Sapling

potatoes

Loren: Oh, my goodness!
[Loren sits up in bed, warm sweat on her forehead. She wipes it off quickly, and sighs. It has now been a week since her reconciliation with Mr Haughton, and since he promised her that she could have his cousling Henree's spaceship in order to escape from Ling. Since then, she has met with Mr Haughton twice.
The first time, he told her that he had contacted Henree and he was all too happy for Loren to have his spaceship. It would be finished in a matter of days, he said. The second time they met, neither had anything of consequence to report. Mr Haughton made tea and it was more of an informal tea party than a secret meeting. They spoke of Novica; they spoke of Mr and Mrs Ling; they spoke of Werd (as painful as it was for Loren). Each left the conversation feeling considerably happier and at ease with the other than they had before.
When she is not seeing Mr Haughton, Loren is reading books, writing down snippets of old conversations with Novica, and trying to form a plan in her mind of how to rescue her sisling. Essentially, she does everything she can to remain to sane. And it seems to be working. Loren feels more optimistic about the whole situation than ever, and cannot wait for her next meeting with Mr Haughton, which is supposed to be this very morning.
But a nightmare haunted Loren last night, and she cannot stop thinking about it. It has thrown her off-balance, and she doesn't know what to do.]
Loren: Ohhh! It was a dream. Only a dream. Only a damn stupid nightmare. But it seemed so real... oh Novie, Novie, my Novie. What was he doing to her? I saw him open the door of a car-and Novie fell out and hurt her cheek-and then she was a cat for some reason, being called pussy-and then she was telling me she loved me, but there were tears in her eyes.
What am I? Some kinda psychic? Don't be silly, girl. It was only a dream. Who knows what's happening to Novie right now? Not me, that's for sure. That dream was a lie. And so bizarre, as well. There's something I'm missing. Something else, near the end of the dream. Oh yeah. Novie was doing some kinda diagram on a piece of paper. Strange...
I'll tell Sobert 'bout it. I trust him so completely now, I couldn't imagine keeping it from him. Maybe he'll be able to make some sense of it. I hope he can, cuz I'm lost on this one. Novie, Novie, Novie... I'm coming for you, Novie. You see if I don't.
[Groaning, Loren climbs out of bed.]
Loren: Damn, what time is it? Nine... half past nine... oh damn it, I'm gonna be late. He won't mind. He won't mind. What if he does mind? He ain't the sort to mind. I'll rush everything, rush my bathroom stuff, rush my dressing, rush my make-up, rush my breakfast. I'll rush rush rush. I can't disappoint him.
[Loren is true to her word. After a hurried shower, she put on a dark green jumpsuit with sequins on it, and some green sparkly eye shadow to match. She hope that after her first meeting with Mr Haughton she would not mind so much what she wore in front of him, but it had the opposite effect: she is more eager than ever to make herself look as close to beautiful as she can whenever she sees him. She knows it's silly, but she can't stop.
After dressing, she runs downstairs to make herself a slapdash breakfast, thoughts whirling around her head as she does.]
Loren: (I wonder if he'll have any news for me...? This whole spaceship business is just too exciting, and I'm desperate to meet this cousling of his as well, 'specially if he's as nice as Sobert himself. I wonder what the spaceship looks like. I never seen a real spaceship, only pictures, and I feel like UFO is probably not the vibe of a real spaceship. I seen loads of pictures of them flying things, flying... saucers! Thassit! But I don't imagine it'll look like one of those, neither. What will it look like?
Oh, I can't wait to see Novie's face when she hears 'bout this! Not only that, but I did it all by myself. I dunno how. I find it so damn hard to do anything without her, but she'll be proud of me nonetheless. Brave Lorie, she'll say. Brave Lorie. I was brave, wasn't I? To go and see Sobert that first time, when we were still acting cold to each other. I told myself it was easy peasy, told myself it would take no effort at all, but in truth I was terrified.
What's the time now? Nearly ten, huh? Ok, I guess I should go now then. What shoes? I got those little ones, more like green ballet slippers than anything. I think they'll do. Oh, I can't wait to see him again! Human contact! I do like being alone sometimes, but only alone with Novie, being alone alone's no fun at all.)
[Finishing her breakfast, Loren jumps up from the table and runs into the hallway, where she slips on her "green ballet slippers". She checks her face in hall mirror and wipes the crumbs from her mouth. Then she throws open the door, locks it behind her and runs across the road towards No. 23.
