Monday, June 21, 2010

yesterday's news

I looked up from the faded headline towards the alley where the little "blind" girl had escaped. In the shadows, I saw her small luminescent green eyes blinking at me as she ripped away her soiled newsgirl apron, flooding the alley with the light from her gaslamp heart.

"Wren."

Before I formulate whether I should thank her or punish her, she darted down the alley and out of view. Her glow faded and winked out with the sound of clattering manhole cover.

Do not envy the time traveler, Dear Reader. It is a terrible burden with moral dilemmas behind every turn.

Do not ask me of the details of that newspaper. I scanned it completely, then set it aflame with my furnace. As the ashes floated into the wind, I systematically erased the details from my memory.

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR BLOODWING AND JEREMIAH MASON...

STOCK MARKET PLUMMETS AS...

DR. DARIEN MASON BUILDS...

Relations between Steelhead and New Babbage continue to deteriorate as...

Except the data of immediate importance upon my return, of course.

...the weakened hive was finally repelled by the combined efforts of...
...the hydrogen-powered airships were especially vulnerable to...

I be ethical, but I'm not stupid.

3 comments:

Rhianon Jameson said...

Could I persuade you to mention the share price of, say, Wells Fargo on some day of your choosing in that time period? Just whisper it in my ear. I promise to use the power only for good.

Qlippothic said...

I've already erased it, sorry!

HeadBurro Antfarm said...

Relations worsen? How? I hope that quack Beck doesn't put his great size nine in it!