Places to Chat
It's night. You'r
Chatterbox: Pudding's Place
It's night. You'r
It's night. You're sitting in your bed, staring out the window, searching for something lost. But you can't remember what it is, or was. All you know is that it's out there...it's important...and it was once yours.
Perhaps you never used it, perhaps you did--once, maybe twice. Or more. But for some strange reason, you can't remember if you did or didn't. Or what effect it had on you. Or...where it is now.
As you awoke from a particularly bland and boring dream, the memory that you were missing this...thing slid into your head. As you sat in a haze between asleep and awake, you stared outside, scouring the landscape that, for one fleeting moment, was no longer the familiar world you saw every day.
So here you are, staring outside, searching.
And then you finish waking up.
And here you are, trying to remember what you were just doing.
Hm, you think, smacking your dry lips. The covers rustle as you reach for your water glass, which sits by your lamp on your nightstand like it does every night. That's really wierd...I can't remember my dream. It seemed important--almost real. Your hand meets cold glass and you close your fingers around it. You bring it to your lips for a satisfying sip, but you realize that it's empty.
"Darn," you whisper. You'll have to get out of bed to fill it up--but it's really cold, and you don't have socks on.
Eh, it's no big deal. You'll fill it up.
Throwing the covers to the side, you haul yourself out of bed. With every footstep towards the kitchen all memory of strange dreams and searches leaves you, and by the time you return to your comfy nest of blankets with your full cup of water, the night seems almost normal. That is, until you glance outside the window.
Something moves across the front of the moon, which is full and shines right through the middle of your window, lighting up your comforter. What could it have been? It seemed familiar...And perhaps it's the fact that you're still half asleep, half awake that you can sense it, but a powerful force beats from it. Calling you. Presenting opportunities that you absolutely cannot miss.
Without any hesitation you get back out of bed, but before you can even leave your bedroom you notice a puddle of water near your nightstand.
So that's where all my water went, you realize. I must've knocked it over. Upon closer inspection you realize that there's writing on the carpet, glowing faintly yellow from under the patch of wetness.
The writing is so interesting you don't even realize how strange it is that the puddle isn't soaking into the carpet, or wonder how the words got there. In fact, the words don't even seem scary to you, despite their suspicious nature.
Hello, person! You are one of the lucky few CBers to be chosen to go on a nice, relaxing, beautiful vacation over Lake Lelillo! (Lay-LIH-loh) If you do indeed come, and we absolutely hope you do decide to, you will be given a free getaway from work, school, and empty water glasses! Here at Lake Lelillo, you will have all-day access to the lake itself, the fun attractions, the ice cream stands, the hot dog stands, the hamburger stands, the steak stands, the spagghetti stands, and any other stand marked with a silver star. (Which is all of them, so please don't forget!) Your rooms will be huge and most of them will even overlook the lake! They will of course be inside our one and only Luxury Lake House, which you will live in until your stay comes to a close. Remember this is all completely free, free free! Please pack your things, bring an AE and/or CAPTCHA if you'd like, and wait with them by the nearest stream at sunrise tomorrow morning. As we always say: All inlets lead to Lelillo!
~Your Soon-to-be Chaperones,
Cassy and Lily of Lake Lelillo
How you read all that small print was beyond you. Will you go? It certainly seems relaxing enough. The choice is yours to make.
-------------------------
I'll tell you all when the spots are closed, so join while you still can!
Please note that this is my second ski lodge, and it's kind of linked to my first. In a sense, it's the next part. I don't know if I should call it a part two, or what, but some things might reference the first ski lodge. Don't worry--I'm not going to make things super confusing. I'll explain things as I go--and I really need new CBers to join in. But I also need some CBers from my previous ski lodge to come. ('Course, they don't have to join if they don't want to; I'll understand.)
Here's another clue (if you didn't catch the others...) for the CBers who were in my first ski lodge, or read it, and wanted to be in this one:
What do you get when you cross a scorpion and a sloth?
Hehe, my alias isn't going to last the day. :D
submitted by Your Chaperones, Cassy and Lily
(January 1, 2017 - 11:51 am)
(January 1, 2017 - 11:51 am)
Top
(March 26, 2019 - 2:22 pm)
TOP
(April 1, 2019 - 8:25 am)
Woot! The ski lodge is back!
DAY 14 - Part 2
Puck reclined against the attic wall, watching the CBers rifle through the books. She couldn’t help but curl a lip at their fervor--Puck had been bored when they’d found the shelf. At this point, she was beyond feeling anything. This endeavor had left her completely numb.
