NFTF: Missed Missive IV

[The following, printed on cardstock which, after writing, has been waterproofed with some variety of wood-sealer (or with a mixture of beeswax and orange oil, depending) is duct-taped to the trunk of an Oak tree behind the ranch house into which Veronica first bounds; alas, upon exiting the ranch house, she looks toward the barn and thus misses the useful information contained herein. Perhaps more care should be taken to scent missives so that her expanded olfactory awareness will draw her to something that smells like Edward. Sadly, the time to do so has clearly passed.]

Veronica,

You can save more lives by not going into the barn. This will seem counter-intuitive at first, but trust me: go to the area about ten yards from the front doors of the barn, face the old dairy barn from which you can hear the screaming, then turn and look at the middle hilltop up and to the right of the old dairy barn. If you do this and do it right now, everything will change in our favor. Don't read any further until you're there.

Now that you're in this spot, you will notice that there is a kind of bubble around you. Don't move, don't duck. Stand still and trust me. Someone just blocked a little beasty from swiping at you, yes? Good. STAY STILL and focus on that spot, that hilltop. It is the choice of stillness in the center of the hurricane that can transform our energy and thus alter our path.

When you are done reading this, crumple it immediately and toss it into the air like thistledown: blow on it and make a wish for help. Everything will change. Help will come. Without it, what waits in that dairy barn is too large and too powerful for Lady Henrietta's force, regardless of your transformed abilities and their superior firepower.

Crumple. Toss. Wish. Blow. NOW.

Love,

E

[Spattered with blood and grey matter from slaughtered minions of Torvald Mayberry, this missive nonetheless remains visible and legible for quite a while. Owing to the nature of duct tape, however, it will peel and fall within three weeks. As of this writing, three chances remain: 1) the approaching fire will consume the missive and possibly the tree; if this happens, the missive will neither peel nor fall, but will be burned to ash and never recovered; 2) Reinblatt the Obscurer will arrive to Obscure the missive with lye, spiders and juice of poisonous berries; should this come to pass, it is best that nobody with light in their heart ever find or even see this missive (Reinblatt, while utterly abhorrent, is nevertheless admirably talented in his evil); 3) Uncertainty may prevail: any number of heretofore unknown possibilities could arise to preserve or destroy this missive. There is some speculation that, should it be retrieved by a bird and used to build a nest, the missive will eventually be found, read, duplicated and placed elsewhere so that Veronica may read it in time to alter her path. How it will be found and by whom remain, as of this writing, a mystery.]