You and I both. Ending up here was no worse than making it to the mainland, and likely a good deal better. I didn't have to explain to anyone what's been going on in Wellington for the last twenty years.

[He manages a small laugh at that. But it's true. There were no awkward questions when one is summoned magically to another dimension. They'd been expecting him here!]

And I'm not surprised, Uncle Jack's influence never went further than Wellington Wells. We cut ourselves off from everything, even the rest of England. And it was illegal to leave, or admit anyone from the outside.

[There had been nothing, not even communication. London had become an exotic, far away land. An idea. Nothing existed but the little chain of islands in the channel - the ones that were still populated and had buildings still standing, anyhow.]

It...it really all went to hell.