Even Jayfeather, Briar, and Ariel were reading books.
Ughhhhh, this is the most ridiculous ideeeeeea.
Puck took a few steps towards the door, knowing full well that Joan would notice and demand she get back to work. (Unfortunately, Puck thought that standing was more interesting than reading.) However, when her only response was the rustle of a turning page, Puck tried again, and again, and again, until, delighted, she found herself in the doorway.
Hah! Freedom!
Puck giggled, unable to contain her mirth, and whirled out of the attic as quickly as humanly possible. Two hours up there had nearly fried her brains, but with freedom fresh on her tongue (and the dust out of her nostrils), she was already reviving.
Puck’s first destination was the kitchen, where she scavenged a snack. A tiny voice in the back of her head began to warn about wandering alone, but Puck drowned it in the crunching of her chips.
Still, the little nag remained--that tiny logical murmur embedded within her, the one that proved she was not completely careless. Even though she was fed up with the CBers’ caution, Puck still could not shake the blinding fear for her own life. It was dangerously quiet, as always, but this meant that Puck could not find it, stop it, or remove it. It was small enough to ignore, but also to attack without warning. It was loud enough to meet resistance with friction, creating anxiety and halting exploration. The murderer had started this ‘infection’ inside all the Chatterboxers, but Puck felt as though it was her own personal curse. She was ashamed by it, as it hampered her adventurous spirit. Perhaps she had overcompensated by acting especially mischievous at Lake Lelillo. But no one could know her battle.
Puck’s chewing took on a new intensity. In a moment, the chips were gone, so Puck crumpled the bag as loudly as she could.
Then the kitchen was silent again, save for the hum of the fridge. Or was it Puck’s mind?
Puck tossed her garbage into the can and sighed, considering returning to the attic if only for relief from the quiet. She had planned to do some exploring, but...was there anywhere left to find? She’d left her map on her nightstand, having memorized it days ago.
Puck’s fists clenched at the thought of returning upstairs. She had to resist this trepidation. If she didn’t keep moving, she felt that she might cave in.
And then, as if by some miracle, inspiration forced a tiny gasp out of Puck’s lungs. Of course! There was only one place Puck hadn’t been yet. It was forbidden, of course, but Puck didn’t care…
...and even if the budget room was locked, Puck would find a way around it.
Now that she had a purpose, Puck moved swiftly and effectively. She took the long way through the floor, methodically searching for where Lily and Pierre might be. To her relief, she heard them conversing in one of the sitting rooms and was able to make it downstairs undetected.
Downstairs, Puck was met by the rubble of the game room, and painful memories of the CAPTCHAs’ deaths came rushing to mind. She distanced herself from the decimation as quickly as possible, realizing there may be traps but forcing herself not to care. She quickly spied a trail of footprints winding away from the debris, realizing with a thrill that they led straight to the budget room.
The budget room door stood at the bottom of a deep staircase, just like it always had. The walls were smooth and green, while the stairs were made of old finished wood.
Puck cast a wary eye behind her. Lily and Pierre were still upstairs.
Puck chose to leap down the stairs all at once, using her wings as a parachute. She landed before the door with a soft thud. It was closed--as expected--and she felt a strange apprehension towards trying the knob.
It was exhilarating.
Puck grasped the handle, which was surprisingly chilly, so that she could get a feel for its locking mechanism. To her utter astonishment, the handle turned all the way, and when she pushed the door inwards, it swung open without protest.
In utter astonishment, Puck followed the door inside.
(April 1, 2019 - 12:14 pm)
I never knew such a short post could pack this much suspense.
(April 1, 2019 - 8:56 pm)
If this is a trap, the murderer sure knows Puck well...
(April 2, 2019 - 10:14 am)
We just got back from a few days spent at the Mammoth Cave and it was absolutely amazing! There are 412 miles of cave to explore, and we spent four hours on just 4 of those miles. We saw less than one one-hundredth of the place!
They made me think of the caves under Lake Lelillo, which are tiny in comparison to the Mammoth Cave.
It was funny, though--there were parts of our tour just like the tunnel Joan found. There were names all over the walls...but this was vandalism. xD
There were signatures dating back to the 1800s, though! Back then, they would sign their names with candle smoke on the ceilings and walls. I saw one from 1868. People have been doing graffiti for hundreds of years!