Since she became friends with Mr Haughton again, the house No. 23 has begun to look very welcoming. Every time she sees it it seems to be smiling at her, and she likes to think that it would wave if it could. Grinning from ear to ear, Loren opens Mr Haughton's front gate. She walks up to his door and rings the doorbell, picking the ivy off his wall as she does.
A few moments later she hears footsteps in the hall, and Mr Haughton opens the door and greets Loren with a smile. "I've been expecting you," he says excitedly. "We've got a slight-how should I say?-change of plan for our meeting today." Loren smiles back at him.]
Loren: How d'you mean?
["Well, firstly, Loren," he answers, looking her up and down, "I think you'd better run back to your house and grab your thickest coat, because-well, I'll explain later. And it'll need a hood. It has to have a hood." Loren stares into the sky, at the bright sunshine, and looks bemused.
"Don't worry," Mr Haughton reassures her. "It'll all make sense later, but right now we're at the risk of being late." He looks at her attire as if he only just noticed it. "Nice jumpsuit, by the way," he adds. "You look beautiful today, Loren. You always look beautiful." Loren blushes.]
Loren: Do you really think so? How kind of you. Sorry, what kind of coat did you say to get?
["A thick one would be best," he tells her. Without further hesitation Loren runs back across the road, unlocks her front door and grabs a beige fur-lined parka which she only uses when she goes foodshopping in midwinter. Thankfully, it also has a hood. Loren turns around and sees Mr Haughton watching her. She shouts to him.]
Loren: WILL THIS DO?
[Mr Haughton squints at it, before giving her the thumbs up. Loren quickly puts it on, zips it up and runs back to No. 23. She feels very hot, but does not like to complain, so she simply smiles at Mr Haughton.]
Loren: Ok, what next?
["First things first, hood up," says Mr Haughton distractedly. He has taken a map out of his pocket and is busy examining it. Loren readily obeys and puts her hood up. Now she feels boiling, but once more, she does not say a word.
Satisfied, Mr Haughton returns the map to his pocket and looks at Loren. "Yes, that's perfect," he says. Then he looks beyond Loren, down to the road. "Can you see my car down there? It's sort of bluish-in colour, that is-number plate GH37 DTO. See it?" Loren looks for a car of that description, and finds it easily. She nods. "Take my car keys, and I want you to get in the front of my car-not the driver's seat, mind-and wait while I get everything we'll be needing. Then I'll join you and we'll drive off to... the place we're going." Loren looks at him suspiciously.]
Loren: The "place"? What's going on, Sobert? Where're we going that's so secret?
["Wait and see," he says, before disappearing back inside his house. Bewildered and a little frightened, Loren does as he said and walks down to the little bluish car parked partly on the pavement. At first she is very confused by the car keys, but after a lot of trial and error she discovers that the button with an unlocked lock on it is the one that can be used to open the car.
Inside, it is very hot. Loren waits patiently for Mr Haughton, while desperately hoping that his car has air conditioning. This is the second time she's ever been in a car (the first, of course, being the time Werd drove her to the wilderness) and she has fun examining all the buttons, while being careful not to press any of them. Mr Haughton's car is significantly shabbier than Werd's Loren quickly realises, but of course that stands to reason-Mr Ling would be able to afford the most expensive car available in Ling, and Mr Haughton, well, Mr Haughton wouldn't.
Still, Loren admires the car and is glad that it is Mr Haughton who will be accompanying her on this trip to who knows where. Finally, she turns and sees Mr Haughton locking his front door. He is also wearing a very thick coat, but his is green and not waterproof. He is carrying a large bag and seems to be having difficulty with it. Loren thinks of leaving the car to go and help him, but something tells her to stay put.
"Hi, Loren," he said when he reaches her, panting, and opens the car door that leads onto the driver's seat. He sits down, red-faced, and immediately starts up the engine and turns on the air conditioning. Both of them sigh with relief. "Sorry it took me so long. My, these coats are a bother, aren't they?" He laughs.]
Loren: Quite. I think I was cooking in my own skin in here, Sobert. I hope you don't mind me saying, but your car-your car had gotten very hot.
