Realistic or Modern From Beyond The Stars

[Windjammer]

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The air was cool that fall day in Asheville, North Carolina, and so most people were dressed accordingly. The leaves had turned color but had not yet fallen, and the hoards of gawking tourists were wandering around in groups like flocks of sheep. It was a Saturday, and many locals were off work. While many would spend the chilly morning sipping something warm and perhaps watching their favorite shows, the same could not be said for a group meeting in the back of a space that was clearly rented. It was a small shop in the front that sold various items on consignment. The facade suggested that the building itself was old but well kept. The interior was still decorated as it was back in 1925, long before it was a consignment shop. In spite of the cozy antique decor the atmosphere was one of awkward discomfort in the back.

It was about 11:30 in the morning, and the group was waiting for lunch time when the real discussion would start. The group was a support group, and they all had thing in common. They all had experienced something terrible. Terrible in a different way for each, but also the same for all. Their experiences were preposterous to many, but they were very real. The group had been only meeting for a month every Saturday, and this meeting was no different. Some faces were familiar, some were new.

The group became slightly larger with each new gathering, and one such new face was Valentine Moreau. Valentine was sitting in one of the chairs in the circle bouncing his leg nervously. He was looking at the floor and not saying a word. He had never been to such a group before, and was worried about a number of things. One thought crossed his mind after another. Am I crazy? Am I being silly? Did I really see what I saw? He clearly felt awkward being where he was, but he also felt alone in his position, and that he needed to reach out to others.