But without further ado, back to your regularly unscheduled program:
DAY 14 -- Part Three
Puck didn’t know what she’d been expecting. Had she believed Lily and Cassy’s clumsy cover-story? Had she truly been expecting towers of binders in a tiny closet? Or had she hoped to discover a secret tunnel winding deep into the earth? Perhaps she’d wanted something better than a book that she could bring back to the Chatterboxers.
Whatever Puck had been expecting was not what she found. This was a bright, cheery room with flower wallpaper and creamy carpets. A painting of a snowy cabin guarded over two twin beds, each identical. There was a writing desk that had seen better days to Puck’s right, and another door in the left wall.
Additional furnishings included one tidy wooden dresser and a very large set of filing cabinets labeled “BUDGETING & PLANS”.
This wasn’t a budget room. This was a bedroom!
Puck’s brow furrowed and she took another few steps forwards. The carpet felt unnatural under her bare feet, soft yet uninviting at the same time. Suddenly, breaking in didn’t seem quite so appetizing.
This is where Lily and Cassy sleep.
Puck had to admit she felt a little strange about trespassing in Lily’s bedroom. As she stood there, contemplating what she’d discovered, questions bubbled up from the back of her mind.
Why was the door unlocked when it hadn't been before? Why had Lily and Cassy lied about their bedroom in the first place?
Puck stood before the filing cabinets. They nearly reached the ceiling in height and were the most prominent items in the room, seeming very out of place among the summery decor.
Puck only felt a little guilty as she slid the bottom drawer open. Hey, it was in her job description! What kind of troublemaker would she be if she didn’t poke her nose where it didn’t belong?
The bottom filing drawer held manilla envelopes.
The second drawer contained a pile of receipts.
Puck opened the third drawer to reveal folders filled with wild tangles of paper. The scraps were packed so tightly that as soon as they were exposed to open air, they mushroomed out of the top of the drawer and threatened to spill onto the floor. Puck yelped and squished the contents back into their places.
The papers she saw were diverse--lined, blank, notebook, graph--and covered in many different styles of handwriting. The folders were labeled by name, but Puck didn't pay attention to them, because she slammed the drawer shut as quickly as possible.
The fifth drawer held more receipts.
The sixth drawer was a lot lighter than Puck expected. It shot open with startling ease, causing something to ricochet off the walls of the drawer. The only thing inside was a tiny golden key.
The sight of it sent a chill down Puck’s spine. Something told her it did not lead to a jewelry box. The key had to be alone for a reason. Its placement must be intentional.
But what did this mean? Puck slid the door shut and took a deep breath.
It means you’re just desperate for something to get excited about.
What else was Lily hiding?
You don’t need to know the reason behind everything in Lily’s life.
Could the key be about the Mystery? About Lily? Could Lily be hiding something else?
It’s just a key. It doesn't mean Lily is hiding something. It could lead anywhere. You shouldn’t be here!
Puck didn’t know why her heart was speeding up. Puck didn’t know why she was suddenly afraid. It was just a key, just a metal key, just a little shiny thing sitting in a random drawer…
Puck stepped away from the filing cabinet as a flurry of emotions came out of nowhere. You can get so caught up asking questions. Maybe you don’t need to know about this key.
It wasn’t just a key but Puck didn’t know how she knew, so she was probably paranoid and--
Puck wrenched her eyes away from the cabinets. She needed to calm down and forget about they key; even if it held significance, Puck decided she didn’t want to know.
Too bad there was no choice for Puck.
She gazed left and her eyes fell upon the painting of the snowy cabin. She was half a second away from leaving the bedroom when her eyes happened to fall upon something so tiny she would have otherwise never seen it.
Nevertheless, there it was, and she knew exactly what it was for.
In that moment, Puck felt three distinct sensations within her...
Confusion with clarity: What could be so intense she could clearly sense it even through her ignorance?
Certainty: She would not utilize the tools available to her. Puck was absolutely sure that she never wanted to see inside.
Finality: She wouldn’t have the chance. This was the apotheosis of all things she could ever see. Would ever see.
I shouldn't have come.
Puck left the bedroom just as she’d found it. It was time she recognized that there were places and things no one should ever know or see. Lily and Cassy’s bedroom was one of those places, and Puck was happy leaving its secret be.
-------------
Annnnd...what just happened? Take a guess! I bet you have a pretty good idea of what Puck saw.
I'll reiterate Puck's own questions--Why was the door unlocked today? Why did Lily and Cassy lie about their bedroom? Hm...perhaps we'll find out in due time...
(April 3, 2019 - 4:35 pm)
Don't know what the key and small thing Puck found are, but the painting is most definitely of the ski lodge from TON's ski lodge.
