Chapter 6
The moon was shining over the deep blue sea, its glow reflecting from the top of the water. Shirley stood at the Altar of the Sea, praying to Nerifes.
"Nerifes...please hear me," she said. "I need to know the truth. What is happening to my friends? Why are Stella and Walter here after they've died? What can I do to make things right again?"
As a response, Shirley saw more images flashing through her mind. The image of the spacecraft flashed through her mind, and then a horde of insects crawling around within the Ruins of Frozen Light. Then the image of Stella and Walter appeared; their bodies were transparent, and an insect could be seen within. Shirley let out a gasp of horror.
"So that's it..." she mused. "That's why...I have to get back to town!"
She turned and quickly fled from the altar.
--
Back at Werites Beacon, Senel slept soundly in his bed. Unbeknownst to him, Moses was standing a few feet away, his face completely blank. The bandit opened his mouth wide, and a large gray insect began to crawl out. Moses began to lean towards Senel...
"Ahh!" Senel suddenly sprang forward in his bed. Moses quickly pulled back, shoving the insect back into his mouth.
Senel looked down at himself, sighing with relief. "Whew...I was dreaming that there was some weird insect crawling all over me." He then turned to see the red-haired bandit standing there. "Moses? What are you doing here? It's not even morning."
Moses looked away for a moment, either pondering something, or hearing something far away.
"Uh...we're all meetin' at Will's house," he finally responded.
"Now??" Senel asked in disbelief.
"There's somethin' big goin' on."
"All right, I'll be right there."
Moses ran downstairs, quickly leaving the house, while Senel dragged himself out of the bed.
"Damn...why now?" he grumbled.
--
In the hospital, Chloe woke to a knock on her door.
"Hmm? Now who could be knocking at this hour?" she wondered as she got up to answer the door.
"Well, hello, C!" Norma said in a low but cheerful voice.
Chloe blinked. "Norma?? What are you doing up so late?"
"I came to tell you that Teach wants us to meet at his house," Norma said.
"You mean right now? Why?"
"Oh...just some minor business."
"All right, I'm on my way," Chloe said. "By the way, it's good to see that you're feeling better."
Norma frowned. "What are you talking about, C? Come on!"
She quickly began to skip down the hallway.
"I'm coming," Chloe said as she followed. And then she thought, If it's only minor business, why can't it wait until morning?
--
Senel was the first to arrive at Will's house. He cautiously opened the door and stepped inside. "Hello...?"
Looking around, he found Will standing in the kitchen with his back turned. Senel sighed with relief as he went farther in. "Oh good, you're awake."
Will only turned around, his face expressionless.
"Um..." Senel began to grow uneasy. "You're wondering why I'm here, right? Well, Moses said that everyone was going to meet here..."
"Don't worry," Will said flatly. "The others are on their way."
"I see. So what's going on? Moses said it was something big. Did you find something about that spacecraft?"
"Hmm..."
Senel raised an eye. The response didn't seem like Will was pondering something...rather that he was hiding something. "Will?"
"I'll explain when the others get here," Will replied.
"All right...so we just have to wait for them."
Senel turned away, looking around the room nervously. He couldn't put a finger on it, but something just felt odd. Will's presence was somehow intimidating, as if he were angry. But Will's expression didn't show much anger, if any at all.
Senel felt the tension melt away when the door opened, and Walter stepped inside with Moses, Norma, Grune, and Chloe.
"Hey, I'm glad you guys came," Senel said. "I was starting to think that this was some joke."
Walter stepped in front of him. "You're under arrest, Senel."
"What? On what charge?" Senel asked.
Walter tilted his head. "Murder."
"What!? This...this is a joke, right? Will!" Senel turned around to face the natural historian, who only folded his arms with an icy glare.
--
The Oresoren returned to Quppo's house to report the results of their investigation to Jay.
"Jay!" Quppo called. "We're back! Ors!"
"We found loads of information at the Ruins of Frozen Light!" Poppo added.