[Mr Haughton laughs again. "Yes, sorry about that," he says. "It's this dark blue colour. It absorbs all the heat, so even on mildly warm days like this..." He shakes his head. "Boiling!" Loren nods in agreement. She jerks as he pulls out of his parking space and onto the road.
"Apologies," he says, his eyes on the road, as they begin to pick up speed. "I've never been the best driver. Mostly it's just that I don't drive that much. And I'm a terrible parker."]
Loren: Really? This is only my second time in a car, and Novie's never been in one-although I imagine they probably drove her to the childerling-home, that Mirtin and Bryon-so to be honest, I don't think I'd be able to tell a good parker apart from a terrible one.
[And so the conversation continues. Loren watches out of the window as she talks-she does not consider it impolite, as Mr Haughton constantly has his eyes on the road. And it gives her a certain joy to see all the buildings rushing past at speed. Joy might not be the right word, she thinks. Exhilaration! Euphoria! Jubilation! So many words that are so much better than simply "joy".
Loren does notice one thing: Mr Haughton keeps steering the subject of conversation away from where they're going. She can't believe it would be anywhere dangerous, but at the same time it worries her slightly, the fact that he refuses to tell her.
But the minutes tick by, and soon Loren notices that the houses are thinning out, and they must be reaching the edge of the wilderness. They never reach it, though, because moments later Mr Haughton parks the car outside a small, cottage-like house. Loren stares at it, confused, as Mr Haughton gets out of the car. "I know what you're thinking," he says, helping her out of the car, and she expects an explanation to follow. "And no, it isn't much on the outside, but you should just wait until you see the garden."]
Loren: Sobert-I'm sorry, I really am, but can you please tell me where we are and what's going on? I'm lost!
[He stares at her. "You haven't worked it out?"]
Loren: Uh, no.
[Mr Haughton is about to reply, when the door to the small cottage is thrown open. A man, who looks like he's in his late twenties or early thirties, stands in the doorway and stares at them. He too is wearing a thick coat. "Sobert!" he exclaims and, after slipping on some shoes, he runs out to greet them.
"Hi, Henree," says Mr Haughton, accepting his cousling's embrace in a slightly strangled manner. After he has been released, he turns back to Loren, who has finally worked out what is going on and is feeling very excited. Henree is smiling at her. "Henree, this is Loren, who wants your spaceship," Mr Haughton introduces them. Henree walks over to Loren and shakes her hand.
"And Loren, this is Henree, my cousling," Mr Haughton continues.
"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Seen," Henree smiles warmly. "Do you know, I was quite delighted when I heard that you wanted my spaceship. Finally, a purpose for my little rocket! I thought. And I know the full reason, as well-Sobert explained everything. I understand you're wanting to get out of Ling. Vile place for someone like you." He pauses to kiss her hand.]
Loren: (Well then! Ain't he a charmer?)
["I also heard that you recently had your sisling taken away-Novica, isn't she called? Anyway, I heard she was taken due to that new law. You poor poor thing." Henree is about to embrace Loren as he did his cousling, but then he thinks better of it.]
Loren: Yes, it was quite devastating. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mr...?
[He grins. "Just Henree'll be fine," he tells her. "Just call me Henree, same as you call him Sobert."]
Loren: Well, Henree, it's a pleasure to meet you too. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you're giving me your spaceship! It's simply the kindest offer I've ever received, I think, so I really owe you one.
[Loren is not quite sure of how to speak to this eccentric man, but she decides that simply remaining polite and courteous should do the trick. Henree puts his head to his hands. "Where are my manners?" he exclaims. "Come inside, both of you. Oh, and it's really nothing, Loren. Can I carry that for you, Sobert? No? All right. I see you both remembered your big thick coats. That's lucky." Henree bustles around, trying to help with everything. He eventually persuades Mr Haughton to give him the bag. He immediately peers inside it.
"Oh, you brought biscuits!" he cries. "How nice of you. I regret we won't have much time to share them today-at the moment no eating or drinking is permitted on the spaceship. And what else... nothing. Ok. Just biscuits. That's fine."
The cottage is very snug. Loren looks around, and sees screwdrivers, cogs and wires littering the floor. "Sorry about the mess," Henree apologises absently as he leads her and Mr Haughton through a sitting room and out into the garden. Loren gapes; Mr Haughton wasn't lying when he said she should wait until she sees the garden.]
Loren: This place is amazing!
