 
Paranormal is Relative

By S.J. Drew

Story and Cover Copyright 2013 S.J. Drew

Smashwords Edition

Thank you for downloading this free e-book. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support **.**
Table of Contents:

Introduction

Track 1 - Beyond the Grave

Track 2 - Ghost Writer

Track 3 - Green-eyed Monster

Track 4 - Don't Quoth Me

Track 5 - Cathedral of the Soul

Track 6 - Lovecraftian Horror

Track 7 - The Brother of Sleep

Track 8 - Bad Seed

Track 9 - Calm Before the Storm

Track 10 - How You Play the Game

Track 11 - Not a Murder (Only an Unkindness)

Track 12 - Like a Writing Desk

Track 13 - Howl at the Moon

Wrap-Up

Introduction:

Kelly: Hello everyone and welcome to "Top 45 Revolutions!" I'm Kelly Kellem!

Bryan: And I'm Bryan Highwave! This week after breaking into the Top 45 with three songs from their new album, "Paranormal is Relative," we got a chance to sit down and interview the band Nevermore and the Ravens.

Kelly: The band is notorious for being evasive and mysterious about their real lives and the inspiration for their songs."

Bryan: But we thought we'd be able to get through that tough exterior and find out what makes them so successful.

Kelly: The whole interview will be available for download tomorrow. We'll also include the song lyrics for context.

Bryan: And you can find out if we got the inside story or not. As usual, they did not tell us their real names, but insisted on being called by their stage names of Anna, Belle, Lee, and Lenore.

Kelly: By the way, we'd like to point out that even though this is a radio show, the band showed up in full costume. They looked like they're wearing a punk take on a tuxedo, complete with top hats, and everyone had long black hair partially covering their faces.

Bryan: They were dressed identically, which is one of their trademarks, in addition to crediting the whole band for each song and switching up who plays and who sings. In fact, the only person with any specific credit is Dave Rafel, and we'll get to that during the interview

Kelly: So, let's get this show started!

Track 1 - Beyond the Grave

The Interview:

Bryan: We're glad to have you on our show!

Anna: Thanks! We're glad to be here!

Bryan: So we're here to discuss your second album, "Paranormal is Relative."

Kelly: Your first album, "Necromancy for the Greater Good," was of course a break-out success. It's been called everything from innovative to odd but definitely not mainstream.

Bryan: Some of the tracks on this album might be considered mainstream.

Lenore: Is that necessarily a problem?

Kelly: You know, people may accuse you of selling out.

Lee: That would be great!

Bryan: It would? Really?

Lenore: Sure. It means people are paying attention.

Belle: It means there are enough people who have listened to us and liked us to form an opinion on what they think our music should be.

Anna: It's one of the signs that we've really made it big.

Kelly: Really? What's another sign?

Lee: When someone like Weird Al does a parody of one of our songs.

Bryan: That's fair.

Kelly: So, the first track here, "Beyond the Grave," is hard rock with a metal edge but judging by the lyrics, it seems to be a love song, except it seems like the opposite of a love song, kind of like "Blood-Sucking Fiend."

Lenore: Sure, let's go with whatever that means.

Bryan: Why do you feel inspired to write songs that seem to make fun of love?

Belle: We aren't making fun, as such. We're just pointing out the flaws in common perceptions of love. We did it in "Blood-Sucking Fiend" with vampires, and here we're just taking on the idea of love lasting beyond death.

Kelly: But why?

Lee: Regular love songs are boring. We don't like boring.

Bryan: [laughs] That's obvious. So what was your inspiration for this song?

Anna: Life, and death, and stuff.

Kelly: You aren't going to give us any details, are you?

Lee: Nope.

Bryan: Do we have any chance of getting the inside story?

Lee: Probably not. But you can keep asking anyway.

The Inside Story:

"A show in Salem around Halloween?" Leah said, reviewing their itinerary. "That's totally appropriate. Did Mr. Rafel book this one or did Dave?" she asked, referring to their agent and his son.

"I think Dave booked this one for us," Isabella answered as she steered their van.

"I would have guessed that. Mr. Rafel still doesn't get our music," Nora sighed from her usual spot in the front passenger seat.

"I know this town really revels in its history, but it is actually kind of gloomy this time of year," Maryann said. "We missed all the pretty autumn leaves."

"Maybe next time around," Leah said. "So where are we staying for this gig?"

"Gable House Bed and Breakfast," Isabella replied.

"Probably it's some kind of touristy thing," Nora said dryly. "Genuine haunted house with a real live ghost and all that."

"Actually, no," Maryann returned, looking at reviews of the place on her phone. "Apparently it's not haunted at all. That's also apparently a bad thing here."

"How come everyone's so sure it's not haunted?"

"Well, it used to have a reputation for being haunted. You know, the usual stuff like cold spots, odd breezes, things falling off of shelves by themselves. But about twenty years ago, all that stuff stopped happening. Looks like the owners have hired ghost hunters to prove the place really is haunted and no one has turned up anything."

"Wait, the owners want their B&B to be haunted?" Leah asked. "Well, I guess in a town built on supernatural tourism, an un-haunted house is not a draw. So let me guess, the rates are really low?"

Isabella shrugged. "It works out for us."

"And it would be nice to stay in a definitely un-haunted house for once," Maryann said.

"You just totally jinxed us," Leah replied.

"Oh, honestly."

"Hey, I've jinxed us before. Remember the Battle of the Bands and I said nothing was going to happen on Halloween because that's too cliché? I was wrong, and I'm not ashamed to admit it."

"So you're saying this house is definitely not not-haunted?"

"I'm saying a double-negative equals proof-positive," Leah answered. She waited a moment. "No one got that? It's from Clue."

After a quick online search Nora said, "What is it with you and '80s pop culture? You weren't even alive in the '80s."

"I have three older brothers who were and they loved that movie. Specifically, they loved watching the busty French maid."

"Boys," Maryann said, shaking her head.

Gable House Bed and Breakfast was actually a little outside the Salem city limits. The house was large and built in a kind of Gothic style. There was a very large American elm tree in the front yard that looked easily as old as the house. Everything about it was old and sprawling.

"Are you sure those reviews say this place isn't haunted?" Leah asked. "I mean, look at it."

"It looks like my great-aunt Victoria's house," Nora said. "Although I think her house is probably older."

"I think it looks nice," Maryann said brightly. "I like all the trim and the pointy roof bits."

The band checked into their rooms. Nora and Isabella shared one, as normal, and Maryann and Leah shared another. They dropped off their luggage, got into costume, and headed back out almost immediately for their first gig. They returned late and went to sleep as soon as they could.

Isabella woke up to the sound of thunder. Her eyes popped open and very carefully felt for her glasses, which she always kept under her pillow. It was annoying being near-sighted, and as a natural medium who was often awakened by things that went bump in the night, it was downright frustrating at times. She tried to put her frame-less glasses on without being too obvious about it and reflected again on the idea of getting laser vision correction. She carefully looked around the room. Standing near the door was a ghost of a man. He was translucent but other than that didn't look very corpse-like. He was a little past middle-age and was wearing very old-fashioned clothes. He was just kind of staring at Isabella and seemed unaware she could see him. She rolled over and cast a spell on Nora to allow her to see spirits.

"Nora! Nora!" she said in a harsh whisper.

"What?" she replied fuzzily.

"Look at the door."

Nora sighed and sat up in her bed.

The ghost looked startled but didn't move.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Nora demanded.

The ghost and Isabella looked very surprised.

"Yes, you in the corner. What are you doing in the room of two single young ladies at this hour?"

"I-I-I," he stuttered.

"Nora?" Isabella said in disbelief.

"Aren't you a gentleman? How dare you! This isn't appropriate. This is scandalous. Scandalous!" she said.

"My apologies. I-I-I didn't mean harm..."

"Get out. You can come back after breakfast when we're dressed to receive the company of a gentleman."

"Yes, you're right. Again, my apologies," he said, and passed right through the door.

Isabella was just staring at Nora.

Nora yawned. "Problem solved for now. Good night," she said, and rolled back over and went to sleep.

Isabella shook her head and went back to sleep.

In the morning, they met up with Leah and Maryann and briefed them on the odd events of the previous night before they headed to breakfast. While the young women dressed identically on the stage, they could not be more different in their regular clothes. Nora wore a fashion-forward, designer label purple dress with immaculately styled, straightened hair. Isabella had on a plain white, long-sleeved t-shirt and blue jeans from a big-box department store and pulled her blond hair back in a ponytail. Maryann's eclectic sense of style had the common thread of bright colors, so her orange-rimmed glasses, orange shirt, red pants, and shoulder-length red hair stood out against the rather old-fashioned, pastel-colored walls and interior decorations. Leah, who was used to hand-me-downs from her brothers, wore a green sweatshirt and brown jeans and kept her long, thick, dark hair braided and out of her face.

"Definitely not not-haunted," Leah said smugly.

"Fine, fine, I jinxed us," Maryann sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised, I guess. So many weird things happen to us it's like being weirdness magnets is really our job in life."

"You're being silly," Nora said. "We're musicians. It's not like all the weird stuff happens to us all the time."

They descended the stairs to see a frazzled woman staring at the lounge area looking lost. "Ruby! Ruby! Ruby Lew, where are you?" she asked, calling to either a child or a pet.

"Over here," said a high-pitched voice with a lisp.

The woman walked over to an in-table and a three-year old girl crawled out from underneath it. "There you are! Don't run away like that! And look, you knocked over the lamp," she said with a strong Brooklyn accent, setting it back on the in-table.

"Wow, that's one heck of a lampshade," Leah said.

"Oh, it's too kitschy for my taste, but I don't think it's that bad," Maryann replied.

The frazzled woman led the child into the dining room while giving her a lecture on appropriate public behavior.

"Anyway, let's get some food and figure out what we're going to do," Nora said.

"By the way, how did you know how to chase away the ghost?" Isabella asked.

"From the age of the house and his clothes, I guessed he was a financially well-off man from the early 1800s. Men of that time period did not go into ladies bedrooms like that. So I just shamed him into leaving."

"You made a ghost blush?" Leah asked, sounding impressed.

"Something like that anyway."

"And you recognized his age by his clothes?" Isabella asked.

"One of my projects for American History was on fashion," Nora answered. "I didn't focus on this time period, but I did study it."

"You went to a way better high school than I did," Leah replied.

Breakfast was, as expected, homemade and quite filling. They also discussed their mysterious visitor. His identity, at least, was easily found out due to the large portrait over the fireplace in the lounge.

"'Fitzwilliam Gable,'" Leah read off of the plaque on the bottom of the portrait. "'Founder of the Gable House.' Well, that tells us a little bit anyway."

An elderly woman in a floral apron walked up next to them. "Oh, would you like to know about the Gable House?" she asked, peering through her thick glasses. "I'm Mrs. Gable and I own this place."

"Nice to meet you," Maryann said immediately. "We would love to know more about the history your lovely bed and breakfast. And how everyone knows it's definitely not haunted."

A slightly bitter expression crossed Mrs. Gable's face but it quickly passed and she smiled pleasantly. "Fitzwilliam Gable was descended from some of the first British colonists in Massachusetts. The family first settled in Boston and made a fortune on importing goods. The Embargo Act of 1807 made business difficult, so the family moved to Salem and used a great deal of the money to invest in Chinese imports, which paid off. The Gables were a little tired of city life from their years in Boston, so when they decided to settle down, they picked a spot a bit outside the city. Nathaniel Gable, Fitzwilliam's father, actually built this house in 1810 and it was completed the year Fitzwilliam was born. Of course, all that is just accounting," she said. "In 1832, Nathaniel died and the business was left to Fitzwilliam, who ran it quite well. And later that year, he met Elise Berkshire, whom he later married. That, of course, is where the story gets interesting."

"How so?" Maryann prompted.

"Follow me," Mrs. Gable said, leading them to what had probably been originally the parlor of the house. There was large portrait of a young lady with blond hair, fair skin, and attractive, if slightly pointy, facial features. She was wearing a high fashion pink dress of the early 1800s.

The band stared.

"Isabella, she looks almost exactly like you," Maryann whispered.

Mrs. Gable didn't hear her. "Elise joined the household as a common housekeeper. Despite their differences, Fitzwilliam and Elise fell in love and married in 1834. Many of the members of the Gable family remaining in Boston were against him marrying down, as they saw it. There was some bad blood between Nathaniel and his brother William, that's Fitzwilliam's uncle, and old William did not take kindly to his nephew marrying such a low-class woman. Fitzwilliam and Elise had four children and he fought to make sure they were recognized as his legal heirs." She shook her head. "Despite all that, they were fairly happy together. But then in 1859, Elise died suddenly. There were a number of rumors at the time that she had been murdered by one of the Boston cousins, or that Fitzwilliam himself had murdered her to finally appease his uncle William, or that she was so distressed by the family feuding she killed herself."

The band expressed appropriate sympathy.

"Fitzwilliam just wasn't the same. He became deeply depressed and almost obsessive over the loss of his beloved Elise. On the one year anniversary of her death, a housekeeper found him dead in his bedroom. To this day no one knows how he died. There were more rumors of murder by the Boston cousins or of suicide so he could follow Elise to the afterlife. So very sad." She shook her head again. "Not long after his death, the family started to report strange happenings. Objects would move of their own accord. Rooms had cold spots and sometimes people would see lit candles in empty rooms, only to have the light go out as soon as they entered. Things got so bad that Nathaniel Gable the second, Fitzwilliam's eldest son, moved out of the house and back to Boston, although I suppose that could be due to the family's interest in manufacturing over imports. For quite a long time the house was empty. My husband inherited the house and we thought it would be perfect for a bed and breakfast. The house still had a reputation for being haunted, which certainly didn't hurt during tourist season." The old lady sighed again. "But the house has been silent for nearly twenty years. I guess Fitzwilliam moved on. I of course wish him peace," she said hastily, however, it was obvious that she felt business would be better if the house was actually haunted.

"Well, thank you for telling us the story," Maryann said. "Even if the house isn't haunted..."

Leah coughed slightly.

Maryann glared at her. "Even if it isn't haunted, I think it's a lovely old house with tasty food so if people would rather go to some touristy haunted house, they don't know what they're missing."

Mrs. Gable smiled a little bitterly. "Well, thank you dearie, but unfortunately most people don't seem to agree. They like haunted houses or houses were famous witches lived. Or famous colonists, but sadly the Gables did not distinguish themselves to that degree during the Revolutionary War. It's too bad, really. I like the town, even with all the tourists, and I love the house, but business is business. We need either a tourist draw or a historical draw and since the haunting stopped, we don't have either. But that's not your problem. I hope you'll give us a good review on those social media sites you kids are on these days."

"Sure, we can do that," Maryann said.

Mrs. Gable lead them back to the busier, but not busy enough, dining area, and struck up a conversation with the frazzled woman and her daughter Ruby.

The band returned to Nora and Isabella's room.

"You look exactly like Elise!" Maryann said.

"Yes, I noticed that," Isabella replied dryly. "That probably explains the ghost's interest."

"I feel kind of bad for Mrs. Gable," Leah said. "She runs a nice place but probably doesn't get as much business as she wants."

"I do too, but we do have the problem of the definitely not not-haunted house to deal with," Nora reminded them.

"Well, let's talk to the ghost and find out what he wants and go from there," Isabella said.

"You have to be sensible all the time," Leah replied.

There was a knock at the door and a male voice asked, "May I enter your bed-chamber?"

"That's got to be the ghost," Nora said. "No one uses the phrase 'bed-chamber' anymore."

Isabella quickly cast spirit sight on the group although she suspected the ghost would probably manifest for them if he was knocking on the door. "You may come in," she said.

The ghost of the man she had seen the night before walked through the door, fully manifested and visible to the unaided eye. "Please accept my most humble apologies for last night's intrusion. I had no business entering your private rooms without permission. I can only offer the unacceptable excuse that being dead has rendered many manners unnecessary and I have forgotten many more. Please forgive me."

"I'll think about," Isabella said. "We got some of the family history from Mrs. Gable this morning."

He looked faintly annoyed. "Yes. She and her husband have been good stewards of the house although I disapprove of it being turned into a business. Still, I do understand that the living have needs and those needs are met through earning money. I am glad; however, they ceased attempting to market the house as haunted to tourists."

"Well, it sounds like they lost all the ghostly happenings to market," Nora said.

He nodded. "Opening a business in the family house is close to selling out the family name. I accepted that, however, as a necessary evil. But capitalizing on the family tragedy to attempt to attract more ungrateful gawking tourists was not acceptable! I still retain some dignity after death," he said proudly.

"Okay, I get that. So why were you in our room last night?" Nora asked.

He stared at his feet a moment. "Did Mrs. Gable show you the portrait of my beloved Elise?"

"Yes."

"Your mistress looks so much like Elise..."

"Mistress? What are you talking about?" Nora demanded.

"I-I assume you are this young lady's personal servant," he stuttered. "You and the Spanish and Irish immigrants," he said, pointing to Leah and Maryann in turn.

"Excuse me?" Maryann exclaimed.

Nora crossed her arms. "Now listen here. I know when you were alive black people were servants or slaves and immigrants were just servants but it's been over a hundred and fifty years since you died and just a few things have changed since then. We're all equal here, you got that?"

He looked quite taken aback. "My apologies, again. I am only dimly aware of the sensibilities of the modern age, and it is quite difficult for the dead to change their ways."

"Whatever," she said. "So, yes, Isabella looks a lot like Elise. That doesn't mean you can watch her sleep like some creepy stalker."

"Yes, I agree with the sentiment. I can only make apologies for my breach in manners and etiquette. But I have been here so long, I thought perhaps my beloved Elise had finally returned to me and we could be together again," he said.

"I'm not your dead wife," Isabella replied flatly.

"You are not familiar with the concept of reincarnation?" he asked. "I know, it is a pagan belief and certainly contradictory to my Protestant upbringing, but ghosts are also a pagan belief and yet here I am."

"I know what reincarnation is," she answered. "I don't know if I believe in it."

"But you look so much like her I would swear you must be at least distantly related."

She shrugged. "It's possible, I guess. My Dad's ancestors did settle in the Boston area."

"Then perhaps there is still a chance," he said, looking slightly less translucent. "Our love was like none other. We hardly liked each other at first," he said with a laugh. "She was a servant and I barely paid her any attention until she sharply rebuked me for getting in the way of her work. I almost sent her from the house, but I was distracted by her fair face and unusual gray eyes, which I notice you share."

"I'm not your dead wife," Isabella said again.

"We bickered and sparred and one day realized we loved each other. I proposed underneath the great elm in the front yard. She accepted my proposal. Sadly, my family did not accept my marriage to a woman of such a low class. I endured such harassment from my Uncle William, curse him, and I know she did as well. Even our children were not sheltered from the harassment from the family in Boston." Fitzwilliam started to look translucent again. "Such tactics took a toll on her health. She suffered from bouts of coughing and terrible headaches that left her bedridden for days. I brought in all the finest doctors and they would give her tonics and medicines but her health continued to decline. I did not realize how fragile she was..."

"I'm very sorry," Maryann said after a few moments.

"Thank you. Even though she had been ill, her death was still quite a shock to me. I was in turns so furious I could not see straight and in such a deep grief I could not get out of my bed. I was partially convinced one of my Boston cousins had poisoned her in order to finally satisfy my Uncle William's wish that the marriage be ended. I investigated the doctors but I found no evidence of foul play."

"Do you still think your family may have murdered your wife?" Leah asked.

He sighed. "I do not know. Competency in the medical profession in my lifetime was difficult to find. It would have been easy for a cousin to bribe a doctor into giving my wife something detrimental, or the doctor could merely have been ignorant of the consequences of his prescription. Or perhaps my wife did not understand the dosing instructions and accidentally killed herself. Even now such thoughts cause me great anxiety."

"Did you kill yourself because of that?" Isabella asked.

Now he looked ashamed. "Yes and no. I took to drinking, which caused me to be violent and irritable. I was depressed, so I sought medicine to improve my moods. I made accusations of murder and foul play by my Boston relatives which caused a number of fights with them and my own children. I was engaging in many self-destructive behaviors which did lead to my death, but it was not intentional. I think perhaps the medications and alcohol should not have been combined. I went to sleep one night and never woke up."

"But if you missed your wife so much, why didn't you move on?" Nora asked.

"I have asked myself that every day. I wish to move on, but something binds me here. Upon realizing I would not be united with my beloved in Heaven, I acted out. My disruptions eventually drove my family away from their birthright. It was only recently the Gables returned and you can see what happened," he said.

"And this reincarnation thing?" Isabella said.

He seemed to brighten up again. "I wondered if perhaps I was bound here as a test of my love and devotion. I am bound to Gable House, but I may cross the boundaries for a time, and so I have often visited the city to try to alleviate the boredom. I learned of many things. I do believe one day my Elise will return to me and we can be together again."

"But why?" Isabella asked. "I mean, life and death aren't quite as separate as a lot of people think, but it's been a hundred and fifty years. If she was going to come back, wouldn't she have done so by now?"

"I don't understand all the laws of Divinity," he replied. "Perhaps she is bound in some way and cannot return until her sentence is completed. You are here now."

"Hey, just because I look like your dead wife doesn't mean I have her soul," she said. "There are seven billion people on this planet now."

"That is astonishing," he said.

"If she reincarnated, the odds that it would be in a body that happens to be the right age, live in the right part of the world, and look like her are also astonishing."

"Practically impossible, I would say," Leah added.

"Since finding myself existing after death, I no longer believe anything is impossible," he said stubbornly. "Perhaps if you stayed a bit longer in the house, you would remember your former life."

"We're leaving tomorrow," Nora said.

"That may not be enough time," he replied, and abruptly vanished.

"Okay, well, that's not ominous in any way," Leah said.

"Let's just take care of business for now," Nora replied. "We need to rehearse a bit, check out the festival, get set up, and play."

"I'd like to do a little more research on the Gable family," Isabella said. "It may be useful later. I want to go to the library and see what I can find in the archives that wouldn't be online."

"How romantic," Maryann remarked with a wistful sigh. "Love that endures beyond death."

"That's not romantic, that's unfortunate," Nora retorted. "He's been obsessing for over a century. He should have moved on. She's not coming back and he's still here. That's pretty pathetic if you ask me."

"You have no romance in your soul," the redhead retorted.

"I'm not even sure what that means, but I do know there's nothing romantic about wasting your life, or afterlife in this case, waiting for someone else."

"Usually it's Maryann's guys that get us into trouble," Leah said.

"Hey!" Maryann snapped.

"Maryann's guys usually aren't dead, either," she continued. "And he's not really Isabella's guy."

"Ladies, let's just go," Isabella sighed.

Research, rehearsal, and the show, which was at a different venue than the previous night, actually went very well. The weather had taken a turn for the worse and was threatening thunderstorms and maybe even snow, but it held off for the show. Since they were in Salem, their costumes were very witch-themed with long black dresses and pointy black hats.

"I can't believe we actually wore crushed velvet and black lace," Nora said distastefully as they headed back to the bed and breakfast.

"Well, it kind of fits," Leah replied. "We have to fit our act to the venue, even if it means we have to wear this kind of stuff."

"I know."

"Leah, grab the emergency kit," Isabella said. "Just in case."

It started to rain as they drove and they barely got inside before the skies opened up and the rain turned to sheets of water. Leah did remember to grab the large, sturdy duffel bag that held a variety of supplies. Almost as soon as they were inside, the power went out. As Leah passed out flashlights, Mrs. Gable approached them.

"Would you girls like to join us in the breakfast room? Everyone's a little put out by the storm, so we're all downstairs waiting it out."

They agreed and found all the guests sitting in the breakfast room. Mrs. Gable took a seat next to Mr. Gable looking for all the world like they had answered a casting call for, "stereotypical if slightly clueless grandparents." Ruby and her mother sat at a table by themselves. The little girl was wearing green pajamas with orange flowers and ducked every time thunder rolled. Her mother was wearing a rumpled sweatshirt and her dark hair was in a ragged ponytail, making her look even more frazzled than earlier. There was a middle-aged pair of men who were wearing business casual, tweed jackets, and looking rather scholarly; they were reading books on e-readers. There was a young couple sitting at a table with an early-retired couple. The young wife was wearing an outfit not dissimilar to the band's stage costumes and her husband was all in black. The early retiree husband looked somewhat bored as his wife was talking with the young woman. There was an Ouija board out on their table and it seemed like the young woman was trying to talk the other two into using it.

"Hm. I guess the haunted houses were booked up," Nora said in a low, disdainful voice to the others. They took a seat at an empty table. The Gables had set out candles at each table and had the fire going in the former living room to provide warmth.

The young wife walked over to them. "Isn't this exciting?" she asked. "We think the ghost of Fitzwilliam Gable has returned and we want to ask him a few questions. And we thought this place wasn't haunted. Would you like to join us?"

"Yeah, thanks but no thanks," Leah said.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself. We're still going to try to make contact through the Ouija board."

"Good luck with that," Nora replied dryly.

She walked back over to the table and soon their whole table was asking questions. The Gables watched with detached interest, the scholarly men ignored them, and the mother was busy trying to keep her daughter calm.

Isabella subtly cast a spirit sight spell on herself and the rest of the band.

"That might actually work tonight," Maryann said in a low voice, referring to the séance.

Isabella shook her head. "It's not necessary. If he wants to talk, he won't need that."

"Do you think he'd manifest in front of all these people?"

"I don't think so. He doesn't want this place put on the tours, you know?"

"So what do we do?" Leah asked.

"We wait," Nora answered immediately. "Given the time period when he lived, he'll make his intentions clear."

They didn't have to wait too long. A few minutes after the séance started, the ghost of Fitzwilliam stepped out of his large portrait on the mantle in the former living room. He looked at Isabella and held out his hand.

They all stood up.

"Goodnight, ladies," Mrs. Gable said.

"Goodnight," Maryann replied brightly.

Isabella of course did not take Fitzwilliam's hand, but he knew they could see him so he walked (as much as a ghost walks) next to her as they went upstairs to Isabella and Nora's shared room.

"Well?" Isabella prompted.

"I had hoped you would tour the house with me," the ghost said, "and we can find out if it brings back any memories."

"With the power off?"

"The house was not electric when my beloved Elise lived here. I thought it would be more authentic by candlelight."

Maryann kind of sighed, clearly thinking this was a romantic idea. Nora and Leah rolled their eyes.

"The other guests have confined themselves to the breakfast area, so we should not be disturbed," he said.

"Fine. I'll take the tour and then will you be convinced I'm not Elise?" Isabella asked.

"We shall see what happens as we go," he said stiffly.

"I'm bringing flashlights," Leah said. "There's no way I'm walking around any strange house in the dark with nothing but a candle."

"Very well," he replied, looking faintly annoyed. Fitzwilliam lead them through the house, much of which was not used even though it was a place of business. The band assumed this was because the Gables simply didn't have the money to fix it all up. The ghost regaled them with stories of his life and periodically asked Isabella questions. He was obviously disappointed when she couldn't answer them but continued the tour. They ended up right back in the bedroom.

"So do you remember anything at all?" the ghost asked.

Isabella sighed. "Fitzwilliam, let's talk about this logically, alright? I know you went to Harvard. You are clearly an intellectual man."

He looked both pleased and confused. "How did you learn this information?"

"The Internet."

"Oh, this modern technology. Yes, I do pride myself as an intellectual."

"Then let's talk logically. Logically, why would love endure beyond death like this?"

"Please clarify your inquiry."

"Look, if you and Elise both went beyond the Veil, then I can see love lasting like that," Isabella. "But you stayed and she moved on. How could that work? Even if she reincarnated, she'd be alive and you'd still be dead. You can't touch her."

He looked sad. "That is true; it would not be as our love was in life. But love can overcome many obstacles."

"If you even got to that stage. You don't change. Your 19th century sensibilities and attitudes are going to be largely offensive to a modern mindset."

"Like assuming we were servants," Nora huffed.

Isabella continued. "A reincarnated Elise would grow up in a modern world. Assuming, again, she was the right age and even in this country and area to begin with, she'd be a very different woman. Her modern sensibilities may not be compatible with yours either."

"That is a good point, but still, we already overcame many obstacles," he said.

"And if you even got the chance to try, what if it didn't work out this time? Maybe you already learned everything you were supposed to. Maybe that's why she moved on and you didn't."

He seemed to consider this. "You do put forth a sound argument, which is very much like my Elise."

The band sighed collectively.

"Even though she had a limited formal education, she was a very rational person, especially for woman..."

"That's the kind of 19th century attitude Isabella's talking about," Nora snapped.

"I am certain if you remained in the house just a bit longer you would remember," he said, ignoring Nora.

"We're leaving tomorrow. We've got another gig," Isabella replied.

His eyes glowed with a cold, ethereal light. "I'm afraid that just won't do," he said. "You will simply have to stay here."

Isabella pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket that she had prepared beforehand. It had Japanese kanji written on it that translated most closely to, "Be gone evil spirit."

"She's not staying," Nora said. "We're a band and we need her to play."

"Then you can all stay here. It will be nice to have music in the house once more."

Isabella smacked the piece of paper right into the middle of Fitzwilliam's forehead.

He looked surprised but seemed unable to move.

"I tried to reason with you because you seemed like you might be a reasonable ghost. Since reason didn't work, I'm going to have to get a little mean. My name is Isabella," she snapped. "I was born in Georgia. I am a musician. I also happen to be a natural medium and know some spirit magic. And I am not your dead wife."

He blinked his glowing eyes and tried to say something but couldn't form words.

"I can't exorcise you from this house since it's your house, but if you really try to force me to stay here against my will, I can make you pretty miserable. Also, and I can't emphasize this enough, I am not your dead wife!" she said, practically shouting out the last words.

He continued to stutter.

"Now, I'm sorry you've been waiting for her for so long. I personally think you should move on, but your afterlife isn't my business. So, are you going to stop behaving like a creepy obsessive stalker..."

"That means blackguard, ruffian, and brute," Nora interjected.

"Right, so are you going to stop behaving like a blackguard and a bully, or is this going to get really ugly?" She plucked the charm off of his forehead. The paper turned black and then disintegrated.

Fitzwilliam was so shocked he could not speak for several moments. "You! You are not my Elise!" he roared as lightning flashed. "You-you are some witch! You have made a deal with the forces of evil!" Thunder rolled.

"Do you not know the reputation of this town?" Leah asked dryly.

"Of course I do but I have never actually seen anyone with the ability to command dark forces."

"First time for everything."

"Are you going to stop throwing this temper tantrum now?" Nora snapped. "You're keeping everyone awake, including a three-year-old little girl who did absolutely nothing to you. We all need to sleep, and we need to leave early tomorrow."

His eyes stopped glowing and his anger faded quickly. The rain outside almost immediately started to slacken. "My apologies. I had forgotten there was a child in the house. I should never show such violence in front of a child."

"Good. Are you convinced I'm not your dead wife?" Isabella asked.

"Yes. You are alike in form and face, and I know not exactly what binds you to the Other Side, but it is clearly not the soul of my beloved Elise." He sighed. "And so I am now where I was before. Alone." He disappeared.

"I am warding our rooms tonight, just in case," Isabella said, and Maryann pitched in to do just that. The storm dispersed quickly and soon everyone was in bed.

And all too soon, their alarms went off and they dressed, packed, and went downstairs for breakfast. Besides Mrs. Gable, they were the only ones awake at that hour.

"I feel bad for Fitzwilliam," Maryann said.

Leah yawned. "Why? He made his choice."

"Because he's still in love and he doesn't know how to move on. That seems awful for anyone, living or dead."

"We can't make choices for other people," Nora replied. "Whatever binds him kept him from moving on when he died. It's probably only gotten stronger by now."

"Yeah, I know, but I still feel sorry for him."

"He also was willing to imprison all of us in this house," Leah said harshly.

"Well, yeah, maybe, or he was just caught up in the passion of the moment," Maryann replied.

"He was known for having a temper," Isabella said. "I came across that in my research. There's a reason the family had so many years of bad blood with their Boston relatives."

"But you still called him out like that? That's pretty careless, don't you think?" Leah asked.

Isabella shrugged. "I can handle ghosts. That charm would have burned through sooner or later, but I think I got my point across. I wish reason had worked, though. I don't like to do that kind of thing."

Mrs. Gable walked by with a pot of coffee. "You girls missed quite a night. That nice young couple's séance was very interesting. They called on the ghost of Fitzwilliam Gable and he answered."

"You don't say?" Leah replied, not quite keeping the sarcasm out of her voice.

"Of course, family history portrays Fitzwilliam as a rather different kind of man than the one they were talking to, but who am I to argue with the experts on these things? I'm sure they're going to tell everyone they know and post it on their social walls or boards about the good, old-fashioned haunting," she continued, obviously hoping to get some more business to the bed and breakfast. "Would you like some more toast?"

They nodded and she walked away.

"Maybe I feel a little bad for the ghost," Leah said. "Who wants to be a tourist attraction?"

"So that's it?" Maryann asked when they were nearly finished. "We leave, the ghost stays, and nothing gets better? I don't like that."

"Sometimes we can't solve a mystery in 22 minutes with all the loose ends neatly tied up," Leah replied wryly.

They heard a muffled crash in the former parlor.

"Ruby!" the frazzled mother said, who now looked quite tired.

Her daughter crawled out from underneath the in-table and walked over to her mother.

"You knocked over that lamp again," the mother said, setting it upright and putting the lampshade back on. "You behave or you'll break your auntie's lamp and then you'll be in trouble. Now, go apologize to your auntie."

The little girl walked over to Mrs. Gable, who was already pulling out a high chair for her. The mother joined her, and in a few minutes Mrs. Gable was free to bring the band their toast.

"Mrs. Gable," Maryann said, "What if Fitzwilliam is still here? Isn't it kind of, well, not nice to try to use his death as a way to get business?"

Mrs. Gable adjusted her thick glasses. "I agree, using a death to get business isn't the most respectful way to treat the dead, and is a bit macabre. But the alternative is to lose the business and the house, and my dear husband already gave up a lot to try to save the house. History says Fitzwilliam was a shrewd businessman. If he's still here, he should understand sometimes business can be personally distasteful. And if that offends him, then he always has the option to leave. But, for the sake of family, of course I'll make sure to correct any misinformation the tourists may have when they come here."

Maryann still looked unhappy.

"Listen," Mrs. Gable said with a sigh, "people are really good at making their lives difficult and convincing themselves they don't have any choices."

"'We are all prisoners here of our own device,'" Leah sang.

The old woman nodded. "I saw the Eagles in concert once. It was great. But my point is, I feel sorry for Fitzwilliam too, if he's still here. But if he is, that's his own choice. He may not think he can leave or move on, and I've known so many living people who think the same way; I can see how the dead might fall into the same trap. Sometimes you just can't save people from themselves. Do you need anything else?"

They answered in the negative, so she tended to the other guests while they finished up breakfast. Soon they were on the road again.

"It's not fair," Maryann sighed.

"Life's not fair, why should death be?" Leah asked. "Anyway, Mrs. Gable is right. For better or worse, the ghost has made his choice. We did our best to help him and it didn't work. He's still stuck on Elise and for now nothing is going to change that."

"So what did we learn from this, Maryann?" Nora asked.

The redhead pouted a moment. "Don't get Isabella mad at you."

"We know that," Leah said. "I think Nora means, what did we learn about love and romance and all that?"

She sighed. "Sometimes love isn't enough after all."

"We should write a song about that," Nora said.

"Good thing we're a band then," Leah said.

The Lyrics:

Bound by love

Giving from the heart

Together forever

'Til death do we part

But what happens then?

When we cross the Veil

What of our great love?

Is that the end of the tale?

Refrain: All things end

And cannot be saved

Not even love can endure

Beyond the grave.

