A GREAT SHADOW had been cast across the Face of the World and its influence was being felt in high places and among the lowliest who thought matters could not get any worse.
Rumours prided themselves on secret wellsprings. That first mutter which took on substance and a life of its own was essential as a beginning. In some places among wise tongues it might fritter away with disdainful denial, yet there were always little outbreaks that renewed, reinforced and substantiated the insubstantial until it acquired gravitas. Which is not a pleasant sauce one might dip crisps into, nor missing particles in some grand sub-atomic scheme that explained just about everything. It was weighty significance, if the rumours were to be believed.
Rumours did behave like particulate matter at times though. Driven by some unseen field of force, accelerated through various energy levels, following those lines of force no matter how twisted, until they impinged upon some unsuspecting nucleus minding its own business in the lowest state of matter, torpitude.
Tinkers were known to cluster thus in the mysterious land of Affinity, picking the bones out of philosophical thought with the burden of responsibility.
It was agreed after several rounds of drink all rumours began with a denial which acted as an echo to an unspoken thought. Once a negative was in play, a response was essential to balance things. Some responses though were more about affirming the state of affairs rather than reacting to the possibilities of doom. The only remedy for that was a positive denial.
'No matter how deep the shadows, or the depths to which despair might plunge, or how far down spirits are dragged,' one Tinker was saying in dreary tones as he tried to seek words to offset the gloom.
'Were there miners in your ancestry?' someone interrupted this speech.
'You always dig that up,' came a whine of exasperation. 'Anyway, despite the worst the future tries to bury us under, we still have one thing that could change it all. One tiny little thing on which we can relie.'
'What's that then?'
'Faith. And hope.'
'That's two things.'
'Well, hope is a kind of faith for those who have little niggling doubts. You know, not quite one hundred percent on board for certain, all in up to the hilt.'
'Or shovel handle.'
'Yes, thank you, that as well. What I meant was there are shades to all this and it's best to represent them all lest someone complain. We have... something, a secret weapon to fight the good fight.'
'Oh, another one of those.'
'It is best, I am reliably informed,' a feminine voice inserted itself in the conversation, 'to have more than one on the go at once.'
Everyone looked at the new arrival.
'What?' she said a little uncomfortably. 'What did I say?'
'There's a,' and the bearded individual next to her made a finger gesture. 'There's a spider on your hat.'
'Oh, poor thing,' and she flicked it off. 'Just along for the ride. Anyway as I said there are more ways to bake a cake you know. I have had the opportunity to engage a curious little soul among others, rather mischievous it is true, but no less of merit for all that.'
'This one's special,' the optimistic speaker resumed. 'A soul so pure the very substance of the universe is changed by it unwittingly, or so I've been reliably informed by Tinker memo and a fragrant handshake.'
'Ah. Anything to do with cheese?'
'It might,' and there was a twitch to the corner of his bearded mouth that showed any further elucidation would be suppressed.
'Excellent!' came a dismissal of incredulity. 'Who's round is it?'
'Yours,' everyone inevitably said.
'Did anyone notice where that spider went?' he replied meekly.