Pai is tripping his way down the long corridor of the catacomb. His feet seem to find all the wrong stones. Candy is trying (And failing) to not giggle at the fact every five seconds Pai pitches dangerously forwards or backwards, ignoring Pai's death glare. Which is just as well, because Candy is already dead, and therefore Pai's glances are completely wasted. He mentally strangles the useless guide.
Suddenly Candy stops dead. (A/n sorry, folks, just had to put that there.) She mutters a curse under her breath, and turns to face Pai and Lettuce. "Um, you guys?" she asks quietly. "Are either of you afraid of skeletons?" "The living kind?" asks Lettuce shrilly. Candy shakes her head. "The, uh, dead kind," she says. "You know, the ones that don't move?" Pai nods in relief. "We can handle it," he says bravely. Candy glances ahead doubtfully, then nods. She motions they follow her, and Lettuce and Pai comply. Immediately, Pai regrets his decision. In front of him is a pile of bones, which wouldn't be so bad, if thousands of insects the size of Pai's thumb weren't covering it.
"Bone-eaters," explains Candy. "Careful, they also eat skin." Lettuce grabs Pai's arm, and Pai follows Candy carefully. She leads them away from the insects and the skeleton. "Wow," she says, once they are away from the bugs. "You guys handled that well. I have to admit, I thought you would cry and scream or something." 'gee, thanks,' thinks Lettuce. "We've seen worse," she says bravely. Pai nods. "At the library, and the demon from the church, and back at the stairs," he adds. "Whoa. You went to the library? and the church? And you lived?" Cries Candy. Lettuce nods. She is surprised by Candy's reaction. She didn't expect Candy to flip. "And you survived Sanak?" Asks Candy incredulously. Lettuce nods again. "Whoa. I totally underestimated you guys," says Candy with a shake of her head. She continues on, seemingly lost in thought.
'these guys HAVE to be Melody's parents. Melody was sitting in the middle of a bar, full of unseen ghosts playing pool, and she didn't even need to be told that the town was haunted, and she was hearing ghosts. She didn't even flinch!' thinks Candy.
Lettuce is walking along. She is tired of this tunnel, it's stench, and it's darn bloody beasts. she wants to be home, with Melody sitting on the sofa, doing her science homework, and Pai sitting in the overstuffed armchair, trying to understand basketball. And her, of course, in the kitchen, making some of Melody's favorite meal, Chinese noodles. Lettuce promises mentally that if she gets Melody back, she will take her home and make her Chinese noodles, And mashed potato's and gravy, and Melody's favorite dessert, cheesecake.
Pai is also thinking. He wishes he was back home to, watching Melody drink something called a root beer, and With Lettuce reading a magazine while he tried to figure out what was so attractive about Britney spears. Yup, those were the days. The best days of his life, Pai realizes with a start. He enjoyed his job as a cashier at the Indian food store well enough. It was a good chance to learn about earth culture. And Melody was a good partner to watch TV with. She tolerated his questions patiently enough, even during her favorite shows. And Lettuce is a good cook, and was always sure to ask Pai how work was, and did he have a pleasant day?
Candy looks back at her two companions. She is surprised to see that they are daydreaming. 'Huh,' she thinks. To be honest, she is surprised, but decides against waking them into reality. She begins to hum a small show tune and head forwards.
Lettuce sighs mentally. Why on earth did all this have to happen? this all could have been avoided if she'd been more careful driving. But of course, Melody is here. She has to find Melody before they can leave. Besides, hadn't she totaled her car? Lettuce shudders at the thought of the ravine that almost stole their lives. At least Pai could fly. Although, in order to appear 'normal', he's cut back on the teleportation and flying. Which has proven to be good. The neighbors would panic if they knew Lettuce's strange boarder is really an alien. And that could cause her to lose her job as a secretary. What will they live of off then?
Lettuce is shocked awake, though, when she nearly falls flat on her face. Darn this loose concrete path! "You alright?" asks a concerned Pai. Lettuce nods, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. How does Pai stand being the one on the trip who nearly fell flat on his face every 10 seconds? Lettuce hasn't done that in years! 'great time to start,' thinks Lettuce sarcastically.
The odd trio continue on the path, into the darkness...
Meanwhile, Melody is sitting in a dark, misty, concrete cavern that lies beneath the hole in the ground. She isn't cold, and she isn't hungry. It's actually decently warm in the hole. she is relaxed. In a little bit she'll continue forwards. She isn't sure what she'll find, but somehow she knows it is important. For the millionth time she wonder about this town of evil miracles.
Why is it so evil? Could it be the church? And why did Artemis seem familiar? And why was the stone in front of her cover in strange symbols?
Melody Picks up the stone carefully. Is it her imagination, or did the rock glow for a second when her fingers first brushed against it? Melody turns the stone over in her palm. The tiny symbols look almost like some sort of writing. But what does it say? That's the important question. Melody looks closer at her prize. The carvings are very precise, as though whoever made them knew exactly what they were doing.
'What is it?' she wonders.
She'll find out soon enough.