The story doesn't matter

Romeo and Juliet

Or the rakish scoundrel

And his fair soubrette

No matter the romance

Comedic or tragic

The story draws to a close

And ends the magic

Refrain

We loved each other

Our lives were entwined

But why stay forever

Held by ties that bind

So when it comes time

For beginnings to end

It's better not to stay

It's better to transcend

Refrain x2

Track 2 - Ghost Writer

The Interview:

Kelly: This next track is pretty interesting. The music is alternative rock, but I would have thought with a title like "Ghost Writer" you would have written the music to be reminiscent of the Beatles "Paperback Writer."

Anna: We thought about that, but we thought that was just too obvious.

Bryan: That makes sense. Is there something you want to tell us about who really writes your songs?

Lee: Nope. We actually do give credit where credit is due. That's why Dave, that's Dave Rafel, gets some credit all by himself.

Kelly: Then why write a song about a ghost writer who obviously wants credit for his work?

Lenore: Because a lot of artists are stuck being ghost writers. In music, but also literature, and it really isn't fair to exploit someone else's talent.

Belle: Obviously, people do choose that arrangement figuring it's better to get their work out and some pay for it than nothing at all.

Bryan: Did you ever consider that?

Anna: We didn't, but we were lucky, I guess. We never felt quite that desperate.

Belle: We did get pretty desperate. This is a hard business and I'm sure every artist in any business gets desperate at some point.

Lee: And then we can turn that desperation into a song.

Kelly: So it all works out in the end?

Lenore: If we can't use our own experiences as inspiration, we'd be hard pressed to come up with any songs at all, wouldn't we?

Bryan: That's true. So who was the source of inspiration for this song? A particular person or just the plight of all the un-credited artists out there?

Lee: It's so funny the way you think you'll get a straight answer from us.

Kelly: Hey, we have to try. Maybe if we get desperate enough, you'll feel sorry for us and give us a straight answer.

Lee: Maybe. What have you got to lose, right?

The Inside Story:

"Good show, ladies, good show," the club's manager said to them as they started to pack away their gear.

"Thanks!" Maryann said brightly.

"Hey, which one of you is Anna again?"

"That's me."

"Well, Joe, one of the bouncers, told me some young guy was trying to get backstage to see you and of course he told him that wasn't allowed. Finally the guy asked Joe to give Anna this." He held out a small box with a clear top and an envelope. "The envelope doesn't have any white powder on it or anything."

"You checked for that?" Nora asked dryly.

The manager gave her a severe look. "Of course I did. I take these things seriously. Can't be too careful you know, but I didn't open it, so that's all on you. Didn't know if you wanted anonymous gifts from crazy fans. Looks like just some kind of pen."

"What happened to the guy?" Isabella asked.

The manager shrugged. "Joe said once he gave him the stuff, he went back to the bar and he didn't see what happened to him after that. Guess he listened to the show and went home. So you want this stuff or not? It's your own risk."

"Oh, I'm sure it's fine," Maryann said, and took the box and envelope. Through the clear top she could see an old-fashioned ink pen. "I love stuff like this."

"Okay, well, it's all yours then."

"Can Joe come help us load our gear?" Isabella asked. "Or at least talk to us a minute? I'd like to ask him about the fan."

"Sure, no problem. Things have quieted down a bit in there, but we're gettin' near last call," the manager replied, and threaded through the crowd to find the bouncer. In the meantime, Maryann stashed away the pen and envelope and continued to help load the gear.

In about fifteen minutes, a very large, beefy-looking man joined them at the back door. "Mind if I smoke?" he asked.

Maryann looked like she was about to say something, but Leah put her hand on her arm and shook her head. The redhead closed her mouth.

"Sure, go ahead," Leah said.

"Are you Joe?" Isabella asked.

"Yep. Mr. Perry said you took the stuff," Joe answered.

"Has this sort of thing happened before?"

"Oh yeah. Usually it's some chick trying to give a guy her, um, lacy things, but yeah. This seems pretty innocent," he said with a laugh.

"What did this guy look like?"

"Oh, I don't pay that much attention unless I have to throw them out. He was shorter than me, looked kind of young, but then again, everyone looks kind of young to me now," he said with another laugh. "He had these really big glasses with square, black frames, like something out of the '80s I think. Must be something retro, right? Anyway, once I agreed to take the stuff, he stopped bothering me and I stopped worrying about him."

"Well, thanks," Isabella said.

"Sorry. He didn't give me a name or anything or I would have told Mr. Perry."

"I'm sure it's fine," Maryann said with a sigh.

"Well, I've been doing this for a long time," Joe said. "Maybe it's fine, but maybe that letter says something real nasty."

"Oh, we're used to that sort of thing. We monitor comments on our website pretty closely," Leah said. "And we always check our email on a dedicated laptop just in case someone sends us a nasty virus."

"Oh, well, sounds like you're on top of it." He finished off his cigarette. "Well, it was a pretty good show. I'm sure Mr. Perry will be calling your agent about booking you again."

"That's great!" Maryann said.

"'Night, ladies," the bouncer said, and went back inside.

"Too bad he didn't help with the really heavy stuff," Nora sighed. They finished loading and headed to a hotel. It was clear Maryann could hardly wait to read the letter.

The band got to adjoining rooms, as per usual, and split up as per usual. They kept the adjoining door open until they were actually ready to go to sleep.

"Okay, let's vote - fan mail or hate mail," Leah said.

"That's not nice," Maryann said.

"She got a present with the letter, so I'm going to say fan mail," Nora replied.

"I'm with Nora," Isabella agreed.

"Ah, but the pen could be part of some insult. I'm going to say hate mail," Leah said.

"You guys," Maryann pouted, and opened the letter.

"Well, read it," Leah said.

"'Dear Anna, you play with passion and fire. The songs should also be full of passion and fire. Try this, and put everything you have into it, and see what happens.'"

"So that was nice, except for the insult to our collective songwriting abilities," Nora said.

"So mostly fan, some hate?" Leah said. "I'm what, twenty-five percent right?"

"Sure."

"You guys," Maryann sighed.

"Well, I'm ready to get some sleep," Isabella yawned.

"Me too," Nora agreed.

"I want to try out my new pen," Maryann said.

"Hey, then that's Leah's problem. Don't stay up too late," Nora said, and closed the adjoining door.

"You're not going to make me sleep with a pillow over my head again, are you?" Leah asked.

"I just want to make sure it works," Maryann replied, walking over to the desk and pulling out some ink. "You know I love pens and stuff."

"Yeah, we know. You're so old-fashioned sometimes." She crawled into bed and shut off the light between the two beds, then pulled a pillow over her head and went to sleep.

Maryann pulled the pen out. She couldn't tell if it was a new pen in an old style or an old pen in good shape. She drew ink up into the well and opened her notebook. She reviewed a few fragments she had written and finally turned to a completely blank page and then started to write.

The band was on the road again the next day, with Isabella at the wheel as per usual. Nora worked through their various social media sites and occasionally damned the lack of reception while Leah planned a shopping trip for some more fabric and was looking up prices. Maryann had her notebook out, but she had a regular ball-point pen in her hand and didn't feel particularly inspired.

"How late did you stay up?" Leah asked, seeing Maryann yawning again.

"Oh, not so late. I like the new pen. I started on a brand new song."

"That's good. We can always use more material," Isabella said.

"Speaking of which," Leah interjected, "I need some fabric and some help with the next set of costumes."

Maryann and Nora kind of groaned.

"What? You guys just glue and sew buttons," she said irritably.

"I always stick my finger or burn it," Maryann replied. "Look, I've still got a scar," she said, pointing at a brownish dot on her wrist.

"Hey, either we get a separate trailer for our costumes instead of just the one small trunk, or you guys help me out when I recycle our old costumes."

"Leah's right," Isabella said. "This is the most cost-effective way to change up our looks."

"Hey, did anyone ask about the pen?" Maryann asked.

"Nope," Nora replied. "But I'll let you know. I doubt anyone will, though."

Maryann sort of shook her head and went back to her songwriting efforts.

"Maryann, are you feeling okay?" Leah asked a couple of weeks later as they hauled their luggage into a hotel room after a show. "You're sounding a little off lately."

"Off?"

"You know, off. Like you're a little off the beat or like you're just not quite playing like yourself."

"I have been tired lately," Maryann said.

"Then go to bed earlier. I think you're staying up too late trying to write songs for us. That's great and all, but we still need you to play," Leah replied.

"I know, I know."

"When are we going to see these songs anyway?"

"I don't know. When they're ready, I guess. The lyrics are right, but I'm having a hard time with the music."

"Huh. I thought you usually had a harder time with the lyrics."

"Yeah, I know, right?" Maryann said with a shrug.

"So, are you going to bed?"

"I'll be right there."

Leah sighed and rightly guessed Maryann was going to stay up too late again.

In the morning, Maryann made some noise when the alarm rang but just rolled over and went back to sleep. Leah got dressed and joined the others for breakfast.

"How did it go?" Isabella asked.

"She admitted she stayed up too late and then did it again anyway. I told her she was off during the shows," Leah answered. "So she knows better now."

"I didn't think that would work," Nora sighed.

"It's not really like her, though," Isabella countered. "She's usually thinking about the good of the band."

"Maybe she thinks these songs are really awesome," Leah said.

"Well, if we could see them then we could let her know if she needs to keep spending time on them," Nora said. "Can you go get her notebook before she wakes up this morning?"

"She says they aren't ready."

"Well, I'd still like to see them."

"I'm not going to take her stuff without permission," Leah said stubbornly.

"I agree," Isabella said quickly, "for now. But if this keeps going, I'd be interesting in finding out if she's writing anything at all. And maybe we can figure out what to do. We might have to find a doctor or something if this keeps up too much longer."

"I guess," Leah sighed. "I still don't like the idea of going through her stuff."

"I don't either, but I'm wondering if she's really obsessed or just having trouble sleeping," Nora said. "I mean, either way she's not playing like herself, and maybe how we deal with this doesn't change, but it would be nice to know the cause."

"I guess that's fair."

After a week the situation had not improved. Nora and Isabella had also expressed to Maryann that her playing was suffering and that she seemed tired all the time. She told them she'd get more sleep, but Leah knew she wasn't. Leah tried staying up one night to convince her to go to bed and they just ended up arguing the entire night and neither of them slept. So when Maryann slept through the alarm again, Leah took her notebook off the desk and joined the other two for breakfast.

"So, what are we going to do?" Leah asked.

"Well, let's see if she's really doing anything at all," Nora replied, and flipped through the notebook. "Seems normal," she said, scanning through the pages. "Wait, no, this is different." Maryann's usual style of a few lyrics on one side of the page with bars of music on the other had changed abruptly. There were now pages of lyrics and almost no music at all. All the lyrics were written with the same pen and the same color ink, whereas it seemed usually Maryann preferred to switch up pens and ink colors. "This is a lot of writing, even for Maryann."

The other two crowded next to her to read.

"Wow," Leah said after a few minutes. "This is really good. I mean, really objectively good stuff."

"I know, but is this Maryann?" Nora asked. "The girl can write a song, but this is poetry. This is another level."

"What is this?" Isabella said, squinting at some writing at the bottom of a page that seemed to be jammed in between the last line of a poem and the edge of the paper. "'Help me help me.' Wait, does that really say that?"

The other two took a closer look, and then started to check the other pages more closely. Sure enough, on many of the pages with just poems, there were similar messages crammed into the corners or near the edges.

"This one says, 'I can't stop.' What is going on?" Nora asked.

"I can check a couple of things," Isabella said, "but I think tonight we're just going to have to confront her and find out what is going on."

Leah sighed. "That sounds like a plan. A crazy plan, but a plan. I'm going to put this back before she wakes up." She returned the notebook and found Maryann was still asleep.

That night as Leah got ready for bed, Maryann paced nervously and finally sat down at the desk. "I'll go to bed in just a minute," she said irritably.

"I didn't say anything," Leah replied mildly. "I'm going to pop over to Nora and Isabella's room for a minute and be right back."

"Whatever."

Leah opened the adjoining door and went inside, leaving the door pulled to but not completely shut. Isabella cast a spell on herself and the other women to allow them to see spirits and auras. "Whoa, that is not right," she said immediately, looking at Maryann. Her normally bright aura was a dark, unfocused miasma.

"What does that mean?" Leah asked.

"Um, I'm not sure. Possession, maybe?"

"Oh, well, I'm not trained to do exorcisms."

"We'll have to figure something else out."

"Then the first thing to do is talk to her," Nora said, and walked into the room. "Maryann, what's going on here?"

Maryann jumped up from the desk and started to talk but not in English. She was clearly agitated and possibly near panic.

"What in the hell is she saying?" Leah asked. She tried asked, "Do you speak Spanish?" in that language and, "Do you speak French?" in that language, which resulted in Maryann looking less panicky but more confused. Maryann did start to speak more slowly as though she realized the band could not understand her.

"I didn't know you spoke French," Isabella said.

"Yeah. I wanted to take Spanish as my language course but my parents said that wasn't right since that was actually my second language. So I took French because I figured learning another Romance language wouldn't be that hard. But she's not speaking either of those, even though it sounds kind of like it, which is why I asked."

Nora then said something to Maryann in a very halting voice.

Maryann looked surprised, and then answered.

Nora replied, again slowly and haltingly, and Maryann answered again.

"Well, there's that," Nora said.

"What? What did you say?" Leah asked.

"I think she's speaking Latin, which is why it sounds like French and Spanish and isn't either."

"You know Latin?"

Nora shrugged. "It was required in my high school. And according to her, I have a terrible accent."

"You went to a way better high school than me."

"Wait, then how come the lyrics are all in English?" Isabella asked.

"I don't know," Nora answered.

"Maybe because people who are truly fluent in more than one language can switch between them," Leah offered. "My family switches between English and Spanish all the time and sometimes in the same sentence. I only know this because some of my friends told me. I had no idea because it all made sense to me."

"So maybe if we keep talking to her in English she'll switch?" Isabella asked.

"And I can try to translate in the meantime," Nora sighed. "But this is going to be really hard. I'm going to try to translate a language I have never heard spoken and that I haven't worked with since high school."

Maryann had calmed down considerably and spoke up again. "I believe we can understand each other now," she said in an odd accent. "When I get upset, I forget how to communicate to others in my state."

"Who are you and why have you possessed Maryann?" Nora demanded.

"My name is Livia. I am trapped in the pen," she said, gesturing to the fountain pen Maryann had received as a gift from the mysterious fan.

"That pen is not from Rome," she snapped.

"No, no. I will start at the beginning," the spirit called Livia said. "I was born in Rome and I fell in love with one that would never love me in return, although I did not know it at the time. I wrote poetry to my beloved, so much poetry, and then I wrote poems about my unrequited love. I begged Venus for her blessing. I begged the Muses for their blessings. I thought if I wrote a poem with all my heart and my passion, it would move even the hearts of the gods. But I was rejected by my beloved. I cursed the gods and I vowed I would never love again. I refused to eat or sleep and my world went dark. I awoke again to a young man writing poetry to his beloved. I was not dead. I shared his mind, and his language, when he wrote and I know not where I was when he did not write. I was neither asleep nor dead; I did not exist. I shared his passion and gave him the words and one day my world went dark and I awoke to an old man. I eventually realized my psyche was in a pen and that when the pen was used, I woke up. This has happened so many times I have lost count."

"So you're haunting a pen?" Leah asked.

"I suppose. I am bound to this pen. I believe it was my pen, so long ago."

"I'm pretty sure Romans didn't have fountain pens," she replied dryly.

Livia sort of shook her head. "No, no, obviously not. This pen has changed shape as the times, and the writing utensils, have changed. I have tried to escape. I found I could influence those whose minds I shared but they never seemed to realize I existed." She laughed bitterly. "I have become the very Muse I once shunned."

"But you've possessed Maryann," Isabella said.

"This woman is different from the rest," Livia said. "I believe she became aware of my presence and was going to be rid of the pen. I became afraid and started to assert myself while she slept. I don't understand much of this world, but I do understand that a pen is no longer necessary to write. My pen cannot become one of these computer devices. If no one ever picks up the pen again, I will be trapped forever! I did not mean to hurt this woman but I want to go to my final rest and I know not how, but I feel time is running out."

"Is she lying?" Leah asked in a low voice.

"I can't tell," Isabella said. "It sounds like it could be the truth."

"We will try to help you, but we need Maryann back. If you've shared her mind, you know she's a very generous and nice person and would want to help you."

Livia paced back and forth. "I don't want to go back to the darkness."

"Listen, Maryann is getting sick because you won't let her sleep. If she ends up in the hospital or worse, she can't write and you'll end up trapped anyway," Isabella replied.

She continued to pace. "I do not wish harm to her. She wants to write great songs, although she hears the music better than the words. Please, please do not leave me to oblivion!"

"Livia," Nora said in her 'snap-out-of-it' voice.

She startled.

"We want to help you and we want Maryann back. You need to let go of her so she can help you. I don't know if we can free you from this condition, but we are probably the best chance you have of being freed."

She paced back and forth for a few more minutes. When she spoke again, she had lapsed back into Latin, but Nora managed to parse it.

"She agrees."

Livia sat down in the chair and closed her eyes. After a moment, Maryann jumped up. "You guys! The pen! The pen!" she exclaimed breathlessly.

"Yes, we know," Isabella said. "The ghost trapped in the pen told us her story."

"Okay, good. Now please help me! I mean, I feel sorry for her and all but I'm exhausted and I can't play and I can't sleep and I'm really worried!"

"Maryann, calm down!" Nora ordered. In a more gentle voice she said, "You have to help us help you and help Livia, okay?"

The redhead took a few deep breaths. "You're right, you're right. Okay, possessed objects and curses. Isabella, any ideas?"

"Wait here," she said, and went to her room and got a piece of paper and wrote down some Japanese kanji. She walked back in and held out the paper. "Put this in your pocket, just in case."

Maryann took the paper and the pen on the desk jumped into the air and fell back down again with a very heavy sound.

"Spirits can't be trusted," the blonde explained. "If she wasn't telling us the truth, I want to make sure she can't possess you again. That charm should help, and you should protect yourself before we do anything else."

"Good idea."

"Then try some divination. If she thinks the Muses or Venus cursed her, maybe you can turn up something."

"Right, that's a good idea!"

"Wow, she is really scatter-brained right now," Leah murmured to Nora. "And what do we do?"

"If it comes to it, banish the ghost in the name of Christ," Nora replied in a low voice. "Right now we say some prayers to protect ourselves as well. The ghost sounded sincere, but Isabella's right. Spirits can't be trusted any more than people."

"So we try to help her out, but be prepared in case she's actually some malicious spirit purposely trapped in the pen?" Leah said.

"That's my plan," Isabella replied. Now that Maryann had the protection charm in her pocket, her aura was back to normal but the pen was glowing with the dark miasma. "Also, she may not be evil, but after centuries trapped in that thing, she might be insane."

"That's probably not any better."

"No, probably not." Isabella lowered her voice. "I need you two to find a church."

"What, at two in the morning?" Leah exclaimed.

"I don't know what Maryann's divination will turn up, if she can even do anything, but I know about banishing ghosts and I think the way we're going to have to deal with this ghost is for me to open a door to the Other Side and summon it out of the pen."

"Why a church?" Nora asked. "Why not a cemetery?"

"People don't die in cemeteries. Well, not usually. Churches are liminal places, or at least some of them. I need a door I can open and if anything goes wrong, well, it would be good to be on holy ground."

"Why do we have to find a church? I mean, it is two in the morning and we know pretty much nothing about this city. Nothing will be open anyway and we might end up getting arrested for trespassing or something."

Isabella sort of sighed. "Because you have faith to guide you to a church we can use. You two look; I need to figure out how to safely carry that haunted pen," she said, and got some supplies.

"I really don't get how she has faith in us but not faith in God," Leah said to Nora. "It's kind of contradictory."

Nora shrugged. "There are a lot of things I don't understand," she replied diplomatically. "So I have faith and trust it will all work out. Now, let's get to work. I don't know exactly what I'm seeing with Isabella's spell, but the weird black stuff on that pen doesn't look very nice."

"Agreed."

Maryann couldn't concentrate on her divination and after three attempts she got frustrated and put her supplies away. Nora and Leah pulled up a map of the city and searched for churches in the area until they found one they both agreed hopefully wouldn't lead to having to call someone for bail money. Isabella wrote out some charms to open doors, hold spirits, and banish spirits and eventually settled on using another pen to roll the haunted pen off the desk and onto a piece of paper with a hold charm on it. The pen spun around on the paper twice and then was still. Isabella quickly wrapped it up without touching it.

"I can't make heads or tails of anything," Maryann huffed. "That ghost has got me all messed up right now."

"Don't worry, I have an idea. Get dressed and make sure you bring your notebook. Nora, Leah, do you know where to go?"

"Um, yes, sure, totally," Leah replied.

"Good enough."

In a few minutes, they headed out on the deserted streets looking for the church. It was on the outside of town in a somewhat run-down neighborhood although the building itself looked well kept up. There was no adjoining cemetery; the church was too small for that. There was, however, a shabby park on the neighboring lot. All the businesses in the area had closed up hours ago, so Isabella parked as far from the street as possible. Leah grabbed the emergency kit and they followed Isabella, who was looking for a door to open. In the park area near the church, she found two trees that arched together.

"Okay, this will work. Maryann, draw a circle for that pen."

Maryann used sidewalk chalk to draw a protective circle in the grass. It didn't all stick, but she wasn't concerned about that.

Isabella laid the pen in the center of the circle, still wrapped in the charm. "Okay, give me a sec." First, she cast a spell to open a door to the spirit realm. Since everyone still had spirit sight, they saw the space between the trees glow brightly for a brief moment and then dim into what kind of looked like a moving curtain of dark fabric hung between the trees. Then she cast a spell to summon the ghost out of the pen. The pen shook, jumped in the air, and fell back down. A translucent figure of a short woman wearing what they guessed was a toga appeared.

"Am I free yet?" Livia asked, looking around. She sort of frowned.

"Hey, she's speaking English!" Leah said.

"That's part of the spell I cast," Maryann replied. "She may still be speaking Latin and we just understand her."

"You are free to go beyond to your afterlife," Isabella answered. "You are free of the pen, I think, and I've got a door open for you. It should go wherever you need to go."

The ghost looked around her. "So that's all? I go into this door to find if I shall dwell in the Elysian Fields or Tartarus? And everything I ever wrote or helped write disappears with me?"

"You're dead. You don't have a lot of options," Nora said flatly.

Livia tried to step outside of the circle, but jumped backwards when she hit the invisible edge. "You will not allow me true freedom?"

"We don't have the ability to do that," Isabella replied. "Anyway, after being stuck in that pen for so long, don't you just want to go to rest?"

"I am a poet! I want the world to love me for my poetry!"

"Um, I'm sorry," she said. "Ghosts can't really affect the world. Even if you were free to roam, you'd be less able to do anything than you are now."

"No! I do not accept this! The gods cursed me and now my only option is to simply die? What of my poetry?"

"I'll keep it," Maryann said. "I've got it in my notebook. We're a band. We want to be famous someday. And when we are, we'll publish your poems and give you credit."

"But-but that's so few! I want to write more. You must let me write more!"

"We mustn't do anything," Nora snapped. "You've been trapped for a long time. We can't give you your life back, and we won't give you Maryann's life to share. We'll take care of your poems. That's the best we can do."

"Nooo!" she screeched, and charged the edge of the circle. She was violently flung backwards.

"You should just go," Maryann pleaded. "If you go in peace, you'll be more likely to go to the Elysian Fields. Being angry like this won't help you find the right afterlife."

The ghost started sobbing, but after a few minutes stood up and wiped her translucent face. "You are right. I'm sorry. But it is such a hard thing to let go, especially now. Thank you." She kind of inclined her head towards them, and walked through the Veil. The doorway glowed and then disappeared.

Maryann sighed and dropped to her knees.

The others rushed to her.

"Oh, I guess she was still having some effect on me," she said.

"I was afraid of that," Isabella replied. "That's why I had you bring the notebook. I was going to burn her poems if I had to in order to break that connection."

"I'm glad it didn't come to that," the redhead said, standing up. "She didn't mean for this to happen."

"Let's discuss this later," Leah said. "We're probably, no, definitely trespassing."

They got back in the van and returned to the hotel. They were so tired they just went to bed. In the morning, they agreed the ghost was probably just tired and desperate, not necessarily malicious.

"I wonder about who gave Maryann that pen," Leah said as they packed up to head out on the road. "They were either completely ignorant and she's unlucky..."

"Likely," Nora interrupted.

"Or they knew about the ghost. In which case they either thought she could help the ghost..."

"You know, I don't talk about that stuff," Maryann said wryly.

"Or they thought the ghost would harm her," Leah finished.

"There's also the possibility whoever gave her the pen had some idea that it had its own kind of Muse," Isabella offered, "and didn't realize there was a cursed ghost stuck to it."

"So the intentions could have gone either way based on what the giver knew in the first place," Leah said.

"We'll just have to put this mystery away for now," Nora said. "We have no information and too many possibilities."

"I know. We've got plenty of fans, but there are definitely people out there who don't like us. It just bothers me not to know," Leah sighed.

"It bothers me too," Maryann said. "But these are some really good poems. And when we get rich and famous, I'll publish these for poor Livia. Maybe it will really help her soul find some peace."

"We can only hope," Isabella replied.

Soon they were on the road again.

The Lyrics:

The manuscript is finished

And I believe I've done it again

Another masterpiece of fiction

Written in my hand with my pen

But the name on the cover

Is yours and not mine

It's always been this way

But it's no longer fine

Refrain: Don't write me off

I wouldn't do that to you

I just want to make sure

I get credit where it's due

This arrangement isn't fair

Why aren't you ashamed

That I write all the words

And you get all the fame?

Maybe you do some work

But I know I do the most

You get the glory and acclaim

And I'm no one; just a ghost

Refrain

The status quo will change

As I toil in obscurity

One day the tables will turn

And the credit will go to me

Refrain x2

Track 3 - Green-eyed Monster

The Interview:

Bryan: This track has lightens up the mood a bit with a pop tune and a catchy hook.

Lenore: Don't pop tunes have to have catchy hooks?

Kelly: Of course. The lyrics seem similarly light until that last verse after the bridge. Obviously the song is about jealousy. Do you ever get jealous of each other?

Belle: Of course we do. That's human nature. Each of us has her own talents. And we wouldn't have gotten into the music business if we didn't want to be stars.

Anna: And that means attention.

Bryan: But you're known for avoiding attention.

Belle: Only when we're not being the band. When we're the band, we want attention. But wanting attention also means ego, and wanting attention for ourselves.

Kelly: So this expressing your jealousy of each other?

Lenore: If you want to look at it that way.

Bryan: So how do you keep from being too jealous of each other? So many bands have been broken up by the egos of their members.

Lee: We dress identically and we credit the entire band for every song. Except Dave's songs. We give him full credit alone.

Kelly: So your eclectic style is more than just a look?

Anna: Yep.

Lee: There's usually more to everything we do. Except, of course, when there isn't. So this is a song about jealousy. And maybe there's more to it. Or maybe not. As long as people like it, we're okay with that.

The Inside Story:

"It was nice of your grandmother to invite us to visit her," Maryann said as Isabella steered the van through the North Carolina countryside. "I, um, hope she can afford it okay."

Isabella shrugged. "Grandma Ami does pretty well for herself, I guess. It's not my place to ask. If she wants to treat us to a weekend at a hot springs resort, then I'm not going to say no."

Nora raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

The blonde sighed. "I never technically said the word 'no' even if I tried to talk her out of it. But it's her money and it's not like Mom's counting on some big inheritance."

"Leah, what are you playing?" Maryann asked the band's fourth member, who was messing with her phone.

"Well, when we have these conversations, I always think we need some kind of background music," she answered.

"What, like a movie soundtrack?" the redhead returned.

"Something like that."

"You are so weird," Nora said, shaking her head.

"I'm guessing after that incident in Florida the answer to my next question is probably 'yes,'" Leah said, "But I'll ask anyway. Is your abuela a medium, like you?"

Isabella nodded. "I think it's a family trait. Grandma Ami is a medium, great-Grandmother Hana was a medium, I'm a medium. It skipped Mom's generation though. I'm not sure why."

"Magic can be funny that way," Maryann commented.

"Well, at least when anything weird happens, she won't be surprised and we won't have to try to hide anything," Leah said.

"'When' not 'if?' What makes you think something weird's going to happen?" Nora asked.

The short brunette shrugged. "It's us."

"That is a really good point, actually," Maryann said.

"Just once when we get a chance to relax, I'd like to relax," Nora sighed.

"No rest for the weary," Isabella sighed.

"Or the weird," Leah added dryly. "So, what do you think of this theme music?"

They reached the Blue Lake Hot Springs resort near sunset and found the main building to check in. They did so and were directed to one of the many cabins.

"This place isn't very rustic, is it?" Nora said as she looked at the cabin they would be staying in. It clearly had electricity and running water and was, according to the resort brochure, large enough for six guests.

"You don't seem disappointed," Leah replied.

"No, I'm glad. You know I hate camping."

"It's really not that bad," Maryann said.

Isabella knocked on the door.

In a minute it was opened by a short, frail, and clearly Japanese woman in her eighties. "Isa-chan," she said with a smile.

Isabella hugged the old woman. "Grandma Ami. I'm so glad to see you. These are my friends and band members."

The others were visibly surprised and Maryann was doing the worst job of hiding it.

"Come in, please, dinner will be ready soon. Tomorrow we can explore all the hot springs."

They followed her inside. The cabin had three bedrooms with two beds, so Leah and Maryann paired off, as did Nora and Isabella, and of course Ami had a room to herself. The cabin also had a full kitchen, a dining room, a living room, and a back porch that opened out for a view of the rest of the resort.

"So, Isa-chan, you didn't tell them I was Japanese?" Ami said as she finished up dinner.

"I didn't think about it," she replied.

"I didn't know 'Amy' was a Japanese name," Maryann said.

"It is when spelled with an 'i' instead of a 'y.' As is Hana if spelled 'h-a-n-a,'" Ami explained.

"Oh, I see."

"If you young ladies are interested, I'll tell you how I met Isa-chan's grandfather George."

"Sure," Nora replied.

Ami obliged, and it turned out Isabella's grandfather had been in the Army, and Isabella's mother had been an Army brat.

"That's so romantic," Maryann sighed wistfully.

"Ah, yes, you would say so," she said.

The redhead glared at Isabella. "What have you been saying about me?" she demanded.

The old woman laughed. "Only that you have a tendency to fall in love easily."

"That's fine. I guess. So, um, if you don't mind me asking, can you do spirit magic like Isabella?"

"Who do you think taught Isa-chan?"

"Oh. I never thought of that."

"You wouldn't," Nora said snidely.

Maryann glared at her.

"Isa-chan, of course, has learned much on her own and her magic is not the same as mine anymore. Usually the ability to interact with the spirit world, being a medium as you may call it, is passed down from generation to generation," Ami explained, "but sometimes it skips a generation. Perhaps this time it was because I married an outsider to the normal bloodlines my family mixes with. None of my children had the ability. I was grateful, actually."

"Why do you say 'ability' instead of 'gift?'" Maryann asked.

"I don't see this as a gift or a curse. It is what I am, and what Isa-chan is, and neither good nor bad. 'Gift' and 'curse' carry those connotations, so I prefer a neutral word like 'ability.' I like that about English, you know. Words don't always carry so much weight."

"If you think this ability is neutral, why were you grateful your children didn't express it?" Nora asked.

She smiled bitterly. "Because life is in many ways easier for those who cannot truly see. I've been fortunate; others with this ability have been called insane. Without understanding the ability, or how to control it, it is likely they were eventually driven insane." She sighed and took a sip of tea. "Isa-chan is the only one of my grandchildren to manifest the ability. I watched out for it, so when my daughter expressed worries to me that Isa-chan was acting oddly, I guessed what was really going on. It has not been easy since I lived so far away. I, unlike many people my age, embraced new technology. I did it to keep in touch with my Isa-chan."

Isabella smiled. "I'm glad you did. I would have gone crazy or done something stupid if you hadn't taught me better."

"What is the wise old grandmother for?" she said with a laugh. "But unless you want to hear me ramble on, please tell me about your life on the road."

The band switched topics and they talked until Ami ordered them to bed. All but Isabella obeyed her; she joined her grandmother out on the back porch.

"How are you doing, Grandma?" she asked.

Ami was sitting in a rocking chair, sipping some tea. "Well, getting on as well as I can. It's been so hard since George passed," she sighed. "I'm glad he went on, though. As much as I loved that man, I wouldn't want him to stay here."

"Do you think you'll be joining him soon?" Isabella tried to sound matter-of-fact, but her voice choked a little anyway.

Ami patted her hand. "I've got some time left, I think. My family is very long-lived although there are a lot of disadvantages. My eyesight is going and I'm starting to see the Other Side more clearly than this one. I hear their voices more strongly than I ever did. I'm not so much worried about dying as accidentally going through a door and not being able to return, or not wanting too."

"I have so much to look forward to," Isabella said acidly.

"Well, the ability manifests differently in each individual. Perhaps you won't have the same side-effects I do."

"Maybe."

There were a few moments of silence. "I'm glad you found such nice friends. Or maybe it would be better to say I'm glad they found you. It's hard finding people who understand us, especially outside of family, and you found three."

"Sometimes not even family," Isabella said bitterly.

"Your father leaving was not your fault," Ami replied.

"I know, I know. But you know how little kids are. You can tell them that but they don't understand. I know I'm not a little kid anymore, either, but Dad can't even send an email. He did let me know he doesn't approve of my career."

"I'm sorry, Isa-chan. But I'm proud of you, and your mother is too, even if she had other ideas about your future. Grandparents have an advantage there, you know. As parents, we pile expectations on our children but as grandparents, we just let them be."

They were silent again. "Grandma, I don't know very much about your family, so can I ask you something really personal?"

"You can always ask, my child."

"Did your mother tell your father about her ability?"

"She did, eventually."

"So great-grandpa didn't know when he married her?"

The old woman sighed. "My father knew of the reputation of our family when he married my mother."

"Did he really believe one of our ancestors was a kitsune?" Isabella asked.

"I would say he neither believed nor disbelieved, as such. To him, it was no more important than if one of her ancestors was a famous poet. The perception was important."

"So, why did she tell him if he didn't think it was important?"

"Because it became obvious there was something indeed odd happening and my mother did not want to be accused of mental instability. So she told my father, and then she showed my father. This happened before I was born, and Mother did not tell me about the details, so that is as much as I know," she said somewhat sharply.

Isabella continued with her questions anyway. "Did you tell your parents about your ability, or did your mother guess, like you did for me?"

"Mother guessed, and informed my father. I am not the only one of my siblings to have the ability."

"I didn't know that."

"My sisters both had the ability, probably more strongly than I do. Sometimes I see them, though the Veil," Ami said sadly, and took another sip of tea. "Why are you asking such questions?"

"Well, one day I might get married. Not now, obviously," Isabella answered. "I was wondering how you handled this. Why didn't you ever tell Grandpa or your kids about the ability?"

"I was afraid, I suppose. Our family's reputation did not always bring us good fortune. The ability doesn't always bring good fortune either. And despite my family's reputation, or because of it, my family seemed to have certain obligations that could only be fulfilled by those with the ability. I wasn't sure I wanted any part of those obligations. When I met George, the allure of getting away was very strong. I did love him, but I wonder how much of that came after we got married instead of before." She sighed. "I didn't tell him because in some ways I envy those who can't see."

"Why?"

"Those who can't see are usually overlooked, but those that can see attract attention. Your friend Leah calls this 'being a weirdness magnet,' right?"

Isabella nodded.

"My father had to be told. George didn't. Any time I acted strangely, he would assume it was just my strange foreign ways."

"Grandpa really thought like that?"

