Chapter 71 foreknowledge

Boston on the way to New York, October 31, 1902 Most of the train passengers have already settled down in their own carriages and compartments, either reading or sleeping, or spending time on the journey in other ways.The aisle, which was crowded with people at the time of departure, was almost completely empty at this time, and Poppy and Weggy walked between the cars, as calm as cats. Next to the door of each cubicle was a tag with a handwritten name on it.They stop at the words C.Bowen's door, Wage raised his hand and tapped on the frosted glass. please come in.Someone called from inside, and Poppy opened the sliding door.

Did we disturb something?she asked. No, Celia said: Come in.She closed the notation-filled booklet she was studying and placed it on the table.The entire cubicle looked like a library that had been bombed, with stacks of books and papers between the velvet-covered benches and polished wooden tables.Light dances around the room as the train moves, bouncing off the crystal chandelier. Weegie closed the sliding door casually and locked the latch. Would you like some tea?Celia asked. no thank you.Bobby said.She looks nervously at Wage, who just nods. Celia looked at the two of them, Bobby bit his lip so as not to meet Celia's eyes, and Wicky leaned against the door.

Straight up.she says. We poppy start: we have a problem. what kind of question?Celia asked, moving a stack of books so they could sit on the velvet bench, but the twins stayed put. I think what was supposed to happen didn't happen.Bobby said. What is that?Celia asked. Our friend Bailey was supposed to come with us. Oh yeah, Weeggie mentioned that sort of thing, and Celia said: I guess that means he shouldn't be here? No, said Poppy: We waited and waited, but he didn't come, but I don't know if it was because he didn't want to come, or because we left early. I get it, Celia said: From my point of view, the decision to run away and join a circus is a big decision.Maybe he didn't have enough time to think about it.

But he should come, said Bobby: I know he should. did you see anythingCelia asked. how much. How much do you see? It's not as clear as it used to be, Poppy said: I can't see things as clearly as I used to.It's all just bits and pieces that don't make sense.For a year, nothing here has made any sense, and you know it. That's an exaggeration, I suppose, but I understand why it feels that way.Celia said. That's not an exaggeration.Bobby said in a high voice. The chandelier began to tremble, Celia closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and waited for them to resume their gentle swing before speaking.

Poppy, no one here is more upset about what happened last year than I am.As I told you, it wasn't your fault, and there was nothing you could do to avoid it.You can't do it, I can't do it, no one can do it.Do you understand? Well, Poppy said: What's the use of seeing the future if I can't do anything to stop it? You can't stop things, Celia said: you can only prepare and wait for them to happen. You obviously have the ability to stop it.Poppy grunted, looking around at the endless volume of books.Celia rested a finger on Poppy's chin and turned her head to meet her gaze.

Only a handful of people on this train know how inseparable I am to the running of the circus, Celia said: Even if you two are two of them and you're super smart, you can't understand the whole situation here.If you really understand, I'm afraid you won't like it very much.Well, tell me how much you see. Poppy closed his eyes and tried to gather his thoughts.I'm not sure, she said: It was bright, everything was on fire, and Bailey was there. You have to work harder.Celia said. I can't help it, Poppy said: I can't see anything clearly, that's how it was before, ever since

That's probably because you didn't want to see anything clearly after that incident, and I can't blame you.But if you want me to take action to stop whatever, I need more information. She untied the long silver chain around her neck, checked the time on the pocket watch hanging from the chain, and held it up to Poppy's eyes. Come on, Poppy, Celia said: You don't have to look at the stars to do it.Try to concentrate.Even if you don't want to. Poppy frowned, turning his attention to the silver watch suspended in midair, swinging in the warm light. She squinted her eyes, focusing on the reflections on the curvature of the pocket watch, and then those reflections softened, and she looked at something beyond the watch, beyond the train.

Her eyes trembled slightly, her body began to shake, and then she fell backwards.Wedge leaped forward and caught Poppy before she hit the floor. Celia helped Weggie move Poppy to the velvet bench next to the table, and the teacups on the nearby shelf filled themselves with water, and the flower-patterned china cups immediately steamed and filled with the aroma of tea. Poppy blinked and looked up at the chandelier as if seeing it for the first time before turning to Celia to take the cup of tea. It just hurts.Bobby said. I'm sorry, honey, Celia said: I think your precognition has become stronger, and it will be more difficult to suppress if you want to.

