Chapter 8
The Unbinding
After the Stale Years had gone on a long while, someone wrote down one small promise beside a date again. And that promise was kept. A small bell rang. People began to gather before the calendar once more.
Even now, when something greatly awaited draws near, the whole world's excitement shakes the old Dregs awake. The Held walk out seven days before the promised day, still guarding something.
We do not fight them out of hatred. The fight is a way of saying, with our bodies, "you may set it down now." That is why this work is called not killing but unbinding, and why we who gather at the calendar are called Unbinders.
Just before letting go, they clutch the hardest. That is not anger. It is the last holding-on. One who is unbound sets down what they were holding and is gone, and in that place one object and one song remain.
Even if we cannot unbind them by the day, the Day still comes down. Then they fall asleep again, still bound, and wake once more at the next great wait. We go to meet them again then.
The DropDay calendar is a ledger of the dates on which they may finally rest. On the promised day, at the promised place. We will see you at the calendar.
End of chapter 8
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