Cosmic Puppets, Chapter 9

So now we’re jumping to Mary once again. I’m interested in the game these kids are playing, and I’m also noting that most of the events of this book are taking place over… I think two days? Interesting how much information seems crammed into this short book in such an in-verse short period of time. 

Mary is sitting in her house when suddenly a Wanderer enters. Mary realizes that it’s trying to find her, apparently counting its steps through the house so that it can figure where it is. Apparently this kind of thing has happened before, and Wanderers can materialize into this world by “opening their eyes”. Evidently, one materialized into the wall some time ago, and the smell lingered for a long time….. well that’s horrifying. 

Mary chases down the Wanderer, and then catches it causing it to materialize. She has a cryptic conversation with the Wanderer, here materializing as an older woman, who says that they want to get their hands on Peter. To what end, we are not sure, because Mary springs into action catching a golem. 

It’s further gone into here: Peter and Mary can both manipulate certain beings to act as agents for them. Peter is apparently better than Mary at this, because he’s able to shape golems out of clay, where Mary has to rely on certain animals with predetermined bodies. Mary’s got some kind of recourse though. 

I’ll say, the descriptions here are rather strange. Mary, having caught the golem, puts it in a vase and then fashions her own clay… poultice? And eats it, allowing her to project some of her consciousness into the golem and control it through some sort of psychic connection. She decides she’s going to send this golem back to Peter to spy on him. This in her mind, Mary heads into town. 

However, heading into town she passes by.. well who else but Christopher and Ted? I will say it’s kind of hilarious that it’s just described as her seeing these two drunk guys, who she recognizes, shouting at an abandoned house about a cannon. Soon though, she sees what they are about as they materialize an entire park where this row of abandoned houses had been projected. After they celebrate at their success, Mary decides it’s time for her to go talk to them.