeth - I LOVE it!!!!

Great ending, even though you had my heart in my throat when Lex was falling.

*hugs*

[danceswithgary]

I can't believe LJ logged me out - that was me gushing all over this fabulous story.

*hugs you again*

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

That was fantastic! Great job. Thanks!!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thank *you* so much for reading! I'm really thrilled you decided to read this, you know!

[rosy5000.livejournal.com]

I love how you fit Cassandra's vision in there.

Sorry that Mother Abigail died. I liked her. :) Glad that both Clark and Lex listened to her.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Ah, she was such a great character! Stu and Mother Abigail were the best characters in the book--and Tom Cullen! Laws yes! *G*

[jakrar.livejournal.com]

I like the way Mother Abigail's words came true, and I love Lex and Clark finally finding somewhere they can be together and still part of a community. This is a truly terrifying and wonderful story; now I'll have to go read wikipedia's article on The Stand. *hugs you*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*hugsback* This was *so* much fun to write--plus figuring out just *why* they were there. I could have spent even more time in this verse-it was a real pleasure. I'm so glad you enjoyed it too!!

[tabaqui]

Ooooh, bay-bee.
*sniffle*
Oh, that was lovely - perfect.
Oh, boys!
*snuggles them*

Just...right.
:)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*HUGS YOU ALL OVER*

Thank you so much beloved!

[ladydey.livejournal.com]

Well alrighty then!!! Well done!

Poor Lex always a hero in ways that it's so easy to misunderstand - the one who has to make and live with the hard decisions. *hugs Lex* Well at least Clark was angry at the situation and not Lex this time.

I love what you did with Cassandra's vision - as it always is with visions, they're not literal. And of course no one not even, maybe especially, Lex could believe that there was any situation where Lex was the hero of the piece under all that bloody rain. Awwwww, Lex.

I love Kal introducing himself as Lex's "boyfriend." That and the still hinky flying, very cool!



I really really enjoyed this. It made me remember why there were a few years when I was younger where I burned through all the Stephen King books I could get from my local library. *clap...clap*

HUGS!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Yep, Steven King--he still does these very sympatico main characters, and I love the kid's voices in his books.

I had a great time writing this--it was even more fun to write than Krypton boy. Playing with King's canon and SV's canon--heck I even played with my personal fanon in this fic. *G It was just so cool the way the vision fit so well into this thing--lol! I guess you can tell how much fun I had! ;)

Thanks for staying on with me!

[zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com]

Great job and excellent meshing with 'The Stand'.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thanks a million--I hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it!

He dropped down on the ground and closed his eyes, and waited for the end of his story.

[ender24]

phew, i think, my heart stopped here........thank god, your clark, now Kal, had some brain cells in your story....:D

Re: He dropped down on the ground and closed his eyes, and waited for the end of his story.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

lol! He's no dummy--he knows what side his bread is buttered on! Plus any other way for it to end would have been a world of wrong! Thanks so much for reading, my dear!

[me-ya-ri.livejournal.com]

*Cheers!!!*

Wonderful job! That was such a perfect ending to the story, just wonderful. Wonderful on the resolution it brought for the boys, wonderful how you wove the story into the Stand, wonderful in every way!

Such a lovely story, told so very well! *Hugs you!*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh my! thank you so very much, you make me blush! I'm glad you came on the ride with us! It was fun! ;)

[aloneindarknes7.livejournal.com]

Yay! That was wonderful and a bit confusing. But now I really want to read that book! I'm just so glad that Lex and Clark did what they had to and that things are going to be alright now.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh--I knew it was going to be very confusing, but I was hurtling down the path with no way to stop! Of course, anything that's puzzling to you after reading The Stand article, feel free to ask!

[talitha78.livejournal.com]

Yay! Saving this to read at work. :)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Yay! Fun stuff at work! :)

[hoperoy.livejournal.com]

Nice finish! It hurt to see Clark have to hear and see all those people die like that, but Lex was right--it did have to happen.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much! I wasn't sure of the end until I started typing but it worked out pretty good!

[herohunter.livejournal.com]

I read this last night right after you posted but haven't commented because I don't think I can do this story justice.

All I can say is that it was wonderful and thank you for writing and posting, beloved!

