[alatar]

Twenty three minutes.

alatar sat at the banquet table, the glass of iced tea in front of him half empty. Condensation on its side caught the light and sparkled, making the tea appear to be...well...more that it would appear. It also reflected and distorted the images of those that passed or danced nearby. The table was heaped with various foods and delights, yet was missing only Eru's most perfect creation - the cheeseburger. alatar adjusted his hat, pretended to be interested in a scratch on his staff.

He looked around the barrow. More and more entities had entered as he sat there, now for a total of 17 minutes, all with excited tales of their experiences with the barred door. Some entered screaming praise, some just entered, some stayed and chatted while some just went off about their business, further down into the tomb.

Four minutes more, then he would leave.

It was the scientist that looked out of alatar's eyes now, the persona that was colder than the barrow and of a metal and wheels mindset. Not the clown, the theologian, the moviehater nor the advice columnist, but the scientist. The locked door had brought him forth, and now he sat at the party. This version of alatar thought himself very much one of the living - for some reason, he overlooked that he was dead just like all of the others. An oddity, that, especially for one who considered himself a scientist. But such things were as they were. So the responses that he made to the others' salutations were what he calculated to be appropriate, as were the number of minutes that he should attend the party.

Which were 23.

More and he might have to start taking an active part in the festivities; less and it might be considered an affront. Twenty was too orderly, too obvious, and someone might notice.

Three...two...one.

He rose from the table, pushed in the chair and made his way through the revelers, deeper into the barrow. He saw Bêthberry, and made to thank her as she danced on by. "Thanks for the party, Bêth...I mean Fêyberry," he said, the mistaken name intentionally done. "I'd like to stay, but I have things that need attention." He bowed low, then was off, searching the 'Downs for a good discussion that involved religion or the supernatural.