"Just one more to go!" Iris said cheerily. They all approached the last unboarded window.

"How's Misery?" Skull Boy asked Ruby, holding up a board to the window. Iris hammered away, nailing one side of the board to the wall next to the window.

"I don't know, she seemed-"

Everyone jumped back upon seeing the bright flash. The window shattered as a bolt of lightning, followed by four others, shot through the upper portion of the window. As if they had minds of their own, they rushed up the stairs….

When Misery saw the lightning, she jumped out of Ruby's bed, despite everything, in a panic. She knew she could only delay her fate, not stop it altogether, but she had to try, no matter how hopeless. She couldn't run, so she just held the wall to steady herself and stumbled along as fast as she could. She was tired and dizzy and her foot, which had been broken during the present incident, throbbed with pain as she walked, but she kept going nonetheless. The lightning bolts seemed to be alive, chasing Misery as if they were hungry animals chasing their dinner. It wasn't long before the lightning chased her into a dead end. She was cornered, nowhere to go. Even if she hadn't been, she wasn't sure she could go any further. The first bolt of lightning hit her and she fell to the floor. It seemed more painful than usual for some reason… She felt weak, very weak. She knew she couldn't take much more… As the second bolt shocked electric heat through her body, she could feel herself slipping…

Ruby and the others got upstairs just in time to watch the second bolt hit Misery. Well, Ruby may have been optimistic, but she wasn't stupid. It was clear, though Misery could handle much more than most people could, that she wouldn't survive another bolt of lightning. Even now, Ruby worried that her friend wouldn't make it. She knew right away what she had to do…

Misery couldn't hold on much longer. It was such an effort just to breathe… Her body told her she'd feel so much better if she just gave in to the darkness trying to engulf her, but then her brain reminded her she didn't want to die. It was a constant battle. The next bolt charged toward her and she was sure the end was near. But then she saw a flash of black and red in front of her.

"Ruby…" she gasped.

Iris took the next bolt, and Skull Boy, the last one. Misery couldn't believe what was happening. They really cared that much about her…? No! This wasn't the time to think about that. They could be hurt.

"Are… you okay?" she managed.

"Oh, Misery, us, what about you?" Ruby said gently. "You're hurt badly."

"But are-"

"We'll be fine. You shouldn't talk."

"I'm okay," Skull Boy said. The lightning had simply scattered him about the room. "I just have to… put myself back together… Have you seen my other arm?"

"Here it is!" Len said.

"Len, that's a loaf of French bread..." Frank told him.

"So that's where I put it!" Len started munching on the bread.

"Guys!" Ruby said. "After Skull Boy finds his arm, we need to help Misery, okay? This is no time for bread!"

"Bread loaf… I hardly knew you…" Len lamented, tossing the bread sadly out the window.

Iris went over to Misery and tried to help her up, but she didn't have the strength to support her own weight. She just fell right back down. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I feel so guilty after you did that for me, but I'm still… not sure I can make it…"

"Of course you will," Ruby said. "Just hang on. We're going to help you."

With all the excitement over, Misery fainted.

"What are we going to do, Ruby?" Skull Boy asked. "The Gloomsville Hospital burned down, remember? And she obviously needs help."

"We'll have to go out of town, then. Frank, check your cell phone. When's the next train to the next town over?"

"Joyville?" Scaredy Bat whimpered. "I have heard terrible, terrible stories about that town…"

"Don't worry, Scaredy. I'm sure they're just rumors. We have to get there for Misery."

"Uh, Ruby?" Iris asked nervously. "Even I'm not sure that's a good idea. Joyville is… cursed."

"That's silly."

"She's right, Ruby," Skull Boy said. "Nobody ever warned you about that place?"

"No, of course not," Ruby said. "Just hurry. Misery's hurt, remember?"

"Going to Joyville would not be wise," Poe advised. "That horrible town will not help our Misery. As Iris said, it is cursed."

"Yeah! I heard it's haunted by a killer loaf of bread!" Len said ominously.

"That's not the story at all, Len. Stop talking about bread. This is serious," Frank told him.

"Oh. Right."

"Misery is much more important than rumors about a curse," Ruby said. "She's our friend, and she's counting on us. If we don't help her she could die. We need to go to Joyville."

So they (very reluctantly) boarded the train to Joyville. When they got to their seats, everyone huddled together, terrified, except for Ruby, and of course Misery, who was still unconscious.

"W-what will become of us?" Scaredy Bat squeaked.

"Will someone tell me what's so bad about Joyville?" Ruby asked exasperatedly.

"Do you really wanna know?" Iris asked.

"Yes."

"Okay…. They say Joyville is cursed. "

"You mentioned that."

"I don't know why you haven't, but everyone in Gloomsville, just about, has been warned since they were babies to never, never go to Joyville. Especially not on a train."

Scaredy gulped and held tightly onto Skull Boy, who was next to him.

"And especially not on a Thursday."

"What day is it?" Boo Boo asked.

"…Thursday…" Poe noted nervously.

Everyone, again except for Ruby and Misery, exchanged nervous glances.

"But why?" Ruby asked.

"Joyville is haunted by a terrible spirit… They say she was murdered by a traveler… And now, she curses anyone who passes through Joyville, in the hopes that she'll bring her killer to justice. Of course, he's long gone now, but to her, all travelers… are enemies. If you enter Joyville, they say you'll die within three days."

Ruby looked a little nervous, but said, "I'm sure that's not true. We have to do this for Misery."

"It would be better for her, too, if we stayed in Gloomsville…" Skull Boy said. "At least then she'll have a chance…"

"No, no she won't!" Ruby said, losing her temper for once. "She won't live if she doesn't get to a hospital. Would you really sacrifice your friend who has been nothing but kind to you for fear of a legend? Even if none of you care enough to come, I'm taking Misery to Joyville."

This silenced everyone. After a long, awkward silence that lasted about ten minutes, Ruby spoke again.

"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

"No, Ruby, you're right," Iris replied. "We can't let Misery die just because we're afraid. We have to do this."

A/N: Please don't say Ruby is OOC in this chapter. It's supposed to be uncharacteristic, but I think it makes sense. I mean, Misery could die- she feels strongly about this.