Motif · Book 5, The Butcher's Masquerade

The river in Carl's head

A stream that has always murmured, louder in heat and muted only by rest, which the sixth floor names: 'The water is running.' It roars at the Grand Canyon in memory, at Bea's hologram, at the name Ferdinand, when Gideon's team dies because Carl asked. 'The sink is running. We're not supposed to let it run.'

Segment appearances

• Chapter 8 — The Night Wyrm's web
• Chapter 12 — No matter what
• Chapter 19 — Miss Beatrice
• Chapter 22 — Samantha, open wide
• Chapter 34 — How to kill a mantis
• Chapter 36 — Swole
• Chapter 72 — Cat-nac the Magnificent
• Chapter 73 — Wonderwall, again
• Chapter 77 — The mask

Progression

A stream muted only by rest, starting to hurt (ch. 8); 'The water is running' as something breaks, and the Grand Canyon with his mother (ch. 12); roaring on Odette's couch (ch. 19); 'It’s so loud, Carl. It’s so loud' (ch. 22); 'This is where you belong, Carl' — jump into the rapids (ch. 34); 'The sink is running' (ch. 36, ch. 72, ch. 73); Ferdinand's name at the masquerade (ch. 51); Gideon's death; the river screams (ch. 73), and after the fight it is peaceful and silent there (ch. 77).