Snippet #1636722

Jonathan was staring after Lyra as she left, wondering slightly whether she was about to turn her heel, shout "surprise" and jab the knife in his throat. She didn't, however, and he was left to rub his thumb slightly at the bloodied spot she'd left on his shirt. Lyra saw this as a game. But, in truth, she probably saw the entire world as a game.

He literally jumped in his chair when the hatch opened and an unknown voice said behind him;

"If, hypothetically, the circumstances were different, I wouldn't even listen to you, but with matters the way they currently are, I feel I may have to.

Turning around, he made sure that the frying pan and (regrettably) Lyra's knife was close at hand in case they were needed. Only then did the newcomer's words seem to sink in. Another good Alice, then, he guessed. He stood from his chair and continued to brush his shirt absently as he looked at the three new people in his apartment. Only this morning he had wondered if a savior had been headed this way, now it seemed three new hopes had arrived.

"Y'all like tea?" he wondered with a slight sigh. "We'll need to discuss this if we wanna live."