EPISODE SEVEN

Katie walked into the Calloway Café, still feeling quite happy about what had just happened. She could see that the café had emptied for now, and Carl looked up as she came in. "Oh, Katie, there you are…did you get the cookies to her?"

Katie nodded, trying not to grin. "Yup." But Carl could sense her excitement and raised an eyebrow. "Something happen?"

She shrugged a little. "Oh, nothing…just going with Joe and Gwen to the Horse Race tomorrow," she said, trying to not sound too eager.

Carl frowned at this. "I don't think so."

Katie stared at him. She finally blinked, and shook her head a little. "What? What are you talking about? The Fall Horse Race is tomorrow, Gwen said, and I---"

"No. I don't think you should go." Carl seemed a little…odd. Like he was almost…worried for Katie?

Katie laughed a little, not understanding what he was saying. "What are you talking about, Carl? Why shouldn't I go? What's wrong?"

"I just think…that I'd rather have you stay here and help me."

"Help you what? Everyone will be at the Horse Race, no one will be here to buy Cakes, Carl!" Katie was so confused. Why didn't Carl want her to go?

Carl shook his head. "Please stay here. I think it would be better for you. And we can practice baking more. I want to show you how to make Yam Pies, they're a little tricky, but I think that---"

"Carl. I'm going to the Horse Race tomorrow," Katie said, cutting him off.

"No, Katie, please, I'm asking you to stay here. Please. Don't you want to improve your baking skills?"

Katie rolled her eyes, sighing a little. "Fine. I'll stay here tomorrow."

This sucks…who knows what Gwen will do with Joe if I don't show up?…But Carl seems to really not want me to go, and he has been nice to me, and…oh, just forget it. I don't even want to go to some stupid Horse Race, anyway…

---

Dia was yet again in the forest. At for once, she didn't want to be. She was sick of having this dream over and over, with no explanation. But she kept on running through the trees, unable to stop herself.

She reached the woman and grabbed her shoulder rather roughly. As always, the woman turned her tear-streaked face slowly towards Dia, staring straight through her. Dia shook the woman. "What is it?" she cried, her voice seeming to echo. "What's happening to me?" Dia finally looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening in surprise and confusing at the sight of…the Harvest Goddess?

"No! Wait!" she yelled as she felt herself beginning to wake up. She struggled to keep the image of the Goddess, but she couldn't concentrate, she couldn't even think and the dream seemed to be ripped in two as she awoke. She sat up in bed, pushing away Gina's hand and rubbing her eyes. She was always falling asleep lately, what was wrong with her?

"Dia, please lie back down," Gina said, attempting to get Dia to lie back against her pillows. But Dia resisted. "Martha," she said, out of breath. She could see out the window that the sky was starting to darken "Where…where is she?"

Gina lowered her eyes to the floor. "Doctor Alex got a call from Martha just a few minutes ago. She said that one of the women in town was having a baby, and the nurse there wanted her to assist her in delivering it, so she won't be back until tomorrow."

---

Lyla and Nina were sitting in the Moonlight Café together, and although it was ten minutes before opening time, Eve had let them in.

"So, Nina, heard anything else on the Goddess? People are saying she really did turn to stone," Eve said, leaning on the counter as Nina sipped her Very Berry Soda.

"Well," Nina said, lowering her voice and glancing around the bar before leaning in closer towards Eve. "I personally think it's Carl's new waitress girl."

"Her name's Katie, right? You mentioned her yesterday, when we were with Maria and…" Lyla trailed off, not wanting to bring up the argument.

"Yeah, Katie," Nina said quickly, nodding. But Eve raised an eyebrow.

"Carl hired someone?" Lyla and Nina nodded. "But…why do you think it's her? She acting funny or something?"

"If you ask me, she's pretty strange. She's so stuck up, like she's superior to everyone else. She is so rude! I only talked to her once, but I already can't stand her. And she acts like the Harvest Goddess is the craziest thing in the world. I mean, she just moved here yesterday and she doesn't know anything! I hate the way she talks and just her attitude in general. She reminds me of Maria," Nina said, with a roll of her eyes. Eve laughed a little.

"You mean that librarian snob girl?" Nina nodded again.

"Yeah, that's the one."

Suddenly the three girls heard the sound of the door being opened, and they all turned to look at the door in time to see an upset Maria slam the door as she ran from the Moonlight Café.

---

Katie was scrubbing one of the tables with an old rag. She had been for the past half hour, and although the bottom of her hand felt a little numb, she didn't stop. She was too deep in thought to pay attention, thinking of Gwen, and Joe, and Carl. He was so weird. How could he not let her go? Something had to have happened…

She checked her watch. 6:01 PM. Time to lock up.

She trudged over to the door, rag still in hand, and took the key Carl had given her earlier in the day out of her apron pocket and locked the door. She then leaned sideways against it with a sigh. Why did it always have to be her that complicated things happened to? Why couldn't things just be easy? Why did girls like Gwen even exist…?

"Katie, are you finished with the tables? …Oh, I see you locked up. Thanks," came the cheery voice of her manager as he walked out from the back of the café.

Katie looked up, staring at Carl blankly. And why didn't Carl want her to go to the Horse Race? It didn't make sense. She looked down at the rag in her hand.

"Katie?" he said, walking towards her, and Katie blinked, realizing she hadn't answered him.

"Uh, yes, I'm done with the tables," she said, looking up from the rag. "And I did lock up. Need me to do anything else?"

Carl opened his mouth, but hesitated, as if he were considering something. Finally he shut his mouth for a moment and then spoke.

"I need to talk with you about some things," he said, and turned to go back to the kitchen, gesturing for Katie to follow him.

---

"Then let me call her!" Dia said, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. But Gina moved to block her from standing.

"No," she said firmly. "Doctor Alex has already predicted that you would ask to call her, and has prohibited you from using the phone." She paused for a moment, seeing how upset Dia looked. "Dia, although you may not realize it right now…you aren't in the best shape. I'm sure that you can wait to find out about the woman you've been seeing."

Dia felt extremely frustrated. Gina was teaching her like a problem child…no, not even that. She was acting like Dia was mentally unstable. But maybe you are, a little voice said. She felt a panicky feeling deep in her stomach as her heartbeat quickened. No, Dia told herself. No. I'm perfectly fine.

"Gina, do you think I'm crazy?"

The nurse seemed surprised at this, but then smiled gently. "Of course not, Dia. You're just a little sick right now. Please get some sleep."

But Dia wasn't reassured. In fact, she felt even worse. She didn't want to have the dream again, but she felt so exhausted, and so nauseous. There was no escape.

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