Larksong Grotto joyland

They all left eventually. Be it his own doing or otherwise, the ones Hiram held dear walked out of his life like a somber parade meeting a lonely Louisiana funeral march. The list was long; the Pryors, Wynter, Pantaliemon, Arion, Scarlett, Saena, Tavi -- this list went on forever, and each name stole a piece when they faded away. All contact, all connections in this world, were fleeting on the cosmic stage. Hiram, or Reek, or whatever he felt he was, was nothing more than a speck of dust floating in the warm glow of the stage light. Insignificant. Small.

He lifted his gaze and his eyes met hers; a mirror of sadness. "Where," he muttered, capable of only one, strained word.