["I thank you," says Henree, turning and bowing. The garden is essentially an enormous piece of land, the like of which Loren has never seen before. At the end of it is a large corrugated iron building which Loren assumes must be the shed Mr Haughton mentioned. And at the centre of the garden is a launch pad. Loren guesses it was built for the spaceship, but she is not sure of anything in this place.
They reach the shed, and Henree holds open a door for them, which is hanging off its hinges. Loren gapes even more when she sees what's inside. The shed is dimly lit, but she can clearly see the giant structure which sits in the middle of it. Loren laughs; it is nothing like a flying saucer, but she does not care. It is the most impossible thing she has seen in her life.]
Loren: I-I don't even know what to say, except, thank you, Henree-this thing looks crazy! Are we allowed inside?
["Of course," says Henree. "Who's ready for a spaceship tour?"
"Are you sure it's ready, and tested, and everything?" Mr Haughton asks anxiously.
"Shut up, you paranoid," Henree says absently, as he climbs the makeshift stairs that lead to the entrance to the spaceship. "Everything's been, what's the word, quintuply tested and it's all safe. There's damn all to worry about, I promise you."
Loren enters the spaceship last, and she blinks in the bright electronic light. She is vaguely aware that Henree has just flicked a light switch. She is in a small capsule-like space. Henree indicates a button at the side. "Air-lock," he explains. "I'm not going to demonstrate it, but well, you'll have to trust me that it works."
They leave the capsule and Henree shows them the "sleeping quarters", which are small places where one can sleep in zero-gravity. He proceeds to show of the control centre, toilets and showers, and various other rooms. But one question is burning in Loren's head.]
Loren: Sorry, Henree, but how do we get food and water when we're in space?
[Henree taps his nose again. "We were just getting to that," he tells her. "I can tell you about the water first. I've built a water filtration system which recycles things like used shower water, sweat and, um, urine." Loren cannot help wrinkling up her nose at this.]
Loren: Urine?
[He laughs. "Yep, urine. And as for the food, well, that's why we've all got these big coats on." He looks at Loren. "Or, one of the reasons, anyway."
"We didn't want anyone recognising you, Loren," Mr Haughton explains. "We thought the Lings might get suspicious if they knew you were heading off to the outskirts of Ling with me. They'd smell a rat. That's the reason it had to have a hood, but, as Henree said, there's a more important reason why the coat had to be thick and warm." He turns to Henree. "Where is it?"
"Just round this corner," Henree calls back in response. "Ah! Here we are. Brace yourself, Loren."
Loren braces herself as well as she can, and it's good that she did, because a second later the three of them are standing in a giant freezer. The shelves are packed with frozen packet food. There must be tens-no, hundreds of them in here.
"Frozen food doesn't go off for a long, long time," Henree explains.]
Loren: How the damn do you get the power to keep this thing so cold?
["Solar power," says Henree, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "When you're out there in space, you're gonna pass a lot of stars, and their bright light will power this whole spaceship. Also, there's another thing," he continues, sorting through a barrel filled with frozen food. "If you land on some planet which isn't inhabited, and it's near a bright star, you can plant potatoes."
Mr Haughton looks up. "Potatoes, hmm? Why potatoes?"
"They're an excellent food source. Just plant 'em and they grow. We have soil stored on this ship as well, and water of course, so you can everything you need to grow things. And potatoes don't even need seeds. You just plant the potato itself, and it grows... wait for it... more potatoes! It's perfect!"]
Loren: Sounds useful for if we run out of food. But if this planet don't got oxygen in its atmosphere, how are we gonna breathe out there?
[Henree smiles. "Ah, well, after I heard that you wanted the spaceship I knew I had to make spacesuits for the two of you," he says. "I need to take your measurements, actually. Would you mind...?"]
Loren: Oh, yes, of course. But you can't take Novica's cuz she ain't here...
[A tape measure appears out of Henree's pocket. "Just give me them roughly," he tells Loren. So she gives him Novica's measurements as well as she remembers them, and then she lets him take her measurements. When he shows them to her afterwards, she is pleased to discover that she is taller than she thought.]
Loren: (I've always wanted to intimidate people with height, but I never thought I was tall enough... but maybe I am! I bet I'm taller than Mrs Ling, so if I ever meet her again, which I really hope I won't have to, I can intimidate her. It probably won't work-Mrs Ling ain't the sort of person to be intimidated, but it's worth a try.)
