An Unexpected Vir(tu)al Party

[Brinniel]

Brinn stepped through her door into the deep depths of The Barrow-Downs. It had been many years since she had explored this realm and yet it felt like coming home. In her last visit, it had been so quiet - but that was no longer the case. The rooms were teeming with life (so to speak), visited both old and new friends alike. The mood was joyful and full of song. One could almost forget that we have been living through such dark times these past weeks.

Twenty years The Barrow-Downs has existed - in the world of the interweb, that is no small feat! So much has changed in that time; after all, Brinn had only been a young lass when she had joined the ranks of the dead and now she was all grown up. And yet little has seemedto change here. The black walls and glowing green and gold remained the same. It was all so familiar that it almost felt like Brinn had stepped into a portal through time.

Not another moment to waste! Brinn made her way through and joined in on the celebrations. While some Downers were dressed festively, she opted for comfort and wore her special shirt to commemorate the occasion instead. As the others made the rounds reciting poetry and songs, Brinn felt a tad embarrassed that she had come ill-prepared. "I have not prepared anything original for a long time, nor have I done much research," she thought. "But then again, what better time to share words from the Great Professor himself - a poem we all know well."

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with weary feet,

Until it joins some larger way,

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.