Zoe shouts at nothing. "Maybe some children ought to grow up!"

She sighs. Probably it was just another hallucination. But... there was that vision of Azathoth, before she knew anything about Azathoth, and it all matched.

The heat is rising. It seems that the pleasant coolness left with the hallucination (?). 

She should... at least tell the others.

It's so hot. She misses the brief reprieve.

Where are the others? She thinks that... probably she should not go to Dallol.

Araari is VERY CONCERNED. "Are you alright?"

"I. Maybe I should have some more water? Where did you go?"

"I am right here--" ....Here, Zoe, have some water.

Zoe accepts the water, and drinks. "No, I mean, before. A minute ago. I didn't see you. Where's Magnificence?"

"We are both here. We-- have not left. I saw you talking to the air."

"Nephren Ka. He... he comes to all my shows. He was here. But even he said he might just be me seeing things." She still doesn't know what to believe.

Araari nods. "We can discuss when you are less sick, whether it was a hallucination or a vision."

Zoe nods.

Magnificence is CONFUSED and CONCERNED about Zoe.

Zoe reaches out to scratch Magnificence for reassurance.

There he is. She has not lost him.

Pat pat pat. He is not sure whether Zoe is okay, but he can pat her anyway.

And with one thing and another they arrive in Kolluli.

The small children seem to consider them less novel the second time, although Araari still overhears whispered discussion of how Zoe is SICK. And what happened to her HAND.

Zoe's hand is starting to heal, but the ambient sand isn't good for it.

Zoe is constantly testing it. How is her sensation in it? How much she can get away with moving it. The idea that it might scar up into numbness and immobility scares her.

Right now she's more worried about that than whatever sickness these people think she has. She's been sick a lot, since she got here.

Magnificence is MISERABLE.

This place is TERRIBLE and there is NO Anemone and people keep doing CONCERNING THINGS and he does not understand WHY THEY ARE HERE.

Zoe wishes she could teach acrobatics, instead of lying here sick and injured. She hugs Magnificence a lot. She tells him she misses Anemone too.

Araari talks to the villagers about what they think Zoe is sick with; obviously she's also the normal sort of sick, but last time they were here, they thought she was sick "like the people from Dallol".

The villagers are mostly interested in discussing the health of their cattle and when it is time to move to the Awash River. Does Araari have any opinions about the weather?

Araari does have opinions about the weather!

And then: "Pardon my bluntness, I am not familiar with how to discuss these things here--the person I am guiding is sick, and earlier, I heard one of the children mention it. Do you have any guidance for this one?"

The woman she is talking to grimaces.

"The bite on her hand... was it from some kind of animal?"

Araari hesitates before shaking her head. "It was not."

"Ah. ...I think she should go very very far away from here and never come back."

"...It seems likely that is good advice, but I do not know how I might convince her to heed it, without having a reason to give her. I am sorry for troubling you all, and ask that you might extend your kindness to pardon me my boldness."