Ami shrugged. "We are a product of our generation. George was better than most, and for all my odd ways, he loved me just the same. And when none of my children manifested the ability, I had no reason to tell them about it either." She sighed. "Perhaps I was wrong. I didn't escape my obligations; only the details changed. I had to hide a large part of myself from my husband and children, and sometimes I worry I cheated them out of my own selfish fear. But then again, I feel I protected them from a world they didn't need to know about it. I'm afraid this doesn't help you, Isa-chan. You will have to make those hard decisions on your own. Although I suspect if you stay with your friends, the men you're likely to attract will be ones that either can see or ones who can have their eyes opened."

"Four times the weirdness magnet?"

"I suppose if you want to put it that way."

"Thanks for talking with me about this, Grandma. I try to talk to Mom, but she's hard to talk to about relationships in general, and I can't even try to talk to her about the weird stuff."

"You can always talk to me, Isa-chan." Ami yawned. "Now, you go get some rest. I'll be up much sooner than you, I'm sure."

"Goodnight, Grandma," Isabella said, and obediently went to bed.

Sure enough, Ami was awake and moving before the young women, even though they had set an alarm so they wouldn't sleep too late.

"You didn't have to make breakfast," Isabella said.

"I like cooking. I don't do so much of it since I have no one to cook for," Ami replied, finishing up some omelets. "You can clean up after if you want to help."

She agreed, and they settled in for a nice breakfast. The band cleaned up after breakfast and they changed into swimsuits, loaded up purses and bags, and headed out to explore the resort.

The center of the resort was a large lake appropriately called Blue Lake. It was in a natural depression and fed by rain and spring water. Blue Lake was surrounded by small hot springs; although it was so large its temperature was always very cool. Each hot spring pool had a sign describing the temperature, capacity, clothing restrictions, and gender restrictions. The band and Ami picked a small, women-only pool for their first dip.

"The water smells funny," Maryann said, wrinkling her nose.

"It's fine. It's good for your skin," Nora replied.

The redhead reluctantly slipped into the water. Soon they were all enjoying the warm water. Ami noted with some sadness she was not as young as she used to be, and then let that thought go. After a long soak, they returned to the cabin for a quick shower and then took the beginner hiking trail down to Blue Lake. The other guests seemed to be mostly couples, some on their honeymoons and some on a second honeymoon, and a few larger groups, but not a lot of families with children. Maryann sighed inwardly and felt a bit envious of so many couples and thought of all the men she'd met. Then she sighed outwardly, although no one noticed.

When the first squabbling couple passed by, they barely noticed. When the third couple passed by nearly shouting at each other, they took note, even Maryann, who was still thinking of past romances.

"Those people need to find one of the couples-only pools," Maryann said in a low voice.

"Or they need to get away from each other," Leah offered. "Sometimes people spend so much time together they get on each other's nerves."

"No, seriously?" Nora asked acidly.

"I wasn't meaning any of us," she retorted.

The beginner trail terminated at a small dock on the lake. With the steep sides and tree cover, the color was much more green than blue. There was a sign posted warning against swimming in the lake.

Nora stopped walking and stared at the dark water.

"What is it?" Isabella asked.

Ami was also gazing out at the lake.

"I'm not going any closer. That lake doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel right at all."

"What about the hot springs?"

"The one we were in this morning was fine. I don't know about the others. But there's something wrong with this water. I'm not touching it."

Isabella cast a spirit sight spell. "I don't see anything. Grandma?"

"I don't see anything either, but I don't doubt your friend's intuition. Like you, I was always more in tune with the wind than the other four elements, although I have learned to attune myself to the Void."

"Okay, I didn't understand much of that, but what do we do?" Leah asked.

"I can try a divination to figure out what's going on," Maryann offered.

"You can try," Ami said, "but I don't think you'll learn much. The lake is deep and perhaps hiding something."

"We can research the resort and find out if there are any stories or legends associated with it," Isabella said.

Nora sighed. "We never get to relax, do we?"

Leah shrugged. "It's us."

"Well, let's head back to my cabin," Ami said. "I'll make lunch for everyone. I've already made reservations for a nice dinner at the main restaurant too."

The band, particularly Isabella, protested at her generosity.

"Nonsense," she snapped, but not unkindly. "My treat. Now, I need to get back indoors. The beginner trail is almost too much for me and I'll need to rest up a bit before I start cooking again."

They headed back up and passed another couple fighting with each other.

"That can't be normal," Nora said to the others in a low voice.

They agreed.

The rest of the afternoon passed fairly pleasantly, but Ami noticed the four young women seemed to be slightly more irritable with each other than she expected. The main restaurant was a fine dining establishment, so everyone dressed up for dinner. Ami wore a dark gray suit, Nora wore a designer label teal cocktail dress, Maryann wore a sunshine yellow dress she got from a vintage store, Isabella wore a white summer dress, and Leah wore a green blouse and black slacks. Several men gave Nora appreciative glances when she walked into the dining room. The other young women felt a familiar pang of jealousy at Nora's ability to command a room. Some of the men's dining companions noticed them looking at Nora and took offense, which started a few arguments.

"I guess dinner is going to be about as quiet as hiking," Nora said, noticing the squabbling couples.

"I guess so," Maryann replied.

Dinner was pleasant enough as most of the couples stopped squabbling, although some settled into icy silence instead. After dinner they returned to the cabin and played some card games until Ami went to bed early. The young women congregated in Maryann and Isabella's room.

"Okay, so what about the thing in the water?" Maryann asked finally. "I mean, we've all been thinking about it. Is this something we have to worry about?"

"It shouldn't be," Nora replied bitterly. She checked up on her fan mail.

"Well, it is us," Leah said with a shrug.

Isabella sighed. "I think we don't have enough information to do anything. We can do some research tonight, but we're here to spend time with Grandma. I don't want to get distracted with some monster chase."

"Fine by me," Nora replied.

Leah knew what Nora was doing and felt a pang of jealousy; she never got so much fan mail she had to tend to it every single day.

"But something's not right here," Maryann countered. "People are acting a little weird. These are supposed to be happy couples, and they don't seem very happy."

"Not everyone has a fairy tale romance," Leah said a bit acidly.

"But they shouldn't be fighting like that!"

"I don't think it's our job to be marriage counselors," Nora said. "We're here to relax a little bit and let Isabella spend some time with her grandmother."

"Maryann," Isabella said quickly, sensing a fight. "I know you're concerned, but there isn't a lot we can do. Let's do some research and go from there, alright?" She really didn't want to chase down a monster, especially at the expense of spending time with her grandmother.

The redhead looked annoyed but nodded. The band split up and Maryann did pull out her laptop for research, which was frustratingly slow due to the speed of the available wireless connection. What information did she turn up was mostly focused on reviews of the resort. There was no incriminating information about the lake or any dark legends or stories about it.

Ami was again awake earlier than any of the band members. She had cooked breakfast again, and they offered to clean up.

"So, Maryann, did your research turn up anything?" Ami asked.

The band looked a little surprised she was bringing up the issue.

"I merely guessed you would be most curious about the odd occurrences," the old woman said mildly. "And that any research would be conducted so as not to take away Isa-chan's time with me."

Maryann sighed. "I didn't turn up anything at all! There are no legends or myths or news or anything about this place that's even a little bit unusual. I even tried some divination but nothing made any sense."

"Well, that doesn't mean there isn't something wrong," Ami replied.

"Grandma, let's not worry about this," Isabella said. "We have to leave tomorrow. This is such a nice place..."

"Except for the haunted lake," Leah interrupted.

"We don't know that," Isabella shot back. "Anyway, this is supposed to be a vacation for us."

"It's supposed to be a vacation for everyone here," Maryann said, "and it's not."

"That's not our problem!"

"Girls, girls, please," Ami interrupted. "There is something wrong here, but there is little we can do until it shows itself. And it may not show itself while we are here. So, Isa-chan is right, this is a vacation. Now, get your swimsuits and let's go find a nice spring."

The band did just that, although they grumbled a bit. They found a spring that was empty so the settled into the relaxing water.

"Can I ask you a couple of questions about ghosts?" Maryann asked Ami.

"Of course, child," the old woman answered.

Isabella felt slightly annoyed that Maryann had never asked her about ghosts.

"How come they look the way they do? I mean, some look pretty much like they must have in life, but some look kind of decayed," she said, wrinkling her nose with distaste. "But they don't look like they did when they died, at least not, always."

"Yeah, Dave's grandpa died when he was an old man," Leah said, "but his ghost was a young man in a military uniform. And he even had glasses. Ghosts don't need glasses."

"The appearance of a ghost varies depending on the circumstances of their life and death," Ami answered. "People who die violently often look like they did right before they died. Those that die of old age may take a younger form because that's the time period of their life they most closely associate with. For example, this young man's grandfather, you say he manifested as a young man in a military uniform?"

"Yes, with these big, thick glasses," Leah said.

"Well, traumatic events can make a lasting impression on a person. A military career would be traumatic and memorable, and the ghost probably considered that time in his life as a defining part of it. And if he had always been near-sighted, he probably considered the glasses as much a part of his identity as his hair or his uniform. Some ghosts can deliberately change their form, but that depends in large part why they manifested in the first place."

"Could great-grandmother Hana have changed her appearance?" Isabella asked.

"Oh, most certainly. She had the ability to see spirits and learned spirit magic in life; she is perhaps a more powerful magic-user now in death."

"I-I don't know how to respond to that," Maryann said.

Ami smiled gently. "My ancestors play a large role in my religion; it does not bother me that they have not gone to a place of rest as is often thought of in Western traditions."

The wind shifted abruptly and both Ami and Isabella looked up, then they looked at each other.

"Interesting," Ami said. "Well, let's go back to the cabin for a bit."

They returned to the cabin and took quick showers before settling in for lunch, which Ami again insisted on cooking. The band cleaned up after.

"So what's going on?" Maryann asked.

"I'm not sure," Ami said thoughtfully. "I need to make some tea. That always helps me clear my thoughts."

"It's kind of hot for tea," Leah said.

"Yes, but it's cool in the cabin and the ceremony is very soothing." Ami set about to making tea for the group. They watched in silence as she methodically brewed green tea. Then she handed each of them a cup. "Drink it. You'll feel better."

"I don't feel bad," Leah said. "And it's too hot to drink."

Ami twirled the cup in her hand. "What do you feel, Nora?"

"Me? What do you mean?"

"About the lake. What do you feel?"

"Why are you asking her?" Maryann piped up. "She doesn't do magic stuff."

"Yeah, so what? It doesn't mean she can't ask," Nora snapped.

Ami glared at the redhead. "She is in tune with the water, and I am not. So I am asking her," she said sharply.

"Well, I can do a divination or something," she said sullenly.

"That's true, Grandma, Nora doesn't really do this sort of thing. Maryann's divination last night didn't turn up anything. Maybe I can help," Isabella interjected.

Ami glared at her granddaughter. "Drink your tea," she ordered.

Isabella flushed and obediently took a sip even though it was scalding hot. She suddenly felt a bit ashamed of herself. "What's gotten into me?" she thought.

"You too, Maryann."

She rolled her eyes but took a tiny sip to try to keep from burning her lips. "I'm sorry," she said. "I guess I'm just not used to anyone asking Nora or Leah for magic stuff."

"Now, Nora, what do you feel?"

She stared at her cup thoughtfully, having already managed a sip. "Something is stirring in the lake. It's having some kind of effect on the people here, and on us too. We don't usually snipe at each other like this. I see something," she murmured, staring at the cup. "Eyes. Green eyes, but not emerald green or leaf green. Poison green. It's something poisonous at the bottom of that lake, and it's waking up." She shook her head and looked up at the others, feeling slightly embarrassed and confused. "Did that make any sense to anyone?"

"It made sense to me," Ami answered. "Sometimes it is possible to read tea leaves, if one is properly in tune with them."

"What do we do?" Isabella asked. "Can we do anything?"

"I think we shall have to go down to the lake this evening and find out what those poison green eyes belong to. In the meantime, we shall try to enjoy ourselves."

"What if there's a monster?" Maryann asked.

"Then there is a monster. I'm not unaccustomed to dealing with such things."

The four of them looked at the fragile old woman skeptically.

"Let us take a hike on one of the beginner trails," Ami suggested. "It's good for my old bones to get out and about and these mineral springs are wonderfully rejuvenating."

They did as Ami suggested and took a hike. The band noticed Ami occasionally picked up flowers or leaves or bark or small stones and put them in her purse.

"What are you doing, Grandma?" Isabella asked.

"Gathering some supplies, that's all."

"What are you doing, Grandma?" she repeated.

Ami smiled wanly. "My obligations didn't go away; the details just changed."

They finished their hike and returned to the cabin. After another quick dip in a hot spring, Ami asked the band to prepare dinner while she went into her bedroom with the various items she had gathered. The sun had sunk past the tree line but was still at least an hour away from setting when they headed back down to the lake with Ami in the lead. Leah also took the emergency kit. They weren't entirely sure what to think of being lead to face a monster by a frail old woman in a light blue pantsuit. This time they didn't encounter anyone else on the path.

"Grandma, we're being followed," Isabella murmured.

"What do you see?"

"Three ghosts, I think. Women, in long, flowing clothes. One is wearing pink, one is wearing blue-green, and one is wearing red."

"I thought we might need some help. They will manifest more clearly if necessary, but the one in pink is your great-grandmother Hana, the one in blue-green is my eldest sister Michiru, and the one in red is my older sister, the middle child, Reiko."

"Oh. Can I maybe still talk to them even if we don't need their help?"

"That is entirely up to them, but I think they may be interested in talking to you," Ami answered. "But I've told you the dead have different priorities than the living, so please don't take offense if they return to the spirit world without meeting you."

Isabella sighed. "I'll try not to."

They arrived at the lake.

"This is going to get ugly," Nora murmured, looking at the dark water. "It's different today."

"Indeed. I feel the Void more strongly," Ami said. She walked right up to the shore. "Well? Are you going to show yourself today?"

The water rippled and churned and suddenly a creature burst out of the water. The four young women got soaked, but somehow the old woman managed to side-step out of the splash radius. The creature's top half was vaguely human but its bottom half looked fish-like, although its fish-like tail was very long in proportion to the top half. It had four arms that ended in claws, dull gray scales covering its entire body, and hair the color of stringy brown water plants. It was not wearing not wearing any clothes but was covered by a mat of water plants. Its facial features were neither distinctly male nor distinctly female. The most striking feature was its eyes. There were slightly large in proportion to its face and bright, light green with slit pupils.

"That's poison green," Leah muttered, looking at those eyes.

"Who are you to dare disturb me?" it demanded in a voice that was neither male nor female, but the tone was unmistakably threatening.

"We've got to help her!" Maryann said.

Leah held her back. "Ami is fine, trust me. Haven't you ever seen a martial arts action flick? Believe me; the helpless little old bald man always turns out to be the most bad-ass fighter in the whole darn temple of bad-ass fighters. We're the ones in danger, not Ami."

"This isn't a movie!"

"No, if Grandma needs help, she'll let us know," Isabella said. "She doesn't want us to get hurt."

"But that-that thing!"

"Is a terrifying monster, yes, and I'm ready at the first sign of trouble."

"We are way past the first sign of trouble," Leah said dryly, looking at the huge lake monster.

"Who are you?" Ami returned, ignoring the young women for the moment.

It crossed its two pairs of arms. "You don't even know? You come to this place and disturb my dwelling and know not who I am?"

"You are a spirit of some kind," Ami answered.

It sort of chuckled.

"And your presence is most upsetting to all the guests at the resort. I think you have been prevented from acting out until quite recently, and I would like to know what you are planning to do in the future."

"I am so much more than a spirit, or at least I was. I was once worshiped as a god," it declared.

"Many things, people and spirits, have been worshiped as gods. That doesn't make them so," the old woman said mildly.

Isabella could see the faint ghosts of her relatives gathered around Ami, but not manifesting.

The creature hissed. "I remember mortals like you. They are the ones that turned the others against me. I only wanted what was my due. The others were given so much and I so little and I coveted their power and followers. I wanted my own domain with my own followers and they refused. I found a way, though. I found a way to corrupt their followers and weaken their power and poison their domains. But some mortals resisted me. They told the others. They showed the others. They schemed against me because they could not accept my new power. They wanted it for themselves. They turned against me and tried to lock me away for all time." It kind of laughed again. "But it seems the power that imprisoned me protected me from the fate that befell them. They are gone, and I am free, and all their domains shall be mine!" Its eyes glittered and the tip of its tail twitched back and forth. "But though the others are gone, there are still mortals like you, and the young ones," it said, glancing at the band. "So you see what I am, frail mortal? And if so, you think you can seal me away again?"

"You were once a spirit or minor god of a lost pantheon," Ami said placidly. "I don't know what you were to begin with, but you became a god of envy, and for that the others sealed you away so you couldn't hurt anyone else."

"Ah, so you do understand. But you are old, and they are young. The others are not here to help you."

"I would not have called you out if I did not think I could at the very least imprison you again if not destroy you."

It laughed, which sounded something like a person drowning. "Destroy me? Destroy me! How would you begin to do such a thing?"

"Your pantheon is gone, you have no followers, and your power is greatly diminished," Ami replied. "But the same cannot be said for me."

"Fool!" it hissed.

The very old woman was staring calmly at the creature. "You are not welcome. Go to your home or be banished."

It bared pointed teeth and wicked fangs. "And who are you to bind me, frail mortal?"

"Ooo, that was the wrong question to ask," Leah said. "Now the ass-kicking commences."

Ami closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were white from edge to edge. "I will banish you, creature of evil."

It laughed.

Ami performed a quick kuji-in mantra to gather her will and power.

The monster stopped laughing and lunged for the tiny woman.

"Grandma!" Isabella cried, moving forward to save her grandmother.

She whipped a piece of paper out of her purse and held it up in her hand.

It smashed its own face into the paper and froze, suspended in the air. Its strange green eyes darted back and forth nervously but it seemed unable to move, but the piece of paper was starting to smoke and turn black.

"Have no fear, my granddaughter, I am fine," Ami said placidly. "Mother, sisters, please help me."

The three spirits Isabella had been seeing manifested clearly before the group. She could now see they were wearing kimonos, and Hana stepped in front of Ami while the other two stood next to her. They all appeared to be in the prime of their youth and health, although Isabella knew all three had died as old women. "Isa-chan, you too. Stand behind me."

The blonde nervously moved forward. "I-I don't know what to do," she said.

"You will follow my lead," Hana said.

"And I guess we just stand here," Nora muttered, somewhat annoyed.

"I think I'm okay with letting the experts handle this one," Maryann replied.

"I think I agree with her," Leah said, clutching her crucifix necklace.

The paper burned away to ash and the monster reared up again. "Always there are these vexing mortals. Even in death you do not know your place!" Its four hands started to move in complex patterns and the entire lake seemed to boil and writhe. A huge wave surged towards the beach.

The three band members in the back ducked, but Michiru made a short series of hand gestures that looked something like a martial arts move, which turned the wave back and caused it to collapse before they were overwhelmed.

The monster glared at them. "I will not be imprisoned again! I will not be stopped by the living or the dead!" It folded its hands together and its eyes glowed dangerously. The water and wind whipped and churned around the monster as it gathered power.

Hana yelled something in Japanese, which Isabella did not understand, but she saw her grandmother and sisters start making hand gestures. "Isabella, recite the banishment mantra," she ordered in English.

Isabella obediently did as her great-grandmother told her.

The monster cast its spell at the same time Isabella's family finished the banishment spell. There was a flash of white and poison green light, a sound like thunder, an unearthly scream, and then silence.

Leah was thrown to the ground with everyone else, but did not pass out, unlike everyone else. She managed to get up in a few seconds and saw the three ghosts trying to rouse Ami and Isabella. "Did we win?" she asked, getting out the smelling salts and kneeling down to Maryann.

"The creature has been resealed in its prison," Hana answered.

Ami slowly sat up. "Thank you, Mother," she said.

Maryann sneezed and woke up, so Leah moved on to Nora.

Isabella, flanked by the ghosts of her great-aunts, sat up. "Thanks."

They smiled at her. "These are our obligations, great-niece," Reiko said.

"They never go away," Michiru said.

"I'm beginning to see that," Isabella answered.

"Such is the fate of those that can see," Hana said.

Everyone was now standing.

"We must return now, Ami-chan," she said to her living daughter. "We cannot stay, Isabella."

Isabella's face fell.

"If you are wondering if this is your fate," Hana said as her ghost daughters moved next to her, "I cannot say. It is a possibility, but not a certainty. I'm sorry we can't answer your questions, but it is not healthy for the living to rely too much on the dead."

"I understand," she replied.

The ghosts bowed to Ami, who returned the gesture. Ami thanked them again, in Japanese, and they vanished.

"You did very well, Isa-chan," Ami said.

"Is that thing gone?" Maryann asked.

"It is imprisoned again, and hopefully will not soon be freed."

"Well, I don't know about anyone else," Leah said, "but I could really use a shower."

"I second that," Nora said. "I wouldn't have worn this dress if I had known what was going to happen."

Ami smiled. "I believe an evening of relaxation would benefit us all."

They started to walk back to the cabin. The air seemed clearer than before and Blue Lake did not seem so dark.

"I wish we could just have a nice, uneventful vacation," Nora sighed.

"Yes, but it's us," Leah said.

"At least we've got all day tomorrow," Maryann said.

"I guess that's something," she replied grudgingly. "It's better than having our entire vacation ruined by a giant evil lake monster thing."

"If I understand my great-grandmother and my great-aunts, there's always a giant evil lake monster thing," Isabella said.

"Not exactly," Ami responded. "But there are obligations."

"Lucky us," Leah sighed.

"You are lucky," the old woman said. "You have people who can help you. That goes a long way in a world like this."

"Thank you, Grandma," Isabella said.

The others quickly thanked her too.

"Now, do any of you know how to play Go?" Ami asked.

"Oh, I know," Maryann said.

"And so the little old master sets up another newbie for the fall," Leah said in a low voice.

Nora and Isabella smiled.

The rest of their vacation was uneventful and relaxing, and within two days, they were on the road again.

The Lyrics:

Turn on that spotlight

Time to take the stage

To give them such a show

It will be all the rage

The center of attention

To be in the limelight

But when attention strays

I feel the painful slight

Refrain: I try not to dwell

I try to let it go

But you can't help it

It's about me, you know

Don't look over there

Pay attention only to me

Nothing else even matters

Why is that so hard to see

Give me your adoration

Don't even begin to pause

I live for your praise

I need your applause

Refrain

I have nothing else in life

So many things are empty

I am the green-eyed monster

Totally consumed by envy

Track 4 - Don't Quoth Me

The Interview:

Kelly: This next song, "Don't Quoth Me," feels like a throwback to a 1960s protest song, only with a modern edge.

Bryan: And in your interview in "Forever Rock" magazine, you even hinted you might have a song like this.

Lee: What can we say? Sometimes we're consistent.

Kelly: So why a protest song?

Lee: Why not?

Bryan: We mean, what are you protesting against? From the lyrics, it sounds like you're protesting against people putting words in your mouth.

Lenore: Yes...funny that...

Anna: No one likes to be talked about. No one likes hearing someone is saying bad things about them.

Belle: We think words are very important, obviously, since we write songs. We also think people are sometimes careless with what they say, and sometimes they're deliberately cruel.

Bryan: So is the inspiration a bad review or some kind of troll?

Lenore: No, not specifically.

Kelly: Or maybe some kind of fight within the band?

Anna: You know, not all bands have members that fight each other all the time. We actually get along really well. But we have said things we don't mean, and sometimes we don't say what we mean either. We've worked it out, but that whole he-said/she-said type of stuff just causes too many problems. This is a song about honesty, if you want to look at it that way, and frustration. Words really are so important and most people are, as Belle said, too careless. Look at the influence bullies can have even when they aren't violent. Sticks and stones can break my bones, but it's not true that words won't hurt me.

Belle: In many mythologies, words have actual power. If I yell "Kelly" and you hear it, you're probably going to stop what you're doing and look around, right?

Kelly: Yes.

Lee: Well, isn't that some kind of power? And that's just your name.

Lenore: Even outside of that aspect, words can destroy someone's reputation; wreck their career prospects, or their marriage. Words give people ideas, sometimes the right ones, sometimes the wrong ones, and sometimes dangerous ones.

Bryan: That's a lot of meaning. Did you really think of all that when you wrote the song?

Anna: Not exactly just like that, but that's what we were going for when we did finally write it. Words are powerful, and should be respected and handled with care. The wrong words can really hurt someone, but the right words could save someone from a lot of trouble.

The Inside Story:

The band called Nevermore and the Ravens had just finished up the final set of the second evening of the Cascade of Music Festival. The festival took place near a national park in the Cascades in Oregon. The master of ceremonies had to read off some announcements, so the band took advantage of the break to get some fresh air. They went behind the stage and away from the crowds.

"I think that went well," Maryann said. "Of course it's so hard to tell from our perspective."

The four young women were dressed in identical, Victorian-fashion inspired costumes. They had black blouses with black corsets on the outside, black long skirts that had been cut into short skirts, purple and gray striped tights, and very high, vintage inspired boots. They even had identical black wigs that were pulled into tight buns with black feather accessories.

"I'm sure we were awesome," Leah said. "Now if that MC would hurry the heck up, we can get out of here and get to a nice soft bed."

"The wind just shifted," Isabella said, looking around.

"So it begins," Leah sighed.

"What begins?" Maryann asked.

"That's what we're about to find out," Nora said. "Hey, do you hear something?"

Several small things burst from the bushes. The band found themselves surrounded by two dozen short, green creatures. They were about six to eight inches tall, wiry, with long faces, long pointed ears, and bright purple eyes. They had long, dark green hair and all were wearing very simple clothes made out of leaves. They were so alike in form and dress the band couldn't determine if they were male or female. They were muttering to each other in high-pitched voices using a language none of the band could understand.

"What are they?" Leah asked.

"I think they're probably fairies of some kind," Isabella said. "But that really doesn't tell us anything. That's like saying that's a tree of some kind."

"So I'm learning," she replied wryly.

"They look sort of like tiny goblins, maybe," Maryann said. "Or brownies? Or imps. Maybe imps. Why are they staring at us like that?"

The little creatures were having an animated discussion with a lot of pointing and some were pulling at their dirty green hair. Finally four of them leaped all the way up to the band's heads and tugged on their hair and pulled off their wigs.

"Hey!" Leah snapped.

The creatures dropped the wigs immediately and started pointing at Maryann.

"Those are hard to keep clean," she said, picking up the wigs. "Honestly, what is with these things?"

"No idea," Isabella answered. "I can't understand a thing they're saying."

Another two dozen creatures scurried out of the bushes.

"There sure are a lot of them," Nora said. "And they are really wound up. Are they dangerous?"

"Any creature can be dangerous," she said, "but I don't know what these are so I can't tell for sure."

A dozen more appeared.

"But now I'm getting nervous."

Suddenly the mob charged the band. The imp-like creatures managed to get underneath Maryann's feet, causing her to lose her balance and fall over backwards. She landed on the mob and instead of being crushed they caught her and started to run very quickly.

"Hey! Stop it!" she yelled. "Heeeelp!!"

The creatures tripped the rest of the band at the same time and did not catch them, so they fell awkwardly to the ground and had to scramble to their feet and make up the distance. For being so short, the creatures ran very fast. The band watched them run up to a ring of mushrooms and vanish.

"Why does this always happen to her?" Leah sighed as Isabella set to work on opening the door.

"Because she's Maryann. I'm starting to think we shouldn't do any more outdoor gigs," Nora said.

"Why does this always happen to me?" Maryann lamented as she felt herself enter Fairyland. "At least I'm wearing tights today." As Maryann was jostled along the forest floor, she noted that the creatures were not leaving any sort of path. "Oh, I hope they can find me," she thought.

They were still jabbering to each other in a language she didn't understand. They took a sharp turn into a hidden hollow and she could see dozens of mushroom houses near the huge trees. Finally they set her down on a tree stump and then backed away and were silent.

"Um," she said.

Suddenly something flew down from the trees and landed in front of her. It was another one of the creatures, but it had apparently functional bat-shaped wings and its skin was completely dark blue. It was also wearing a very simple leaf garment but it had a ring of silver around its head.

"Um," she said again.

It turned to the waiting crowd and said something to them. The crowd looked a little angry and frustrated but then the blue one said something else that seemed to appease them. The crowd dispersed and the blue one flew up to eye level with Maryann.

"Well, we'd better talk."

"Hey, how come you know English?"

"That's really your first question? Come on, human," it ordered.

"Where?"

It sighed. "Honestly." It had a small pouch she didn't notice before and it pulled out some green dust and threw it at her.

She sneezed.

"Oh, very nice. We need to talk privately. My people for the most part don't understand your language but I don't want them to see you get scared."

"What?" she exclaimed.

"You'll find out. Give me your hand."

"Um, okay," she said, extending her hand.

It clutched one of her fingers and to her surprise pulled them both into the air and headed to the tree tops.

"Was that green stuff fairy dust?" she asked.

"Yes and no. Yes, in that I guess we are fairy kind, but no, as in we are not what you humans tend to think of as fairies, which are little tiny human women with bug wings. But it does temporarily make you light enough to fly, which is fine."

The blue one flew up about a hundred feet and set her down at the crux of four thick tree branches. There was so much room she could stand up, walk around a bit, and look down, although she did not want to do that.

"Sit down. We need to talk," it said, and sat in a notch carved into one of the branches. "This is my council chamber. I'm the king, as you can see," he said, pointing to his blue skin, not the ring of silver.

"The king is blue?" she said, puzzled.

The king sighed. "You know, just because we aren't pretty and don't do flashy magic doesn't mean we should be so neglected in the fairy lore. It's for the best, I suppose. It's not good attracting the attention of the Seelie Court or you silly humans, or worse the Unseelies. Anyway, I guess you can call us the greenlings, although I am of course blue, which is the sign of royalty."

"And the ring?" she asked, seeing that it really was a ring meant for the finger of a human or human-like creature.

"It's an heirloom, but I don't have to wear it. I just like it because it's shiny. Also, the silver has some useful properties against certain other creatures."

"So what's your name?"

"Just call me King Greenling, if you have to call me anything except 'king,'" he said. "Names are too valuable to our kind to give them out so freely."

"Okay, King Greenling, why did your people kidnap me? Are you going to let me go? And my friends are going to come looking for me."

"Are they?" he said, frowning deeply. "Hm. Well, I suppose I'll send out a scout to fetch them so they don't accidentally lead something bad to the Hidden Hollow." He snapped his fingers and a thin vine with a pink bell-shaped flower snaked over to his perch. He barked some kind of order into the flower in his own language and then the flower snaked away. "I'm not opening the door for them, though."

"Oh, it's fine. We can open doors if we can find them, and a mushroom ring is pretty obvious."

"Hm. Well, I suppose maybe this should wait until your friends get here. So the lot of you is in tune with the magical world?"

"Sure! I guess. Well, it's not like we're trying to get involved in this stuff. It just sort of happens, you know? Leah calls us weirdness magnets."

"What's a magnet?"

"Oh, it's a piece of iron that is magnetized. I, um, don't know the science so well but basically magnets attract each other or other pieces of iron, even if those other pieces aren't magnetized." That reminded Maryann of the iron ring in her purse and she slipped it on. "But instead of attracting iron, we attract weirdness."

The king's purple eyes were sharp. "An iron ring?"

"I'm not trying to be insulting or anything."

"It's fine." He hopped off his perch and flew over to her to look at the ring. "This is an old nail? But don't assume all of us have the same allergies," he said, and put his hand on the ring without any harm. Then he flew back to his perch.

"Oh, that's good to know."

He smiled a very toothy smile. "Well, tell me about yourself, human, while we wait for your friends, and then I'll tell you all why I ordered my people to bring you here."

Leah fetched the emergency kit, they all put on their rings, and Isabella opened the door.

"I'm really beginning to dislike fairies," Nora said.

"You and me both," Leah agreed as they stepped through the circle.

The world shimmered and changed but seemed less glamorous than they expected. The trees were at least two hundred feet tall with so many branches that very little sunlight penetrated the canopy. They could hear birds and other forest sounds. The air seemed heavy and slightly stale. The place had a less wholesome feel to it than the real world.

"So, I'm guessing this isn't one of the nicer parts of the fairy realms?" Nora asked.

"No," Isabella answered. "It's downright unfriendly in here. Maybe those things were closer to goblins than what we think of as fairies."

"Is that a problem?" Nora asked.

"In most fantasy books it sure is. Goblins are nasty, violent things that use weapons, which means they probably aren't allergic to iron," Leah said. "Of course, I'm only going by Tolkien."

"That's not a bad assumption for now," Isabella replied. "Now, we need to figure out how to find Maryann."

Suddenly one of the odd green creatures darted out of a bush and stood right in front of them, gabbling madly and pointing.

"Or we could get a guide," Nora said. "I think it wants us to follow it."

"Is that a good idea?" Leah asked. "These things kidnapped Maryann! It could be a trap."

"Well, it's follow this thing or wander around in one of the more unfriendly neighborhoods of Fairyland."

"We'll follow it; we'll just be careful," Isabella said.

The creature seemed relieved when they finally started to go where it was indicating and soon enough they were walking past the mushroom houses.

"La la la la la, la la la la," Leah hummed softly.

"They're green, not blue," Nora said, rolling her eyes.

They were lead to the stump and the creature said something into a flower on a vine. In a moment, a blue flying creature flew down to eye level.

"That one looks blue to me," Leah said.

"One blue one doesn't justify 'The Smurfs' theme," Nora replied.

The blue one threw the green dust at them. They all sneezed.

"What the heck?" Leah coughed.

"Your friend is up in my council chamber. I'll take you up there," the king said.

"Is that thing speaking English?"

"That thing is speaking human," he said stiffly.

"Habla Español?" Leah asked, annoyed.

"English, Español whatever you humans call your language. Come on," he said, and took Isabella by the hand and flew her up to the tree.

"Oh, no, no, I am not going up there," Nora said as he left.

"Come on, you'll be safe," Leah said. "I mean, as safe as we can be."

"I do not do heights."

"Nora, please, we need to stay together. Just close your eyes. Maryann and Isabella will catch you."

The king returned. "Is there a problem?"

"Nora doesn't like flying or heights."

"Well, that's odd for a creature who can't fly."

"It's really the potential for falling that worries me," she snapped.

"Oh, you won't fall. You'll float to the ground harmlessly," the king replied.

"Nora, please. We have to stay together," Leah said.

"Fine. But I am not happy." She held out her hand. The king took it and pulled her into the air. "I am really really not happy," she muttered, trying not to look down. Not soon enough, he set her next to the other two and fetched Leah.

"I'm glad you're here!" Maryann said. "These are greenlings, and this is the king. He says we can call him King Greenling."

"But he's blue," Leah said.

"Very observant," the king said sarcastically. "We are not actually greenlings; it's merely a convenient name. Blue is the color of royalty and I went over this already with your Maryann. Now we get down to business."

"Yeah, why did you kidnap Maryann?" Leah asked.

"It's the prophecy."

"What prophecy?" Nora replied.

The king sighed. "Honestly, have some patience. I must fetch the scroll." He flew off and in a moment returned with a tiny and what appeared to be quite old wooden case. "This is the prophecy," he said, opening up the case. Nestled in silk was an old scroll. "Now, see, I don't put much stock in most prophecy," the king said. "Most prophecy is really vague. After the fact, it's obvious the subject of the prophecy fits the description."

"Well, that's because prophecies are usually cons by people pretending to be psychic," Nora said. "They have to make it vague or else someone will call them out when the prophecy isn't correct, especially if they are using their so-called precognitive powers to get some sort of political power or lots of money."

"And normally I'd agree with you. I tend to think most prophecy is latrine fodder," the king replied. "Then again, this one was written by my people, which makes it special. My people hold the written word in the highest regard. Any written words are magic to my people, even those that are not spells."

"Why?" Maryann asked.