(April 3, 2019 - 7:15 pm)
ToP
(April 11, 2019 - 7:17 pm)
I'd call this a little transition piece...the excitement starts back up after this. In the meantime, enjoy!
The little bit about Puck should've been in the last installment, but, it's here instead.
DAY 14 - Part 3
Puck snuck back into the group unnoticed, and, still in shock of what she had almost seen, did her best to remain unnoticed for the rest of the day.
LATER~
Cassy was back.
And the Chatterboxers were shocked.
Lily had called them down from the attic with some news, and to their surprise, they found her waiting with Cassy in the lobby. The CBers were thrilled, surprised, and confused all at once to see her. After everything that had happened, why was Cassy returning now?
At least they understood her motives at this point. They were no longer angry at her; how could they be after learning her connection with the Mystery?
“I heard you all know about the Mystery now,” Cassy started, sounding as animated as she had on the day the CBers had first met her. She was in fresh clothes and her hair was up in a ponytail--She did not appear as though she had spent the last week in the great outdoors. Maybe she hadn’t--the CBers didn’t know what was what anymore. “Now that it’s all out in the open, I’m back! You know why I ran, right?”
When nobody replied, Cassy went on. “It’s a little complicated. You were going to ask too many questions, and I couldn’t give you any answers without revealing the Mystery.” At this, Cassy’s eyes slid towards Lily’s direction, revealing the first hint of uncertainty, which hadn’t taken long to reveal itself. “But, now you know, soooo...Here I am.”
Cinderpelt was the first to welcome Cassy back. “Well, I think I speak for all of us when I say we missed you! And we’re so sorry for all the craziness we caused you.”
The other CBers let out a murmur of agreement.
Cassy smiled, nodding. “It’s fine. All’s well that ends well, right?”
Cinderpelt saw that the uncertainty hadn’t gone away yet. Hm.
“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re back, too,” Hotairballoon put in. “I’m glad you and Lily are back together again.”
“And that you’re back with us,” Autumn Leaves added.
“I’m sorry for everything I did,” said Cassy. “But I guess you understand now.”
Brooklyn Newsie nodded. “Of course! You’re forgiven!”
This prompted the other CBers to murmur their agreement.
Cassy smiled, and Cinderpelt thought she saw the uncertainty disappear.
At that point, they all migrated into a sitting room, and it was time to catch up. The Chatterboxers really were glad to have Cassy back--they had missed her presence and personality. They had to admit, it was really strange to be able to talk freely with her again, but the longer they stayed in the sitting room, the more like old times it felt.
The CBers really didn’t hold Cassy’s actions against her. No matter their opinions on the Mystery, they would not hold a grudge against their chaperones.
It was easy to spend the remainder of the day catching up with Cassy. The CBers wanted to ask her plenty of questions about the Mystery. To them, it was like a drink of clear water to be able to speak freely with Cassy about the Mystery. Sure, the Mystery was causing them a lot of stress, but if they remained friends through it all, everything should be okay…
Cassy did greatly enjoy the conversation. Maybe she could’ve done without the parts about the Mystery, but it felt SO GOOD to be back with ACTUAL people and hear all about the excitement she’d missed. She would’ve been content to stay in that sitting room forever.
They had lunch together, and again, it was just like old times. Cassy was so excited to have an actual meal that wasn’t scrounged from the food stands.
“Cassy, if you don’t mind my asking, where exactly did you stay outside?” Brooklyn Newsie wondered over lunch.
“In the employee cabin areas, for the most part. I camped around lots of different places, though, and I befriended a raccoon too.” In an aside to Lily, she said, “I’m pretty sure it was Backsmith’s.”
“What did you EAT?” Jayfeather wanted to know.
“Stuff from the food stands, and beef jerky I found in Backsmith’s cabin. Which is actually where I found the raccoon, too.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t find a bear in the cabin!” Lily exclaimed. “How many times have we told Backsmith to NOT keep food under his mattress.”
“I miss the guy,” Cassy grinned.
Elvina seemed to recall something important at that moment. “Hey! Where’s Pierre?”
“He went to take care of the Sak--his garden,” Cassy replied, “now that I’m here. He’ll be back either today or tomorrow, I think.”
Lily nodded. “Yeah.”
“Hm.”
“The Sak--?” Moonfrost inquired, cocking her head.
“Oh, that’s what we sometimes call it,” Cassy clarified with a wave. “F--”
“Is it?” Hotairballoon enjoined.
“For short,” Cassy went on assertively, eyebrows arched. “It’s an inside thing.”
