(Author's Note: I may be one of the first people able to say this, but this is written with complete permission from the author. I do not, however, have permission from the publisher, so, Bizenghast belongs to M. Alice LeGrow and TokyoPop. These three vignettes were written as a challenge on my Livejournal.)

A House of Cards with a Foundation of Stone

Vincent had told Dinah to be at his house at 4:30. If she stayed for three hours, and left promptly at 7:30, she would have half an hour of summer sun left to get home before darkness fell and her mad visions came on. Assuming that she took the quickest path through the woods, went full tilt on her bicycle through town, and did not apply the brakes while going down the hill on Blair Road.

Before she met Vincent, Dinah knew she would not have been brave enough to do that. Of course, if she hadn't met Vincent, there would be no reason for her to do that.

She was on time, but there was little else for her to do these days but be on time. Vincent's parents' house (he repeatedly insisted that it was theirs, not his) was an imposing mansion from a time when not just anyone could afford to have a mansion. Set far back on a goodly piece of land, it looked deserted, though not particularly creepy, to Dinah as she came up the driveway. To be fair, it was mostly deserted, as Vincent lived in the garden behind the house.

Walking her bicycle behind the house, she found Vincent on the stone patio, apparently building a gigantic house of cards. Her breath froze in her chest; she was suddenly paralyzed by the idea that her slightest movement would bring the entire creation down.

"Hi, Dinah," said Vincent, standing up and swinging his limbs around as if he were unaware of fragile buildings he threatened. "I'm glad you could make it past your aunt today."

"What are you doing?" Dinah whispered, trying to create as little breeze as possible.

"Oh, I'm building a card castle for my friend Peter. He's using it for a photo shoot." Vincent casually touched a tall tower of cards.

"Don't!" cried Dinah. But nothing happened. The card towered remained steady, and the still queens and kings stared blankly on, mocking her overreaction.

"Huh?" said Vincent. "Oh, I'm taping them together. It'd hardly stay up for a minute otherwise."

"That's cheating!" said Dinah, feeling something shockingly akin to panic bloom in her breast. "Card houses are not supposed to stay up for more than a minute. They're delicate, and useless, and too difficult for most people! Why not build a house out of sturdier materials instead?"

"Dinah, it's a prop for some pictures, not a philosophical dissertation on the fleetingness of security." Vincent smiled reassuringly and reached out his hand to Dinah. "Besides, why shouldn't something fragile be given a little support now and then? Now, come on. Help me finish this, and we'll take a walk out by the bridge."