"Because even ordinary words contain ideas. Once you read those ideas, they're in your head. That seems like magic to me," the king said.

"I can see that," Isabella said. "Humans have shared that kind of thinking on occasion, sometimes to the point of trying to destroy books."

The king looked horrified. "That is the unthinkable to us! However, most of my people can't even read. We respect words and fear words so much we do not want to fall under their power. So the highly dangerous job of literacy is left to a few of the wisest. When we write something down, it is of utmost importance. We do not lie when we write, although we may not always write in a straightforward manner, for reasons that will hopefully become clear in a moment."

"If your people don't lie on paper, then isn't prophecy too risky to write down?" she asked.

"Indeed," the king said gravely. "And yet here I have a scroll devoted to it. It was written five hundred turnings ago."

"Wait, something didn't translate," Leah said. "Turnings?"

"That's how we mark the passage of time. I don't know what that means to you."

"There's no way to figure out how long ago that was in our world," Isabella said. "Fairyland and the real world run on different time. I'm just hoping we don't come out of this six months or sixty years later than when we left."

"That would be awful!" Maryann said. "And it would be your fault," she snapped at the king.

He sort of shrugged. "It would be, but hear me out and then judge me for kidnapping you." He pulled out the scroll and cleared his throat. "'When the moon turns violet/when the three stars burn in a row/when gray twilight falls/in darkness it starts to grow. It hungers when it wakes/all things it will swallow/there will be nothing left/it will destroy the Hidden Hollow. Right now it sleeps/stirring in its dark cave/but if a champion can find it/our Hollow can be saved. From the mundane world/soul and hair like flame/with the music of a raven/with castaways' names. With wind, water, and Earth/the champion will attack/in the darkness defeat it/and it will never come back.'"

They were very surprised.

"How did you know it was me?" Maryann finally managed to ask.

"Well, the mundane world obviously means the champion is a human, and one with red hair. Now that you're here, it's obvious you have a fiery soul. I and my council had to use quite a bit of our magic to figure out 'music of a raven' since that could mean a lot of things, although in retrospect, it seems quite obvious. So, as to the last part, are the names correct? Either castaway names as in cast-off or the names of famous castaways?" the king asked.

"Famous castaways."

"So you see I brought you here to save my people from the terror of the monster. We call it the Serpent's Shadow. The moon is indigo, two stars are burning, and twilight is falling. I've brought you here hopefully just in time. Of course, now that I find out you are a musician and not a warrior I'm more than a little worried."

"This is insane," Nora said. "Maryann can't fight a monster just because some old piece of paper says so!"

"I would usually agree," the king replied mildly. "But so it has been written; so it shall be done."

"Why can't you fight this thing?" she snapped.

"My people have no great magics. Only the royalty of us can even fly. Even figuring out the 'music of a raven,' which seems so simple in retrospect, taxed our magics to their limits. What would you have us do? I could return you to your world, but it would assure the destruction of mine."

"What about asking for help?" Isabella suggested.

"There are none who would help us, or at least none that would help us for a price we can afford," the king answered. "The Seelie Courts care not for those who are small and insignificant, as we are. Those you could consider proper fairies have nothing to do with us because we are closer to goblin-kin. There are powers we could bargain with, but as you humans say, the cure would be worse than the disease. So I have no options but the prophecy gives me hope. If you cannot save my Hollow, no one can."

The four band members were silent for a few minutes.

"I want to try to fight the thing," Maryann said finally.

"You don't know how to fight a monster!" Nora said.

"No, but there are lots of things I didn't know how to do until I did them. And I've got you guys to help me."

"Does it matter that we aren't in the prophecy?" Nora asked snidely.

The king shrugged. "The prophecy doesn't say anything about the champion getting help, but I think you're going to need all the help you can get."

"I'm surprised the prophecy rhymes so well in English," Isabella said thoughtfully.

"Why wouldn't it? It was written in human."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know. One of our very greatest queens transcribed this prophecy."

"Tell us more about this queen."

"Why?"

"If you want our Maryann to defeat a monster, we need information," she said. "The more information we have, the more likely we can figure a way to get out of this. Even something that doesn't seem relevant might be. Trust us, your Majesty, we've been through this sort of thing before."

He thought about this. "Very well. I won't tell you her name, but she is the one who helped defend the Hidden Hollow from the first attack of the Serpent's Shadow. Legends say she summoned the powers of fire, wind, water, and Earth to fight the Shadow."

"Why couldn't she defeat it?" Nora asked.

"The queen was quite magically gifted but she could not fight the monster on her own. Yes, the queen summoned the powers of fire, wind, water, and Earth and used those powers as well as her own to fight the Shadow. Both the queen and Shadow were badly injured. The Shadow fled to a cave filled with darkness and the queen was too injured to pursue."

"'Fire, wind, water, and Earth,'" Isabella repeated in low voice. There was an important thought flitting across her mind and she was trying to catch it.

"But the queen was very learned and she could predict when the Shadow would be strong again and wrote this prophecy." He pointed to the ring on his head. "She got this crown as a sign of her greatness." He sighed. "But sadly not all of us are as gifted at magic as she was."

"Did she write down anything about this Serpent's Shadow?" Leah asked. "Like how big is it? Does it have fangs or poison or anything?"

"Well, it's supposed to be big enough to swallow the Hidden Hollow whole."

"Are you sure that isn't an exaggeration?"

"No," the king said sternly. "We do not waste the power of the written word on exaggeration."

"That is not good news for us."

"The Serpent's Shadow was not poisonous as far as the queen knew, but she also didn't get bitten."

"This is still insane," Nora said.

"I do have the emergency kit," Leah said. "If nothing else we can hit it a lot."

"If it's big enough to swallow this place, I don't think it's going to be scared off by a baseball bat," she returned sarcastically.

"Nora, please," Maryann said. "They need help. I want to help, even if they did kidnap me. I'm sure we can do this."

"I don't do magic," she replied. "Neither does Leah. I don't know what good we're going to be here against some kind of giant shadow monster."

"We'll figure it out," she said confidently.

Nora just sighed.

"Perhaps some more history and some further revelations are in order," the king said.

"There's more to the prophecy?" Leah asked quickly.

"Indeed. Understand that our lore says the Serpent's Shadow knows everything that is written down."

"So it already knows about me?" Maryann asked, aghast.

"Yes and no. It knows what the words say, but it probably does not know what the words mean. There is more to this prophecy, which may help you out."

"Well, please tell us," Nora said sarcastically. She was still upset about being stuck high up in a tree.

He consulted the scroll. "'The queen used much magic/to win the first fight/without her presence/you can't use such might.'"

"Wow, that's totally not helpful," Nora said.

"'But that was then/and this is today/to defeat the monster/requires a different way. You will need to puzzle it out/for everyone's sakes/it makes as much sense/as any 4-D pair of drakes.'"

"Did you say 'forty?'" Isabella asked.

He shook his head. "No. '4-D.'"

"That's-that's just weird," she said. "That's a very human shorthand term."

"What does it mean?" the king asked.

"Fourth-dimensional," Leah answered promptly.

The king still looked confused. "That really doesn't enlighten me."

"It's a scientific term. It means time," she clarified. "Not sure what drakes have to do with it, though. Does it mean fire-drakes, or mandrakes, or something else?"

The king shrugged.

"A drake is a male duck," Nora said irritably. "The writer of this is right; it doesn't make much sense."

"No, it kind of does," Isabella countered. "The Serpent's Shadow knows everything that's written down, so this prophecy was written as a word puzzle so we could figure out how to stop the monster without it knowing we figured that out."
"But we haven't figured that out."

"Well, we're working on it," she retorted. "Please, go on, if there's any more."

"'There is a human adage/it is mightier than the sword/you will need one/in order to move forward.'"

"That's easy. It's a pen," Maryann said. "And I have a couple in my purse and my mini-Book of Shadows, so I can even write stuff down."

"You carry such things so casually," the king said, sounding awed. "'It comes from the crossroads/the realms of dream and fey/driven from nightmares/it seeks a new prey. It is of the dream/it had no kind of shape/until the magic forced it/then it could not escape. It hides in the cave/with coils of night/but it's easy to hold back/if you have a bright light.'"

Leah pulled a large, heavy hand-held flashlight out of the emergency kit. "This one is for hiking and fishing. It should do the trick."

"'The Shadow will lie/and twist what you say/do not take its bait/do not be lead astray. The old wounds have not healed/the Shadow is still weak/while resting in its cave/its blood flows like ink. With a fluid dream-like form/words hold it to the page/recite and write/and make a paper cage. Any words will do/at least that's a theory/whatever comes to mind/once upon a midnight dreary. Leave the cage of verse/it should never get free/but the future is wibbly-wobbly/so don't quoth me. All this is not in vain/or jumping through hoops/you hold Time's Arrow/and will close the loop.'" The king then rolled up the scroll. "That's the prophecy, all written in human, and all rhyming. Any thoughts?"

The band was silent for several minutes.

"Wibbly-wobbly?" Leah repeated. "It seriously says 'wibbly-wobbly?'"

"Yes. I have no idea what that means."

"Of course not! No one says that! Well, except the Doctor, but no one really says that."

"It's all garbage," Nora said irritably.

"I had a thought," Maryann said, ignoring Nora. "Did any of you ever keep a dream journal?"

"No," Isabella answered.

"Never bothered," Nora said.

"I tried, but none of the dream symbolism I could find ever explained what a green cargo van with orange flower decals was supposed to mean, so I gave up," Leah replied.

"Well, I still keep one. And whenever I wake up and try to write my dreams down, it's kind of this jumbled mess. There are so many things I'm trying to get down at once, but I'm sure I never write it all down. I write it all down so I can remember it, but if I didn't write everything down, then my memory becomes what I wrote, right?"

Nora just shook her head. Leah looked confused.

Isabella did too, but then she nodded. "I understand. Whatever you were dreaming is reduced to what you can write down before you forget it. Then when you re-read your entries, your memory of the dream is influenced by what you wrote down. So in a way, you're trapping the dream."

"Great. One mystery solved," Nora said acidly.

"That will hopefully be enough," the king said. "The third star is turning violet. You need to go now to the cave of Shadows."

"What? But-but we haven't figured out what to do," Maryann protested.

"I'm sorry; you'll figure it out as you go. You must leave now or you will not reach the cave in time," he said.

"We don't even know where this cave is," Isabella said.

"I will lead you. I cannot fight, though, but I will try to wait for you so I can lead you back here. These woods are not safe for those who do not know the paths."

"We aren't ready for this," Nora warned.

"I don't think we have a choice," Isabella countered.

"We always have a choice," she shot back.

"Please, let's just go and try to help the greenlings," Maryann said.

"I'm not going to get myself killed fighting a dream monster!"

"I don't think that will happen," the king said. "Words shape the world, and these words say you are victorious."

"I'm not going to bet my life on that!"

"Nora, please, we can't just leave them," Maryann pleaded.

Nora was about to protest, but then she sighed. "Fine. I don't like it, and I think it's stupid, but it's not the craziest thing we've gone through, and they do need help."

"Many thanks," the king said.

"Don't thank us until we've won," she replied wryly.

"Can I copy that prophecy before we leave?" Maryann asked. "We haven't figured out all the clues yet. We might need the prophecy again to figure it out."

"I-I don't know. No one has ever asked such a thing." He paced back and forth for a few minutes. "Very well. I will recite it again, and you write it down," he said. Maryann dutifully copied down the entire prophecy. When he finished, he returned the scroll to its box and hid it away. "Since you cannot fly, I'll return you to the ground and you can walk to the cave."

"That is fine by me. Take me back down first."

"Very well." The king took Nora's finger and pulled her into the air, then guided her back down to the ground, for which she was very grateful. As soon as she landed by the stump, greenlings started to peek out of their houses. By the time all four were on the ground, they were surrounded by a crowd of curious and somewhat frightened creatures. The king addressed his people and they clapped and cheered, then sobered as he continued to speak. Finally the fell silent, and then the crowd opened a path the band was clearly meant to follow. "Let us go," the king said, flying in front of the band. He lead them by a twisting path and soon they were in the forest proper and the Hidden Hollow was nowhere in sight.

"This place felt unfriendly when we got here," Isabella said in a hushed tone. "Now it feels outright hostile."

"These woods are not safe for those that do not know the paths. But they are not always safe for those that do," the king said.

What little sunlight reached through the canopy seemed to fade and the forest grew dark. The band members started to have trouble walking through the tangled undergrowth. Maryann tripped and landed awkwardly.

"You cannot see in darkness?" the king asked as Isabella helped Maryann stand up.

"No, we can't. Is it safe to pull out a flashlight?" Leah asked.

"It may help ease our passage," he answered.

She pulled the flashlight out of the emergency kit and aimed it mostly towards the ground so they could see the treacherous roots and vines.

"What wondrous magic," the king remarked. They said nothing else until they abruptly came up against a sheer cliff face. It was covered in unhealthy black vines. "This is the cave of darkness," he said in a whisper, pointing to some loose vines that were moving as though by a breeze. "I dare not go further. You should call upon wind, water, and Earth, I think, before you enter the cave."

"I really don't know how," Maryann replied.

Isabella snapped her fingers. "Now I get it! You don't have to. We're already with you."

"Please be explaining," Leah said.

"The queen fought this thing with fire, wind, water, and Earth. The champion with a soul like fire is supposed to fight with wind, water, and Earth. That's us. Maryann's fire, Leah is Earth, Nora is water, and I'm the wind."

"Oh, the four elements!" Maryann said.

"You know there are more than one hundred elements, technically," Leah countered.

She sighed. "Magical elements in the Western tradition. But that means part of the prophecy is already true! That's a good sign, right?"

A bone-chilling wind blew out of the cave with a dreadful moaning sound. They shivered as their costumes were not really meant for cold weather.

"You had to say it," Nora said acidly.

"She always says it," Leah agreed.

"Give me the flashlight," Maryann said firmly. "I'm the champion so I'm going to lead. Earth, wind, and water are supposed to be at my back."

"Hey, you won't get any argument from me," Leah said. "Of course, in horror movies, the person in the back is sometimes picked off first."

"I'll be in the back," Isabella interjected. "Maryann, if we're going to do this thing, let's do it."

The redhead straightened her spine and stepped past the sickly ivy. The others followed with less confidence but no less speed. The cave was cold but dry and aside from the initial blast of wind, it was completely still. The other three pulled small flashlights out of their purses.

"I really should get a head-lamp or something," Leah thought.

The floor of the cave was smooth and the ceiling was about twenty feet high. There were no stalactites or stalagmites. It was more like a winding tunnel than any cave they'd ever seen. As they walked, they could see drops of a black liquid on the floor. The further they progressed, the drops changed to puddles, and the puddles changed to a thin river. The cave, or tunnel, terminated in a huge, roundish room. Coiled up inside was an enormous black snake creature. Its green eyes with slit pupils were as large as a human. It seemed to be constantly moving and coiling around itself. But for all its great size, it did not appear to like the light very much. The eyes blinked and the massive head shot towards the band but stopped a few feet away before they could even react.

"So," it said in an oily, hissing, and slightly echoing voice. "You have returned."

"What? We've never been here before," Maryann said.

The eyes blinked. "You think not? Then you do not know. Interesting, for one supposedly a champion. I have read your prophecy and it is full of nonsense. It is nothing more than empty words and signifies nothing. Have you any idea how to defeat me? Have you any idea of my capabilities? You come not with magic but with vague notions of an ill-defined victory."

"We aren't listening to you," Maryann said defiantly. "You lie."

"Lie? I can lie, and I can tell the truth. I know all that is written down so surely you can see I know much more than you do. And I know right now you have no idea how to defeat me. I am gathering my strength and soon I will devour you and the Hidden Hollow."

"What do you have against the greenlings?" she demanded.

"Is that what you call them? It matters not. They are small, and in my way, and they dared to fight me."

"They kind of won, you know," Leah said snidely.

"For a time. I am patient. And now the queen who defeated me before is not here and you four are here again to try to defeat me forever." The Serpent's Shadow laughed. Its laughter was as hollow and cold as its voice. "You are full of doubts. I know."

"We know we'll win," Maryann said.

"Did I say you doubted this encounter? You do, I'm sure, but you have so many doubts about everything. You have doubts your band will achieve success. You have doubts you have made the right choices. You have doubts that your families will ever accept your path in life." It sort of slithered and moved its massive head closer to them. "Doubts that perhaps you have lead others astray."

They took a step back.

To Isabella, their steps sounded like they were splashing, so she looked down and saw black stuff in a pool around their feet. She followed a trail of it with her flashlight to serpentine coils in the blackness. "'Blood flows like ink,'" she thought.

It turned its eyes to Leah. "Your father only wishes for you to get married. This life on the road will never lead anywhere. He has said so in his electronic communication to his brother. Why couldn't you just do what you were supposed to? Why couldn't you have been another son?"

"You shut up!" Leah yelled. Black tendrils of mist started to coil around her. She didn't notice, but she did start to feel cold.

It turned now to Nora. "And you. You had such potential. But your parents will never love you as much as your sister, not now that you've squandered your potential with this ridiculous band."

"That's not true! My parents love me!" she shouted. The same black tendrils started to coil around her as well.

Isabella noticed this. She didn't know what the tendrils meant, but she was certain they were dangerous. "Maryann, get out your Book of Shadows," Isabella ordered.

The eyes turned to Isabella. "Such a strange child. Such an odd child, to worry your mother so. You talked to invisible people. You were afraid of what was under the bed. You were..."

At this point Isabella pulled a paper out of her purse with kanji written on it and slapped it on the massive snout. Then she kicked at the tendrils, which seemed to dissipate, but she noticed the tendrils were still crawling around the others.

The eyes glazed over for a moment and the Shadow was silently held by the evil spirit charm.

"That's why you fear the written word," Isabella said angrily. "It has power over you."

Maryann had pulled out a small, bound notebook she called her mini-Book of Shadows.

"Maryann, do you have a dip pen?"

"Sure. It's probably at the bottom though because I don't use it often."

"Get it out," she said.

Leah was still stinging from the Shadow's words. "What the hell is a dip pen?"

"It's a pen you have to draw ink into," Maryann answered.

"What's wrong with a regular pen?"

"Nothing. I like dip pens because they're so old-fashioned."

The eyes blinked and the paper turned black and fell off its nose. It hissed, showing a long, forked tongue. "Words have power over us all, to a greater or lesser degree. That little charm wouldn't hold me for long, as you can see. How many more do you have in your purse? You will run out, and I am not a spirit as such. I come from a different realm entirely."

Maryann found the pen and gave it to Isabella. "What are you thinking?"

It turned to Maryann. "It's all your fault, you know. You brought them together. You convinced them that this silly musical career was a viable one. You convinced them to put aside their dreams of college and family for nothing but a dream. I've seen their journals. I know what they write about you. Silly, flaky, flighty Maryann."

"No. They never said those things," she snapped. Black tendrils started to coil around her feet.

"Stupid Maryann and her stupid boyfriends that get us in so much trouble. That's what she wrote," it said, gesturing at Nora with its forked tongue.

"Nora?" The tendrils were becoming more solid around Maryann. "You think I'm stupid?"

"I never said that!" Nora shot back. "You're lying. You're lying!"

"But the part about the boyfriends is true," it said.

"Nora?"

"Well, your boyfriends do get us in trouble," she said defensively. Now the tendrils were looking more solid around Nora as well.

"See? You've made all the wrong choices from beginning to end."

Isabella quickly pulled another paper out of her purse, wrote the kanji down on it, and slapped it on the monster again.

As before, it froze for a moment and was silent.

"Don't listen to it or it'll pull you in," she warned. "Look at the shadow tendrils."

The others looked down.

"Gah!" Leah exclaimed, trying to kick them away, but they were much more solid for her than Isabella.

Maryann gathered her wits and fished in her purse for components of a protection spell.

Isabella knelt down and drew the black liquid into the pen. She ripped a sheet of paper out of the notebook, wrote the kanji for "shadow" and "serpent" at the top, and performed a kujikiri over the paper. "Nora, did you ever read 'The Raven?'"

"What?" she said, kicking at the tendrils tangled around her.

"Did you?"

The charm turned black and fell off again.

Isabella slapped another charm on the Serpent's Shadow before it could say another word. "That's the last one. The prophecy says any words will do 'upon a midnight dreary.' It has got to be a reference to that poem, but I don't know the whole thing."

"I actually had to memorize and recite it for an English project," Nora said, confused.

Isabella shoved the pen and notebook in her hand. "Blood like ink, recite and write and make a cage out of paper. I did a ritual that should infuse the paper with magic to cut off demonic influences. I don't know if that thing is a demon, but the ritual can't hurt. Hurry up or those tendril things are going to catch us and then I don't know what will happen."

Nora took the notebook and pen and shook her head. "Okay, but this is crazy." Then she started to write. "'Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary...'"

The evil spirit charm turned black once again and fell off the Serpent Shadow's snout. It lunged at them but Maryann defiantly held up the flashlight and it seemed reluctant to get too close to the light. "You will fail! Your dreams of stardom are nothing but fluff and nonsense. All you work for is utterly in vain. You keep your private doubts but I know better. None of you really believe this will work; you just don't know how to tell each other."

"'Eagerly I wished the morrow...'" muttered Nora as she wrote down the poem. She was trying to ignore the creature's words and the shadow tendrils that were tightening around her legs.

"All that you've done and seen and all of the doubts that you dream if you write them down they are mine! Nothing that you say or do can save you. I will destroy you and the Hidden Hollow and all those wretched creatures that dared defy me!"

Maryann cast a protection spell on the flashlight and the light while not becoming brighter seemed more like sunlight.

The Serpent's Shadow hissed. "You think that little mechanical device will hold me back forever? I am an ancient being not to be undone by a literally pathetic band of mortals!"

The shadow tendrils around Leah, Maryann, and Nora tightened painfully and a dreadful cold started to come over them.

Leah pulled the bolt-cutters out of the emergency kit and tried to cut the tendrils, but the bolt-cutters had no effect.

The Shadow laughed. "You really thought that would work?"

"'Presently my soul grew stronger...'" Nora wrote.

"It was worth a try," Maryann retorted. "And I've got some words for you. Coward! Bully! If you're so powerful and ancient, how come you're stuck in this cave in the backwoods of Fairyland?"

"And let's try these words," Isabella thought, and performed a kuji-in, a mantra of nine syllables to focus power. She made the accompanying hand postures with the intention of dispelling or dissipating the shadow tendrils. When she said the last syllable, there was a rush of energy and the tendrils loosened on the other three.

"Bah, nothing but folk magic," the Serpent's Shadow hissed.

"Folk magic beat you before," Maryann said. "The greenlings' folk magic beat you! Just one little fairy-kin and a few humans beat you! Some big scary monster you are!"

"'...all my soul within me burning...'" Nora wrote with numbed hands.

"I am of the gloaming, of the twilight realms where fey and nightmares meet. I know all that has been written and my knowledge is vast. All those who come before me tremble in fear and cower!" it cried.

"I'm not cowering," Leah said, although in truth she could barely stand up because her legs had gotten so cold. "If you're all that, why are you here? Can you answer Maryann's question?"

Nora had no idea how much ink the dip pen would hold, but she got the impression it should have run out by now.

"The reason I am here is not important," it hissed. "I was not kidnapped by insignificant creatures and coerced into a dangerous fight that I knew nothing about."

"Well, you were beaten by insignificant creatures," Maryann snapped. "You were beaten and you ran away to this dark cave. You ran away!"

The monster reared back as though ready to strike. Maryann, Nora, and Leah were still tangled in the tendrils and couldn't move. Nora was still writing the poem in the notebook. Isabella stepped in front of Maryann and performed another kuji-in as a focus for protection. Sure enough, the Serpent's Shadow seemed to overcome its hatred of light and shot forward.

"Isabella!" Maryann cried, but she couldn't move herself or her friend out of the way.

On the last syllable of the kuji-in as it almost hit Isabella, it was instead blasted backwards by a powerful gust of wind. It was clearly startled.

"'Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore,''" Nora scribbled.

The monster twisted in on itself for a few moments and finally put its massive head near the floor and slid forward again.

Isabella was worried the magic of the poem wasn't working since the monster gave no sign of being in any sort of distress. The black liquid on the floor looked to be at the same volume, although she, like Nora, thought the dip pen should have needed a refill by now.

"Don't ever do that again!" Maryann scolded Isabella.

"You can leave any time," it said, blinking its giant green eyes. Its voice turned soft and persuasive. "In fact, you should leave if you don't want to be late. You know that time doesn't flow the same here as in your ordinary world. The longer you stay here, the more you risk missing out on days, or weeks, or months, or even years in your own world. That's what all the stories say. So many stories of travelers who wander into the fairy realms and when they return so much time has passed their own relatives don't know who they are. They are strangers in a stranger world. This prophecy you seem to read so much into had so many references to time perhaps it was a warning to you. You should go now. I have no strength to harm the Hidden Hollow."

"'...what it utters is its only stock and store...'" Nora muttered.

It shot a nasty look at Nora, and then started to focus on her. "What trick is this?"

"You're lying," Isabella said, trying to distract it. "You are wounded but you're not that weak."

"Yeah," Leah added, catching on. "You're totally going to eat the Hidden Hollow."

"A poem about a lost Lenore," it said, remaining focused. "And you are a Nora Lyn who is also probably lost. That's very funny, don't you think? Of course, I see why you took the name you did. How could you not?"

Leah shined her light on the floor, looking for a rock to throw at the Serpent's Shadow, even though she hadn't really seen any debris when they were walking through the cave. But near her feet just outside of the pool of black liquid were some good-sized throwing rocks. She had to stretch to reach them because she was still tangled, but she grabbed one and chucked it at the monster's nose.

It hissed at her but did not move closer.

"I was talking to you," she snapped. "You said you wouldn't hurt the little greenlings and I think you're totally lying just to make us leave. I think you're afraid we will be able to defeat you."

It laughed. "Defeat me? You don't how to defeat me. You don't even know what that means. You can't make a cage of a paper. That holds nothing."

"You seriously don't know what a metaphor is?" she retorted.

"It's a way you humans have of twisting words. I approve of twisting words. I like making them say what they don't mean. That's what you already do for a living, isn't it? You write these songs about things that aren't true or where the true meaning is twisted."

"How can a creature of the dream realms not understand metaphor?" Leah asked. "I mean, that's what dreams are all about."

"Maybe that's because that is what dreams are all about. It would be like asking a fire why it doesn't understand heat," Isabella said. "Or snow why it doesn't understand cold."

Now the creature looked irritated. "Excuse me, I thought we were having a conversation here," it said.

"'Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore,''" Nora wrote.

"Are you implying there is something I do not understand? I am an ancient creature..."

"Why are you called the Serpent's Shadow?" Maryann interrupted.

"That is what you call me. It is not what I call myself. I do not give out my name. Now, pathetic mortals, what is it you think I do not understand? I know all that is written down. How can there be anything I don't understand?"

"You don't understand the prophecy," Maryann said.

"I am certain I understand it better than you. And you are wasting precious time with your friend writing out a very long poem indeed about a tortured soul who is tormented by a bird about the lost Lenore."

"Do you know why Lenore is lost? Do you understand that?" Isabella pressed, trying to keep its attention away from Nora.

"She is with angels."

"Yes, but I don't think you know what that means."

"Of course I do."

"Then what does it mean?"

"She is with angels."

"You don't know what that means," Leah said. "It's a euphemism. Do you know what that is?"

"I know the definition, yes," it snapped. "I-..." It blinked its eyes several times. "Something is wrong. Something is happening." It twisted around itself.

Isabella stayed in front of Maryann in case she needed to cast another spell. She glanced over and Nora and now she could see a thin stream of the black liquid entering the pen as she scribbled furiously.

"'Blood like ink!'" it shrieked. "You are using my blood to write this poem!"

Finally as Nora was nearing the end of the poem the creature was starting to fade. The shadow tendrils withdrew from the three they were tangled around.

The Serpent's Shadow lunged at Nora, but this time both Isabella and Maryann got in front and held it back. Isabella blasted it with wind and Maryann's spell caused the flashlight to flare like a sunbeam. Leah found some more rocks sitting next to her feet and aimed at the giant eyeballs.

It roared in pain and howled and thrashed as it became more transparent. The stream of liquid was now much more solid than the creature itself.

"No! This cannot be!" It lunged at the band again but was again held back by the wind and light.

Nora wrote out the final 'nevermore' of the poem.

The Serpent's Shadow howled one last time and then abruptly vanished.

"Gah!" Nora said, and dropped both the pen and paper. "That was cold!"

The pen turned to black ash but the paper hit the floor of the cave as solidly as a rock. As they waved their flashlights around, there was no sign the Serpent's Shadow. The shadow tendrils were gone and the black liquid was gone. There were also no more rocks on the floor either.

"So, we, um, won?" Leah said.

"I think so," Isabella answered.

"Then let's get the hell out of here," Nora sighed. "My hands are numb. I've been up a tree and fought a monster and I want to get to bed. We still have to pack up all our gear, assuming we get back to our own time."

"Let's go," Isabella said, this time taking the lead.

The cave was easy to follow. When they got outside they didn't see anyone.

"Your Majesty?" Maryann said in a normal voice. "We won."

The blue greenling immediately flew up to them. "Thank you thank you thank you."

"Don't let anyone ever go into that cave," Isabella said. "It's trapped in a poem and I don't know if there's a way to let it out, but I think destroying the paper might be one way."

"I will get my people to seal it off as well as we are able. Follow me. I will take you to a door and return you to your world. Please keep your lights aimed at the ground."

They followed the king via a different path than before but ultimately terminated at the same mushroom ring.

He flew up to Maryann and pulled off his crown. "Please, champion, accept this token of my people's appreciation for saving us from the Serpent's Shadow."

"Everyone helped," she said immediately.

"I have but one crown and you are the champion," he said.

"It doesn't matter to me," Leah said.

"Me neither," Isabella said.

Nora shrugged. "Whatever you want to do."

Maryann took the ring. "I know since this is silver it probably has some useful properties. Take this one in return," she said, and pulled her iron nail ring off and held it out.

"This is too much," he said. "You saved us. I cannot take a gift from you."

"It's only fair. You lead us on the safe paths," she said.

He took the ring and put it on his head. "It is not so shiny, but it is quite useful." He bowed. "Thank you again, champion and friends." He threw some of the green dust at the mushrooms. Their spots glowed briefly, and the band found themselves standing in quite ordinary woods near the festival.

"Do you guys hear music?" Leah asked. "I thought we were the last act."

"It could be next year's festival," Nora said sourly. Then they all pulled out their phones to check the date and time. "Is that right?"

"Satellite link-ups," Isabella said. "So that's right."

"Then we're listening to ourselves finish up the show?" Maryann asked.

"Yeah, I think we are. Which means we really ought to get out of here before the greenlings kidnap you," Leah said. "Or else things are going to get really wibbly-wobbly."

"I don't even know what that means," she said.

"Just come on," she insisted. "We'll go back to the van and wait until we're all in Fairyland."

And that's just what they did, and they got to listen to most of their own set.

"This isn't so bad," Leah said. "Now we know what the audience hears."

"I just can't wait for this weird, weird night to end," Nora said.

The set ended and they waited until they were sure they were all in Fairyland. Then they went to the stage, collected their instruments, and headed back to the hotel.

"Hey, my ring is twisted," Maryann said, looking at the plain silver band by the light of her phone. "See, it's got this twist in the middle."

"Oh, it's just one of those Mobius strip rings," Leah said.

"Oh, okay. So it's supposed to be like that?"

"Yep."

"Does it mean anything?"

"It's a mathematical construct," Isabella said. "It only has one continuous surface, so if you started at any point and moved along the band, you'd end up at the beginning without crossing any boundaries."

"So it's an infinity sort of thing?" Maryann asked.

"Sort of. It's a loop, basically. I don't know if it means anything," Leah said. "It just looks cool."

"Oh, okay. Hey, wasn't it weird what that thing said about us returning?"

"Yeah, but it was probably lying," Nora said.

"It seemed kind of surprised when it said that. Maybe it wasn't lying."

"It had to be lying. We'd never met it before. And if it wasn't lying, we'll worry about it later, okay?"

"Okay, ladies, let's not worry about it anymore," Isabella said. "It's been a long night and we should probably be grateful we didn't end up losing time in Fairyland."

"Yeah, we actually gained time," Leah said. "It's all wibbly-wobbly." Then she sat straight up in the seat. "Maryann, let me see that notebook." She handed it over and Leah re-read through the prophecy.

"Nora, do you really think I'm stupid?" Maryann asked hesitantly.

"No. I do think your boyfriends get us in trouble. And they do," Nora said. "Look, we all have doubts and think mean things. That's why we write them in our journals or diaries; so we don't say them out loud and hurt anyone's feelings."

"That thing just knew what we wrote and was trying to turn us against each other. And when it worked, you got tangled up in those shadow tendrils," Isabella said.

"So you don't think I ruined your lives with this band?" Maryann asked.

"Of course not. Don't let that thing get to you now that it's trapped. We all made our own choices," Nora answered. "We knew the odds. We knew the consequences. If we never make it, it's not your fault. I'll have no one to blame but myself."

Isabella nodded in agreement.

"Leah?" Maryann asked.

"What?" She closed the notebook. She thought she understood exactly what the weird prophecy meant, but since everyone still seemed on edge, she decided not to mention it to the others. "Oh, yeah, right. Like I didn't know all that stuff about my family. Nora's totally right. Don't let that thing get to you. We'll make or we won't and that's the way of it. No matter what that thing says or does, we own our choices and the consequences of those choices, okay?"

"Okay," Maryann replied, looking relieved. "Hey, it was pretty cool listening to ourselves, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. I think I need to tighten up that drum solo though," Leah said.

The band continued to talk about their show until they got to their hotel where they gratefully went to bed.

The Lyrics:

Don't put words in my mouth

Don't twist what I say

Don't spread silly gossip

And lead people astray

Hyperbole goes too far

Lies have no humor

You're causing trouble

And spreading rumors

Refrain: That's not what I said

We'll never agree

Repeating it doesn't make it so

Don't quoth me

Why did you say that?

Are you just bored

What makes you lie

And use words like swords?

You exaggerate my anger

And make me look plain mean

People know I'm not like that

But you still made a scene

Refrain

I'll just be patient

They'll figure out what's true

Given enough time

They'll see through you

You can't fool them forever

No matter the lies you repeat

The truth will set us all free

And expose your deceit

Refrain x2

Track 5 - Cathedral of the Soul

The Interview:

Bryan: The next track is the big hit of the album, "Cathedral of the Soul." It's like soulful pop ballad.

Anna: Excuse me; I'll be right back. [leaves]

Kelly: We can take a break.

Lenore: No, it's fine.

Bryan: Why did she leave?

Lee: Her contacts have been bothering her all day. She probably went to take care of that. We can continue the interview without her.

Bryan: It's not a problem to wait.

Belle: It's fine.

Lee: So what do you want to ask us about our breakaway pop hit?

Kelly: What was your inspiration?

Lee: That's a really common question.

Bryan: That you are notorious for not answering.

Lenore: I think everyone has done things they regret and would like some way to move past that. People want to be forgiven and sometimes they either don't know how to ask or know the person they've wronged won't forgive them.

Kelly: So it's a metaphor for finding that forgiveness?

Lee: Sure, that's as good a theory as any.

Bryan: And judging by the cover art, if it was a real place it would be full of rainbows and butterflies?

Lenore: You make it sound like a fourth-grade girl's art project.

Belle: Rainbows are a classic symbol of promises and renewal. Butterflies are symbols of spirits. But that's just our interpretation.

Lenore: Clearly your idea of a cathedral of the soul would look a little different.

Lee: But hey, whatever works for you. What works for us is people liking our song. And considering the album is probably going to go gold, I'd say people don't mind the cover art.

Kelly: They've got a good point there Bryan.

