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it
was just a matter of time before he showed up.
    The following morning, Leif awoke and found the man with the green cloak in high spirits. He stood by the edge of the woods, pacing back and forth muttering excitedly, “Yes, of course that’s it, why did it elude me for so long?”
    â€œHave you remembered the third law?” asked Leif.
    â€œYes, yes, yes, I have,” replied the man giddily.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œJust this morning it came to me,” said the man. “It came to me and I said to myself, ‘Yes, of course, it is:
You must never look backwards
. But then, thank heaven, I realized that was not quite right – not at all. The rule was, I am of certain of it now, as follows:
You must only look backwards
. A bizarre rule, it is, but one that must be followed zealously!”
    â€œWhat is your plan?” asked Leif.
    â€œI will leave through the woods tomorrow at dawn,” said the man eagerly, “And then I will be done with this wretched beach. I cannot wait to be off of it.”
    â€œIf you are so eager to depart,” asked Leif, “Why leave tomorrow and not today?”
    â€œBecause only one person per day may enter the woods,” said the man testily. “Have you learned nothing from me?”
    â€œI don’t understand,” said Leif, “Who has entered today?”
    â€œWhy the boy has,” replied the man matter-of-factly, “He departed at first light.”
    The man with the green cloak then pointed toward the edge of woods and there, in the moist topsoil, were a set of footsteps leading into the woods.
    The following morning, shortly after dawn, the man with the green cloak set off into the woods by himself. He walked backwards, so that he never once looked forward, as he said he would do. The man seemed well - even merry - and he waved once at Leif before he disappeared from view.

Chapter 5: To Be An Ageling
    Within a minute of waking up, Alfonso was in the middle of a panic attack. After his incredibly vivid dream, the blackness he had woken up to felt comforting. However, he soon realized that the blackness was not temporary and instead he was in a place without any light. He also felt stuck, as if his arms, legs and entire body were pinned. He struggled to move, but his muscles refused to obey his brain’s instructions. He tried to cry out, but the blackness swallowed any sound. He struggled again and again, and wondered in despair whether he was having any effect.
    And then a blinding cascade of sunlight poured upon him. A massive face peered down and a fat, enormous finger stroked his forehead. The person smiled, but Alfonso’s vision was too blurry to notice any distinguishing features. Only that the person was a giant. Alfonso tried to release his arms but he still could not control his muscles. His arms squirmed and wiggled spastically. More disturbingly, Alfonso found that try as he might, he could only hold up his head for a minute. All of the muscles in his neck – and indeed his upper spine itself – seemed to have turned into jelly. Something was very wrong with his body. He tried furiously to remember what had happened.
    â€œCome on little guy,” said a voice from above. “I’ve managed to find exactly what you need – a bit of sunlight. Look at that! You’re already out of the coma.”
    Alfonso recognized the voice, but he could not recall exactly whose it was. Moments later, two large hands reached down and picked him up, hoisting him out of the backpack – in which he had been sleeping – and up into the cool air of day. The sun was shining and it was very bright. Alfonso blinked furiously, but his vision remained blurry.
    â€œI would say that you are about two months old,” said the voice. “Gosh, I hate being that age. You can’t see anything, you can’t control your muscles, and you pee on yourself all the time. Still, its better than