The bell tinkled over the door of the Old Forest as the man entered.
“Hi! Can I help you?”
“Just looking,” the man said. “Smells good in here.”
“What brings you to the Mile?” she asked.
“Haven‘t been here in a while,” he said. “Just felt like taking a look around, you know? See what’s new.”
“What is new?”
“Well, for one thing… it sure seems like there’s a lot of kids out there.”
“Yeah?” she said. “Well, I mean… it is Friday night.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “But, it didn’t seem like there were so many at first, and then it was like every time I turned around there were more of them, so I started counting… and… well, I kept losing count. But it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of grown-ups around, you know? And some of the kids look pretty young.”
“Oh, tell me about it,” the candy shop proprietress said, heaving a heavy sigh. “Today’s parents think the mall’s a playground and we’re all babysitters. I feel bad for the toyshop… but next to them, I’ve got it worst. They come in here and act like a kid in… well, you know.”
She laughed, and he laughed with her.
“I guess I know what you mean,” he said.
“I didn’t catch your name?” she said.
“Larry,” he said. “Larry Peters.”
“That’s funny,” she said. “I wouldn’t have guessed you were a Larry. I’m Ginger.”
“Strangely enough, I would have guessed you were one of those,” Larry said, his eyes flicking up to her shock of ginger hair.
“Yeah, I know,” she said. “Say, can I interest in you in a complimentary chocolate cordial?”
“I never say no to free candy,” he said, accepting the treat.
“It’s good,” he said. “The filling… very sweet. Uh, I should probably get going.”
“Can’t tempt you with anything else?”
“Not tonight, I’m afraid.”
“Hey, uh, Larry?” she called, as he was almost out the door.
“What?”
“Oh, forget it,” she said.
He did.
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So, that’s how Arc 2 ends… it’s not nearly as climactic as Arc 1, I admit, but it’s not really meant to be. The first arc was a self-contained story with a beginning, middle, and end that touched on the world of tribe, and this was meant to be more of a fleeting overview that hints at future stories.
Very nice… I actually like this ending even more, somewhat more eerie. Hopefully that’s not something you consider a bad thing.
Just a comment – I like the picture, unfortunately the page is now displaying awkwardly in Internet Explorer. I have to scroll down quite a ways to see text. (Or did you do that to ensure that we all see the ads?) Changing the window size didn’t do anything.
Hmmm. What version of Internet Explorer are you using, and what’s your resolution?
Can’t help with IE, but on Firefox in 1280×1024, the date at the top next to the chapter number doesn’t quite fit right in the little graphic tab around it. It’s not a big deal, but it’s one of those little niggling details that will annoy poor, tormented people like me.
Interesting ending. I’m looking forward to the next book.
What font is this supposed to display in? It looked fine before, but now it looks like the missing-font font, and rather too large.
Also, it’s a little odd that both tab-links go to the same place.
(FF3, WinXP, 1280×800)
As for the story, what’s to say? Good as always, though I was just a little confused through the lead-in. It’s tricky writing so that each chapter makes sense after however much time and other serials come between them.
All the fonts do seem oversized.
The graphic at the top looks great, but for me the text starts at the very bottom of the window. I use IE7 at 1024×768. The two ad banners are responsible for alot of the space being used. Also I see the same thing with the date problem. Great story, I’ve found Tribe more addicting than Mu.
Regarding layout things: Well, the stuff I’m typing in the comment box appears quite normal. The stuff entered in the Name, Mail, and Website fields does seem to be oversized, however.
Regarding the story: I wonder how Ginger knew?
Oooh. So is this how she keeps people from noticing? Does that mean Mama doesn’t know about it? Can’t wait to hear more.
I’ve got a lot of blank space before i get to the story too. Everything on the right is where it belongs, and after the end of that everything else below the city pic starts.
I’m using Windows XP in 1024×768
Same as Christine, Phil, and Sandman.
Also this white on black is very hard on the eyes. Sorry, I have to say I liked the old format better, except the cityscape at the top is cool.
Site looks great to me! I’m using Firefox and it works just fine, although I did think I had hit the wrong bookmark when I got here.
I like the new layout. Looks fine to me. Firefox 2.0.0.8 on Linux.
I’m a fan of white on black, personally. Especially with a nice big font like this. I can’t stand those “graphic designer” types who think that 3 pt font is a good idea.
Same as the others (except I’m on IE 6 because the work computer hasn’t been updated). Large font, big gap. To be more specific, the add right above the story is aligned just below where it says login on the right hand column.
I like the forget about it line.
Mmm…I love the ending to this arc. Very fitting.
@ Crispy… Hey I’m on eof those “Graphic Designer Types” and I hate 3pt font. I try very hard to never use less than 9pt on print media.. (10pt on digital) but when you have a client that WILL try to fit 12 lines of text into an area that really is only meant for 5… what are you gonna do?! LOL
@AE I love this! I got hooked on MU first, but tribe is so much fun to read. Not to mention the discipline necessary to get the exact number of words. It’s really good.
I’m on Firefox 2.0.0.10 on Windows XP (Media Center Addition) most times, plus Opera 9.23 very often, plus IE6 on occasion. The only odd thing is that in Firefox and IE, the Name and Mail entry boxes have a very light colored background making it hard to read what I’ve typed into them. This may be an artifact of my using almost exclusively LCD displays, but in Opera the background in the boxes is black, and the white text shows fine. A darker color for that background would be nice.
Otherwise, everything seems to be working the way it should. I like the larger font and the white on black, though I think a very slightly less bright white would be good, a little less of the contrast that some find irritating.
*HUGS*
Am I the only one who finds a candy shop called the Old Forest in a locality with lots of parent-less kids to be significant?
I must confess, I’m getting severe Hansel and Gretel undertones…
candy shop??? the Old Forest???
D’oh.. Now I get it…
Tins…
AAAAAARRRRGGGGG, I sat down to read this for a lark, and finished it all in one sitting. Now I’ll have to wait for updates and sit like all the other poor plebeians previously biding their time. I should have read slowly, taken more breaks…. I wish I could tap into your mind and steal the next few updates. I think I’ll die between now and tommorow.
On a less despairing note; it’s a rather lovely story you’ve got here.
I’m officially reading this one once a week or so, however many updates there have been since the last time I checked. Actually, I think I’m going to start catching up on Tribe on the weekends, when there’s no new Tales of MU.
“Oh, forget it,” she said.
He did.
–
Somehow that is so depressingly anti climactic that its a perfect end
Anyway I just started reading this today while reading through the MU archives(found that one last week). Truly love it and I’ll be checking back on both. Well off to continue trying to get caught up on MU
so, when does Tribe start updeting again . . . . it’s most probably stated somewhere quite clearly and right under my nose . . . . . . meaning there is no way i’ll find out on my own ^_^;;
I don’t get a chance to be here as often as I’d like. Tribes is great work. I read the whole story arc in just a few hours tonight. I’m having a lot more trouble lately getting “in” to MU, but that has a lot more to do with me and my current distracted and depressed state of mind.
I like it a lot, very “The Empire Strikes Back”.
The ending was great. I knew there had to be a catch to that candy shop. I’m going to have to be extra weary of cordials from now on.
Okay, so either I’m the only one who figured out that Art took Nicky’s advice, or I’m the only one paranoid enough to have made a connection that doesn’t exist. I wonder which it is…?
Mama reminds me of the Oracle from the Matrix movies…at least, that’s how I see her in my head.
I love this, even more so than MU. Infact, I’m thinking of reading this instead.