Chapter 44: Aidan San Francisco — 1983 Red

When Aidan goes to the three sisters to make a delivery, he finds that all his pieces have sold. As before, the store is empty of customers. Maybe it is because the sisters have him come at 10:30 pm; few people are shopping at that hour. He collects his money and leaves six new pieces. He feels off balance, unsettled.

At home, for the second time in his life he sleeps and dreams. Eyes close, mind opens and he is falling, falling, falling down an endless shaft. Tiny hairs face downward impeding escape, preventing his scaling the tunnel wall. They force him downward. As he falls, he notices the walls are spotted with small flecks of a red so dark it is almost black.