The old woman bent to her task, gnarled hand trailing the chain
her fingers longing over each link
as if an instrument she played,
and each note out of tune required an effort greater than she felt she had.
But to discontinue was to begin again.
"What are you doing?" asked the boy.
"Looking for weak links" she replied wearily.
It was back breaking work, though it looked like a stroll.
There were those who assumed she just wanted to walk
and behind their hands they whispered conspiracies.
"Looks fine to me," said the boy.
"Does to most," replied the old woman
annoyed at the intrusion
for every derailment added to time.
"Then why don't you just let it be?" asked the boy, chewing a hangnail that would require a bloody freedom.
The old woman sighed, turned to the boy..."Because things are getting in which should stay out, and things that should stay out are getting in. Nothing knows its place anymore."
The boy shook his head. "Old woman...you're wasting your time. Everyone who sees that chain thinks it's strong enough."
She put her hands on her hips. "Which is exactly the problem. Everyone stops and requires an explanation for something they simply cannot see. It only delays the task. Leave me to it Boy, I need to do this alone."
"Why alone?" asked the boy as he turned to go.
"No one else believes in the mission" she said quietly.
He did not hear. He was not meant to.