The Inside Story:

Nevermore and the Ravens were on the road again, this time in Louisiana. Isabella, as usual, was driving and the others were in their usual places, but this time they were joined by their agent's son, Dave, who was sitting in the back between Leah and Maryann.

"The show was good, right?" Dave asked.

The four women were busy with either driving or playing games on their mobile devices.

"I mean, the venue was bad."

"Really? You think?" Leah snapped, not looking at him.

"Okay, look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't realize it was in such a bad neighborhood."

"It wasn't the neighborhood," Nora said tightly.

"I also didn't know it was like bachelor party central," Dave sighed.

"Yeah, that was the problem," Maryann said.

"Well, I'll know for next time. Usually Dad puts black marks on the list when a place is just too bad," he said. "Guess he must have missed that one. So, um, are you still cool with me tagging along with you to visit your grandmother?"

"Oh, no, that's no problem. She loves guests. Southern hospitality and all that."

"Okay, good. But hey, at least the food's been really good, right?"

The rest of the band had to agree with that.

"Are you sure this is the right place, Maryann?" Isabella asked as they parked along the street next to a faded red beat-up truck.

"This is the address Mee-maw gave me," she replied, getting out of the van and putting on a hat to keep off the sun.

"But this is a church," Dave said. His black t-shirt was already causing him to start sweating.

"Your abuela lives in a church?" Leah asked.

"I guess," she replied. "Mee-maw always came to visit us."

"So you never got invited for Mardi Gras? That's a shame," she said. "My quick Internet searches indicated New Roads has a good celebration with a lot less drunk people than New Orleans."

"Any other Mardi Gras celebration would have less drunk people than New Orleans," Dave replied.

Maryann shrugged. "I guess Mee-maw had her reasons."

Isabella adjusted her hat slightly and stared at the small structure.

"What is it?" Leah asked.

"I-I don't know. The spirit world feels close here but I don't see any weaknesses or doors."

"Is that because it's a church?"

"I don't think so. I'm sure it's holy ground, but I've never felt anything like this." She cast a spirit sight spell on herself. "And I've never seen anything like this either. This place is very liminal."

"Translation, please," Dave said.

Isabella kind of sighed. "It just means a place on the edge. Doors, weaknesses between worlds, that sort of thing tend to happen on edges. This place is on so many edges it's like a nexus, but I don't know exactly what edges."

"Is Mee-maw in danger?" Maryann asked.

"I don't know. How long has she lived here?"

"Years and years as far as I know, but I didn't know she lived in a church either."

Nora fanned herself with her hands and her lilac skirt. "Well, it's hot and muggy out here so if this isn't immediately dangerous, let's find out if this church has air conditioning."

Maryann knocked on the double doors of the small, Gothic-influenced cathedral.

A plump but frail-looking woman in her nineties opened the door. Her thin, gray hair was cropped short; she was wearing a plain, button up blouse, linen pants, and thick glasses. Her complexion was also several shades darker than the band expected based on Maryann's pale complexion. "Hello, Maryann," she said in a thick, native accent. "Come on in."

The band and Dave walked into the church and stared. There were no pews but there were crude wooden tables and benches as well as some sleeping bags along the walls. The original stained glass windows had long been broken but had been replaced with mosaics of recovered pieces of the original windows and colored bottles. The sunlight shining through them produced a rainbow effect that illuminated what was once the nave. Even though it was hot outside, and there didn't seem to be any sort of air conditioning, the temperature was quite comfortable inside the building.

"Are you goin' to introduce me?" the old woman said.

"Oh, I'm sorry! It's just so pretty in here," Maryann replied. "This is Nora, Isabella, Leah, and Dave. This is my grandmother Grace Parker."

"You can call me Mee-maw, if you want or you can call me Ms. Parker," she said. "Come on to the back. We'll have a nice snack." She led them to what was once the minister's living quarters but had since been updated and modernized.

"So you were surprised that Isabella's grandmother was Japanese, but your grandmother is clearly mixed-race herself?" Leah asked in a low voice.

"She's Creole, technically. I guess I never thought about it. It was normal for me but I didn't think mixed families were normal for everyone. Anyway, you met Mom."

"I just thought she was really tanned."

"How did you end up so pale anyway?" Nora asked.

"Paw-paw is French. And Dad's parents are Scots-Irish."

Grace served them some cookies and iced tea. "I'm glad you could visit me, Maryann."

"I had no idea you lived in a church. How did that happen?" she asked.

"When Frank and I split up, I came home but had a hard time findin' a house I liked. Then I saw this church. It's old, too, probably built soon after the original settlers came here, but I don't think it was used much. I think it was too far away from what became New Roads. I'd guess it was only used for maybe twenty or thirty years, and then after that, the people stopped comin' and it just sat here, waitin' for a new life. And so was I." She tended to something on the stove. "It's been a labor of love gettin' it all fixed up."

"How come you never told anyone you lived in a church?"

Grace shrugged as she sat back down. "Some people think it's odd. One of the reasons dear Frank and I had to go our separate ways was our different views on the world. He would not have liked to hear I was livin' in a church, so to keep peace with the family I was the one to make the trip north to visit my children and grandchildren over the holidays."

"I think it's great."

"I'm glad you do," she said.

"If you don't mind me asking," Nora started, "how come you have those tables and sleeping bags in the nave? Do you have guests?"

"Sometimes I do. I've been here goin' on thirty years and a lot of people have passed this way. Sometimes they just want a place to rest. Sometimes they need a meal and a place to sleep. So I do my part. Folks are poor in this parish."

"Mee-maw, that's dangerous," Maryann said, looking shocked.

"Dear Maryann, I'm not afraid in here. This place is blessed."

She looked skeptical. "If you say so."

"You may come to see things as I do," she said. "If you girls don't mind, I could use some help in the garden. I want some peppers and tomatoes for dinner."

They quickly finished up their cookies. Grace handed Maryann a basket and they followed her out the back door.

The area immediately back of the church looked like it had been intended for a cemetery. There were the remains of a stone fence to the right side and a lot of the native trees had been cleared away. Most of the area was now a very large garden. Flowers and vegetables grew side by side separated by sunlight needs and the whole area was filled with butterflies. They seemed to be on every single plant and flitted between the flowers and shrubs. Leah took several pictures.

"Oh, it's so pretty, Mee-maw," Maryann said.

"They like it here," Grace replied. "And I like them."

"There aren't any bodies buried back here, are there?"

"I don't think the church ever used the graveyard. I haven't run across any graves," she said with a slight laugh.

Isabella's eyes were drawn to a corner of the fence that was in heavy shade. "What about that? It looks freshly dug."

"Where?" Maryann squealed.

"Don' worry about that, my girl. There are no rotting corpses in my backyard," Grace replied.

But Isabella noted that the old woman hadn't actually answered her question. They meandered through the garden and picked a variety of ripe vegetables. When they re-entered the church, Grace got to work cooking. The band immediately offered to help and soon a delicious meal was simmering away. Maryann did most of the talking and chatted amiably about the band and their prospects. The sun was setting as they set one of the tables in the main part of the church.

As they ate, a middle-aged, worn-out looking man walked in through a side door. "Morning, Ms. Parker," he said in a mixed, strong accent. His face was slightly longish and his clothes were a little ragged. Despite his disheveled appearance, there was something attractive about him.

Isabella almost dropped her spoon. She stared and jabbed Maryann in the ribs.

Maryann gave her a curious look and wished her grandmother had not insisted they put their phones away for dinner because she was certain Isabella would be sending her an explanatory text.

"Morning, William," Grace said to the man.

"Mee-maw?" Maryann asked, obviously confused.

"I'm sorry to intrude; I was not aware you would be hosting guests today."

Grace looked at Isabella, who was still staring at the man. "Ah, of course. I suppose I'd better explain some things before the poor child gets any more upset. Girls, this is my friend William Somerson. He's a vampire."

"What?" they shouted in unison, except for Isabella, who kind of nodded.

"That explains the dirt outside," she thought.

"You stay away from my Mee-maw!" Maryann shouted, brandishing her silver ankh pendant.

William looked quite startled and did not approach the table.

"Calm down, my girl, calm down," Grace said. "William will not hurt me. I'm helpin' him."

"There's only one way you help a vampire," Leah snapped. "And it's in the emergency kit!"

"Girls, girls, please, you need to listen. Calm down."

"Should I, uh, be goin' Ms. Parker?" he asked.

"No, no. I've got some chores for you but you sit down right here and we'll talk."

"He's a vampire!" Maryann said again.

Dave leaned over to her and whispered, "Um, Maryann, how does your grandma know about vampires?"

The redhead opened her mouth and shut it again. "I-I don't know."

"And how come your grandma isn't surprised you aren't surprised?" he added.

"I don't know that either. Mee-maw, how do you know about vampires?"

Grace sort of smiled. "There are lots of things in this world I've learned a thing or two about in my time. Now, William won't hurt me, or you. This place is special. It's blessed. People are drawn to this little church; poor lost souls looking for some kind of salvation. I don't give them salvation. That's not for me, but only for the Maker. But I do give them a place to stay and to rest up and to unburden their sins. This is a place they prepare to meet their Maker, if it comes to that. I've had ordinary criminals come in here and turn their lives around and I've had extraordinary creatures, like William, come in here too. He's been here for goin' on two years now. He helps me around the place and takes care of some of the chores when my back gives me pains."

The band and Dave looked extremely skeptical.

"Mee-maw, I wasn't surprised when Steph got into trouble with a vampire, but you?" Maryann said.

"What happened with Stephanie?" Grace asked sharply.

"Er, oops. I'll tell you later."

"That you will. I knew you were special; I didn't know how much you were gettin' mixed up in all this. William, this is my granddaughter Maryann and her band," she said, introducing them all. "William is almost ready to let go, I think."

"I just want to make sure you are well taken care of, Ms. Parker," he said.

"We both know that's out of your hands, William," she said mildly. "William, please tell them how you got here and why. Maybe it'll set their minds at ease."

Seeing his audience was already a little hostile, William wisely chose to summarize his life story. "Well, I was born on a farm in Pennsylvania in 1832. I joined the Union Army during the Civil War and saw and did terrible things. Terrible things. A few years after that, I met me a lovely Southern belle and we were going to marry and mend fences. Unfortunately, she had some family members that were none too pleased with the arrangement, and I found myself turned into a monster. For a few years, I was no more than a wild beast. I cowered during the day and rampaged at night. Gradually my senses returned to me and I was shocked at what I had become. I have tried many a time to reform my life. I even thought of walkin' into the sun a few times, but I couldn't bring myself to it. Instead, the weight of my sins has grown. I traveled a great deal, as I had to, and a few years ago I was drawn to this little place. Ms. Parker convinced me to stay a spell and I have. Since moved in here I have not partaken of one drop of blood, nor even had the desire," he said proudly.

"So how many people have you killed?" Nora asked icily.

His face fell. "Too many," he sighed.

"Done any jail time for it?"

"No. 'Course, the evidence is long gone for a lot of my crimes."

She raised an eyebrow. "But not all, I'm guessing."

He nodded miserably. "But how can I go to jail? I'm a vampire. I'm not even supposed to exist. I'm legally and biologically dead."

"I'm not defending him," Dave said quickly, "but the justice system doesn't really apply to dead guys."

"How did you try to reform before?" Leah asked.

"Oh, I tried the usual ways. I tried to swear off all blood, but then I went into an uncontrollable rage. I tried to feed off of only animal blood. That only delayed the rage," he answered. "There were a few ladies that I thought would give me the incentive to stay on the straight and narrow."

"How did that work out?" Nora asked dryly.

"I killed three in a blood rage, turned one in to a vampire, and drove the last one completely mad."

"So it turns out love is not all you need," Leah said.

"Shocking," Nora added wryly. "You really thought romance would save you?"

William shrugged. "People are real good at deceivin' themselves. Anyway, I'd say my sin in that respect is no worse than livin' folks. How many people do you know got themselves in a bad way because they thought they were in love?"

They considered this.

"I hate it when the undead horrors have good points," Leah said. "But that doesn't excuse what you did."

"I know, but it's a hard thing bein' a monster. And even bein' dead the human instinct is to stay alive. But Ms. Parker here has given me time. I've written out my memoirs of both the war and my life. I even found a publisher for my war memoirs, although he thinks it's historical fiction. But if I can get a little money to help out Ms. Parker, then that's the least I can do. I'm almost done unburdening my sins by taking pen to paper. Once I'm sure Ms. Parker is taken care of I'll say my last confession and go to meet my Maker, and may He have mercy on this wretch."

"Mee-maw, it's dangerous to have him here," Maryann said.

"I don't worry, my girl." She turned her attention to the vampire. "The boys said someone dumped some more tires and an old TV in the southeast corner. Can you take the truck out and load it up for me?"

"Sure, I'll do that. Please, ladies and gentleman, understand I wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt Ms. Parker. By the way, I like your music."

"You better not just be saying that," Maryann said. "Because it'll take more than flattery to get us to trust you."

"I'm not just saying anything. I mean it. I was wondering why Ms. Parker was listening to your band. It, um, doesn't seem like the kind of music a woman of her status in life would normally be listenin' to."

"I'm still young at heart, William, and much younger than you," Grace replied.

He gave a slight laugh. "That is true. Well, I'll go load up the truck. Is there anything else you need while I'm out?"

"I can't think of anythin' right now, but thank you kindly for askin'."

"Alright then, I'll be back in a bit," he said, and left through the side door.

The old woman focused on her granddaughter. "So it seems there's more that happens in your life on the road than you tell me in your letters. Now, Maryann, what happened with your cousin Stephanie?"

Maryann flushed with embarrassment and explained the situation with Stephanie, which led to a much longer explanation.

"Well, well, that explains quite a lot," Grace said mildly. "Maryann, my girl, I wish you had told me sooner."

"Well, you know, I can't really talk about it to people who don't already know or else people will think I'm crazy. But you know now and that's great!"

The old woman sighed. "Would you mind helpin' me clear the table?"

"Of course not."

The band and Dave helped clean up and Grace settled into a deep recliner. "I'm so glad to see you, but I'm afraid my age is catchin' up to me. You can stay as long as you want, but I'm going to be noddin' off soon."

"I don't trust that vampire," Maryann said firmly.

"You don't have to, but I assure you he won't hurt me. You don't have to stay here to protect me. There's a nice little place in town that'll be a lot more comfortable."

The redhead looked doubtful.

"Alright, you have it your way," Grace said. "But this is a holy place. I'm safe here." She winced a bit in pain. "So, I'm sure you have to get on the road again soon. What would you like to do here in the meantime?"

They spent a pleasant evening talking and playing card games. They heard a truck pull up and guessed William had returned, but he didn't enter the church while they were there. Grace convinced Maryann she was safe at the church and gently threw them all out although with a smile she suggested they go out the back door.

Once they were outside they understood why. The butterflies of the day time had been replaced by a few moths but mostly by fireflies. There were so many twinkling lights the garden almost looked as though it was in the middle of a starry sky, not in an old graveyard.

"Isabella, what does this mean?" Leah asked.

"I'm not sure," she answered. "In Eastern tradition, butterflies are living spirits and fireflies are spirits of the dead. There is definitely something about this place; something different. Maybe 'blessed' is the right word."

"I'm still worried about that vampire," Maryann said.

"I think it'll be fine," Nora replied.

They all gave her skeptical looks.

"He actually doesn't seem like trouble to me. I don't get the same feeling from him that I did from, oh, what was his name, Nicholas? Whatever. The one your cousin was dating. I don't even get the same feeling from him I have from some of your boyfriends," she explained, directing the last comment at Maryann.

"Well, that's interesting. He does have an aura of death," Isabella said. "But that doesn't mean he's necessarily bad."

The redhead looked put out, but sighed. "I guess I have to trust Mee-maw. She says he won't hurt her, so I hope she's right."

They walked around to their van and saw the truck loaded with seven automobile tires and a large, cathode-ray tube television set.

"Well, it looks like he did go get the garbage, so that's encouraging," Leah said.

Maryann remained unconvinced. They got rooms at the place Grace recommended and settled down for some sleep.

Maryann barely got through breakfast before she insisted they return to the church to check on her grandmother. The truck was still there and still loaded up. They looked around the back first and there was a newly turned pile of dirt in the same shaded corner. Then they went in through the front door which was unlocked. They could smell eggs and bacon.

"That's a good sign," Leah said.

"Come on in," Grace called.

"Mee-maw! You're okay," Maryann said as they walked to the back.

Grace was washing up dishes from breakfast. "I told you so, my girl."

"Let me do that," she said, taking over.

The old lady sat down on a chair gratefully. "You need head out today, don't you?"

"Well, yes, but not until lunchtime," she answered.

"Good. I think matters will be settled by then."

"What matters?"

"I need someone to take over this little church here when I'm gone."

"Oh, Mee-maw. Don't think like that."

"I'm old, my girl. Old people think like that all the time. Problem is, of course, there are not a lot of people I can ask because they won't understand what this place is. I'm glad you understand, but you can't stay because of your band."

"I'm sorry, Mee-maw."

"No matter," Grace said. "This church draws people, and I think perhaps it'll draw a new caretaker. I've been prayin' on the matter." Suddenly there was a knock at the front doors. She glanced at the crucifix on the wall. "Perhaps my answer is here." She slowly stood up.

Maryann hastily tucked away the dishes and gestured for the band to follow her grandmother. "I know she thinks she's safe, but it could be some kind of mugger," she texted the group.

There was another knock before Grace opened the door.

"Long time no see," said a familiar and unexpected voice.

"Derek!" Maryann shrieked. She ran up to the dark, handsome man and hugged him. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"Lordy, again?" Isabella sighed.

"Speaking of Maryann's boyfriends," Nora added, also sighing.

"Well, to be fair, I didn't expect to see you either. But sometimes life works out in strange ways, no?" Derek replied.

"What brings you here to Louisiana?" Maryann asked.

"Sometimes I'm drawn to places. That's how I live. And I was drawn here."

"Maryann, are you going to introduce me?" Grace asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. This is Derek La Croix. We met at a show in Buffalo. There was a freak blizzard that night too."

"Oh, that one," Dave said to Leah, who nodded.

"Derek, this is my grandmother, Grace Parker."

"I'm pleased to meet you," he said, shaking her hand.

"Likewise. Will you be stayin' a spell, Derek?"

"I don't know. I go places, I see things, and I meet people. I left home a long time ago, but this place feels like home again," he said.

"Long time ago?" Leah repeated. "How old are you?"

He smiled. "Well, older than you think, but hey, it didn't really matter at the time, did it? We got through a crisis, got to know each other, and everything turned out fine."

"Are you from these parts originally?" Grace asked.

"New Orleans."

"And dabbled a bit in Voodoo practices?"

"Maybe a bit," he answered.

"Then you'll be wantin' some rum and a cigar unless I'm much mistaken."

"Mee-maw, you know about pagan practices?" Maryann asked, surprised. "I thought you were Catholic."

"I am, but that don't mean I don't know a bit about other beliefs 'round these parts. You shouldn't be so surprised, my girl. Some things run in the blood." She looked at Isabella. "I'm sure you know what I'm talkin' about."

Isabella was startled. "I, um, don't know how to answer that."

"Well, how about we all go have a nice snack and talk? Derek, would you care to join us and tell me all about Buffalo?"

"That's nice, Ms. Parker, but I'm feeling like I ought to be doin' something here."

"If you're feeling restless you could take the truck out to the county dump and unload it for me. I try to keep things nice, but there are always people who just don't care."

"Sure, I'll go take care of that for you," he said.

"Um, Mee-maw?" Maryann said.

Grace waved her hand. "I'll get the keys and some money for the fees," she replied, and tottered back to the minister's quarters.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to steal your grandmother's truck and money," he said with a smile.

Maryann flushed. "I, um, wasn't thinking that."

"It's fine, Maryann. I'm not offended." He sobered slightly. "Your grandmother is very old."

"Well, yeah, but it happens to everyone. She still gets around good though. You watch out if you stay here. She's got a vampire in the backyard!"

"That doesn't surprise me."

"It doesn't?" Dave blurted. "Seriously?"

Derek smiled. "I've been around, and I've seen things. If there's a vampire here, then I'm sure Ms. Parker is perfectly safe."

Grace returned with her purse and handed him the keys and some money, and gave him directions. He took all three and left.

"I wonder why he didn't want to join us," Maryann said, frowning.

"I'm sure it's not you," Leah said.

"My little church here has opened up some possibilities to him. He's got decisions to make and they won't be easy," Grace answered cryptically. "Well, it's not really my church. It belongs to the parish. Come on, I need some help weeding before it gets much hotter."

The band helped the old woman in the garden for a little over two hours. They were still drenched in sweat anyway by the time they re-entered the cool of the church. Grace settled down into her recliner. "So you'll need to be headin' out real soon now, right?"

Maryann looked at the others, who nodded. "I'm sorry, Mee-maw."

"That's fine."

About this time Derek returned.

"Well?" Grace asked.

"Yes," he answered.

"Good. That puts my mind at ease."

"What?" Maryann asked.

"Sit down, my girl. We need to talk before you head out today. The rest of you take a seat too."

Derek sat down next to Maryann. The band felt a deep sense of foreboding.

"I'm very old, Maryann."

"I know."

"And I don't have much time left."

"I know," she answered, her heart sinking.

"I mean, my girl, I won't be here the next time you visit."

There was an awkward, painful moment of silence. "Mee-maw, what are you saying?" Maryann asked, on the verge of tears. "Mee-maw?"

The other three tried to calm their friend down.

"I am very old, Maryann. Nothin' lasts forever. Everything dies, my dear girl. I'm lucky I knew it was comin'. I could plan."

"No, Mee-maw, no, please no. You're fine. You look fine, right?" she blubbered.

The old lady shook her head. "No, I'm not. Got diagnosed with cancer a few months back. Docs told me I could try to go through all the treatment but it probably wouldn't do no good anyway. Maybe I'd get another year or two. I didn't want to go through all that. I just needed someone to find someone to take over watchin' the church. And now, I think I've found someone, right, Mr. La Croix?"

The band turned to Derek.

He nodded. "Yes, Ms. Parker, I think I've found a place I can call my home. I'll keep the place up and take care of the folks that come on through."

"I thought you might decide that way."

"Mee-maw," Maryann said, her voice breaking. "What-what about Mom?"

The other three were fighting back tears themselves.

"Your mother has known about the diagnosis for two months."

"She didn't tell me! Why didn't she tell me?"

"Because you've been on the road so much she probably didn't know how to tell you."

"Please, Mee-maw..."

Grace leaned over and hugged her granddaughter, who clung to her tightly.

"Don't go, Mee-maw, please don't go," she sobbed.

"Maryann, I have to go sooner or later and later isn't much later." She gently broke the hug. "I've put this off as long as I can. My doctors will only be surprised I hung on this long. I'm going to go to the courthouse today and get my will set to leave everything to Derek, introduce him to William tonight, and in a few days, I will probably die."

"No, no, Mee-maw. You can't die."

"I'm sorry. I'm at peace with my life. I'm going to meet my Maker and I'll go to a place beyond pain and suffering. You don't worry about me none. I'll be taken care of. You take care of yourself."

"Mee-maw," she whispered, now openly crying.

"I think it's time you all headed out," Grace said. "Stayin' here won't change what's goin' to happen. I'm just glad you came down before the end."

Maryann nodded and stood up but couldn't say anything.

"Good-bye Isabella, Leah, and Nora. I wish your band the best of luck. I'm glad to have met you and I see you mean a lot to my dear granddaughter."

"Good-bye, Ms. Parker," Isabella managed to answer as the rest of them stood up. The other two were too choked up and Dave just looked lost. "I think the work you've done here is amazing."

"Thank you. Good-bye, Maryann." She hugged her again.

"Good-bye, Mee-maw," Maryann stuttered. "I love you."

"I love you too. Please know it's best this way. I'm going peacefully and on my own terms."

Maryann managed to nod again and walked out of the minister's quarters with the rest of the band following worriedly. She walked directly to the van with tears streaming down her face. Isabella unlocked it and Maryann took her seat and started to sob. The others could only watch her helplessly.

In a few minutes, Derek joined them. "May I have a few minutes with Maryann, privately?" he asked. "I'm good at helping people with matters of life and death."

They nodded and walked back to the garden behind the church and watched the butterflies lazily float from flower to flower. They could also hear the buzzing of a few bees. Even though it was still steaming hot, the heat didn't bother them. In about forty-five minutes Isabella got a text from Maryann.

They returned to the van and found her with puffy eyes but no longer crying.

"Are you going to be alright?" Nora asked.

She nodded. "Eventually."

Derek squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"We need to get on the road now," Isabella said, almost apologetically.

"I know. Derek, thanks again," she said.

"It's what I do," he replied with a slight smile. He kissed the back of her hand lightly. "Do visit me anytime you're around."

"I will."

The others loaded up into the van.

"Good-bye," Maryann said.

"Good-bye, for now, and good luck," Derek replied.

Isabella turned the ignition and the band was on the road again.

The Lyrics:

Come into the light

Stray from the dark of night

Don't be afraid

It'll be alright

You've got to believe

In the power of its walls

You've got to believe

That it will help with it all

Refrain: Cathedral of the soul

Cleanse our blackened hearts

Take away our evil ways

And give us a fresh start

You know the time is now

Wash the blood off of your hands

It's easy I'll show you how

Let's band together and make a stand

We don't have to stick

With these evil ways

We can turn it all around

In the coming days

Refrain:

After all the pain

There's nothing left to lose

But a chance at forgiveness

Now you need to choose

You can hold on to the hurt

And stay burdened by sorrow

Or you can let it go now

And be free tomorrow

Refrain x2

Track 6 - Lovecraftian Horror

The Interview:

Kelly: This next track, "Lovecraftian Horror," is a lot more hardcore metal than your other tracks.

Lee: Well, it is about monsters.

Bryan: So, which one of you is a horror fan?

Lenore: Maybe none of us; maybe all of us.

Belle: Maybe the song isn't about literal horror movie monsters but metaphorical monsters.

Bryan: So you're continuing to not answer questions directly?

Anna: It's kind of our thing. Sorry.

Kelly: You're really sorry?

Lee: Nah, not really. We like being mysterious. And stubborn.

Bryan: You're getting a reputation for being stubborn.

Lenore: That's fine.

Kelly: So you felt a song about monsters needed harder music?

Belle: Absolutely.

Bryan: Do you write the lyrics first and work on the music after, or have music first and work on lyrics after?

Anna: It depends on the song.

Kelly: And for this one?

Lee: The lyrics came first, then the music.

Bryan: So which one of you is the horror fan?

Lenore: One of us? We could all be horror fans. Or none of us, but maybe one of us read "The Call of Cthulhu" and thought it was a great inspiration for a song.

Kelly: Well, that's certainly an unconventional source of inspiration.

Anna: We like unconventional.

Lee: And what's unconventional to you maybe isn't to us, or some of our fans. It's like our album title. If paranormal is relative, so is unconventional.

Bryan: That's a good point.

The Inside Story:

"Why are we going to New Mexico again?" Nora asked impatiently. She adjusted her fashionable sunglasses.

"To check on mi abuela's house," Leah answered.

Isabella, as usual, was at the helm steering the van through the unchanging desert landscape. "We also have a show in Albuquerque. Truth or Consequences is a little out of the way, though."

"Look, Abuela was nice enough to lend us her RV for the Pandemonium Festival and it got all banged up," Leah answered.

"Yeah, but that wasn't our fault," Maryann said. "It was all freaky weather."

"And your boyfriend," Nora added darkly.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about that."

"Ladies!" Isabella snapped. "The point is that damage to the RV was not our fault."

"Well, that's true, but it still got damaged and I feel bad about it," Leah replied. "So when she asked me to check on the house, I figured it was the least I could do."

"But it wasn't your fault," Maryann said.

"No one can guilt-trip like a Catholic grandmother."

The others nodded in agreement. Near sunset, they pulled into the driveway of Leah's grandmother's cozy stucco house. Maryann and Isabella immediately put on hats to protect their fair complexions from the sun.

"So what, exactly, are we looking for?" Nora asked, smoothing out her purple sun dress as she stepped out of the van.

Leah pulled her mobile device out of a jeans' pocket and opened up an email. "'Dear Leah, I hope you are enjoying yourself,' blah blah blah personal stuff oh, here we go, 'You know how I get these funny feelings sometimes. Well, I just have this awful feeling someone broke in to the house. I don't want to call the police because they probably won't believe me. Please check and make sure everything is shut and locked. There are enchiladas in the freezer.' So there we go. Just make sure everything is shut and locked and we get dinner and an overnight stay we don't have to pay for."

"Dinner is always good," Maryann said. Unlike Nora, she didn't bother to straighten out her rumpled yellow dress. "Your grandmother makes excellent enchiladas. What funny feelings?"

"Abuela sometimes gets these feelings like someone's been hurt or something. I guess she thinks she's kind of psychic," Leah answered, fanning her light green shirt to try to cool off a bit.

"Is she?" Isabella asked, quite serious. Her white blouse and jeans looked quite crisp despite the hours of driving.

"You know, I'm not around enough to know. But when the family gets together, she's got stories about how she had a feeling before this bad thing happened to Cousin Jorge, and then Jorge says Abuela was absolutely right. Everyone seems to think it's normal. Maybe they're just humoring her."

"Well, normal is relative," Maryann said.

"And apparently paranormal is relative too," Leah said with a smile.

The other three groaned.

"Well, we'll find out if your grandmother's hunches are right," Nora said. "Let's get this done."

"Yeah, I'm getting hungry," Maryann said.

Leah let them into the house. "Well, the front door was locked."

The inside was pink stucco just like the outside and it was decorated with framed pictures of children and grandchildren and some religious artwork.

"Oh, what a cute little house," Maryann said. "Oh, and look at all these pictures!" She picked up a picture of four children, one girl and three boys, standing in front of a fireplace with stockings hanging from the mantle. "Is this you?"

Leah looked at the photo. "Yep. I think I was five, maybe. That's Miguel Jr.," she said, pointing at the tallest and presumably oldest boy, "And that's Carlos," she said, pointing at the next tallest boy, "And that's Alejañdro," she said, pointing at the shortest and presumably youngest boy. "And yes, he really really hates that song."

"That frilly little red dress is so not you," Nora said, looking at the picture.

"Do you know how long it took for my parents to get that?" she sighed, and put the picture back.

Maryann was frowning as she looked at some of the more recent photos. "Is it just your grandmother now?"

"Yes. Abuelo died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks. Oh, did you know I was named after mi abuela?"

"Her name is Leah?"

"No, no. Her name is Carmen. That's my middle name. Thank goodness my parents didn't name me after my other abuela. I love Abuela Maria, but then I'd be..."

"'Leah Maria,'" Nora finished. "Yeah, that would be unfortunate. But better than 'Maryann Ginger.'"

"Hey!" Maryann said. "There's nothing wrong with my names. What's your middle name anyway?"

"Lyn."

"Isabella?"

"Catherine."

"Oh," Maryann said. "Yeah, those are nice and sensible. I can't argue with that."

Leah laughed a little. "I should visit Abuela Maria sometime though, but she lives in Mexico City, so we're going to have to hit it big so I can get enough money."

"That is the dream," Isabella said wryly.

"Well, next up, the back door," Leah said.

The back door opened to a tiny yard that was landscaped in sand and desert native plants. It was surrounded by a high fence.

"This seems pretty secure," Maryann said.

"I'll check the bedroom," Leah said. Nothing was disturbed so she quickly checked the windows and left. "Right, now only the sewing room."

"Oh, so your grandmother is the one that taught you how to sew!" Maryann said.

"Yep."

"Remind me to thank her for that," Nora said.

"Wow, that was actually sincere."

"Hey, I give credit where credit is due. I'm glad you can sew well enough to design our costumes. I feel like all I ever do sew buttons."

"And I glue stuff," Maryann said.

"Aw, guys, that's so nice." Leah opened the door to the sewing room.

The sewing room was actually a second bedroom. There was a large, old machine, a few dressmaker dummies with clothing in various stages of finishing, a few tables covered with cut cloth, and bookshelves holding bolts of fabric. For whatever reason, the room had a fireplace, and the fireplace was not empty. A giant eyeball protruded from the opening. The iris was electric orange and the pupil was slit. The eyeball was set into a mass of thick black tentacles. The eyeball blinked, as though surprised, and instead of eyelids, it had a pair of jaws. "Braarrrrawwrrr!!!" growled the monster.

"Aaaahhhhh!!!" the band screamed in unison.

Leah slammed the door shut. "I'm getting the emergency kit!" she said, and ran to the van.

"What the hell is that thing?" Nora demanded.

"I don't know," Maryann answered. "I don't know! I've never seen anything like that ever!"

"Isabella?"

"You got me. That thing's awful."

"It's a Lovecraftian horror, a color from space, an elder god from beyond the stars," Leah said, overhearing part of the conversation as she returned. "And they're supposed to be immortal." She had a heavy-duty black duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

"That's great!" Nora snapped.

"Okay, okay, let's think about this logically," Isabella said. "And calm down. That is a terrifying monster. But why is it in your grandmother's fireplace?"

"Why does a house in New Mexico even have a fireplace?" Maryann asked.

"That is not important right now," Isabella replied sternly. "Leah, what do Lovecraftian horrors do?"

"Consume worlds and all those who live upon them," she answered with a shrug.

"Okay, so let's go with that. Why is that thing still in the fireplace and not trying to eat us? I mean, this door won't keep it out, right?"

They all looked at each other for a minute.

"That's a good point," Leah said. She looked through the keyhole. "It's still there. You know, I'd almost think it was stuck or something. Take a look."

The others knelt down and took a look as directed.

"It really does look stuck," Maryann said.

"So we should go in and take a closer look," Isabella said.

"No!" Leah snapped. "Never look upon the horror! Never read from the book! It will drive you insane."

"Leah, we already looked at the thing," she said. "Twice."

"Okay, yeah, fine, but maybe the madness sets in after repeated exposures."

"If we don't do something, your grandmother is going to come back and find out something a lot worse than a burglar broke into her house," Nora said.

"Damn it, you're right. Everyone grab a weapon," she said, holding out the duffel bag.

"Your emergency kit seems kind of, um, violent," Maryann said.

"Look, I just started putting it together and I figured that weapons would deter lots of supernatural things and also perfectly natural but still dangerous muggers."

"That's logical enough," Isabella said.

Nora took an aluminum bat, Isabella a wooden bat, Maryann a fireplace poker, and Leah a crowbar.

"Okay, I'll go first," Isabella said. She opened the door.

"Braaaarrwwwrr!!" roared the creature, reaching out with its mass of tentacles to grab them. However, after a few terrifying seconds, it was almost comically clear that the creature's straining was getting it nowhere.

"This is great. There's a Lovecraftian horror stuck in mi abuela's fireplace," Leah sighed.

"Braaaarrrrwwwrr!!" it roared again.

They ignored the noise and moved into the room to look around.

"I think I'll have to go without spirit sight," Isabella said. She maneuvered around a tentacle. It stretched out to grab her so she hit it with the bat. It abruptly withdrew.

"Well, I don't think anyone broke in here and summoned this thing," Maryann said after a few minutes.

"Was that ever a possibility?" Nora asked, smacking a tentacle with her bat. The tentacle withdrew.

"You never know," Maryann replied seriously.

"Brrraaawwwrrr!!" the thing growled again.

Leah smacked a tentacle with the crowbar as she tried to look for clues. "Hey, I think this thing ate some of Abuela's fabric. She's going to be so mad. What am I going to tell her?"

"Someone broke in and stole some fabric," Nora said. "Or you can say you took it for costumes and make sure you leave her some money for it. Or maybe she won't even notice."

"I don't know if any of those will work. Too bad I'm not actually sure what this thing ate."

After they finished their search they gathered again at the door.

"Well, this isn't good," Isabella said. "I don't see any signs of forced entry and I have no idea how this thing got in and I have no idea how we're going to get it back out again."

