When he spoke, his voice was its usual slurred nonsensical sound. What Stony's mother—not my mother, not anymore, he reminded himself—had called “Village Idiotese.”

He recognized the tone as the one used by friendly sisters to discuss the infirmities of their husbands. It was Shama’s plea to a sister to exchange intimacies, to show support.

Engineers will be closely checking the bridge for damage beyond the obvious smashed parapets.

Verrelie that which I have heard and redd in the woorde of God