*~*~Chapter 2~*~*
"H-… how did this happen?" she asked Millie incredulously.
Hysterical laughter exploded behind her, and Meryl whirled around to see Vash laughing so hard tears streamed down his face.
"SHUT UP VASH!" a voice roared from Wolfwood's room.
Meryl looked back into the room. Wolfwood stood on one foot, hopelessly entangled in his Cross Punisher's cloth cover. He glared past her at Vash, who had fallen onto the floor in convulsions of laughter.
"I tried to untie it, but it's just in too many knots," Millie whimpered.
Meryl shook her head numbly and walked into the room, Millie following closely. She stared at the incomprehensible knots and loops that bound Wolfwood to his cross.
"How did you manage…?" Meryl sighed in despair.
"Don't… ask," Wolfwood growled.
Millie and Meryl tugged at the fabric and cord, trying to disengage Wolfwood's limbs from the web.
"You could help too, you know!" Wolfwood barked at the doorway.
Only a giggle emanated from the figure on the floor. After a minute, Vash hauled himself off the carpet and crawled over to help.
After about an hour of tugging and untying, Wolfwood was finally free.
"Do you smell something?" Wolfwood said distractedly, his hand poised, holding a lit match inches away from the cigarette he had placed between his teeth.
Vash raised his head and sniffed the air.
"OH NO! OUR DINNER!" Meryl screamed and ran out of the room.
The three left in the room cringed as they heard Meryl trip and fall down the stairs.
"Meryl!" Millie ran down the stairs, followed by Vash and Wolfwood.
Meryl groaned, sprawled at the foot of the stairway.
"Oh Meryl! Are you okay? Is anything broken?" Millie knelt beside her, her hands clasped and her eyes wide.
Meryl groaned again, then let out a long sigh. "No, nothing's broken Millie."
She started to rise, then cried out in pain, falling once more.
"I'll get the doctor," said Wolfwood, already walking towards the door.
Vash opened the oven door and was thrown into a coughing fit when black smoke rolled out. He grabbed a towel and fanned the smoke, making little progress as it enveloped his red-clad form.
Millie and Meryl coughed as the smoke surrounded them.
"Open the windows!" Meryl rasped.
Millie stumbled around, opening windows and doors as Vash waved his towel.
"Could this day get any worse?" Meryl moaned quietly.