Janie, I’m free! Didn’t think I’d ever be able to write you again, after those rat-riders put me to work in their mine. They confiscated my gear at the gate and tried to get me to wear a secondhand prison outfit. Those rags stunk like someone had just died in em, so I said thanks but no thanks. I’d rather work in my altogether. I was sorry real quick I turned down any way to cover up, after I got put to work under that hot sun. By the end of the first day I had blisters on my blisters. And after sundown it was like out of the frying pan and into the freezer. All the damn mist coming off the river clung to everything. And they locked us up deep in the dark and cold. And it wasn’t like we got blankets or turndown service there. No lullabies or pillows with mints on em. Believe it or not, this little girl was the one who started our jailbreak. She caught an armload of monster centipedes that we had crawling all over to help her break us out. Turns out their spit can melt right through iron chains! Was planning to do more to help before I got knocked on my ass in a stampede of those big cart-pulling armadillo things. By the time I finally came to again, it was all over and the place was deserted. Can’t blame everyone for wanting to get out while the getting’s good.
Back into the woods, I guess -- BOB