This story started here.
"Should a girl sleep with a man before getting married?"
"Oh, no, she should stay awake at all times. You can't tell what might happen when you're asleep."
Carly's head jerked up. Had somebody actually said that? Had she dozed off for a moment? She felt a shifting in the large shape next to her and wondered if it was suppressed laughter. She smiled. Maybe he was snoring. Maybe it was the tall man who had dozed off, not she. She shifted slightly on the worn wooden bench they both sat on.
Then she realized that the room was silent. The story must have ended. She wondered what happened now.
"So, Ms. Stein," the tall man rumbled, "do you have a story to tell us, or don't you?"
Carly's mind started racing in all directions. She had dozed off. She had already been asked to produce a story. People don't invite you into their caves and give you tea and entertainment without expecting anything in return. She couldn't think of a story right now to save her life. And she was damn sure she hadn't mentioned her last name. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
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