That'll have to do!

*hugehug*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh good, you liked it!!

I have to say it was a real pleasure to write it almost all from Lex's POV. I like trying to think like him. Like I've said in the comments, I had such a great time with this, it was a lot of fun!

*HUGS* Thanks so much for reading, lovey!

[nerowill.livejournal.com]

Wow! That was quite a ride! I loved Lex's slow evolution through the course of the story--and the way he brought Clark back to life. :)

The ending is a great way to offer hope for both them and the world. Clark calling himself Lex's boyfriend still has me smirking.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

hee!
I did like that part...thanks for reading! This has to be the most fun I've ever had doing a story, except for that Crazeebitch Lana story--that was fun too! *wink*

[epeters.livejournal.com]

Wow! Roxy this was just beyond great!! You are a very talented writer.
Your descriptions are so visual! Your sex is ultra hot without being silly.

I read The Stand maybe, 20-25 years ago. If if had been as good as your version...I may have read it again. :)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

aw, thanks so much! OOh, and thanks about the sex bits--I worried that they were boring, but yay! apparently not! *G*

I almost hate that it's over, I really enjoyed writing this!

[(Anonymous)]

I was completly rivated on the perverbale edge of my seat the entire time. Basically this was a superb story.you are an excellent writer wished I had half your writing talent lol.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I was completly rivated on the perverbale edge of my seat the entire time

Oh you have no idea how good that makes me feel! Thank you so much!

half my writing talent? omg, I say the same thing every time I read someone else's fic--I always think I suck, just sometimes I think maybe I don't suck that bad. :)

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

That was incredible! So powerful. I cried a bit when Mercy died. I have no interest in reading the original novel, as I generally don't like this type of armageddon story, but this was just so strong. Brilliant work.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you! It's great that you decided to take the chance and read it even if it wasn't your cup of tea, and then to like it--you absolutely made my day, believe me! Thanks again!

[capnzebbie.livejournal.com]

Yay! Happy ending! This was a great story, roxy. I love how you brought in the Namaan/Segeeth story--two mythologies dovetailing.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Yes! Happy endings! *g* Thank you so much beloved! I had so much fun with this! I swear, it's rare for a story to just flow like this one did--and as for the tie-back to their myth, that happened almost as if I'd planned it. *koff* Er, I mean, yes--I did mean for that to happen.

*GRIN*

Out of a Foreign Land

[la-sigh.livejournal.com]

Dearest Roxy, I do not have the words to tell you how wonderful this story is, how much it moved me. I was feeling clexish last week and went back to Mariposa to reread one of my all time favorite clark/lex fics and after, I was browsing though your memories and stumbled on to Out of a Foreign Land. And then read it and reread it 4 times. Oh My....I don't know the last time I've read something so moving, painful, uplifting. You rock me Roxy and I luvs you and thanks you. Wish you the best always and forever.

Re: Out of a Foreign Land

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh! You made me cry from happy! Your comment lifted my spirits so much!

I love this story--it might be awful to say so, but I do! I adored every minute working with this story and I think it shows. I'm so happy that you liked it so much(4 times!!) and I'm happy that I was able to entertain you so well! *HUGS*

Oh, and thanks again for your kind words on Mariposa! *more hugs* I'm just floating here!

[priscel.livejournal.com]

*grins like a mad woman and throws confetti* You, my friend, area an amazing writer. And I'm soo very happy that you wrote this. *looks sheepish* I'm sorry for bombing you with a backlog of comments but I wanted you to know that this was Awesome! And just wow I have no more words *hugs you*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

oh my--every story teller everywhere lives to hear nice things about the stories they tell--if they say different, they're lying liars who lie, lol! Really, your comments made my day! This is a story I'm *very* fond of so that made it even more of a pleasure for me! thanks so very much!!

[myownghost.livejournal.com]

val's illustrations, with bits of Bosch, make sense to me, now that i've read the whole story arc. it's very powerful and moving, even to someone who doesn't know the book.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

That's so good to hear. I go back and forth about archiving this darn thing. It really was a story that just poured out of me. Val's illustration was just incredible, I think. it's truly one of my very favorite covers for a story ever. :)