"I could try hitting it with the crowbar until it retreats," Leah suggested.

"You primitive primates are so violent," replied a voice.

They turned and stared at the monster.

It blinked its eyelid-jaws and strained its tentacles at them. In a moment, it almost seemed to sigh and its tentacles went slack.

"Did-did you say something?" Maryann asked.

"Ah, you can understand. I thought I would have to be subject to further undignified primate violence before I could make myself understood to you," it said, now tapping some of its tentacles against the floor like an impatient human tapping its fingers. "Honestly, you primates have no respect for your Elders."

"Why do you sound like Will Friedle?" Leah asked.

"It sounds like my sister," Nora said.

"It sounds like my brother," Maryann countered.

"No, it sounds like one of my more annoying cousins," Isabella replied.

"There is no sound," the creature said. "I am projecting my thoughts and your primitive primate brains cannot conceive of the scope of them, so it is translating them into something you can begin to comprehend. Therefore the words that you are hearing in your minds are based on your perception of your limited world. I do not know what a Will Friedle or these other creatures are, but I can only assume they are mighty, powerful beings with mortal voices worthy of my presence."

"Yeah, well, you sound like my sister when she's whining to get her way," Nora said.

"Oh, that's not very mighty," it said.

"And Will Friedle is a voice actor. Sometimes he does some serious voices, but right now you are sounding to me like a teenage sidekick who lost his pants a lot."

As much as a giant eyeball could look put out, it managed to. "I really don't think you're taking me seriously."

"You are stuck in my abuela's fireplace," Leah said. "That's not very dignified. How did this even happen?"

"Are you going to stop hitting me in your primitive primate way?" it asked.

"For now."

It blinked its eyelid-jaws and seemed to sigh. "Far beyond your comprehension is a space where the Elder Ones exist. Older than planets, older than stars, ancient beyond the measure of time, neither alive nor dead, they drift through the endless void and dream. Should they roll over, they would crush moons. Should they yawn, whole suns could be sucked into their gaping maws. And they dream. They dream of doors that open to worlds full of life and energy that they may devour and become stronger. And in their dreams, they call to those that would hear them and order them to open those doors. The doors open, tiny points of light in an infinitely dark sky, beckoning the Elder Ones to bring chaos and destruction. They go forth through the doors and return after a day or an eternity more powerful than before, and they go to sleep again. And again they call to those that would hear, and dream of more worlds to devour."

The band couldn't reply for a moment.

"That's very Lovecraftian," Leah finally said, "but it doesn't explain why you're in mi abuela's fireplace."

"Much is destroyed even while the Elder Ones sleep and dream. The small and weak are crushed or eaten without the Elders even noticing. When doors open, sometimes they don't notice right away. It takes some time for them to emerge from their dreaming slumber. I saw a door and I came through before another could do so. But the door is not open correctly. The stars are not in the proper alignment and now I find my third left eye caught between worlds. I can neither go through nor go back."

"Third left eye?" Maryann repeated. "Ewwww!!! I thought the eyelid-jaws and tentacles were gross!"

"It's a Lovecraftian horror," Leah said. "I'm not surprised, but it's still just gross."

The creature rolled its giant eye. "I don't judge you for having only two pathetic eyeballs and no tentacles at all."

"You said that the Elder Ones are ancient, right?" Isabella asked.

"Beyond the measure of time."

"Yes, but relatively speaking, are you not as elder as some of the others out there? Because you sound like a kid who got in over his, er, its head."

The tentacles twitched impatiently. "I guess as you understand age and time and youth and adulthood, you might say I'm an adolescent Elder One."

"Which is why you tried to go through a door you wouldn't fit through?" Nora asked.

"Well, look," it whined, "it's really hard surviving out there. The Elder Ones eat or crush so many without ever knowing. The only way to not get eaten is dodge a lot or get big and powerful too. I saw an opportunity, and I took it. How was I supposed to know not all doors work right?"

"Hey! You were going to eat our world!" Maryann said.

"Well, yes, of course."

"I don't want my world to get eaten!"

"I'm sure no one does, but that's not really the point, is it? I'm bigger; therefore I eat what I want."

Maryann jabbed one of the tentacles with her fireplace poker.

"Owww!"

"That's for being a big bully and trying to eat my world!"

"You primates are so violent," it muttered.

"Says the thing that brings chaos and destruction," Nora retorted.

"It's what I do! I'm a... what was it, short primate?"

"Lovecraftian horror," Leah replied dryly.

"Yes. It seems this Lovecraft being knew of us and described us. Perhaps he or she or it was called to by one of the Elder Ones. I am only what I am. I sleep, I dream, I devour worlds. Or at least that's what I was trying to do. I don't suppose you'll finish opening the door?"

"Hell, no!" they answered in unison.

"Well, I had to ask. So can you get me out of here? I'm sure you don't want me in your world."

Nora thought she heard a little desperation in the thing's voice in her mind. "If your third left eyeball is stuck in here, does this mean the rest of you is stuck out there and unable to get away from the bigger Elder Ones?"

"Um, no," it answered, looking slightly askance.

"Yes it does. You're only talking to us because you're afraid the longer you're stuck here, the more likely you'll get crushed or eaten."

"Fine, fine, yes. I can't really move and that's not good. Time doesn't mean too much, but it really is only a matter of time before one of the bigger Elder Ones ends up too close to me. So we need to help each other out here. I promise I won't try to drive you insane either. You get rid of me; I get out of the way. See, we all win."

"Until you try to come back to devour our world," Maryann huffed.

"It's what I do," it said.

"Did you eat some of the fabric in here?" Leah asked.

"Um, no."

"How much did you eat and don't lie or I'll hit you again."

" Just the organic material within reach."

"All this is just great," Isabella sighed. "So you just came through a door you thought was open? No one was calling? No one was summoning you?"

"Not that I am aware of. I'm sure this would have worked better if there had been someone on this side trying to open the door."

"So how do we send something back that wasn't summoned?" Leah asked.

Maryann and Isabella looked at each other. "Um, I don't know," Maryann answered. "This, um, doesn't usually happen. Like ever."

"Then how about some kind of banishing ritual thing?" Leah asked.

"Maybe," Isabella replied. "But it would take some time. It's a lot easier to shut a door when it's open right."

"Tell me about it," the creature sighed.

"And if it doesn't work, I will hit you until you go back," Leah snapped.

"What if that doesn't work?" it asked.

"Well, I'll feel a little better."

"Primates," it sighed.

Maryann and Isabella consulted with each other on potential banishing rituals while Leah looked over her grandmother's sewing work and made some costume sketches. Nora devoted her time to the band's social media strategy.

"I don't suppose one of you could toss me some more of this fabric," the creature asked.

"Be quiet, Friedle-goth," Leah said.

"Friedle-goth?" Nora asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why not? Anyway, no one here is going to feed the monster."

"But I hunger! And that is not my name!"

"It is now," she replied. "You be quiet so they can figure a way to get you out of here. The more you disturb them, the longer you sit there."

It said a word that did not translate in any of their minds but they assumed the word was some sort of curse. "Very well," it sighed.

After another fifteen minutes, Isabella spoke up. "Ladies, we need to huddle, and not in front of Friedle-goth."

"Oh, very nice," it huffed. "I won't interfere with your rituals. I want to get out of here as much as you want me out of here."

"I'm sorry, I don't trust monsters," Maryann said.

The left the sewing room and went into the kitchen for a snack.

"So what's the deal?" Leah asked.

"We need your help with this," Isabella said.

"Me? I don't do this sort of thing. I mean, I do ask St. Cecilia to help us out, but that's mostly for our career."

"We know. How can I put this? We need permission," Maryann said.

"Permission?"

"This house is dedicated to your God. Really dedicated. We don't want to try anything without permission because it could make things a lot worse."

"Wait," Nora said, "are you saying this house is defended against using magic?"

"Kind of," Maryann replied. "Okay, you know how a graveyard or a church is holy ground?"

"Right."

"Well, being holy grants the church or graveyard certain protections. We'd have to be very careful about the kinds of magic we'd use in those places."

"A person with a strong faith, especially one who lives in one place for a long time, can cause some similar effects on their house," Isabella said.

"So mi abuela has blessed her house in a way?" Leah asked.

"Yes. She may also have had an ordained priest bless it sometime as well. Since she's not here, we need a representative of her faith to give us permission to act here and drive that thing back to whatever abyss it came from."

"I guess that makes sense, but I don't know how to do that."

"Pray for guidance," Nora said. "God will take care of the rest."

Leah kind of smiled. "You're right. Okay, I'm going into the spare room to get my head together and do some serious praying."

"Take your time," Isabella said.

"I'd rather you hurry up," Maryann replied. "That thing is really creepy."

"Maryann!"

"Well, it totally is."

Leah went into the spare bedroom and shut the door. She was a little nervous; so far neither the supernatural things she'd encountered nor Isabella and Maryann's magic had come into potential conflict with her faith. She couldn't deny what she had experienced was real, so she simply trusted it was all part of God's plan. "I guess I'll just have to keep trusting," she thought. Her grandmother had religious pictures all over the house, so she knelt down facing a picture of Jesus. She pulled a rosary out of her purse and started to pray. She prayed to St. Cecilia, St. Jude, to Christ, and to God to remove the horrible creature from the fireplace and from the world and to seal the door so it could never return. She emerged from the bedroom feeling a little calmer. "Okay, I've prayed. I hope that'll be enough."

"That goes for all of us," Nora said.

They walked back into the sewing room.

"I hunger!" it roared, brandishing its tentacles menacingly.

"Stop it," Nora snapped.

"It's my nature," it replied sullenly, its tentacles dropping back to the floor with a dull, slightly squishy sound.

"We're going to draw some circles in chalk," Maryann said. "Don't you dare attack us while we're doing it."

Despite not having shoulders, it managed to shrug. "I will not interfere."

"I'm going to have to mop after we're done," Leah sighed.

Maryann and Isabella drew some circles and symbols on the ground while Leah fidgeted with the rosary nervously. Nora had pulled out her cross necklace and had sent up her own prayers. Isabella concentrated on closing the half-open door while Maryann asked for her own divine guidance. The room went completely silent for a moment; there was a bright flash, a sort of suction-popping sound, a powerful gust of wind that knocked them all to the floor, another flash, and the world seemed to go back to normal.

The young women blinked furiously until they could see again. Friedle-goth was gone, the fireplace looked normal, and the sewing room looked like it was the victim of a minor tornado. The dummies had fallen over, the scraps and smaller pieces of fabric were scattered everywhere, and buttons and other fasteners had spilled all over the floor.

"Aaahh!" Leah cried, seeing the mess. "Mi abuela is going to kill me!"

"Don't worry; we'll clean it up," Maryann said.

"No, you don't understand. Abuela's super-organized. Everything has a place and I don't know what that is. Even when it's clean, she'll know it got messed up. What am I going to tell her?"

"We'll figure something out," Isabella said. "So let's get started cleaning."

"Oh, I'm so dead. First the RV and now this," Leah moaned, but she got to work.

The band pulled together and cleaned up the sewing room. They tried to put everything back where they remembered it being earlier but after all their efforts, Leah was still certain that they had missed something. They warmed up the promised enchiladas for dinner and spent the night at the house.

They headed out early the next morning.

Two days later, Leah got a call from her grandmother. It was quite long but since Leah was speaking Spanish, the band didn't know what she was saying. Leah winced a lot, seemed to get interrupted, and finally sighed and ended the call.

"She noticed the room was different?" Nora asked.

"Oh, yes, she did. But I told her that someone had broken in and messed everything up and then she wanted to know if we'd filed a police report and so I said we didn't and then she yelled at me for not knowing better," Leah replied, obviously frustrated. "But then she calmed down and thanked me for trying to clean up everything and she was glad I wasn't hurt or anything."

"Why would she think you were hurt?" Maryann asked.

"She said she had one of those dreams and she thought I was going to meet something awful."

"Well, you did."

"Yeah, I know that," she retorted. "But I can't tell mi abuela what was in her fireplace. So I kind of let her think that we probably interrupted the burglar which is why only the sewing room got messed up."

"So it all worked out!" Maryann said brightly.

"If by that you mean mi abuela thinks I'm a flake for not filing a police report."

"Family," Nora sighed.

"I hear that. Well, at least we did get rid of that thing," Leah said. "It's better that Abuela is mad at me than if she'd come home to that thing. But I'm so going to hear about this next Christmas."

"I guess Friedle-goth got what it wanted, kind of," Nora said.

"What do you mean?"

"It causes chaos and destruction, right? Well, it didn't devour the world but it sure managed to cause chaos and destruction our lives."

"Great. So the only winner here is the terrifying monster," Leah said sourly.

"The terrifying monster does live in a world where it might get eaten any minute," Maryann said.

"You're right. I feel better. And I'm glad it didn't have enough power or inclination to drive us insane."

"We probably wouldn't even notice if it had," Nora replied dryly.

The band laughed and Maryann turned the conversation to a different topic.

The Lyrics:

On the surface all is normal

But beneath the waves it sleeps

Lying dead and dreaming

Its influence grows and seeps

The inmates hear the dark whispers

That immanent from the deep

The voices become louder

And slowly the madness creeps

Refrain: Do not read from the book!

Do not look upon its face!

Fear the ancient star god,

The horror from beyond space!

Miskatonic University

Houses the terrible tome

The book of the Old Ones

Is much better left alone

Lying in forgotten chambers

Are dark forbidden texts

Those that read them are dead

If you read them you'll be next

Refrain:

Gambrel roofs and dark legends

All those here are damned

Supernatural horrors lurk

In the small village of Arkham

If you go looking for something

You don't know what you'll find

If you're lucky you find nothing

But you may still lose your mind

Refrain x2

Track 7 - The Brother of Sleep

The Interview:

Bryan: I really feel this album has taken a much darker tone than your debut. We've got tracks about twisted love, jealousy, stealing credit, bad influences, twisting words, monsters, and now this one, "The Brother of Sleep," is actually about death.

Lee: What about our breakaway hit single? That was about redemption.

Bryan: Well, even that wasn't exactly happy. Why is this so dark?

Kelly: Is this sort of a dark side of fame approach?

Lenore: No. That's already been done.

Kelly: In your last interview, you said you didn't want to be considered a "dark, Gothic-style" band. So why these dark songs?

Belle: The tone of this song isn't particularly dark, is it?

Bryan: Well, I think of it as progressive rock with alt-rock undertones, so I guess it's not exactly death metal.

Anna: And we've already done a pop tune and soulful pop tune.

Kelly: That's true, but the subjects are pretty dark.

Lee: And here we try to look on the bright side of life. "Life's a laugh and death's a joke it's true."

Kelly: Are you really making fun of this?

Anna: You know, not so long ago, people here weren't so weirded out by death. People would display the dead bodies in their own homes. Maybe death isn't so scary. It's just like sleep; well, under ideal circumstances anyway.

Lenore: We like songs about unconventional subjects. And while I suppose we didn't set out to intentionally create a darker follow up to "Necromancy for the Greater Good," the creative process sometimes takes a different path than we envision when we start the process.

Lee: In short, the songs fit together, and that's why we put them on the album. These songs were all written at different times, so it's not like we sat down to write all these songs with depressing subjects just for our second album.

Bryan: It really just ended up that way?

Anna: Well, not exactly, I guess. But we don't want people to think we're all dark and Gothic or whatever now like that's our thing. But these songs just came together really well.

Lee: Don't worry, our next album will be just full of nothing but auto-tuned dance songs and throwbacks to bubblegum pop.

Kelly: I would pay to listen to that just to find out if you actually did it.

The Inside Story:

Nevermore and the Ravens finished up their show at a trendy dive bar, relaxed for a bit, and then got to the tedious work of packing up their gear. The bar was in an up-and-coming restaurant district, so there was still a bit of traffic even for that late hour. As Leah and Nora discussed costume ideas, Isabella became aware of someone watching them. She focused on the person while trying to appear as though she was not.

There was a woman standing near the corner of the bar smoking a cigarette and standing next to a man although she was clearly not paying any attention to him. When she threw down her cigarette, she left the man and walked over to the band.

"I'm just saying, I don't think anyone is going to notice the difference between Gorey and Addams," Leah was saying to Nora. "I mean, it's all black, right?"

Nora saw the woman walk up to them. "Can we help you?" she asked.

She just stared at them.

They awkwardly stopped what they were doing to stare back. In Leah's case, the staring was genuine. In the light, the woman looked a lot like Maryann. She was about the same age and the same build. Her hair was darker red than Maryann's and she was wearing a short, tight, and shiny satin dress than Maryann would never wear.

"So, what's your thing?" she asked snidely. She even sounded like Maryann. "Are you some dark fantasy Gothic band?"

Isabella could somewhat see the woman's aura, which was odd since she normally had to cast a spell for that, but she resisted the urge to use magic to get a better look.

"No. We play what we like," Nora said in her most coldly polite tone. "If you're interested, we'll be at the Metroparks Music Festival tomorrow."

"Yeah, I know. So will I. I'm the Red Queen, lead singer for Dark Reflections."

"Seriously?" Leah blurted.

"Yeah, seriously," she returned. "We had a show down the street," she said, gesturing to another bar. "So what's your thing? Because Dark Reflections is a Gothic dark fantasy band and I don't like competition."

"There's no prize for the Festival," Nora answered. "It's just a gig. And when we're done, we'll roll out of this town and you can play all the dive bars you want."

"Gee, thanks," the Red Queen snapped. She pulled out another cigarette and lit it up. "So which one of you is the leader?"

"Leader? Like the lead singer?" Maryann asked.

"Yeah, the lead singer leads the band."

"We take turns," Isabella answered, and resumed working. The rest of the band followed her lead, hoping that the rude Red Queen would get the hint and leave.

"Well, that defeats the purpose," she said, taking a drag.

"What's the purpose?" Nora asked acidly.

"The purpose of a band is to give the lead singer a platform to start a solo career. Everyone knows that," she answered condescendingly.

"But what about your band members?" Maryann asked.

The Red Queen rolled her eyes. "What about them?"

"What happens to them when you launch your solo career?"

"Why should I care what happens to them?"

"Oh," she said, and obviously turned her attention to loading up the gear.

"Are you going to come back next year for the Metroparks Music Festival?" the Red Queen asked.

"If our agent books it, yes," Isabella answered. "But I have no idea how likely that is."

"If the festival organizers like us tomorrow, they'll ask for us," Maryann said brightly.

The other three rolled their eyes.

"Yes, I suppose they might." She took a drag from her cigarette. "But if something goes wrong, they probably won't ask. That's a thought," she said, and just wandered away.

Isabella watched her rejoin the man at the corner and they both went inside the bar. The band finished loading up and headed to their hotel.

"That was really weird," Maryann commented. "She was really rude too."

"She's your evil doppelganger," Leah said.

"You're not going on about that again?" Nora asked.

"Seriously, did you not get a good look at her? She looks almost exactly like Maryann."

"I'll agree with you on that. Of course, that dress she was wearing exhibited the three main characteristics of trashy fashion - short, tight, and shiny. Even Maryann has the good sense not to wear something like that."

"Was that a compliment?" Maryann asked.

"Her aura was a little odd," Isabella said. "I didn't use spirit sight to get a good look, and I don't think I was seeing a death aura, but there's something strange about her."

"I don't like how she was threatening us," Nora said. "Like her band is the only one allowed to play here. What's that about? Actually, I'll do a quick search and figure that out." She immediately pulled out her favorite mobile device and did just that. "Hm. Well, they've got a good webmaster for their site," she said after a few minutes. "It's all black and red though. I hate that combination. It makes my eyes water."

"So what is a Gothic dark fantasy band anyway?" Maryann asked.

"Well, their costumes involve a lot of black and red, a lot of leather, a lot of lace, a few spikes, and a lot of eyeliner," Nora replied.

"Figures," Isabella sighed.

"They have a lot of songs about spider queens and drow. What's that about?"

"Oh ye of little geekiness," Leah said. "Drow are dark elves. Remember, we wrote a song about it after we met Sharon's weird roommate?"

"So that's dark fantasy?" Maryann asked.

"Yes, I guess. Drow also worship a spider goddess."

"Ewww."

"Spiders aren't that bad," Isabella said. "Better spiders than mosquitoes as long as they aren't poisonous."

"You look up their site. These songs are just dripping with angst and woe," Nora said sarcastically.

Leah and Maryann, who were not driving, did so.

"If this Red Queen is Maryann's doppelganger, do you think she knows magic? I mean, Isabella said her aura was weird," Leah said.

"She's not my doppelganger!"

"Not that I'm agreeing she is," Nora said, "but when we tried to find any information on Isabella's supposed doppelganger, we found practically nothing."

Isabella stopped the van at the hotel. "Madame Crow Jinx was easy to find. Rowan Weber wasn't. But I don't think it'll be too difficult to find more information on the Red Queen. She seems like the type who wants everyone to know about her darkly fantastic musical career. Let's get checked in and unloaded."

They did so and while they were tired and needed to sleep, they continued their research over Isabella's protests that they didn't need to worry about the Red Queen.

"You were right," Nora said. She was sharing a room with Isabella, and they had the adjoining door open to the room Leah and Maryann were sharing. "The Red Queen plays hard to get, but not that hard to get. I still don't know what this whole Gothic dark fantasy thing is though."

"So what's her name?" Maryann asked.

"'Emma Selene Lodge.' It's nice she puts up her middle name. Sounds more pretentious that way."

"Say what?" Leah asked, although since she was brushing her teeth it was hard to understand her.

"'Emma Lodge.' Oh, she was president of the Chess Club in high school. I guess she makes a big deal of that so everyone will know how smart she is," Nora said.

"She really got on your nerves," Isabella remarked.

"I've dealt with enough pretentious people. I don't have any patience for them anymore."

Leah finished brushing her teeth. "Okay, either her parents were into pop culture, or she got into pop culture, or that is a wildly improbable coincidence, which totally proves she's Maryann's evil doppelganger."

"You're going to have to explain," Nora replied dryly.

"I can't think of a show with characters with those names," Maryann said thoughtfully.

"Wrong genre. This is much, much nerdier than a Gilligan's Island reference. 'Emma' and 'Selene' were the first names of the White Queen and Black Queen of the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club."

The others stared at her blankly for a few moments.

"Yeah, that explanation didn't help at all," Nora said.

Leah sighed. "Honestly, have you even heard of the X-men?"

"Ooo, there were those movies with Hugh Jackman," Maryann replied.

"Wasn't he naked in one of those?" Nora said.

"Ladies," Leah snapped. "I'll make this simple. The X-men are good mutants, right?"

"Sure," Nora replied.

"And the Inner Circle was evil mutants. And they named themselves after chess pieces. So Emma Selene here is named after the two evil queens..."

"We don't know that," Maryann interrupted.

"So coincidentally Emma Selene here is named after the two evil queens, calls herself the Red Queen, and draws attention to the fact she was president of her high school chess club? She's totally Maryann's evil doppelganger."

"If you're right, then her parents weren't very nice," Maryann replied.

"I think you're making a big deal out of nothing," Nora said. "She's clearly pretty full of herself, and I feel sorry for her band, and I intend to put on one hell of a show tomorrow just to make sure we get asked back." She yawned. "So, it's probably time we get some sleep so we can do just that."

"A life well lived is the best revenge?" Isabella asked.

"Something like that. I don't like being threatened and condescended to."

The band broke up for the evening and went to bed.

The alarm clock went off too early, even though it was late in the morning. Isabella sat up and yawned. Nora also sat up.

"Good morning," Isabella said.

Nora didn't respond. Instead, she stood up and headed directly to the bathroom.

"Well, she's in a good mood this morning," Isabella thought. She lay back down to snooze a few more minutes.

"Isabella, wake up," Nora said as she got dressed.

"I'm up, I'm up," she replied, and sat up again. "I don't know why I do that," she thought. "I don't really go back to sleep."

"Isabella, come on, wake up," Nora said.

"I am up. Honestly." Isabella reached underneath her pillow to find her glasses case but was unsuccessful. "Must have pushed the case off the bed again." So she turned to look under the pillow and screamed.

"Isabella?" Nora asked.

Isabella's body was still lying in the bed, unconscious. "What the hell is going on? Am I astrally projecting?" She waved her ethereal hand through her body and nothing happened. "Nora, can you hear me?"

Nora didn't seem to respond to her words, although she was obviously concerned. She walked over to Isabella. "Hey! Come on, wake up already!"

"Try shaking me. Maybe that will work," Isabella said. "Right, she can't hear me."

Nora did try shaking Isabella, but she did not return to her body. Nora walked over to the adjoining door and knocked on it frantically.

"Well, it seems my astral form doesn't suffer from myopia," Isabella thought wryly.

"What?" Maryann asked, opening the door.

"Isabella won't wake up. I think we might have to take her to the hospital."

"Oh, don't do that," Isabella said. "We'll never get to the show."

"I'll get the smelling salts," Leah said. "Then we can try the hospital."

"Maryann! Maryann! Come on, hear me," Isabella said. She tried waving her hands through the redhead.

Maryann shuddered.

So Isabella did it again.

"Is it chilly in here to anyone else?" she asked.

"Oh, come on, Maryann, you're the only one who can figure out I'm under a spell!" Isabella took a moment to calm herself. "Now I know why a lot of ghosts communicate through moving objects and cold spots. I had no idea it was so hard to directly affect anything."

Leah got the smelling salts out of the first aid kit and waved them under Isabella's nose.

Her astral form watched hopefully but this did not get her back into her body.

"Okay, so should we take her to the hospital? Should I call an ambulance instead?" Nora asked.

Isabella performed a kuji-in and focused her energy, then traced kanji in the air near Maryann. The kanji was for a wind spell that she had hardly ever needed to use, but it was the only thing she could think of that might have an effect on the real world.

Maryann, who was already on edge, did feel a burst of cold air and she shivered. "Wait, something is weird here. Let me check on something."

"Okay, but I don't want to wait too long in case she's having some kind of seizure or something," Nora answered.

Maryann went back to her room and pulled a clear quartz crystal on a thin string out of her suitcase and returned to Isabella and Nora's room. She recited a spell to use the crystal as a focus to detect magical oddities in the room. There was no immediate change in the crystal to Isabella's astral form or to the other women. Maryann first held the crystal up to herself. Nothing happened and that's what she expected. She held it up to Leah and Nora and nothing happened. When she leaned down and held the crystal over Isabella's body, the crystal turned dark, which only Maryann and Isabella could see. "That's-that's odd," Maryann said as the other two stared at her skeptically.

"What's odd? And explain quick because I am two seconds away from calling an ambulance," Nora said.

"I think Isabella's under a spell."

"What?" they asked in unison.

Maryann pulled the crystal away from Isabella's body and held it up to herself again, just to make sure the spell was working. "I'm detecting some kind of dark magic on Isabella's body, but I don't know exactly what this means."

"Damn it, I need a better way to communicate," Isabella said, and looked around the room. Like all hotel rooms, there was a pen and a pad of paper with the hotel stationary on the desk. She walked over to the desk and performed a longer kuji-in.

"Are you sure Isabella's under a spell?" Leah asked Maryann.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure of it, and something else is going on here. I keep feeling these cold breezes."

"That's just the air conditioner," Nora replied impatiently. "How can Isabella be under a spell? There aren't a lot of people who can do that."

"The Red Queen!" Leah exclaimed. "She said she didn't like competition, and she said the best way to keep us from coming back next year was if we never played at all. Well, now we're down one of our band members. We can't play without her."

"What makes you think she can do magic like this?"

Isabella focused her energy and tried to grasp the pen. Her hand went through it. She calmed herself and ran through a few more iterations of the mantra.

"She's Maryann's doppelganger. If Isabella's doppelganger was a medium, then it means Maryann's doppelganger can do serious magic."

"You're being ridiculous!" Nora snapped. "Yeah, so that Rowan girl was a lot like Isabella, but it doesn't mean this Red Queen can do any magic. Sure, she threatened us, and sure, this is really going to make it hard to play tonight, but it doesn't mean she's responsible."

"Wait, I can try to find out," Maryann said. "I can do a quick divination."

"I still think we should take her to the hospital," Nora said.

Isabella tried to grasp the pen again and this time it worked, but it was very difficult, as though she was solid and trying to hold to something made of smoke.

"Going to the hospital won't help her if she's under a spell," Maryann countered.

"Just because something weird is going on doesn't mean it's a spell," Nora retorted. "And maybe even if it is that doesn't mean we shouldn't take her to the hospital!"

Isabella wrote just one word, dropped the pen, and pulled the paper off the pad. That effort left her exhausted and she couldn't move the paper any further, so she used her wind spell again to try to move it in the direction her friends. It settled near Leah but she wasn't paying attention as Maryann and Nora were squabbling. So Isabella walked over and stuck her hand in Maryann again.

This was enough to cause Maryann to lose her train of thought and twitch. "What is that?" she snapped.

Isabella used her spell to rattle the paper again.

Leah noticed the moving paper and picked it up. She frowned. "Hey, Nora, I think Maryann's right."

"What?"

"See for yourself," she said, and passed the paper to Nora.

There was one word written in shaky but unmistakably Isabella's handwriting - 'help.'

Nora sighed. "Okay, fine. Maryann, do your thing. We need to figure out what's going on here."

Maryann took the paper. "This will help my divination. I wonder how she wrote this." She walked back to her room with Leah and Nora following.

"Hey, I'm going to grab us some breakfast," Leah said.

Nora, Maryann, and even Isabella just stared at her.

"What? I can't help with this, and I'm getting hungry. I'll just grab some stuff from the continental breakfast if there's anything left or go pick up something for us. And really, I need some coffee."

Maryann shrugged. "I suppose it's not a bad idea."

"Nora, come with me. You can't help Maryann either. We don't want to be in the way."

"It's not a problem," Maryann said.

"I'll go with Leah. If I don't, she'll grab nothing but doughnuts."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is, for our health. We'll be back in a few." They got their purses and headed out.

Maryann pulled out her tarot deck and cleared off a space on the floor. Isabella sat down facing Maryann. The redhead shuffled her deck and performed a very short but direct divination. She pulled out a notebook and wrote some notes while talking out loud. "Okay, first card, who is this about?" she said, and tossed out the Queen of Swords. "Well, that's good. I know this is about Isabella. Okay, next card, what has happened to Isabella?" She tossed out the Eight of Swords. "She's trapped."

Isabella performed her wind spell again.

Maryann felt the cold blast. "Oh, I think I get it! Isabella, are you astrally projecting?"

"Yes! I mean, damn it." She used her wind spell to shake the Queen of Swords.

"So you are astrally projecting! And you can't get back or you would have already, which means you're trapped outside your body." She jotted down some notes. "This is powerful magic. We need to get you back in your body or there could be long-term damage. Third card, who put the spell on Isabella?" The next card turned up was the Queen of Wands in the reversed position.

They both stared at the card.

"So, Leah was right," Maryann said. "You know, I never really know what to think when her crazy comic book theories turn out to be right."

"I hear that," Isabella replied.

"I wish I could talk with you," she said. "I don't know that much about this spirit magic stuff." She brightened up. "But maybe I can make it easier for you to talk with me." She pulled another small pad of paper out of her suitcase and a pen. She consulted her Book of Shadows and finally performed a spell on the pen. "Okay, I tried to infuse magical energy into the pen to make it easier for you to move it. If it worked, write something."

The pen glowed as Maryann worked her spell, but now it looked normal. Isabella tried to pick it up anyway and found it was difficult but less so than before, so she decided she'd probably better keep what she wrote simple so she didn't continue to tire herself. She wrote out, 'laptop?'

"It's working! Laptop? Oh, you mean, why didn't I use the computer? This is easier for me to work magic on. But we can talk now!"

Leah and Nora returned with breakfast, although it was much closer to lunchtime than breakfast time

"So?" Leah asked.

Isabella picked up the pen and wrote, 'hi.'

Leah and Nora stared. "You saw that, right?"

"Yeah, I saw that," Nora said.

"That's Isabella. Her astral form is stuck outside her body so I'm helping her communicate with us."

"I don't know what that means," Leah said.

"It means we're out our fourth band member," Nora replied. "Is this dangerous? I mean, do we need to take her body to a hospital?"

"Well, it could be dangerous, but I think right now it's just inconvenient. Isabella?" Maryann asked.

She wrote, 'OK 4 now.'

"Why the quasi-text-speak?" Leah asked.

She wrote, 'write ≠ easy; keep short.'

"Oh, I get it. So, did you figure out who did this?"

Maryann sighed. "You were right."

"I knew it!"

"Does this help us break the spell on Isabella?" Nora asked.

"I don't know," Maryann said.

Isabella wrote, 'what would u do?'

"I wouldn't use dark magic like this," she replied.

"Damn it!" Isabella said, then she wrote, 'L - u no what I mean.'

"Oh, I get it! This Red Queen is your evil doppelganger. Now, we know you'd never ever do something nasty like this," Leah said, "but if you were going to, how would you do it? Would you use a curse? A hex? Which god would you ask to give you power?"

"Is this really the best way to be thinking?" Nora asked. "I mean, what makes us think this Red Queen thinks like Maryann?"

"It's best we can think of right now," Maryann said. "Anyway, it's not a bad place to start. Like you said earlier, this kind of magic isn't easy and not anyone can do it." She jotted down some notes.

Isabella wrote, 'why me.'

They thought about this.

"You mean, did she pick you at random or did she happen to know you were a natural medium and that if she did this to anyone else we'd have a lot easier time talking to her?" Leah asked.

'Yes.'

"Well, you said you thought her aura looked odd. But I can't see auras, so if we assume she can't either, then it must have been random and unlucky for us," Maryann answered.

"Or she did some kind of divination thing to pick which one of us would be the worst to be stuck outside her body," Leah offered.

"Or she just picked the one she thought was the leader," Nora said.

"But we told her we didn't have a leader."

"No, Isabella told her that, right after she asked which one of us was the leader. So maybe she assumed because Isabella answered, she was the leader after all."

"That actually makes a lot of sense," Isabella said, then wrote, 'or all the above.'

"That's true. Maybe she picked Isabella to begin with because she thought she was the leader and then did some divination to confirm how much trouble this would be," Maryann said.

"Can't you just dispel magic or dispel the curse or something?" Leah asked.

"This isn't some table-top role-playing game thingy," the redhead retorted. "I've told you that. Real magic just isn't so simple. If it was, you can bet the Red Queen would have just hit us with some kind of forget spell or something. We need to know how she did this. I mean, I can just try some stuff, but it probably won't work and I'll just get tired. And we'll waste a lot of time and we don't have that if we want to get to the show on time."

"Okay, how can we help to try to speed this process up?" Nora said. "You can do divination; we can't."

Isabella wrote, 'research.'

"Research what?" Leah asked.

"Everything," she said. "Damn it!" She wrote out, 'egoist; check social media; mayb clues.'

"Oh, of course," Nora replied. "If she really does real magic, she's going to brag about it somewhere, even if people don't believe her."

"And maybe she'll talk about how she does her magic and what gods she works with," Maryann said. "That's a great idea, Isabella!"

She wrote, 'astral form = side-effect?'

"Oh, so maybe the spell wasn't supposed to kick you out of your body but it did anyway? That's an interesting idea too. Isabella, please write down everything that you remember about waking up outside your body."

Leah and Nora pulled out their favorite electronics and started research. Maryann took Isabella's notes and shuffled her tarot cards again.

"I really wish I could help more," Isabella sighed. "I guess I'd better focus on what I know about this kind of magic so I can help Maryann with the counter-spell. Of course, that assumes this is even spirit magic."

The time ticked away as they worked and therefore could not rehearse, work on costumes, or any of the other tasks they wanted to take care of prior to the show. Since Isabella was the most limited in what she could do to help, she was the most irritated at the loss of time. She also noticed that she was starting to feel oddly tired and each time Maryann asked her a question it was a little more difficult to pick up the pen. She started to see blinking lights at the edge of her vision and hear things just at the threshold of hearing. Lunch came and went and finally Leah went out and picked up some food. When she returned the band sat down to discuss results, and by this time Isabella was worried.

