Swamped

Ambition... no, that wasn't it, that's not the right word. It's true that the man stops at nothing to get what he wants but... At the same time he doesn't really want anything. Life's a big game to him — others, his own. Nobody could count the number of times he risked his life and limb over nothing at all. And when he got money, he never saved it, he spent it and then gave the rest away to whoever was standing close by. He's terminally bored.

Well... There is one thing you think he wants now. Ever since he got to the swamp... he wasn't called here... he's been sending you letter after letter, weekly. It doesn't matter that you never answer, they just keep coming. Sometimes he tries to set up chess-by-mail, sometimes he talks about his regrets, sometimes he laments his sleepwalking, his nightmares and convulsions, most of the time he just talks about his week and the newmucks and Long. If you didn't know him better, you'd think he wanted you, or anybody, to be his brother and friend again. Maybe that's still true, but you do know him better, and you're just plain scared.