Poppy nodded, rubbing his temples. Tell me everything you see, Celia said: Everything.I don't care if it makes sense or not.Try to describe it. Bobby stared blankly at his tea before speaking. There was a big fire, she said: it started with a campfire, but it was bigger and nothing could stop it.It was like the whole atrium was on fire, the noise was loud, and the heat, and Poppy paused, closing his eyes, trying to focus on the image in his mind.She opened her eyes and looked at Celia again.You are there, you are with someone else.I thought, it rains, and then you're not there anymore, but you're still there, I can't explain it.Then Bailey came, I think, not during the fire but after.

What does that other person look like?Celia asked. It was a man, full height, in a suit and bowler hat, I thought, hard to say who it was. Celia buried her head in her hands, and spoke after a while. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I know he's currently in London, so this might not happen as quickly as you think. But soon, I'm sure.Poppy protested. Estimating time has never been your strong suit.Even you yourself said that this friend of yours was there when the incident happened, and the first thing you complained about just now was that he was not here.It might not happen for weeks, months or years, Bob.

But we have to do something.said Poppy, slamming the teacup on the table.The tea stopped before it splashed on an open book, as if there were an invisible wall around the book.Be prepared, like you just said. I'll do my best not to let the circus come to naught, I'll try to make it as fireproof as possible.Let's do this first, okay? Poppy nodded after a moment. Well, Celia said: In a few hours, we will get off the train, so we can talk about it later. etc.Wage said.He had been sitting on the back of the velvet bench, not joining in on the conversation.Now he turned to Celia.Before you drive us away, I have a question. what is the problem?she asked. You say we can't understand the whole situation here.Wage said. My wording just now may not be quite right. It's a competition, right?Wedgie asked. Celia looked at him, a slow, sad smile tugging at her lips. It took you sixteen years to figure it out, she said: I expected more from you, Wedge. I guessed it a long time ago, and he said: It's hard for me to see things you don't want me to know, but recently I have sensed sporadic fragments one after another.Your defense is not as strong as it used to be. competition?asked Poppy, looking back and forth between his brother and Celia. Like a chess game, Wage said: the circus is the chessboard. Not exactly, Celia said: not as straightforward as a chess game. Are we all playing a contest?asked Poppy. Not us, Wage said: she and someone else.The rest of us are, um, pawns in the foil? it's not like that.Celia said. Otherwise what?Wedgie asked. In response, Celia just looked at him, looking straight into his eyes without wavering. Wage met her gaze silently for a long while, and Poppy watched them both curiously.Finally, Wedgie blinked, surprised, and stared down at his shoes. Celia sighed.When she spoke, she spoke to both of them at the same time. If I haven't been completely honest with you before, it's only because I know a lot of inside information that you don't want to know.I ask you to trust me when I tell you that I am working hard to turn things around.This balance is extremely fragile and involves many factors.The best policy for us now is to cover up the situation with soldiers, and not worry about what has happened or what is about to happen.Agree? Wage nodded, and Poppy followed suit hesitantly. Thank you, Celia said: Now please go away and try to rest. Poppy gave her a hug before slipping out the door and back down the hallway. Wage lingers for a moment. so sorry.He said. Nothing to apologize for.Celia told him. Still sorry. Wage kisses her on the cheek and leaves without waiting for her answer. What happened just now?Poppy asked when Weggy joined him in the aisle. She let me read her, Wage said: all of her, nothing to hide.She's never done that before.He would not elaborate as they walked quietly through the train. What do you think we should do?Poppy asked as they got back to their car, and an orange cat crawled into her arms. I think we should wait and see, Wage said: "I think we'll just have to wait for now." In the small room full of books, Celia began to tear the handkerchief into thin strips.She tossed pieces of silk and lace into empty teacups one at a time, and set them on fire.She repeated this process over and over until the cloth continued to burn without being charred, and remained bright and white in the flames.