Moonfrost leaned back. “Oh.”
All too soon, many more hours with Cassy went by. After dinner, the CBers realized how quickly the day had gone by.
As Lily and Cassy cleaned up the plates, already back to their old routine, Lily pointed out, “You know, as of today, you’ve officially been here two weeks.”
“Wow. It’s already been that long,” was the reaction of some. It wasn’t just today that had flown by.
Others felt more like they’d been here for the past two years. “So much has happened in two weeks!” Joan exclaimed.
One seat over, Puck nodded in agreement. Nobody noticed.
“I know. It’s been a roller coaster,” remarked Lily. “Does anyone want dessert, by the way?”
“Yes!” Jayfeather and Ariel replied enthusiastically, and Lily brought out a bag of candy.
“Not much, but I haven’t cooked anything in a while.”
“Toss me some!” Cassy pleaded.
The sun soon descended below the horizon. The Chatterboxers didn’t even realize it was late, so they completely missed watching the sunset.
And then, bedtime rolled around. Or perhaps it was simply pajama time. The CBers didn’t really feel like going to bed, at any rate, but they could at least get into some comfier clothes.
For the first time in hours, Lily and Cassy were left alone.
(April 14, 2019 - 3:28 pm)
TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPP
(April 14, 2019 - 3:28 pm)
By the way, I meant to ask! What do you guys think is going to happen with the Mystery? What will be its fate? What do you think will befall the CBers at Lelillo?
(April 14, 2019 - 5:31 pm)
TOP
(May 1, 2019 - 4:36 pm)
TOP TOP TOP TOP TOP TOP TOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
(May 17, 2019 - 2:07 pm)
(May 21, 2019 - 3:09 pm)
Day 14, continued:
They sat in silence while they waited for the CBers to return downstairs. The day’s conversations were whirling in their heads, sorting themselves out, and repeating over and over. There were thousands of words to go over, but one conversation in particular was unavoidable, humming in the familiar hushed tones of early morning.
“We HAVE to do what we can to protect the Mystery. I can’t see things from your angle, but maybe that’s a good thing. Take a step back. This is bigger than just right now. And I need to know you’re on my side. I--I can’t control this. I’m sorry. If you don’t join me, you die.”
“It’s why I ran. Things are really bad, Lily.”
[a resigned sigh] “I know. I realize that. This is our job. I’m with you.”
“Trust me, I understand it isn’t an easy one.”
“But we’re stuck! Cassy and I have no idea what’s hurting the Mystery, and right now, we can’t exactly see out of Lelillo. I don’t want to sound like a pessimist, but nothing we do can help. It’s just going to get worse until we’re out of here.”
“So we do our best to carry on the story as usual. We have one secret left. Guard it. Don’t even give them a taste.”
“So no more helping the CBers, then.”
“That’s right. Find any possible way to answer their questions with things they’ve already heard.”
“...Lily and I can try to get a glimpse of what’s happening outside Lelillo.”
“You mean you don’t already know?”
“Part of us does, but not this part.” [a dismissive wave] “Don’t worry about it. We’ll tell you if we find something out.”
[disgruntled breath] “Okay. So we are agreed that you will NOT tell the CBers anything else about the Mystery?”
“Yes. No more. We can’t help what they discover, though.”
“I realize that, so buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
[a snicker]
“Also...I have a question. I’ve been thinking, and this is bothering me. What happens after the ski lodge? Will I remember any of this? Will I still be able to help? Or will this part of me leave...”
[the response is slow and thoughtful] “...Probably...You can remember the ski lodge even after you’re back at the Chatterbox. In your case, you will remember your experience with the Mystery. So...I think you’ll still be able to help.”
“How will I contact you, though?”
[a shared, drawn-out glance] “We aren’t really sure. If you can get into another ski lodge...maybe…”
“Fine. If you really don’t know there’s nothing I can do about that. The biggest thing is--we can’t let the Mystery break while everyone’s here.”
“Right. We know. We’re with you.”
[a moment of silence]
“So...can I come back, then?”
“Yes, Cassy. I think so.”
~ ~ ~
The murderer was upstairs leaning in a doorway, arms crossed, deep in thought. A certain conversation kept repeating itself inside its mind, a symbol of renewed hope and high stakes. The duty now was to preserve what little authority the Mystery retained.
How did the murderer plan to act upon this duty? Eliminate the imminent threats first.
