Beers and Beards

This time I awoke in my own comfortable bed.

I made my way to our impressive bathroom and sat in the steaming pool for a while, thinking. It was either really early, or really late, but who could tell underground? Either way, I was the only one in the bath, which really gave me an opportunity to think.

What was I going to do? Did I take the offer and go off to the unknown, or stay here with my family and bask in our hard won success.

Why was this so hard?

I had an offer on the table. A serious offer. Given the general mood of the Grumble, it was an offer I’d need to follow up on alone. I doubted anyone else would be willing to drop everything and come with me. Okay, maybe Annie, but she’d need to stay and be in charge of brewing.

No. It would be me alone.

I’d undoubtedly get an escort, but I’d be a sitting duck if things went really sideways.

I shivered, remembering the monstrous fire-breathing feathered demon this world called a duck.

Okay, a sitting buck. Or something.