"Isabella, are you there?" Maryann asked.

'Yes.'

"Well, my best guess is that Isabella is actually under a kind of sleep spell. I think her connection to the spirit world caused her to wake up, in spirit in anyway, even though she didn't actually get up."

"Huh, that actually might make some sense," Leah said. "The Red Queen posted a weird little message today on her fan page. Hold on." She checked her notes. "Here we go. 'Poor Briar Rose found a spindle and will miss the show today. Too, too bad.'"

"Oh, 'Sleeping Beauty!'" Maryann said. "Well, at least she thinks you're pretty."

Isabella frowned and wrote, 'NOT flattered.'

"But if she's just asleep, why can't we wake her up?" Nora asked.

"It's a magic spell, that's why. Now, there's really only a few ways to wake someone up from magical slumber..."

"Maryann, no one ever says 'magical slumber,'" Leah interrupted. "Except in fairy tales. And I'll tell you if smelling salts won't wake up her up, neither will 'true love's first kiss.'"

Nora and the ethereal Isabella nodded in agreement.

Maryann pouted. "Fine, fine. You guys just don't understand romance."

"Don't get me started on that," Nora said. "So, how do we wake her up?"

"Wait for whatever spell is on her to wear off..."

"So we miss the show. Next option."

"That also assumes the spell will wear off," Leah said.

"Oh, it should," Maryann said. "It's pretty much impossible to sustain something like this forever. So we have to break the spell with another spell. But that's hard, so you two tell me what you found out about the Red Queen and her magic."

Isabella wrote down, 'Dark gods?'

"How did you know?" Nora answered sarcastically. "She seems to like working with Loki, Set, and Erebus."

"That's a mythologically mixed bag," Leah commented.

Maryann sighed. "It's really not correct to call them dark gods. Well, except for Erebus, but he's the god of darkness, which isn't exactly the same either. I mean, they aren't nice gods, but still."

"Okay, let's not get into that now. You have to admit, there are certain types of people who seem to like those types of gods," Nora replied.

"Yeah, I know, and it's so annoying. Gods are not fashion accessories. Anyway, any clue about this spell?"

"'Thank you father of serpent, wolf, and keeper of the dead.'" Leah said.

The other three stared at her.

"What? That was on her personal page today."

Isabella wrote, 'Loki.'

"Is that really Loki's thing?" Nora asked.

"I guess it could be. People deal with gods differently than I do. I'll tell you this, though; there are some gods I wouldn't work with. Not because I think they're bad, necessarily, although some really aren't good," Maryann said, "I just think it's too dangerous. Gods don't play by our rules and they don't share our values."

"Oh, so don't worship something that's aligned with evil or chaos," Leah said.

"Um, yes?"

"Okay, so she asked Loki to help her sabotage her competition," Nora said. "How do we fix this?"

"I'm going to have to ask for help," Maryann answered. "Which I really don't like doing, but we're running out of time if we're going to make the show."

"But you work with gods all the time," Leah countered.

The redhead sighed. "I told you, there's always a price when dealing with gods. I don't mind asking my pantheon for help because we've got a good relationship."

"You know the price," Nora said.

"Yes. But this is going to be tricky if another god is already involved, and I might have to ask for help from someone new to me."

"Well, then, we'll miss the show," Leah said. "Sure, I hate to see this Red Queen win, but we don't want you to do something you don't want to do. I mean, as long as Isabella will wake up."

Isabella wrote, 'um.'

"Uh-oh," Nora said. "What's wrong? Do we need to take you to the hospital?"

'Don't no. Harder 2 move pen. C shadows & lights. Hear whispers. Feel disconnected & tired.' Now that she thought about it, the slowly blinking lights at the edge of her vision reminded her of fireflies, and that was very worrisome.

"Maryann, I thought you said this would wear off," Nora said.

"Well, it should, but then again, sometimes spells go wrong," she replied. "I mean, if Isabella wasn't supposed to get kicked out of her body maybe that's a sign something got messed up."

"Damn. Well, let us know if there's anything we can do to help you."

"Thanks, but I'll take care of this. Isabella, do you think you can help?"

"I really want to," she said, but she wrote, 'sorry.'

"I understand. Now, I think I need to talk to Hypnos, but I'll have to go through Morpheus first."

"The Sandman? Cool," Leah said.

"Is this a comic book reference I'm missing?" Maryann asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, well, I'm pretty sure Morpheus is not like a comic book character," she said.

"He could be."

Maryann rolled her eyes.

"Maryann, if this doesn't work, we're taking her to the hospital," Nora said.

"I absolutely agree. Isabella, hang on. I'll try to get this fixed." She pulled out her Book of Shadows and consulted her notes. Then she went into Isabella and Nora's room to actually cast the spell.

Leah and Nora stayed in Leah and Maryann's room. Leah pulled out her rosary and prayed, and Nora pulled out a Bible to read and pray.

Isabella followed Maryann and was amazed at what she could see. Maryann seemed to glow with orange energy, as did her props. She had created a circle around herself and Isabella could see it glowing on the carpet. "Am I supposed to be seeing all this?" she said out loud.

A shadowy, human-like form appeared in front of Maryann. It looked down at Maryann, then over at Isabella's sleeping body, then at her astral form.

Isabella took a step back.

Leah and Nora weren't looking at Maryann, but even if they were, all they would see was Maryann standing very still and muttering.

"Why have you called on me?" the form said.

"Thank you for answering, Morpheus. My friend is under a spell of sleep. I would like to ask Hypnos to free her from the spell," Maryann said. "But I know I need to ask you first."
"I'm glad to deal with a mortal who understands our roles." The shadow of the god glanced again at Isabella's astral form. "Your friend does not dream and I can see why. How did this happen?"

"I'm not really sure. Someone put a spell on her."

"A sleep spell should not have produced this effect," the god said. "This is not going to turn out well for your friend unless it is lifted."

"Will you please go to Hypnos and ask him to help her?"

"I will do this favor for you, but I make no promises my father will agree to aid you. Whether or not he does, my favor will still come due," the god said.

"I understand."

The shadowy form glanced again at Isabella and faded away. In a moment, a different and somehow older but still shadowy form appeared in the circle. It also looked straight at Isabella's astral form, and then looked at Isabella's body. "I see the problem."

"Hypnos, will you wake her up?" Maryann asked.

"I will." He leaned over and touched Isabella's forehead.

She felt a painful jerk.

Then suddenly Isabella woke up and saw the shadowy form standing over her.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"It is very dangerous to interfere in outside domains," the god replied in a very low voice. "You owe your friend a debt of gratitude. Had she not called and I not agreed to aid you, you would soon be meeting my brother."

"Oh."

Hypnos walked back to the circle. "It is done," he said, and vanished.

Maryann slumped forward on her knees.

Leah and Nora immediately went over to her.

Isabella grabbed her glasses, got out of bed, and ran over to Maryann.

Maryann sat up. "Isabella!"

"Yeah, I'm fine now. Actually, I'm starving."

"What happened?" Nora asked.

"Hypnos woke her up," Maryann asked.

"But why did Isabella get kicked out of her body?" Leah asked.

"It wasn't supposed to happen," Isabella replied. "The god said it was dangerous to interfere in outside domains."

"I hate it when people are careless with magic," Maryann sighed.

"Well, we're fine now," Isabella said, concluding that Maryann had not heard what the god had said about meeting his brother. "So I need some food and then we should get ready for the show."

"That Red Queen is on a short path to trouble," the redhead replied.

"Yeah, well, that's her choice," Nora said. "I don't have any sympathy, especially since she could have gotten you into real trouble."

Isabella decided not to share what Hypnos had told her with the group; she knew when the god referred to his brother he meant Thanatos, the god of death.

"So we'll just have a totally awesome show," Leah said. "And pretend like nothing even happened."

"We could warn her that what she's doing is dangerous," Maryann said.

"She won't listen," Nora answered. "She already knows or she wouldn't be working with those kinds of gods."

"That's probably true," Isabella said. "We'll just do what Leah said. We'll play well and pretend like nothing even happened."

"Then we'd better hurry," Maryann said.

The band made it to the festival just in time. Leah and Nora had settled their argument with the costumes and they were wearing looks inspired by Edward Gorey. While the band was resentful that they had missed out on so much rehearsal time, they played with extra energy. However, after the show it was obvious the ordeal had taken a toll on both Maryann and Isabella. Both of them were more subdued than usual, which was especially noticeable in the normally extroverted Maryann, and it was clear both were exhausted. Still, they gamely mingled with the festival-goers and let Leah and Nora take the lead. They pointedly did not go see Dark Reflections, who played in a later time-slot. They were getting ready to head out when the Red Queen approached them.

"So," she said disdainfully. She was wearing tight red leather pants and a red corset-style top that looked like it was barely staying in place.

"So what?" Maryann replied snidely.

"I'm surprised you showed up."

"I don't know why," Leah said nonchalantly. "We told you we had a show."

She looked perplexed under her thick make-up. "So you did. Well, are you coming back again next year?"

"If we're invited, and it fits in with our schedule," Isabella answered.

"Huh. Well, I guess we'll see what happens next year," she said, and wandered away.

"You think she'll try something like that again?" Leah asked.

"I don't see why not," Nora replied. "We let her think nothing happened but that doesn't mean she won't try again. We'll just be more careful next time, right?"

"Right," Maryann said with a yawn. "I can set up wards and stuff but I usually don't need to."

"And she may get in a lot of trouble anyway between now and then," Isabella said. "She's playing with dangerous forces."

"I'm just glad no one got hurt."

Isabella yawned too but did not say anything.

"Well, that was fun," Leah said, "meeting another doppelganger. I hope we don't run to mine or Nora's."

"Or Dave's," Nora added, referring to their agent's son.

"I can't even imagine an evil Dave," she replied, laughing. "I always kind of thought Dave was the evil doppelganger."

"I'm sure he'll be really flattered to hear that," Maryann said dryly.

"It's Dave. He might be," Leah said. "We'll ask him the next time we see him."

"Speaking of Dave, I've got the details for our next gig," Nora said.

"Great," Isabella said. "Leah, you drive tonight. I'm falling asleep on my feet."

"Me too," Maryann agreed.

"No problem. Nora, what's the gig?" Leah replied.

The band switched topics and was soon on the road.

The Lyrics:

Twins brothers were born

Sons of Darkness and Night

They wait until the end of day

When you turn off the light

One brother has three sons

Who carry the world's dreams

And when you enter their domain

Nothing is as it seems

Refrain: Lie down; close your eyes

Fall into darkness so deep

Past dreams and silence

Waits the brother of Sleep

The other brother has no sons

There are no dreams to carry

There is only one place to go

Across the river on the ferry

Everyone tries to run away

And he will never pursue

Because if you cannot stop for him

He will kindly stop for you

Refrain

Every night in an act of trust

The waking world fades to black

We surrender and only hope

We're waiting for us when we get back

Refrain x2

Track 8 - Bad Seed

The Interview:

Kelly: This next track has a country rhythm to it.

Belle: We like to add a bit of twang to our albums.

Lee: We want as much variety as possible on our albums.

Bryan: It also means your songs may top more than one music category chart.

Lenore: The more exposure our songs get the better.

Bryan: So it's a business move?

Anna: Not exactly. We just thought a country rhythm was the best music for the lyrics.

Kelly: This seems to go against some of the other songs on this album and your last album. Isn't this kind of celebrating the bad boy?

Belle: You could take it like that.

Lenore: Or you could assume, in the context of our other work, that it's kind of a sarcastic song about the bad boy stereotype.

Bryan: It sounds like that's your take.

Lee: Well, you know, what we intend and what people interpret are not always the same. But hey, as long as they like the song, that's fine by us.

Lenore: Lots of artists have their works misinterpreted. It's inevitable, really.

Kelly: And it doesn't bother you at all?

Lenore: Maybe, but it's not our job to make sure people get our art. Some artists are pretentious like that, but we aren't.

Anna: Our job is to make music. That's all. If people like it, great. If they get it, even better. If they don't get it but still enjoy it, that's fine too.

The Inside Story:

The band called Nevermore and the Ravens was heading toward their next gig.

"I don't know about another festival," Nora said from her usual spot in the front passenger seat of the van. "The last festival Mr. Rafel booked for us was a disaster."

"It wasn't a complete disaster," Leah replied from her usual spot behind Isabella. "We got some new fans and avoided getting heatstroke."

Maryann sighed, thinking of the young man she'd met there.

"Anyway," Isabella said, "I told you Mr. Rafel didn't book this one. His son David booked it for us. We're supposed to meet him at the hotel before we head to the show."

"I don't mind camping," Maryann said.

"Then you borrow the RV from your grandmother next time," Leah said.

"Ladies. Anyway, I did look into this. The Rockin' in the Catskills Music Festival is small, but it's pretty well respected."

"One day, Bonnaroo," Leah sighed. "Well, at least it's cooler and the scenery is really pretty."

The hotel was a national chain and it took them a little time to get checked in because the hotel was very nearly booked solid with festival-goers.

"Man, maybe we should have just camped with the rates we have to pay," Leah said to Maryann, whom she was sharing a room with.

"No camping," Nora replied as Isabella unlocked the room next door they would be sharing.

"You just don't know what you're missing," Maryann said.

"Bugs, heat, bears. Yes I do," Nora retorted.

"Hey, I just got a text from David," Isabella said. "He's waiting in the lobby. Let's go meet him."

They dropped off their luggage and headed back down the stairs.

David Rafel was a tall, pale young man with thick glasses. He wore black jeans, black sneakers, and an overlarge black t-shirt with a carnivorous dinosaur skull on it. "Hey, are you Nevermore and the Ravens?"

"Yes," Isabella said, and made the introductions.

"Call me Dave. I'm glad to finally meet you guys. I hope this gig works out. Dad didn't want to let me book any bands, but I talked him into it."

"Oh, you want to get into the music business?" Maryann asked.

"Sure, once I'm done with college. But I'm still trying to learn the business. So, anyway, I've got all the details for tonight if you want to talk."

"Sure!"

"So, do you like dinosaurs?" Leah asked.

"I'm not, like, into dinosaurs. I like skulls," he answered.

"I have no response to that."

"So, is there a place to get some food while we talk?" Nora asked.

Dave took them to a nearby, somewhat crowded restaurant. He patiently answered all their questions and asked about their plans for the show. This surprised them since Mr. Rafel had never asked them how they ran their show.

They separated so the band could change into their costumes. They dressed identically and had identical make-up. They wore short black dresses with a gauzy skirt and handkerchief hem, sleeveless tops, sheer black tights, and black leather short boots. Nora's hair was in a bun and the others wore black wigs in buns. They each had a black feather accessory in their hair/wig. The overall effect was something like a Goth fairy costume.

The festival was about an hour and a half drive from the hotel. It was located near a state park's very popular campground. The late summer weather was just about perfect; it was sunny but not too warm; the leaves on the trees were mostly green but turning colors on the edges. All and all, it was a lot more pleasant than August in the desert.

Dave met them at the site and helped direct them to the correct stage and get set-up. They were on the stage designated for new bands, so they didn't get a very long set, but they felt they played enough to show off their talent and style.

"That was great, guys," Dave said as the band emerged from packing up their gear to mingle with the festival-goers.

"Did you ever doubt us?" Leah asked.

"No, no, I'm just glad to see this working out for you guys and for my dad."

A handsome, wiry, youngish-looking man with curly, short brown hair, wearing green corduroy pants and a tight, dark green t-shirt walked straight to Maryann. "Hello, fair lady Anna," he said, bowing slightly. "I'm glad to meet you."

She blushed and noticed he had startling green eyes. "Well, hello, kind sir," she said with a bit of a giggle.

Leah rolled her eyes and Nora and Isabella shook their heads.

"You can call me Jack and I'd like to buy you a drink and get to know you a lot better," he said with a charming smile. He held out his arm.

"Certainly," Maryann said, and took his arm.

"He's trouble," Nora said as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Of course," Isabella sighed.

"They find her. They always find her. How do they find her?" Leah lamented.

"What?" Dave asked.

"Maryann has a boy problem," Nora answered. "Boys like her and they cause us problems."

"Like what?"

"Well, she met a guy at the Pandemonium Festival and he had a dangerous pet that got loose," Leah answered. "We had to chase the damn thing down."

"And I said he was trouble too, didn't I?" Nora said.

"We're not doubting you, Nora," Isabella said mildly. "But they aren't always so much trouble."

"No; we just end up with Maryann crying her eyes out over a guy she'll never see again."

"Until she meets the next guy and then she's all better," Leah added.

Dave kind of laughed. "Well, it sounds like it keeps you entertained when you're on the road."

The other three looked at each other.

"'Entertained' is not the word I would use," Nora said dryly. "But anyway, we're glad you could come to a show and meet us. And if you could maybe possibly suggest to your dad that maybe a music festival in the desert in the summer is not a great venue, that would be nice."

He shrugged. "Hey, he's the boss. I can book some bands some times, but that really depends on how busy he is. But I'll try to give him a nudge here and there. I think sometimes he's so focused on getting jobs he forgets to make sure he's got the right band for the gig."

"Oh, I can't wait for that."

"Dad's a businessman. See, his philosophy about the music business is that there are two types of people who get into it. There are people who love music, and then there are people who know business. If you love music, but don't know business, you fail. But you don't have to know anything about music to know business and succeed. That's why sometimes he focuses more on jobs."

"That's really cynical," Leah said.

Dave shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I don't agree; I think the music is just as important as business know-how. But in case Dad's right, I'm getting my MBA."

"And in case you don't make it in the music business, you can still make it in business?"

"Exactly."

"Good plan. Probably better than ours. Well, let's get some food and make sure we can find Maryann."

The band mingled and talked with festival-goers who had seen their show. Dave helped try to sell the band. Maryann spent her time with Jack, who was energetic and fun. They wandered through the festival listening to other bands and looking through the shops, and her costume inspired a long conversation about folklore.

"Anna. Anna!" Leah called. "It's time to go."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jack. I have to go back to the hotel."

"There's another day of the festival. Are you coming back tomorrow?" he asked.

The rest of the band and Dave had caught up with them.

"Are we?" she asked.

"Well, the Widgets play tomorrow," Dave said. "Dad's their agent too."

"Oh, you're cheating on us with another band?" Leah teased.

"What can I say?" he replied with a smile. "It's really a good time if you guys want to relax for a day. I think you'll have time before you need to get to the next show."

"Oh, can we?" Maryann asked.

Nora and Leah rolled their eyes.

"Sure, why not?" Isabella said.

"Yay!"

"No one says that," Leah mumbled.

"So I'll see you tomorrow, Jack."

"I'm looking forward to it," he said.

"And now we're going back to the van," Nora said, taking Maryann's arm and gently pulling her away.

The band gave Dave a lift to the festival the next day. He left almost immediately to go find the other band and Maryann immediately started looking for Jack.

"Do you think he'll recognize me?" she asked worriedly. "I mean, this is way different from our costumes," she said.

"You worry too much. If we see him, just say hello and tell him who you are," Nora sighed, adjusting her fashionable sunglasses. "He can't miss you in that orange dress."

"I like bright colors!"

"To each their own," she said, straightening the skirt on her light blue dress.

"I feel so dull," Leah said. She was wearing a dark red t-shirt and khaki shorts. "How about you, Isabella?"

"I've got an orange and blue striped t-shirt. Does that count as bright?" she asked.

"I don't know. It's mostly white, and that's not a color. Or it's all color, if we're talking about light, which we aren't."

"You guys just make fun of me," Maryann pouted.

"Yes. Yes we do," Nora replied. "And usually you don't even notice."

Maryann's pouting did not last long. Near the craft booths they ran into Jack, who was wearing an outfit very similar to the day before.

"There you are," he said, recognizing her immediately. "I made you this to wear today," he said, holding out a flower garland.

"Oh, it's so pretty. And you made this? That's so cool." She put the garland of small, pink flowers on her head.

"I'm glad you like it. Come on," he said, and held out his arm.

"Later," she said, and went off with Jack.

"I am really surprised he recognized her," Isabella said.

"I still think he's trouble," Nora said.

"Come on. Let's go check out the competition," Leah suggested.

Nora and Isabella followed Leah. They listened to some of the other bands, got lunch, and met back up with Dave.

"Well, who's better?" Leah asked.

He shrugged. "Dad says never make judgment calls on the music. It's all about taste, and no matter who you say is the best, someone is always going to think you're totally wrong."

"That is a fair point," Nora agreed.

"Listen, I got a text about one of my homework assignments. The due date has been moved up and I am way far behind. Can I get a ride back early?" Dave asked.

"It doesn't make sense to drive Dave back to the hotel and then drive back here," Nora replied. "That's over three hours of driving with traffic and it'll be time to go anyway."

"You're right. We might as well all had back and get in some rehearsal time. We'll just go round up Maryann and head out," Isabella said. She sent Maryann a quick text but it didn't go through. "Damn, she let her phone go dead again. We'll have to split up and go look for her."

With a sigh, they split up, including Dave, and threaded through the crowd looking for Maryann. Forty-five minutes later Leah managed to spot Maryann and Jack near the edge of the forest and far away from the festival crowd.

"I am so glad she wore that orange dress," Leah thought, walking up to them. "You let your phone battery go dead again."

"I did?" She pulled her phone out of her purse to check it. "Oh, I did. I'm sorry!"

"Dave needs to head out early, and since we gave him a lift, we need to head out. Sorry."

"I'm sorry, Jack," she said. "I thought I'd have a little more time with you, but Dave is our agent's son and we really don't want to be responsible for him failing a class."

"I really think you should stay," Jack said. "They can go and come back for you."

"Yeah, I don't think so. We spend way too much time driving anyway. Besides, we'll get in some rehearsal time," Leah said.

"She has a good point. Gas is expensive and it's not very environmentally friendly to waste it like that."

"I really think you should stay," he repeated firmly.

Maryann and Leah exchanged awkward looks. "Yes, well, I think I just explained I can't. So it was nice spending time with you. I had a really nice time."

He blinked his vibrantly green eyes. "I said, you should stay."

Maryann and Leah looked at each other again and both took a few steps back. "We'd really better go now since Dave has to do work and all."

He looked quite confused. "I don't understand. That should have worked. Why didn't that work?"

"I'm sorry," Maryann said brightly as she and Leah continued to back away.

He sort of shrugged. "Fine." He lunged at Maryann, picked her up as though she weighed nearly nothing, threw her over his shoulder, and jogged towards the forest.

"Hey! Put me down! Heeeeeelp!" she screamed, flailing and struggling, but he was surprisingly strong for having such a thin frame.

Leah barely had a chance to register what was going on when Jack darted between two oak trees and both he and Maryann vanished.

Some of the other festival-goers were looking at Leah and the area in confusion, but either they did not turn in time to see the two people disappear, or they did not believe they just saw two people disappear.

Leah muttered something in Spanish and texted Isabella and Nora. It took them about fifteen minutes to find her.

"What's the emergency?" Nora asked.

"Maryann got kidnapped by Jack."

"Er, what?"

"Jack picked Maryann up and ran off with her. They disappeared between those two trees."

"Like, disappeared into the woods and you couldn't see them anymore or disappeared into thin air?"

"Thin air," Leah clarified.

"I told you he was trouble. Maybe you should check every one of Maryann's boys with spirit sight from now on, Isabella," Nora said.

"That's really not an easy thing for me to do," she said with a sigh. "With a few exceptions, they're normal. Some that aren't normal could hide their nature from me. But I will give myself spirit sight to find that doorway."

"What do we tell Dave?" Leah asked.

"Just tell him we think Maryann ran off with that boy and it's going to take longer than we thought to find her," Nora answered. "Especially since her phone is dead."

"Yeah, but we don't know how long this could take. Eventually he's going to get worried."

"Leah, you need to go get the emergency kit anyway," Isabella said. "Tell Dave we're really sorry but he'll have to get a lift back with that other band or he'll just have to wait. If he's got to wait, give him the valet key and let him use the laptop and give him the guest password. I don't think he'll pick up any wireless, but at least he can start typing. Since the valet key is busted, he can't drive away, but he can at least lock the doors if he wants to go get some food or something. I hope he won't get worried, but there's not a lot we can do right now."

"This really makes a great impression on our agent's kid," Nora sighed.

Leah walked away to do as she was told. Dave was pretty confused, and somewhat worried, but he agreed to use the laptop and wait for the band since the Widgets had already taken off and he had no other ride back to the city. He was also curious why Leah was picking up a large, black duffel bag from the van, but he figured it was better not to ask.

Isabella and Nora were standing near the two oak trees when Leah returned.

"I've found the door," Isabella said. "I can open it, but I'm not sure where it's going. I'm afraid it might be one of the fairy realms, in which case there's no telling when we'll get back, or if this door is stable and will re-open to this spot from the other side. Also, do not eat or drink anything there just in case it is a fairy realm."

"Got it," Leah said.

"How many fairy realms are there?" Nora sighed.

"Way more than you think. Alright, let's go," Isabella said. She pulled out a pen and a piece of paper from her purse, wrote some Japanese kanji on the paper, and stuck it in the air right between the two trees. "The door's open."

The three of them walked through and disappeared from normal sight.

"I said, put me down," Maryann snapped, kicking and flailing.

Jack suddenly dropped her.

She landed on soft grass with an indignant squeal. "That wasn't very nice," she snapped. She stuck her hand in her purse and quickly slipped on a ring, and then stood up and looked around.

They were standing in a clearing of trees but the autumn colors were more vibrant than the state park. The branches grew into a thick lattice work that made it feel like a building of sorts. There were logs covered with thick moss that almost looked like couches or chairs. Sunlight and blue sky peeked through the branches. There were also flowers in the grass, which didn't match the season, and there didn't seem to be any animals or insects.

Jack's green clothes now looked less like cloth and more like leaves.

"You take me home right now!" she demanded.

"I still don't understand why the spell didn't work," he said, ignoring her. He snatched away her purse.

"Hey! Stop that! Give that back!" she shouted.

He darted up a tree with inhuman dexterity and turned the purse inside out.

"Hey!" she said again, gathering up her belongings. "You're going to break my stuff!"

He jumped back down and held out the purse.

She snatched it back and angrily put her stuff back in.

"What in the world is that?" he snapped, looking at her hands. "Is that an iron ring? You couldn't have been wearing that all day. Where did you get that?"

She zipped up the purse. "It's an iron ring made out of an old nail. I keep it in my purse just in case I run into fairy-kind, like you," she snapped back. "Now you take me back home."

He frowned and sprawled across a moss-covered log. "I thought you were more fun than this, Anna."

"I don't like being kidnapped. We were having such a nice day too and then you had to spoil it all."

"This isn't spoiling it. I'm making it better. Your dull friends were going to take you away from me. I just wanted a few more hours, that's all."

She crossed her arms. "I want to go back."

"I'm not taking you back; not until I'm ready. They can't come get you so you might as well have some more fun with me," he said, leaping back up and landing in front of her.

She took a step back. "I don't want to have fun with you. No one likes being kidnapped."

"Well, you're supposed to be under a spell."

"That doesn't make this any better!"

"I suppose this could still be fun. This is more challenging," he said.

"I don't think you're even listening to me."

"Of course I am," he replied although it was clear he really wasn't.

"You-you listen here, Jack, or whatever your name is..."

"It's as good as 'Anna,'" he said with a slight smile.

She took of the flower garland angrily and threw it on the ground. "This isn't nice and you know it. So take me back and I'll-I'll, well, I'll go home and try to remember this as a nice day."

"There's an offer I can't refuse," he said acidly. "You're already here. Why not have some more fun with me?" he asked, and quickly kissed her on the cheek.

"You stop that!" she snapped, stepping backwards again. "I don't want to hurt you."

"That's very unlikely, especially here."

"I have this and I think it might burn you," she replied, gesturing to the iron ring.

He winced. "I do not like that, it's true. You should take that off."

"I will not. I want to go back to the festival. My friends will worry."

"I don't care what they think." He picked the flower garland off the ground. "Put it back on. You look pretty in pink."

She blushed but shook her head and crossed her arms. "No, my mind is absolutely made up."

"I like you, Anna, but you're just being silly," he sighed. "I have an idea. You stay here and calm down and I'll go get some food. We'll have a nice picnic together."

She was about to tell him she'd never eat fairy food, but thought the better of it. "Fine, but you won't change my mind," she said. "And if he leaves, I can try to find my own way out of here," she thought.

"And I'll get some more flowers. Pretty girls like flowers."

"Darn it, why do you have to sound all nice and then do something like this?"

He smiled in a way that wasn't entirely pleasant. "Because I can. Now you stay here and I'll be back in just a little bit."

She turned her back on him and harrumphed to get her point across.

"But just in case you think you'll try to find your own way back..." He snapped his fingers and thick, woody vines sprang out of the ground and wrapped around the trees in the clearing, forming a cage-like lattice.

"Wait a minute!" she protested.

"I like you, Anna. You're interesting." He laughed and darted into the trees.

"Hey!" she yelled. He was gone from her sight almost immediately so she starting tugging at the vines. They were as stiff as tree branches. She couldn't rip them out of the ground; she couldn't even open them up enough to try to squeeze through. She tried climbing the vines and branches, but they seemed to keep growing into the tree branches making an impassable tangle. "Damn it," she sighed. She sat down on the ground and pulled a pencil and a miniature Book of Shadows out of her purse. Since she didn't know how to break out of the cage, she decided to cast a spell to make her easier for her friends to find her. "I'll bet Nora's going to tell me she knew he was trouble," she thought glumly.

"So, where are we?" Leah asked when they stepped through the door. The festival behind them faded away.

"It's like some Thomas Kinkade painting," Nora remarked.

"What is that?"

She sighed. "You've seen his paintings in malls. The paintings are all of precious cottages or villages. They're all glowing light sources and sparkles," she said. "Some people like it, but it's not supposed to real."

"Oh, I know what you mean. Yeah, that's a pretty good description of this place."

"We're definitely in some kind of fairy-realm," Isabella replied. "There aren't any spirits here. Put on your rings."

Each woman put on a ring identical to Maryann's.

Isabella stuck a piece of paper to the tree that formed the doorway.

"Um, so did that door close?" Leah asked.

"Yes."

"Shouldn't we put a doorstop it in or something so we can get back?"

"No! Never ever leave a door open," she replied so forcefully the other two were taken aback. She took a breath to calm down. "My grandmother taught me about doors. Open doors are how you get problems like that god at the Ren Fair and Friedle-goth. The door stays shut. This charm will mark the door and I should be able to find it again."

"Okay, okay, you make a good point. How are we going to find Maryann anyway?" Leah asked.

"I have no idea. I'm hoping she can help us find her."

"Great. Is there any other way we can do this? Can we figure out where Jack took her? Do fairies typically do stuff like that?" Nora asked.

"The thing is that most stories only focus on some types of fairy-kind. They aren't all the same," Isabella said.

"So it's like supernatural stereotyping?" Leah interrupted.

"Yeah, something like that. So I can guess, but I could be wrong."

"Well, not that I want to be in favor of stereotyping here," Nora said wryly, "but there's a reason certain stories get around. So let's go with that as a start."

"Alright. Well, fairies tend to be vain and petty. I'm surprised he didn't put a spell on her."

"I think he tried, but we all keep these rings in our purses. Even Maryann," Leah said.

"I'm glad she had that. Well, there seems to be a bit of a path here, so we'll follow that, but keep an eye out. Maybe Maryann left us a clue or maybe we'll be able to hear her."

"Just once I'd like to have a plan before we do something like this," Leah sighed.

"Then you think of one," Nora snapped.

"Ladies. Come on," Isabella said sternly.

They followed the winding path for what seemed like a long time without hearing or seeing any signs of Maryann. Finally Isabella caught sight of something unusual.

"I think I see something."

"I see lots of things. I hope you mean you think you see Maryann," Leah replied.

Nora rolled her eyes.

Isabella thought she was seeing spirit flame, which was not expected in a fairy realm, so she assumed Maryann was trying to get their attention. She was right. They came across the caged clearing and could see Maryann sitting on the ground with her eyes closed in meditation. To Isabella, she was glowing with fire. "Maryann," she said in a low voice.

She opened her eyes. "There you are!" she squealed, and then lowered her voice.

The spell was broken and the spirit flames disappeared from Isabella's spirit sight.

"Jack left to get a picnic lunch," she continued. "I don't know when he'll be back."

"Then we'd better hurry up and get you out of there," Leah said. "Luckily, I think I'm prepared." She gestured at the heavy duffel bag.

"Prepared to break me out of a cage and escape from Fairyland?" Maryann asked doubtfully.

"Well, no, not that specific scenario, but I'm prepared for you getting kidnapped. It was only a matter of time."

"Hey! Why me?" Maryann asked. "You guys could get kidnapped too."

The other three gave her withering looks.

"Please. It's you," Nora said. "You couldn't be more kidnappable if your name was 'Daphne.'"

"Nice lampshade," Leah replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"Fine, fine, whatever, just get me out of here," Maryann said crossly.

"Leah, is there anything in the emergency kit to cut these bars?" Isabella asked.

She looked through the emergency kit. "I've got some bolt-cutters. Branch loppers would be better, but I didn't know I'd need those."

"Why in the world did you think you'd need bolt-cutters?" Nora asked.

"For cutting locks and through chain-link fences. You have no idea how many characters in horror movies and action flicks die because they're trapped by a chain-link fence with a simple padlock. Also, it makes a good bludgeoning weapon. It is really heavy though."

"Well, if it'll work, get to it."

Leah cut at the vines with the bolt-cutters while the other two tried to pull at the vines to open up a hole for Maryann. The bolt-cutters weren't really the best tool for the job, but she hacked through enough vines for Maryann to squeeze through. Isabella and Nora had to help pull her through, and she ripped her dress, but finally she was free.

"Come on, before Jack gets back," Isabella said. She centered on the beacon she had left by the door and lead the others away from the clearing as fast as she could.

They were within sight of the door when Jack suddenly appeared in front of it looking angry. They skidded to a halt.

"Anna, that wasn't nice." He looked at them all with his vibrant green eyes. "Your friends are not as dull as I thought. I have no idea what this little charm says but I assume it is something you need." He ripped it off the tree and set it on fire. "Oh, too bad."

"Tell me that wasn't important," Leah said.

"Get the poker out," Isabella said.

Leah pulled out the antique fireplace poker and brandished it at Jack.

He leaped into a tree. "That is not nice," he snapped.

Isabella pushed them up to the door. "Draw a circle."

Leah was confused, but she drew a circle around them with the poker as Isabella wrote kanji on another piece of paper.

Jack hissed at them in a way that was very reminiscent of a snake. "That's not nice." His eyes glowed green and the plants outside the circle started to grow at a rapid rate and thrash and move.

"Hurry up," Nora said as the plants threatened them, but they would not cross the thin line of iron left in the dirt from the poker.

"Give me a minute," Isabella replied stiffly. She put the charm in the air between the oak trees. The space between them shimmered for a moment and the real world came into focus. It was nearly sundown and there were few people to be seen. "Let's go!" They broke the circle and charged the door. The plants erupted behind them.

Dave had written a draft of his essay with some notes to go back and do some research. He locked up the van and went in search of food. The festival was clearly winding down and a lot of people had already left in order to beat the traffic. He checked his phone, again, to see if there were any texts from the band. He sent another text and it didn't go through. He sighed and took a sip of his drink and wandered around the perimeter of the festival. He was passing by a pair of oak trees when they started to shimmer and glow.

"Well, that's not normal," he thought, stopping to watch but not getting any closer.

The band scrambled out the door with the writhing mass of plants reaching to grab them. One long vine wrapped around Maryann's ankle and pulled.

"Aahhh!" she screamed as she fell.