The murderer glanced around at the CBers who were tidying their spaces, reclining on the couches, and squabbling over who got the bathroom next. (Nobody saw Puck steal the bathroom right from under their noses, much to the murderer’s amusement.) There were multiple options available, but none were simple. If Brooklyn’s lightsaber-slingshot-wand was still around, this task would be so much easier.
Oh, but speaking of lightsabers…
Some of the CBers had already trickled back downstairs to rejoin Lily and Cassy. Among those CBers were the inhabitants of the Tabitha Tucker room. Thank goodness it was vacant for the moment.
~ ~ ~
Subtlety and luck were on the murderer’s side. Moonfrost hadn’t gotten her shower yet and was angry at Puck for cutting in line.
“Hurry up!” she urged, knocking furiously.
“I’m almost done!” Puck shouted through the door.
“Moonfrost, you know there’s a shower downstairs, right?” the murderer interjected, ever the voice of reason.
Moonfrost frowned. “No, I didn’t.”
“Wait, sorry, it isn’t downstairs.” The murderer pointed out of the common room. “It’s in the old butlers’ quarters, if you take a left past the staircase and keep going down the hall.”
The murderer was lying. There was no shower there.
“Um, why haven’t we been using this all along?” Moonfrost huffed, drawing away from the bathroom door.
“I always thought we were fine with just the one shower.”
“You would,” Moonfrost joked. “Alright, see you later, I’m going to try out this shower you speak of.”
Moonfrost went to gather her things. In that time, the murderer left the common room and stalked down the halls until it reached the butlers’ quarters, where Moon was sure to be arriving soon.
The murderer waited just beyond a sharp corner and leaned against the wall, shrouded by the dim and ghostly twilight of the abandoned halls. This wing was not frequented by anyone, although the murderer did notice a few old footprints in the dust.
It wasn’t long before the murderer heard footsteps pattering down the hall. What it didn’t realize was that it had made a grave miscalculation: Puck was doing far too good a job going unnoticed.
She was doing so good a job, in fact, that she had not even been considered a variable in the murderer’s mind.
Puck had been curious about this so-called shower. She had left the bathroom quickly enough that Moonfrost had decided against finding the butlers’ quarters. The murderer’s target was not arriving according to plan.
The murderer gripped the twin saber in its palm as its victim’s footsteps grew louder. Adrenaline coursed through the murderer’s veins as it prepared itself to face Moonfrost…
...and there its victim turned the corner, and there the murderer reacted in the second it saw movement, lashing out with faultless aim--
And there was Puck instead of Moonfrost, stricken, startled, and scathed.
Puck stopped in her tracks; her legs wouldn’t move. In a split second of blurry confusion, she didn’t realize what had happened, but then, as though a switch had been flipped, Puck’s entire world lit on fire and a searing pain exploded in her chest.
Frame by frame, millisecond by millisecond, Puck’s mind attacked the facts--facts she did not want to comprehend. She looked down, and there were blossoms of red seeping through her shirt. The center of Puck’s ruby flower was a pulsating beam of light that sprouted through her chest.
Puck let out a mute gasp and followed the saber’s blade to its source. Her eyes moved against her will. A hand shook at the lightsaber’s hilt, which was supported by an arm; the arm led to a body, a neck, and a head…
The murderer met eyes with Puck.
No, Puck--what are you doing here?!
The murderer did not move. Neither did Puck. They stared at each other for a few seconds, mutually astonished.
“Puck, I’m sorry this had to happen to you,” the murderer whispered. “This was meant for Moonfrost.”
As if that made it better. “I, uh…” Puck stammered. She had believed this person to be a friend. She had joked and teased and pranked this person; sighed and grumbled over this person; she had even risked her life on this person’s words.
Puck blinked slowly, and slowly was the fastest she could manage; the world was slipping from her grasp and all around her the color drained, and secrets and questions rose up around her, escaping her body, closing around her and inflaming the fear of death that now sang in triumph within her heart.
She turned within herself as Lake Lelillo faded from around her--or was she fading from it?
The murderer turned off the lightsaber and tossed it aside. Puck fell with her wings sprawled out, and that was the end of that.
The murderer looked down at Puck with an odd sensation brewing in its chest.
Puck was so quiet today. Quiet enough to slip my mind. How does that happen?
The murderer shook its head, banishing what it considered to be trivial concerns. Solving mysteries was not its job, which is why the murderer made haste to hide away Autumn Leaves’s lightsaber, race downstairs, and pretend to be quite horrified by its discovery of Puck’s death.
--------
RIP, Puck. :(
(May 21, 2019 - 3:12 pm)