Rac, I'm still very interested in your story, but I must ask you to forgive me for finding this chapter very bleak and forbidding. I'm sure you meant it to be that way, too. And I'm sure that you want to show us war for what it is, cruel and horrible. It's just that I get a little overwhelmed, reading it, and I don't feel I can quote passages and comment on them.
However, I much appreciated seeing Lois with Perry. Lane Smith turned Perry into a wonderfully warm character, and I'm glad to see you use his warmth to encourage and support Lois. I also very much liked seeing Lois with Jon. It was wonderful that he recognized a picture of Clark. It is heartbreaking to think that maybe this little boy will have to grow up without ever meeting his daddy - but I can't believe you will condemn Jon - and Clark and Lois - to such a fate.
Talan's heroism was almost inhuman, even though you never made her scary or strange, just utterly, utterly unselfish and brave. And you made me feel Clark's absolute horror at seeing the bloodbath, and... well, I don't feel I can dwell on those horrors for very long.
I feel your story is about to descend into the pits of darkness, into some mythological realm of evil and lost hope. Or maybe you are just taking us into the far too real horrors of war. Well, Rac, I'm still reading. I hope you will eventually bring your story to some sort of hopeful close.
Ann