[The spaceship tour is over. Henree leads Mr Haughton and Loren out of the giant structure again and flicks the master light switch, turning all of the lights in the spaceship off. Then they leave the shed. The bright sunshine is a shock after the cold darkness of the shed. Loren focuses on the garden and on the strong presence of nature she feels in large areas like these. Henree is saying something or other to do with moving the spaceship onto the launchpad, but Loren is absorbed in her own thoughts. Suddenly she turns to Henree.]
Loren: What's her name?
[The man looks baffled. "Excuse me?" he asks. "Who's name are you asking for, Loren-Miss Seen-whatever I can call you?" Loren stifles a laugh; she does not, after all, really care about what people call her, but at the moment she is too determined to explain her question than to pick Henree up on that. She indicates the shed.]
Loren: The spaceship's name. In books ships always seem to have names-water-ships, anyway, I'm not so sure about spaceships. And I know she's a girl because in book ships are always girls. So what's her name?
[Henree smiles. "I hadn't actually thought about such a thing yet," he answers. "Too caught up with actually building the damn thing, I suppose. So "she" hasn't got a name at the moment. So I think..." He glances at Mr Haughton, and then back at Loren. "I think I should leave her name up to you."]
Loren: Oh, me? I'm terrible at names, but, that is-thank you. I'll have to think about it a little while, but I'm sure I'll come up with something that works.
["I'm sure you will too," Mr Haughton assures her. Now he turns to Henree. "I think we'll be going soon, Henree. Spectacular spaceship, though."]
Loren: I'm very grateful to you, Henree. I wish I was staying long enough to repay you.
[But Henree shakes his head. "I'm not interested in payment," he tells her firmly. "As long as you get good use out of it, that'll make me happy enough. I'm sure once you've left the planet in her I'll find some other project to be getting on with. Maybe I could make something even better than a spaceship: the world's first teleportation device!"
"Don't go overboard, Henree," warns Mr Haughton.
"When have I ever done such a thing?" Henree asks simply in reply. Then he turns to Loren. "Very nice meeting you," he says, pressing her hand once more to his lips. "I wish you the best of luck in finding your sisling. Oh, and one more thing: can you tell me at least twenty-four hours in advance when you want to operate the spaceship? I'll need to move it onto the launchpad all ready for you, that's all."]
Loren: Don't worry. I'll make sure to contact you again through Sobert, as soon as I've got Novie back again. Thanks for the tour.
["My pleasure," he tells her. "Nice seeing you too, Sobert."
"Any time, old boy," Mr Haughton replies. "Where's my bag, by the way?"
"Ah, I left it inside," Henree answers, hastening back across the garden towards the little cottage. "I assume I'm allowed to keep the biscuits?"
Mr Haughton holds hands with Loren as they stroll after Henree. "They were intended for you, so, yes!" Mr Haughton calls. Henree disappears into the cottage, and now Mr Haughton turns to Loren, who feels so much more at ease in Henree's absense. He seems to know it, because he says, "Sorry about that one. Henree's rather enthusiastic about everything, that's all, but he's harmless really."]
Loren: No, it's ok. He's nice. It still feels really weird for me to be treated like this, like a normal person, even like a good person.
["But you are a good person, Loren," Mr Haughton implores. Loren smiles faintly.]
Loren: Well, I'm glad someone thinks so.
[Mr Haughton senses that Loren would rather be alone with her thoughts, so they complete the rest of the journey to the cottage in silence, although he does squeeze her hand once or twice. Loren squeezes his in return, and they can feel the happiness of each lingering in the air without either of them having to do so much as smile.
When they reach the cottage, Henree thanks them for their visit. "But more importantly," he says, looking at Mr Haughton, "thank you for the biscuits. Biscuits beat any visit I've ever had from anyone"-which, Mr Haughton stresses to Loren afterwards, was not meant to offend them; it was really meant as a joke-Henree values their company much more than he lets on.
After much embracing from Henree (he even insisted on hugging Loren this time, now they knew each other a little better, and having all the air squeezed out of her was not a pleasant experience) Mr Haughton and Loren are once more sitting in the hot bluish car that is Mr Haughton's. Loren watches the trees and houses flashing by, and smiles.]
Loren: I had a dream last night, Sobert.
