meanwhile Lettuce and Pai find themselves back to square 1. They still haven't found Melody, they've fired a gun multiple times in the last ten minutes they spent in the library, and they haven't met anyone or anything capable of helping them.
"What are we gonna do now?" asks a dejected Lettuce. Pai honestly has no clue. To be frank, he's beginning to wonder if Melody even is in Mist haunt. It would be too easy for a kidnapper to leave that note. But there were no signs of a struggle, and Melody doesn't talk to strangers. He's seen her ignore people offering to give her a ride, or saying, "No thanks. I can walk," and continuing on at a steady pace. She wouldn't just hitch a ride with a total stranger. Nor would she fall for the 'I'm friends with your Mommy' thing. She's too smart for that.
"Well, I suppose we could always try the church," says Pai, trying to sound less worn out than he is. "Okay. let's keep walking till we find one," says Lettuce, who sounds, to be frank, exhausted. She handled the corpse in the library pretty well, though. Pai isn't looking forward to meeting up with another hand that moves on its own. 'I hope we find her before the zombies here do,' he thinks. with that thought, he hurries ahead with renewed strength.
fifteen minutes later, they've found their church. Its a dark, foreboding building, and the wood outside it is chipped and rotting. To Pai's left is a cemetery, one that certainly looks like it would love to have them for dinner. He quickly walks towards the main doors. "Stuck," Pai proclaims, pulling the metal handle. "try harder!" commands Lettuce. Pai leans back and pulls...
the door opens quickly enough that Pai is thrown backwards. Lettuce helps him to his feet, and together they edge into the darkness of the building. The air is cool in the church. The building itself looks like it hasn't been used in a long time. Dead flowers rest in vases that were strategically placed in front of black mirrors. as they head into the main service room, Lettuce thinks she sees a face in the mirror. But when she turns, there's nothing in the Mirror. 'must be my imagination,' Thinks Lettuce. as they enter the sanctuary, the wetness goes out of the air, leaving behind a cool, musky air that seems to move about, even though there isn't a fan.
"Melody?" calls Lettuce. "Melody, sweetie, are you here?" Pai thinks he hears something slither across the floor, but when he turns around, there isn't a soul. as he turns around, he hears a bump. "Did you hear that?" He whispers to Lettuce. "hear what, the bump? its probably just the floor settling," says Lettuce distractedly. "Melody?" Suddenly Pai becomes aware that someone is watching him Or something, he realizes as he turns. He is face to face with a giant snake. "Lettuce!" Pai hisses. "not now, Pai," says Lettuce, who is lost in the architecture in the building. the snake hisses menacingly. Pai can see it has three eyes, and one rests between the two its actually supposed to have.
"Lettuce!" Pai hisses again, avoiding narrowly the great demons saliva, which drips to the floor soundlessly. "Lettuce!" Lettuce turns around in irritation. "What is it now, Pai-," she stops when she sees the snake. then, quick as lightning, Lettuce grabs her gun and fires it. Crimson droplets scatter across the marble floor, but the demon merely hisses. Lettuce reloads, all the while backing towards the altar. the snake follows, hissing menacingly. It stands there as Lettuce fires three more shots. Then it sinks to the ground, lifeless.
"I don't think Melody is here," says Pai. Lettuce nods, and they run for the door, not noticing the snake following them. As they pass through the door, the snake begins to speak. "Curses!" It hisses. "they got away. How did they know I am bound to the church?"
In the pale moonlight, the girl looks dead. If you don't notice her steady breathing. Suddenly aquamarine eyes flutter open, and she sits up. She grabs for her bracelet, and opens the mirror. "the snake demon sanak has been defeated. It is them," she says. Grabbing her cloak, she lays back down. "I hope they reach the room of hex soon. I get so tired in the darkness, with only the moonlight day and night... perhaps I shall go for a walk... maybe visit Camille and see if she's well.."