Sid was waiting for me where I’d left him. Our eyes met and he said. “It’s time to go back.”

I knew he wasn’t just talking about returning to the house and I became afraid.

“You mean I have to go back to the way I was?” I protested.

“You won’t be able to help it. The rest of the worlds are wormy with details. You will have to forget all of this to deal with them. In time you will explain away everything.”

“Then why even bring me here?”

“I didn’t bring you here- you brought yourself here.” Sid reminded me. “But was it not worth it? You were in need of cleansing and perspective and here you found both.”

“But I’m going to forget it!”

“Not entirely. It will come to you in the quiet moments and it will come to you in dreams. There are other alternatives.”

“Like?”

“You can stay here. It is a simple life but fulfilling.”

“Those are my options?” I asked bitterly.

“You have infinite options.” Sid said diffidently. “You can only see two of them.”

“That isn’t fair.” I muttered.

“No, but what is fairness?”