["Did you indeed?" Mr Haughton asks, his eyes on the road. "Was it a good dream or a nightmare?"]
Loren: More of a nightmare, really. It was about Novie.
["Ah," he answers knowingly, and is sensible enough to let Loren go on and recount the dream. She does so breathlessly; it is not a pleasant dream to recall.]
Loren: I haven't been having many dreams lately, or at least no nightmares. If I do dream, I never remember it when I wake up. But this time the dream was so intense I woke up sweating and terrified cuz I was so sure it was real.
It was really weird, cuz I think-tell me if this is crazy, Sobert, but I think my dream was telling me what's actually happening to Novie in the childerling-home. I saw her being abused by the men who took her away-I remember what they looked like-Mirtin and Iron Bryon. And then for some reason I saw Novie pretending to be a cat, and also I saw her telling me she loved me-she seemed to be in bed at the time-and finally I saw her drawing some diagram on some paper.
I honestly don't know what to make of it. It scares me, a bit. Do you think it's real? Or d'you think it's just something my brain made up to make me even more determined to rescue her from that place?
[Mr Haughton whistles quietly. "It really could be either," he says eventually.]
Loren: You think Novie could be going through that right now? Really?
["Could be. We hear stories of things like that all the time, but the question is, do we believe them? Or do we dismiss them as inventions of the mind?" Mr Haughton turns and glances at Loren briefly before turning back to the road, as if pretending that his questions were not rhetorical and that he expects answers to them. "Personally," he continues, "I think the dream you have just recounted is too outlandish and fantastical to be merely an invention of your sleeping brain."]
Loren: Oh, then-oh, poor Novie! To be treated like that by those brutes! If I could only get my hand on them-
[Mr Haughton interrupts her. "But don't quote me on that," he tells her firmly. "After all, at the end of the day it's really all just speculation." Then he falls silent, and Loren stares out of the window, and it seems like only a second later that they are turning onto their road.]
Loren: I'm damn hot.
["I bet you are," Mr Haughton says through gritted teeth as he attempts a parallel park. "You can come in my house if you like, and we can talk about whatever you like over some iced lemonade."]
Loren: That sounds lovely. I'm in.
[After much reversing, Mr Haughton finally manages to park successfully. He pulls out the keys and Loren gets out. The first thing she does is take of the fur-lined parka and take a long deep breath of the fresh cool air. Mr Haughton comes around the side and immediately copies her by taking off his own coat, before opening his gate and unlocking his front door. "Ladies first," he says, standing aside to let Loren into the house.
She shakes her head at him, grinning, and hangs her coat on one of the coat hooks. Then she walks through into the sitting room and collapses on the sofa. Now they are friends, she does not mind sitting next to him, and likes nothing more than resting her head on his shoulder and saying nothing. Some might call theirs a romantic relationship as it is at the moment, but Loren knows better; apart from hugging his from time to time, they are both impeccably friendly towards each other, with no hint of any other feeling.
"I'm just going to open all the windows and make the lemonade," Mr Haughton calls. "Then I'll be straight through." Loren closes her eyes and thinks about her sisling.]
Loren: (Novie, where are you right now? Are you thinking of me? Cuz I think of you all the time. Did those horrible really do that to you? Is Sobert right that my dream was more like a window into your life? I got too many questions and zero answers. Novie... you know what, I made up my mind. It's not lunch time yet. I'm coming to rescue you, today.
I'll go to the office of childerling care in the centre of Ling, ask for Mirtin cuz he's the weaker one, and ask him which childerling-home they put Novie in, cuz I'm getting her back. Then he'll give in and tell and voilà, I got everything I need to know. I'll catch a bus to the place and then I'll just walk right on in and take her. No plan needed. We'll be far away from here soon, and I don't think I can bear another day without her. I love her too much for that.)
[Mr Haughton enters the sitting room carrying two glasses of iced lemonade. He sets them down on the table, opens the window, and smiles at Loren before sitting down beside her. "So, what've you been thinking about in the five minutes I've been gone? Looks like you've been thinking over a lot." Loren looks at him with a gaze full of fiery resolution.]
Loren: I have been thinking 'bout a lot. And I've decided that I am rescuing Novie today. No more dilly-dallying. No more planning. I'm sick of sitting around doing nothing while she's getting abused in that place. I'm going to get her, right now.