"You have to hear this, Jay!" Pippo called. "Come on down!"
From upstairs, they could hear the door squeak open slowly. Jay began to step down the stairs slowly and awkwardly, with uneven steps. As he reached the base and walked into the room, the Oresoren noticed the empty look on his face, as well as the blood trickling down his chin.
"Jay! Are you all right?" Poppo asked.
"Jay...?" Quppo called timidly.
Jay stopped in the center of the room, staring straight ahead. He seemed oblivious to the three otters calling out to him. He merely ran the back of his hand across his mouth slowly, wiping off the blood.
"Jay..." Quppo said softly.
"Jay..." Poppo whined.
Now all three otters cried out. "Jaaaayyy!"
Instead of paying heed to their cries, Jay began to move again, calmly leaving the house. The Oresoren exchanged confused and nervous glances.
"Jay looked scary..." Quppo said.
"He looked like the Jay from long ago," Poppo said.
"But...he looked different," Pippo pointed out. "He looked like he was sleepwalking...or like something was controlling him."
"Brothers...this can only mean one thing..." Quppo said.
The other two Oresoren gave him a look as they realized the same thing.
"We're too laaaaaaaate!! Ooooorrrrssss!!"
--
As Shirley returned to Werites Beacon, she headed straight for Will's house. There, she saw the party leaving the house. Will, Chloe, Norma, and Grune were in the lead. Walter and Moses were in the back, shoving Senel along in front of them. Shirley couldn't tell what was happening, but it looked like Senel was being moved against his will.
"Senel...what's happening?" Shirley asked.
"No talking to the prisoner!" Walter ordered.
"Prisoner?" Shirley paused for a moment. Why was Senel being taken prisoner by his own comrades? None of this made any sense. I have to tell Jay!
Shirley sprinted over to the bridge that led out into the field. Luckily, Jay was already crossing the bridge to enter the city.
"Jay! Thank goodness you're here!" Shirley cried. "Senel's being arrested!"
Jay stared at her blankly for a moment, before widening his eyes. "That's...not good. We'd better see what's going on."
"You're right! We have to catch up with them!"
Shirley dashed back into the city to catch up with the party. Jay stood still for a moment, flashing a slight smile, before running to catch up.
The party entered Musette's empty house as Shirley caught up. The Merines stepped inside cautiously, waiting to see what was happening. Jay stepped up behind her silently.
"Harriet!?" Senel exclaimed. "You're telling me that Harriet was murdered!?"
"Don't try to play me for a fool, Senel," Will said coldly.
"But what makes you think I had anything to do with it!?"
Stella pulled out Harriet's blood-splattered flower, setting it down on the table. "I found this in your house."
Shirley gasped softly. Harriet is...?
"That's ridiculous!" Senel nearly screamed. "There's no way I could have killed Harriet! This whole thing is a setup!"
"Will..." Stella said, ignoring Senel's protests. "Since Harriet was your daughter, I think it's only fair for you to choose the sentence."
"Very well." Will stepped in front of Senel, pointing his index finger at him. "He shall die at dawn! For the murder of my daughter!"
"Will, no!!" Shirley cried.
"Will!!" Senel protested.
Chloe gasped softly, tightly clenching her fists.
"Lock him up, Walter," Stella said sternly.
"Yes, Mistress," Walter responded. "With pleasure."
Shirley looked confused. "Mistress?"
Now Chloe stepped in front of Senel, fighting tears. "I sorely misjudged you, Coolidge. I never imagined you'd be capable of something like this. You're despicable! Despicable to the end!!"
Before Senel could respond, Chloe fled from the house.
"Chloe..." Shirley whispered.
Walter grabbed Senel's shoulder and began to shove him along. Senel gave him an angry glare as he reluctantly walked.
"Get out of here, Shirley..." Senel whispered as he passed.
"Move it!" Walter gave him another rough shove.
