The Fantastic Expungement of Henly York

I've heard whispers of a place named Pinnikle. It is a wonderful place - unlike the land you and I are familiar with - where there are sights much more splendid than those we know. There are many differences between that land and this. I did not go for the wanderlust, though. My reason for visiting: to erase a few things from the very ledger with which time records all the things that exist. My "crime": I had swindled when I could have been giving, to say the least.

As for entrance into Pinnikle: If you've not been born there, the only way in is by wish. The wish must be made on either a very bad day, or a very good day - never a normal one. Even then, you are not guaranteed to wish upon the right star. Luckily, I heard of just the right one to wish upon. They called me Henly - no last name - just Henly. I have been to Pinnikle and back.

As for my career: I only ever stole from the rich - the type who could replace lost goods with new things. I pawned their items at street markets, and used the cash to place sporting bets at Ol' Shay Farcus's pub.

I didn't drink though, for my own reason: Every so often, I'd stop at the children's hospital to leave a good-will donation. I thought a habit like that ought to be accompanied by another upstanding trait, so I didn't ever drink with the bar crowd. Anyways, the sober mind helped me master the art of gambling.

The day I went to Pinnikle is a fond memory. It started the night before - a night of a fine day. It was one of those days I had stopped by the hospital, only to come home to my crummy apartment. In my bedroom there was a paneled ceiling, and I stashed what remained of the day's earnings there, with all the rest. After falling asleep, I was awoken sometime past midnight by the old woman across the alley, shouting at stars from the rooftop of her building... Sophia Liona - the batty, white haired woman - would do that every so often.

"Trynity Everglade," She called to the sky. "Aren't you up there? I'd sure like to go back and see my brother before I die."

"Quiet!" I yelled out my window, weary that losing rest could cause sloppy work the next day.

"Trynity Everglade," She turned to me, and pointed up.

The woman was so old, I thought she had forgotten words that weren't a part of her fantasies. I looked up anyways, and to my bewilderment: A star shaped like a human - glimmering, and glinting sparkles of every color as if she were a diamond - came from the sky to talk with old Sophia!

"Sophie Lionhartt," said the star - her voice like glimmering things. "I've come to take you, at last. Your brother, the king, will be pleased to see you again."

"Oh!" Sophia moaned happily, then asked, "Bring me to the boy's window first?" and pointed toward me.

The star did so. In no great hurry, floating Sophia told me: "Time, himself, lives where I'm going. If you'd venture a new life, come to Pinnikle and talk with him. You can only enter by wish on a very good day, or a very bad day - never a normal one. Make your wish, but only when you see this star shoot across the sky."

The star - named Trynity - took the woman into the sky. They vanished in a blast of light, leaving a tail of stardust. I put the strange things out of my head, and fell asleep. The next day, I pondered how it might be to put thievery behind me. I decided to put Sophia's "wisdom" to the test, not knowing if I could will a good day; but feeling certain I could force a very bad one - to meet Sophia's wishing criteria.

I wasn't even confident any of it was true, and supposed the unknown outcome would only cause hopelessness - a great start to a terrible day. I stole many things from the usual places, but I did so clumsily, and escaped to the metro when police were called. I pawned openly, nearby the scene, and was quickly pursued again. I ditched the law, and hailed a cab to Farcus's pub.