Part 2:
The meeting to determine R's fate had concluded.
And the letter A stated that he agreed with the vote for punishment.
And then A revealed a fact unknown to the group.
The realm of Punctuation had a rogue member as well!
And the Alphabet would work with Punctuation to recover both.
And A declared that he himself would lead the search, along with C, L, O and Y.
And that Exclamation Point and the Quotation Marks would join them on the hunt.
And lastly, A remarked he had a brief errand to undertake.
He would go and speak with the Numbers, and ask for their input on this matter.
Every other letter shuddered.
The Numbers! The true severity of the situation became clear.
And A excused himself and readied for his audience with the Numbers.
And only B, his trusted second, did witness a rare moment of hesitancy.
And the letter A stated that he agreed with the vote for punishment.
And then A revealed a fact unknown to the group.
The realm of Punctuation had a rogue member as well!
And the Alphabet would work with Punctuation to recover both.
And A declared that he himself would lead the search, along with C, L, O and Y.
And that Exclamation Point and the Quotation Marks would join them on the hunt.
And lastly, A remarked he had a brief errand to undertake.
He would go and speak with the Numbers, and ask for their input on this matter.
Every other letter shuddered.
The Numbers! The true severity of the situation became clear.
And A excused himself and readied for his audience with the Numbers.
And only B, his trusted second, did witness a rare moment of hesitancy.
The letter R traveled on alone, unaware of the massive forces aligning against him.
He reflected on his many good times in the Alphabet.
He felt affection for all its members, even the ones who proved difficult.
R thought of his close friends, P and X, and how they’d tried to help unyoke U from Q.
He recalled festivities and wild parties, especially the occasions with the Card symbols.
Heart, Diamond, Club and Spade were renowned for high-stakes fun.
R knew he would miss those gamblers a great deal.
He reflected on his many good times in the Alphabet.
He felt affection for all its members, even the ones who proved difficult.
R thought of his close friends, P and X, and how they’d tried to help unyoke U from Q.
He recalled festivities and wild parties, especially the occasions with the Card symbols.
Heart, Diamond, Club and Spade were renowned for high-stakes fun.
R knew he would miss those gamblers a great deal.
The problem with the Numbers, as A saw it, was not just losing touch with their purpose.
It was that they’d lost their desire for a purpose at all.
That loomed as a troubling equation for the mightiest of all symbols.
Nearly half of their ranks were present as he arrived, and 2, 3, 5, and 8 greeted him warmly.
The letter A did not need their permission to act, nor even to inform them. His visit was merely a courtesy.
Pleasantries were exchanged with the assembled integers as A briefed them on R.
It was that they’d lost their desire for a purpose at all.
That loomed as a troubling equation for the mightiest of all symbols.
Nearly half of their ranks were present as he arrived, and 2, 3, 5, and 8 greeted him warmly.
The letter A did not need their permission to act, nor even to inform them. His visit was merely a courtesy.
Pleasantries were exchanged with the assembled integers as A briefed them on R.
Almost immediately the topic shifted to other matters.
The awesome powers gathered before him resorted to their usual gossip and scheming.
Accusations that 3 had been appearing in upside-down form, posing as the letter E.
Leering innuendo linking 9 to a dalliance with Rhombus from the realm of Shape.
By the time the usual bluster of an Odds and Evens civil war came up, A had decided against saying any more.
And he thanked the Numbers and excused himself, and headed back to Alphabetia.
And marveled at just how much they had squandered.
And imagined the changes the future might bring.
The awesome powers gathered before him resorted to their usual gossip and scheming.
Accusations that 3 had been appearing in upside-down form, posing as the letter E.
Leering innuendo linking 9 to a dalliance with Rhombus from the realm of Shape.
By the time the usual bluster of an Odds and Evens civil war came up, A had decided against saying any more.
And he thanked the Numbers and excused himself, and headed back to Alphabetia.
And marveled at just how much they had squandered.
And imagined the changes the future might bring.
R's memories of Alphabet life flowed as he continued his exodus.
Feelings echoed deep. He deviated course and went to the realm of Shape, and traveled its routes.
And sought out his friends Octagon and Hexagon, to say goodbye.
And then retraced his path, in hopes of fooling any pursuers, before going on his way.
And something hard smashed into him, something sharp and unseen.
And R careened back in a painful sprawl.
And then wondered if his brief journey had just reached an abrupt end.
Feelings echoed deep. He deviated course and went to the realm of Shape, and traveled its routes.
And sought out his friends Octagon and Hexagon, to say goodbye.
And then retraced his path, in hopes of fooling any pursuers, before going on his way.
And something hard smashed into him, something sharp and unseen.
And R careened back in a painful sprawl.
And then wondered if his brief journey had just reached an abrupt end.