"Walter..." Shirley tried to step in front of the Radiant man, but Walter only shoved her aside as he passed. Shirley let out a gasp. Although she knew that Walter had always been rude like that, he had never shown such rudeness to her before.
Once Walter was gone, Shirley turned to the others and noticed something else strange. The coloring on Norma, Moses, and Grune's skin had changed to a slight gray color. Behind Shirley, Jay lowered his head and closed his eyes.
"Guys...what's happened to you all?" Shirley asked.
No one said a word. They all stared at her blankly. Jay lifted his head again, flashing a slight smile behind her.
"Someone, please answer me!" Shirley cried desperately.
Suddenly, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder, slowly turning her around. As soon as she faced Jay, he unsheathed his dagger, holding it right in front of her face.
Shirley's eyes widened in horror. "Jay...not you, too!!"
Jay only gave her an empty stare.
"You know what to do, Jay," Stella said calmly.
Jay batted an eye at her before focusing his attention on Shirley again. "Yes, Mistress."
Shirley's body trembled as Jay began to force her out of the house. Stella and the group simply stood with no expressions at all.
--
As soon as Senel was thrown in the jail cell below Will's house, he heard the cell locking.
"Hmph!" Walter scoffed as he left.
"Hey! Get back here!" Senel crashed into the bars, reaching in between, but accomplished nothing. "Dammit! Why is this happening!? How could they do this to me!?"
He began to pound on the door, focusing on the lock. But he soon gave up from exhaustion, as his fist was beginning to hurt. Senel leaned against the back wall to catch his breath.
About a moment later, he heard footsteps approaching. Senel perked up, moving to the cell door again. Chloe came downstairs and stood in front of him.
"What do you want, Chloe!?" Senel snapped. "Did you come to berate me about murdering Harriet!?"
Chloe's eyes widened. "N...no! I just...I've been thinking things over. I was angry to think that you would have murdered Harriet. But then I remembered...I know you better than that. You would never do something like that."
"Exactly! So let me out of here! Come on!" Senel began to shake the bars.
Chloe lowered her head for a moment, making no movements to open the cell.
"Come on, Chloe!" Senel prodded. "Let me out of here!"
"I...I can't..." Chloe finally said.
"Whaddaya mean you can't!?" Senel exploded. "It's not that hard! Just take the key, put it in the lock, and turn it!"
"You idiot!" Chloe snapped. "It's not like that! If I just let you out, they'll just throw you back in there, and they'll throw me in there with you! The only way to win your freedom is to prove your innocence."
"Well...you're right...but I can't prove my innocence while I'm stuck in here! So come on!"
"No...I'll do it. I'll prove your innocence."
Senel gave an exasperated sigh. "I hope you know where to begin, because I sure don't."
"I'm not sure myself...but Shirley..."
"Shirley? What about Shirley? Are you saying that she's behind all of this!?"
Chloe glared at him. "Of course not! You should know better than that, more than any of us!"
"Then what is it about Shirley!?"
Chloe lowered her head again. "Shirley seemed to know something. She seemed to know that something strange was happening. She tried to warn me that Sandor had changed...but I thought that he was merely learning to ignore Jay's insults."
Senel paused. "Now that you mention it, Shirley tried to warn me also. She tried to warn me about Stella..."
"And what did you do?"
"I...I yelled at her..."
Chloe glared at him again. "You yelled at Shirley!?"
"Oh, stop it!" Senel told her. "We both ignored Shirley's warnings, so we're both guilty. We need to worry about what to do now."
"And what we need to do is talk to Shirley," Chloe agreed. "I'll find her, and I'll prove your innocence."
"All right..." Senel said. "But remember, you only have until sunrise before they kill me."
"Oh, that's right...we have very little time..." Chloe said. "But I'll do whatever it takes to get back before then. Wait for me, Coolidge."
"All right. I'm counting on you."
Chloe nodded before rushing up the stairs. Senel let out another sigh as he sat on the floor at the back wall.
"Chloe's helped me many times before...but this is the first time my life actually depended on her..."
