Down the Volga

Another Cloven enclave, also underground, hidden, dark. There is little evidence that the Cloven can stay in an area that has been completely occupied by the Chimera. Do they stay underground to hide from the Chimera? Or for some other reason? In all of Bonn I have seen almost no sign of the Cloven. Like the other altars I've found, this one is covered with small artifacts from another time and place... small photos, broken figurines. And always the music. Near the altar I found a tron and faded piece of paper. Music and lyrics — the same song I keep hearing on these dusty Victrolas? I looked it up when we got to Reims. It's an old Russian folk song, 'Down the Volga.'

'Down the Volga, Mother Volga,

over the wide sheet of water,

there rises a thunderstorm,

a huge thunderstorm,

Nothing is to be seen on the waves,

there is only a small black ship...

What's it mean to them? Can they still even understand words? --

Journal Entry, 01 September, 1951 --

James Grayson