Leah ran up and hit the vine with the fireplace poker. "Shut the door! Shut the door!" she yelled.

Nora grabbed Maryann's hands to keep her from getting dragged back into the fairy realm. "Hang on!"

"I am I am," Maryann cried.

They could see Jack standing behind the angry plants with his eyes glowing bright green.

"I'm trying!" Isabella shouted back. She quickly wrote out another kanji, wrapped it around a rock, and threw it at the door.

The kanji stuck to the air, glowed white, and the door shut. The plants were cut off from the fairy realm and fell limp against the ground and vanished. Nora managed to not lose her balance as the force pulling against Maryann disappeared. They slowly became aware of Dave staring at them and they slowly turned to look at him.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what the hell is going on?" he said.

The four women looked at each other unsure how to answer the question.

Leah spoke up first. "Dave, the supernatural is real, Maryann and Isabella can do magic stuff, and we just fought off a scary bunch of fairy plants."

He was silent for a moment.

"I'm sure this is hard to accept," Maryann started.

"Oh, no," Dave interrupted. "This actually makes things make a lot of sense."

"It does?" she replied.

"Yeah. So, um, are we safe now?"

"We should probably go now," Isabella said. "Jack can clearly open that door."

"Okay, I'm following you guys now," he said.

They quickly walked away from the two oak trees towards the van.

"Is Jack going to try to kidnap Maryann again?" Nora asked.

"Hey!"

"I don't know, but there aren't a lot of doors to Fairyland, not like that," she said. "It would be hard for him to reach her in a less natural setting."

"Does this mean we can't come to the festival again next year?" Maryann asked.

"Yeah, except for the stalker elf, it was great fun," Nora said dryly.

"I was actually thinking about our fanbase," she replied irritably.

Suddenly Jack appeared right behind them. His eyes were no longer glowing but he looked less human than before.

Leah drew a quick circle with the poker before anyone even asked.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary," he said. "You've won. You got out, and I had fun, so no harm done, right?" He smiled pleasantly.

"Leave us the hell alone and get out of here before I give you a piece of my mind," Nora snapped, getting ready to do just that.

He sort of shook his head. "I hope you come back."

"Not if you're going to kidnap me again!" Maryann retorted.

"It will really make it hard to get fans if we can't come back or end up missing a band member," Dave said.

Jack blinked, and then laughed. "No, there will be no further attempts."

"Fairies are notorious for lying."

He smiled. "Well, there is that. But I do wish you the best of luck with your musical endeavors. Well played, Anna, well played." He bowed, and then vanished.

Dave leaned over to Leah. "I see what you mean about Maryann and guys."

She nodded. "I know, right?"

"Do we believe him?" Maryann asked worried.

"No. We'll just be careful next time we come here. We know where he is and we know enough about what he is that we can protect ourselves," Isabella replied. "Now, let's get Dave to an Internet connection."

"I'd really like that."

They loaded up into the van.

"You know what he said, 'I had fun, so no harm done,' almost sounds like of like a song lyric. Would you mind if I tried my hand at songwriting?"

"Be our guest," Leah said. "If we like it, we'll play it and give you credit."

"Cool. So, do you guys have stuff like this happen to you a lot?" Dave asked.

"You have no idea."

"Then tell me."

They looked at each other questioningly, except for Isabella who was driving. "It's fine," Isabella said. "But you have to tell us why you weren't that surprised."

"Sure. Fair's fair. But you guys go first."

"Well," Leah said, "for us as a group, it all started at a Ren Fair..."

The Lyrics:

Shhh come closer

I've got something for you to hear

Hey take it easy

I'm not someone for you to fear

Misunderstood is what I've been

Haunted by my troubled past

Done some things I'd later regret

Stuck with a reputation that will always last

I may have done wrong throughout my time

May have crossed some people and crossed some lines

I'm a bad seed

Deemed that way for what I've done

I'm a bad seed

Yet it was all done out of fun

Refrain: I'm a bad seed

I've done things I'll never admit

I'm a bad seed

I've never known when to quit

Done lots of things

To lose people's trust

Done plenty of things

At the time I thought was a must

Don't give me that look

Like I'm pulling your leg

I know I'm being evasive

And extremely vague

I'm not trying to admit to anything specific

Just saying I've done things I thought were terrific

Refrain

I may have done wrong throughout my time

May have crossed some people or crossed some lines

I'm a bad seed

Deemed that way for what I've done

I'm a bad seed

Yet it was all done out of fun

Track 9 - Calm Before the Storm

The Interview:

Bryan: Well, this song made the adult contemporary chart.

Belle: Is there something wrong with that?

Kelly: It's really not what's expected.

Lee: So we can do country but not AC?

Bryan: Well, I wouldn't say that, but this is so, well, almost mainstream.

Anna: I'm still not seeing the problem.

Kelly: Even the topic seems, well, conventional. Two people are in a relationship and one won't talk to the other and instead bottles up their feelings until they get too angry and then they let all their feelings out like a storm.

Lenore: Thank you for so accurately describing the metaphor.

Bryan: We thought you didn't want to be conventional, and your other songs aren't about something this conventional.

Lenore: We want to be a great band. We want to play the songs we write. We want to write new songs. Being conventional or unconventional doesn't really come into our creative process. Admittedly, unconventional gets attention. But unconventional isn't necessarily better than conventional.

Belle: And being unconventional for its own sake is, well, pretty conventional, actually. Also, we, like most artists, are inspired by what we experience. We are just people too, which means what we experience isn't that different from what other people experience.

Lee: Sometimes... more or less, maybe...

Belle: So it means sometimes we're going to produce something that is going to sound more normal, like two people who don't say what they need to each other.

Lenore: And it seems you've had a lot to say about our other tracks, particularly how unconventional they are.

Kelly: This is what makes this one so weird.

Lee: So conventional is the new weird. Good to know.

Anna: We thought the topic fit in with our other songs, and we thought a straightforward adult contemporary track would follow well with the country-like song. Do you really think it's that jarring when you listen to the whole album?

Bryan: Well, no.

Belle: Then I think we've done our job. And even our most conventional song still got you thinking about our music.

The Inside Story:

The band members of Nevermore and the Ravens had finished up a show, checked into their hotel, and were getting ready for some much deserved sleep.

"It's been quiet, don't you think?" Leah asked.

"What's been quiet?" Maryann said, her voice muffled by her toothbrush.

"You know, everything. There hasn't been anything weird happen to us in, like, a month."

"So? I thought you didn't mind that."

"Well, I guess not," Leah replied. "But that's kind of weird, don't you think?"

Maryann sort of rolled her eyes and finished up in the bathroom. "Nora would say you're looking for trouble."

"I only look for trouble when I'm playing Munchkin."

Maryann stared at her blankly.

Leah sighed. "Never mind. I'm not looking for trouble, but trouble looks for us. Especially you."

"Humph."

"I'm just sayin'. Anyway, if trouble hasn't found us yet, I think that's weird. We're weirdness magnets. But there's been nothing. No haunted houses, no malevolent spirits, no open doors into other realms. It's like the trouble is just building up so it's going to be worse when it hits."

"Like the calm before the storm?" Maryann asked as scathingly as she could.

"Sure, maybe. It's just, well, weird. That's all I'm saying, I guess. You done in there?"

The redhead nodded.

"You don't think anything's weird?"

She consulted her journal. "Well, one thing's weird. I didn't write down when we met Ryuu."

"You write that kind of stuff down?"

"I write everything down. I never know what will give me inspiration to write a new song," she said brightly.

Leah managed to not roll her eyes. "Anything else?"

"Weird? Not exactly, but you're right, Leah, it has been pretty quiet lately. Except for the weather. I think we've gotten rained on at every show. We're lucky the outdoor gigs haven't been rained out yet."

"Do you think it means something?"

"What, the quiet or the weather?"

"Either or both," Leah replied.

"Nora would say I think everything means something."

"I'm not Nora, so what do you think?"

"I think if you're thinking something's off, something's probably off," Maryann said finally. "I mean, you're not very intuitive."

"Yeah, I'm always the last to know," she said wryly. "I guess there's not very much we can do, though, except wait and see what happens."

"Sometimes that's just how it is."

Later, two doors down, the other two band members woke up to the sound of a ringtone.

"What in the hell?" Nora mumbled, feeling around for the phone.

Isabella squinted at the alarm clock in the hotel room until she could make out the numbers. "It's five in the morning," she sighed. They had been asleep for about three hours.

Nora found her phone. "Hello?...What?...No, I'm not in Philadelphia...no, I told you that...no, look, hold on...," she said into the phone, then turned to Isabella. "It's Mom. Sorry about this," she said, and went into the bathroom to talk and allow Isabella to try to get back to sleep.

The next time they woke up it was to an alarm and considerably later. They got a quick breakfast and immediately started to pack up.

"Morning, everyone!" a short, pale-skinned young man with sunglasses said to them as they loaded the van. He was wearing a t-shirt with the band's current logo and a pair of jeans. "Isabella, what's with Nora?"

She blinked at him a moment as though she did not recognize him. "Oh, Ryuu. She's just in a bad mood. Today is Sharon's graduation and her mom called to ask her when she was going to get there."

"Um, that's in Philadelphia, right?"

"You begin to see the problem," Leah said, overhearing the conversation. "What time was this phone call?'

"Eight in the morning, eastern time."

"So that would be what, five our time? Well, that explains a lot. We should be extra nice today."

"I'm extra nice every day," Maryann said, joining them. "What are we talking about?"

"Sharon's graduating today," Isabella replied.

The redhead frowned. "Oh."

Ryuu looked confused. "I don't understand. We obviously can't get to Philadelphia today, but what's the problem? Did Nora want to go?"

The young women exchanged meaningful glances. "Nora's family expected her to be there, I think, even though she told them she wouldn't be able to make it," Isabella finally answered.

"Well, that's kind of silly of them."

"Yeah, it is," Leah said darkly. "Anyway, let's hit the road, roadie."

"Sure thing!" he said, and resumed helping them pack up their van.

The cargo van was quite large, but only had four seats. Ryuu had a makeshift seat in the back which probably wasn't legal or very safe. Nora was in a bad mood all day, and consequently there wasn't much conversation as they headed to the next show, except to comment that yes, it was indeed raining again.

Two days later, Nora was still in an obvious bad mood. She'd had several more calls with her family than she expected over missing her sister's graduation.

"I really don't understand," Ryuu said to Isabella as they unpacked at the hotel that evening. "Why is Nora so upset?"

"Because her family is upset at her," Isabella answered.

"So? Family gets like that and for no good reason," he snapped, but his anger didn't seem directed at Nora's situation.

"Yeah, yeah, they do. But, they say, blood is thicker than water."

"I've never heard that before."

"Really? It just means that people put up with a lot from their family that they wouldn't put up with otherwise."

Ryuu frowned. "But why put up with it? Why doesn't she just do her thing and not talk to them ever again?"

"Because she wants to be a part of her family, so she puts up with them, even when they're being demanding, even when they're being unreasonable. Why are you asking? Does your family not like you being a roadie?"

"Um, well, they haven't said anything."

"Some of us get lucky," Isabella said, looking at Maryann, who could not hear the conversation. "Some of us have more understanding families than others. Anyway, don't worry about Nora. She'll get over it, especially since we've got that festival on Saturday." She consulted her phone about the weather forecast. "Assuming we don't get rained out."

"Um, I'm sure it will be fine," Ryuu said, oddly looking a little flushed. Isabella didn't notice. "Here, let me get that stuff," he said, and quickly got back to work.

"Speaking of family, I think I should call my grandmother," Isabella thought.

Nora's troubles with her family actually caused the other two to have the same thought as Isabella, and that night they all made some long overdue phone and/or video calls. After some awkward conversations and unexpected revelations, Leah knocked on the door that joined her and Maryann's room to Isabella and Nora's. "Hey, can we talk before bedtime?"

"Sure," Isabella said.

In a few minutes, they all congregated in Isabella and Nora's room.

"Soooo, this is going to sound like a weird question," Leah said, "but when did we get a roadie?"

"We've always had a roadie," Maryann answered.

"Yeah, but, did we always have a roadie yesterday?"

The four looked at each other.

"You know, I've kind of been wondering about that too," Nora said. "I don't really remember when we picked up Ryuu."

"I don't either, and I didn't write it down," Maryann said.

"And I don't remember why we thought we needed a roadie," Isabella said.

"He's been really helpful," the redhead countered.

"Yes, but we've been tricked or manipulated or enchanted and I don't like that," Nora shot back.

"Ladies, let's be calm here," Isabella said. "Something is going on. We don't even know if Ryuu is the cause. He could just be caught up in something."

"Okay, I suppose that's true. So how do we figure that out?"

"Divination!" Maryann chimed in. "I'll get my cards." She rummaged around in her luggage and pulled out her favorite tarot deck. "I'll make this easy. First, who is being affected?" The card she flipped up was the Eight of Coins. "Oh, that's us. That's good. See, that's a craftsman hard at work. Okay, next, what is going on?" She flipped up a reversed Moon. "We're being deceived."

"I think we guessed this, Maryann," Nora said dryly.

"And who or what is the cause?" she said, and flipped over the Page of Swords, reversed.

"Isabella?" Leah asked.

"Oh, no," Maryann cut in first. "Isabella is obviously the Queen of Swords in any of my readings. This is a spy, and someone who is afraid of something. And the only new person in our lives this could be referring to is Ryuu," she sighed.

"Why would someone be spying on us?" Leah asked. "And hauling our gear?"

"I don't know," Isabella said, "and we need to talk to Ryuu and find out what's really going here, and why he's deceiving us and what he's afraid of. I wonder if his presence explains all the strange weather."

"Well, you know, climate change," Leah said.

"Not that kind weather stuff," Isabella sighed.

"I agree. Something very strange is going on with the weather," Nora said.

"Swords are also the suit of air. And it's been quiet," Maryann added. "You know, no ghosts or spirits or anything at all."

"That's true," Isabella said thoughtfully. "I haven't been approached by any spirits for at least a couple of weeks, if not longer. I wonder if something about Ryuu is keeping them away."

"I don't like it," Nora said. "I mean, I like it quiet, but I know that's weird in and of itself. And I don't like the weather. You know that the festival may be canceled because of bad weather. Right now it's looking like it might end up a hurricane."

"Does that happen in Washington?" Leah asked.

"Not often," she answered.

"We should be really careful," Isabella said. "We don't have any idea what we're really dealing with here and it managed to cast a pretty powerful spell or something on us. The only reason I started thinking something was wrong was because my grandmother Ami was asking about Ryuu and I didn't have any answers. And usually I'm really in tune with weather changes but I sure haven't been lately."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Maryann said. "I told Mom and Dad and they were like, 'when did you get a roadie,' and I didn't really know."

"Hey, I thought something was weird," Leah said proudly.

"Did you think it was Ryuu?" Nora returned sharply.

"No, but hey, at least I caught on something was off. Wait, that made sense, right?"

Nora shook her head.

"If it is powerful," Maryann said, trying to re-focus the conversation, "That means spirit sight may not help a lot."

"No, not if it's not a spirit. Even if it is, it could be powerful enough to hide from my spell," Isabella agreed.

"So we have to hope it wants to talk to us?" Nora asked dryly.

"We've got the emergency kit," Leah said.

"We can't beat him up!" Maryann said.

Leah shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to be prepared."

"Let's try to talk to him in the morning. And just talk. Remember, the divination said he's afraid of something. We don't want to startle him into doing something we'll all regret," Isabella said. "But let's leave some reminders just in case he casts another spell on us or something."

They all made notes in their various devices and went to bed.

Ryuu did not join them for breakfast. He texted them to let them know he was going ahead to the festival site to scout out the stages. They gathered up their gear and headed out to the festival site. The weather did not look very promising. The wind was whipping in from the ocean and the skies were cloudy.

Ryuu walked up to them. "Okay, so the manager says the festival is still on but he's watching the weather reports and hopefully we'll be able to get through this. Um, is something wrong?"

"We need to talk," Isabella said. "Come on."

He looked apprehensive but followed the band back to their van.

Maryann, who was the designated spokeswoman because everyone agreed she was the nicest, stepped forward. "Ryuu, we think you're a great roadie, but we also think you've been lying to us, and we'd really like you to tell us the truth."

"Lying? Lying about what?" he replied nervously.

"Ryuu," she sighed. "None of us remember asking you to be our roadie. None of us remember exactly when you joined us. There's something funny going on with our memories. We're not mad at you..."

"Not yet," Nora thought.

"...but we do want to know what's really going on here, okay?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I have been lying to you. And I used a spell to make you like me and hire me as a roadie."

"Would you kindly dispel that?" Nora asked in her most coldly polite voice.

"Oh, sure, sure," he said, and waved his hands. The spell broke and suddenly they remembered that Ryuu just showed up and declared he was their roadie and they went along with it.

"Why did you do that?" Maryann asked. "We wouldn't necessarily mind having a roadie. You didn't have to enchant us."

"Well, I was afraid you'd figure out something else was going on if I didn't."

"And what else is going on? What are you afraid of?"

"I kind of ran away from home and I think my family's looking for me," he said. "I'm afraid they're going to find me soon and make me go home."

"Why did you run away?"

"Because my family wanted me to just stay home and learn the family business. I knew there were other worlds out there and I wanted to see them. My kind aren't usually terribly curious."

"Your kind?" Leah repeated with a raised eyebrow. "You're not human?"

"No, not really. Not even close, actually. I just took this form so you wouldn't be afraid of me. But anyway, I wanted to see some of the other worlds. The Great Storm touches most worlds, so I just had to find a weakness in the Barrier. I pushed through and found myself here. I observed this world for a little while and realized the best way to really see this world, and hide from my family, was take human shape. Then I thought I should join with a group of wanderers so I wouldn't be alone. I liked your band and your music and thought if I made myself useful I could stay awhile."

"The Great Storm? The Barrier?" Nora repeated. "What are you, Ryuu?"

He gave a short laugh. "I, um, actually told you. I'm not really hiding it that well. It's the name I took, you see. You can look up the meaning."

"Are you the reason for all this weird weather?" Nora asked as the others consulted their favorite search engines. "This weather is not normal."

He looked at her and blinked. "You would notice such things, as would she," he said, glancing at Isabella. "I'm not doing this, exactly. I think my family's figured out which world I ran away to and they're probably coming to get me. But I don't want to go! I like being out on my own. There are more than enough of us to bring the storms."

"Dragon!" Leah exclaimed. "You're-you're a dragon?"

He nodded. "That's the closest description I could find in this world's languages. I think I'm more of what you call an Eastern-tradition style dragon which is why I picked my name. My world is the Great Storm and my kind are what you can call storm-dragons."

"So you're kind of an elemental creature?" Maryann asked.

"I suppose if you want to look at it that way." His eyes started to change to a dark, stormy blue color. "We are shepherds, if you will. We herd the winds and rain using lightning and thunder and take the storms where they must go. Sometimes the storms get out of control. Sometimes there are bad shepherds that like bringing devastating storms."

"Did one of your kind have some sort of vendetta against Buffalo a few years ago?" Isabella asked.

He cocked his head to the side. "Maybe?"

She handed him her phone, which was showing an article about the freak blizzard.

"It is possible although I can't say for sure. There are many entities that try to control aspects of the Great Storm. That is why we watch over it."

"But you don't want to," Nora said.

"I want to do something else with my life!" he snapped. "Why should I be bound to one task my entire life simply because of how I was born? There are whole families of storm-dragons. One less shepherd will not be a noticeable loss." He sat down in the back of the van with the band members looking at him thoughtfully. "I decided to travel with you because I could hear in your music you know where I'm coming from. Your parents had other expectations of your lives and you had the courage to defy them and try to live your life on your terms. Surely you understand where I'm coming from?"

Nora could feel the anger of the sea and looking at Isabella, she knew Isabella could feel anxiety in the winds.

"We do understand," Maryann said sympathetically. "But we didn't run away from home. We told our parents what we were going to do. Your family must be worried that you're lost or hurt and need help."

"They don't care," he said sullenly. "They don't care as long as I get back to work."

Isabella was now looking at a weather forecast. "If your family did come to get you, exactly what would that mean for us? Weather-wise, I mean?"

"Well, they are angry at me so they would probably not be too careful shepherding the Great Storm. I imagine the weather here could get quite destructive."

"Here's a problem. We're on the West coast at the wrong time of the year to be in the path of a storm that's not supposed to be moving eastward anyway and here it is on the radar. I know this storm is not natural. Right now it looks like the meteorologists aren't sure if this is going to turn into an all-out hurricane, but I'm going to guess it is because of what you just said to us. There are a lot of people who could potentially get hurt if this storm system turns in to a hurricane, Ryuu."

"I don't want to go back!"

"You don't have to go back forever," Maryann said. "But you need to make sure your family knows you're safe and not hurt. Otherwise a whole lot of people, including us, are going to get hurt."

"There's not enough time for us to evacuate to safety," Isabella said. "It's moving too fast."

As she said that, one of the festival organizers appeared. "You need to get out of here. We're canceling due to the storm." He handed them an emergency management brochure. "Try to get to one of the storm shelters." Then he darted off.

"See?"

"But I don't want to have to go back," he said again.

"Here are your options," Nora said firmly. "Your family has nearly found you. If you run away again, they'll find you again. And if you run away now you'll leave the State of Washington to deal with the mess and risk a whole lot more people getting hurt as you keep running and running. And if you really don't care about the lives of anyone on this world, well, we can't make you care and we can't stop you from running."

"It's not like that," he said. "I like you girls a lot or I wouldn't have been lifting heavy stuff for you for the past few months."

"I'm glad to hear that. And here's your second option. Take responsibility for your life. That may mean you have to go back home until you figure out how to deal with your family. I'm not saying you have to stay," Nora said quickly, "But you need to let them know you are safe and don't need their help."

"All this really means is that they do care for you," Maryann said, gesturing at the very angry sky. "If they really didn't care, they wouldn't have come looking for you. They would have just written you off and continuing working."

"And we've just been upgraded to hurricane warning," Leah interjected. "Just so you know."

Ryuu really looked miserable. "But it's not fair!"

"No one promised any of us that life would be fair," Nora replied. "You've been around humans long enough to know that your kind aren't the only ones that tell people who they ought to be based on how they were born. So don't listen to them. Unless you're afraid your family will actually imprison or restrain you, you need to go back and tell them who you want to be."

"They won't listen," he said sullenly.

"Then you tell them again and again and you become what you want to be in spite of them," Nora said. "And know that they may never accept who you truly are. And believe me I know how hard that is going to be."

"So do I," Leah added.

Lightning flashed across the sky followed by thunder so loud they were nearly deafened. Then the skies opened up and it started to pour down rain.

Ryuu's eyes were glowing. "They've found me," he said. Although he didn't seem to raise his voice they had no problems hearing him.

"Ryuu, please don't run away again," Maryann shouted over the torrential rain. "They'll find you and you'll just have to run away again. You'll spend your whole life running. You don't want that, do you?"

He shook his head. "No." He stood up. "You're right. I have to go back. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"It's fine!" Leah bellowed. "You were a great roadie!"

"We'll miss you!" Maryann screamed. "Good luck with your family!"

He smiled and took a few steps forward away from the vans. His whole body started to glow and stretch. Within a minute, his shape was not even remotely human. He was about thirty feet long, serpentine, with two front legs and two back legs that seemed small relative to his total size, and a draconian head. His scales shimmered between blinding white to gray that was nearly black and his purple-blue color-shifting eyes flashed with lightning.

The band did the only reasonable thing \- they screamed and stumbled backwards into the van.

"This is why I took a human form," Ryuu said in a voice that sounded like a breeze rustling thousands of sails.

"Thank you," Leah managed to say in a small voice.

He heard her over the driving rain and smiled. "Thank you again for allowing me to travel with you. Perhaps we shall meet again."

They nodded mutely. The storm-dragon launched into the air. They stuck their heads out and stared at the dark sky. Flashes of lightning illuminated Ryuu as well as several other similar-looking creatures, although some seemed much, much larger. After about ten minutes of near constant lightning and thunder the rain stopped and the clouds started to break up.

"A freakin' dragon! Are you kidding me?" Leah said. "Of all the things we've met and I thought we'd ever met, I actually never thought we'd really meet a dragon!"

"I'm not sure it was actually a dragon," Isabella replied. "It's more like a storm elemental, I think. It's not a spirit, I know that."

"What I know is that we're damn lucky we hadn't unloaded any of our gear yet," Nora said. "Now we'd better find someone in charge and find out what happens now. I mean, obviously the festival is canceled but we should find out if they're planning to reschedule."

"We just met a dragon!" Maryann said breathlessly. "And you're thinking about that?"

Nora shrugged. "Someone needs to focus. That was pretty incredible, but we do have a gig to worry about."

"You know, we should have figured there was something weird about that guy when Maryann didn't fall for him straight away," Leah said.

"Hey!" Maryann replied.

"Ladies! Come on, Nora is right. We can be awed later. Now we've got work to do."

"For all that, I hope things work out for Ryuu with his family," Maryann said.

Leah and Nora looked at each other. "We hope so too," Leah said. "Oh, darn it!"

"What?" Maryann asked.

"It just occurred to me having a dragon traveling with us may be why everything's been so quiet lately. He would have been great to have at the Pandemonium Festival."

"Oh, damn it, you're right," Nora sighed.

"Well, it's better this way," Maryann said.

They closed up the van and followed Isabella in search of the festival managers.

The Lyrics:

The conversation turns cold

Thunder rumbles in the skies

Darkness and stillness reign

Lightning flashes in your eyes

A light, sunny and fun day

Is now dark and overcast

Anger mounts like thunderheads

The front is approaching fast

Refrain: Changes are unexpected

But you're being true to form

The tension builds but nothing is said

In the calm before the storm

The conversation turns sharp

As you continue to seethe

The pressure is increasing

I hardly dare to breathe

Silence says nothing to me

And fights make my heart ache

Please, why can't you talk to me

Before the thunderstorm breaks?

Refrain

Now comes the emotional deluge

And there is no place to find refuge

And now the rain has passed through

And please know I care for you

And I know you're only doing your best

But I just can't endure another tempest

We need to find a better way; a new norm

Let's find a way to calm the angry storm.

Track 10 - How You Play the Game

The Interview:

Bryan: This next track has the definite feel of 1970s Southern Rock. This also probably is the least dark-toned song both in terms of music and lyrics.

Lee: Wow, how the heck did that happen?

Kelly: [laughs] You should tell us. You wrote the song.

Bryan: Are any of you sports fans? Or did you just like the metaphor?

Lenore: We may or may not be sports fans, yes. But we also like the metaphor.

Kelly: Is there any specific inspiration for this song?

Anna: Yes, actually.

Bryan: Well, what is it?

Belle: A game, obviously.

Kelly: Come on, ladies, you've got to give us something else to go on.

Lee: It was just a pick-up game between us and some people we just met. Just a friendly pick-up game.

Bryan: Friendly? Really? I think maybe that's not entirely true.

Anna: It's not. But really, our inspiration was a game.

Kelly: Wow, I guess with all the vague and evasive answers you've given us during this interview, I didn't expect you to give us a straight answer.

Bryan: Or one that's so, well, normal.

Lee: I said it was just a pick-up game, not that it was normal.

Kelly: You aren't going to expand on that, are you?

Anna: Sorry.

The Inside Story:

The band called Nevermore and the Ravens was on the road again, this time to a familiar location in the Mojave Desert.

"I can't believe we're doing this again," Nora said irritably.

"I can't believe mi Abuela agreed to lend us the RV after last time," Leah commented.

"Seriously, why in the world are we doing this? The last time was a disaster," Nora said.

Isabella sighed from her usual position driving the vehicle, in this case Leah's grandmother's small recreational vehicle. "We're playing the Second Annual Pandemonium Festival because Mr. Rafel booked the show. He said the organizers asked for Nevermore and the Ravens specifically."

"That's only because we're one of the few bands that got through our set," she snapped.

"It wasn't that bad," Maryann said. "I mean, yeah, the weather was weird and the RV got banged up, but we had fun, right?"

Nora narrowed her eyes. "That guy you hooked up with last year isn't going to be here, is he?"

The redhead rolled her eyes. "His name was Alex Crowell, and no. I tried to keep in touch with him, but I think he got hacked or something because I started getting spam from his email and his page disappeared."

"Well, maybe he shouldn't be dealing with a chaos goddess."

"Ladies," Isabella said firmly. "We are not getting into that. I just hope we don't get the weird weather again. We're set to play tomorrow night; I hope the festival lasts that long."

"It's still going to be freakin' hot," Nora muttered.

"I brought lots of sunscreen," Maryann said brightly.

Isabella navigated the van through the dusty lanes marked by cones and signs. "Well, this is an improvement over last year," she said. They eventually parked in the area designated for acts and set out to find the various managers to get fully registered. The process went smoothly, and they returned to the RV for dinner.

"You aren't going to complain the whole time again, are you?" Maryann asked Nora as she warmed up dinner in the RV's tiny microwave.

"I didn't complain the whole time last time," Nora retorted. "But it is hot and the RV just isn't big enough for the four of us and all our gear."

That was true. Most of the space was taken up by their instruments, costumes, and other band gear, as well as many battery-powered fans as they could fit. Their camping gear was tied to the roof.

"A gig is a gig," Leah said with a shrug. "Maryann, do you want to pitch some tents outside tonight? It might be cooler than trying to bunk down in the RV."

"Sure!"

Nora rolled her eyes and shook her head. "So, card games again?"

"You can pick the game," Maryann said.

"Great. So how early do we have to get up?"

"Early," Isabella said. "The Festival starts at 10:00 tomorrow, officially. I thought we'd probably want to get out early and drum up some enthusiasm for our show. We're set for 11:00 PM on the Bedlam Stage. Assuming, of course, nothing changes."

"I am assuming nothing of the sort," Leah said.

The others agreed. They played some card games for a couple of hours and Maryann and Leah did pitch tents outside. Isabella had room to put down a sleeping bag on the floor while Nora took the real bed.

The alarm went off early. Leah and Maryann stashed their tents and they ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast.

"I had a dream last night," Maryann said, chewing her sandwich thoughtfully.

"So did I. I dreamed that we found a violin case full of money but a dog puppet stole it," Leah replied.

The other three stared at her for a minute.

"Your brain must be a very strange place," Nora said.

Leah shrugged. "I never suggested otherwise."

"I dreamed about the festival, but everyone was dead. The ground was just covered in bodies. There were ravens or crows or some kind of carrion bird pecking at all the bodies. The moon was red and it had two tiny black moons orbiting it, so maybe it was a planet. And there was this girl, like, our age, walking around the bodies. She had bloody ribbons in her hair and was eating a shiny yellow apple and laughing like it was some big joke."

"Maybe it was Mars," Isabella said after a few moments of silence. "It's the red planet and it has two moons, Phobos and Deimos. And Mars is the god of war, so maybe everyone was dead because there had been some kind of battle."

"Whatever it means, that's creepy," Leah said with a shudder.

"Yeah," Maryann replied, looking uncharacteristically upset.

"Okay, okay, there's nothing we can do except be prepared for trouble, right?" Nora asked. "So let's find some kind of costume to wear today before the show so we can meet potential fans."

"Can I put some protection spells on everyone, please?" Maryann asked. "Just in case?"

"If it'll make you feel better, go ahead," Nora answered.

The redhead brightened immediately. "Cool! I'll get my stuff."

"So, what costumes are we going to wear for the day?" Isabella asked Leah.

"Something light, please something light," Nora answered. "No leather, no black."

"Um, you know it's hard for me to avoid black," Leah said. "It's kind of our thing. But I did my best, so hopefully we won't be too sweaty for any fans."

"Ugh, unlikely."

"I even got us matching hats."

"That's helpful for avoiding heatstroke anyway," Nora sighed.

The costumes were a take on a classic 1940s style cocktail dress, in black and white, but made of lightweight material, and floppy white straw hats with a black ribbon and a black feather. The temperature was so high wigs were out of the question, so they put their hair up in buns and donned large, matching sunglasses, and, of course, plenty of sunscreen. Leah had even found matching white fans that would fit in their purses or hang from wrist-straps. The look was slightly brought down by the white sneakers they were all wearing, but none of them wanted to wear heavier shoes in the heat or wear fancier shoes in the desert. Maryann cast protection spells on the group before they went outside.

They were feeling more optimistic until they exited the RV and saw a large raven had taken up roost on the roof.

"Okay, so we have a carrion bird on our roof," Leah said. "That's great. And it better not make a mess up there."

"It's just like my dream," Maryann said.

"Oh, don't be like that," Nora replied. "There are probably lots of birds around here who are going to be attracted to all the food." She looked up at it. "This is not a bust of Pallas nor is it my chamber door. Go away!"

"If it says, 'nevermore' I'm leaving," Leah whispered to Maryann.

The redhead nodded.

The bird tilted its head at them, but did not leave nor make a sound. However, in just a moment it was joined by a second raven that also looked at them oddly but seemed disinclined to leave the RV roof.

"Okay, well, let's just be going now," Leah said. "This place is so weird."

"Agreed," Nora replied. "Why are we here again?"

"A gig is a gig," Isabella sighed. "We'll leave first thing in the morning, okay?"

"Okay!" Maryann agreed immediately.

They walked away from the RV and ravens to mingle with the festival-goers and shill for their show that night.

"I feel like I should be drinking a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby in this outfit," Isabella remarked.

"I'll take your word for that," Leah replied. "I don't know what a mint julep is and I've never watched a horse race in my life."

"We'd also fit right into the horse-race scene in My Fair Lady," Nora said. "Except our hats aren't fancy enough."

"Another movie I haven't seen."

They wandered around the festival with their attention divided between the other bands and the various performance arts going on around them. They stopped every now and then to talk to festival-goers who had seen their show the year prior or were familiar with their band. They were at what was being labeled the "food court" when two tanned, beefy young men in identical outfits with similar but not quite identical features walked up to them. They were wearing denim shorts that were slightly shredded, heavy boots that looked like they were from an Army surplus store, dark red t-shirts, sleek sunglasses, and a leather cuff on their left wrists with metal studs. Their naturally black hair shone in the strong sunlight.

"Hey," said one. "Are you that girl band Nevermore and the Ravens?"

Nora stared at him through the sunglasses. "We are the band Nevermore and the Ravens," she answered stiffly. "And we happen to all be women, but we are not a 'girl band.'"

"Don't mind my idiot brothers," said a young, tanned, stocky woman who pushed her way between the two young men. She was wearing an outfit almost identical to her brothers except her shorts were shorter and she was wearing a dark red tank top. Her long hair was also naturally black but she had dyed streaks of it to be dark red. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. "Insensitive jerks," she said to the two men, who looked slightly embarrassed. "I'm Callista. These two are my younger, stupider, twin brothers, Terrence and Fred."

"Hey," they said in unison.

Maryann smiled.

"Lordy, not again," Isabella said in a low voice.

"We're Nevermore and the Ravens," Maryann said. "I'm Anna, that's Belle, Lee, and Lenore."

"We know who Lenore is," Fred said. "But she's the only one we can pick out on stage."

Nora rolled her eyes and sighed.

"But it looks like you aren't in full make-up now either," said Terrence.

"It's just too hot," Leah replied.

"So, I like your band," Callista said.

"Cool. We like new fans."

"So, are we what brought you all the way out here?" Maryann asked the young men coyly.

"Well, no, but it's a nice bonus," Fred answered. "We thought this would be fun."

"Did you hear what happened last year?" Leah blurted.

"Sure. Everything went completely wrong," Callista answered. "All the stories were about terror and dread and chaos everywhere. That's totally awesome!"

Nora looked ready to go into lecture mode, but Isabella shook her head at her. Nora sighed, "Well, to each their own, I guess, but it was no fun being caught in a haboob."

"A what?" Maryann asked.

"It's a word that means 'sandstorm.' I looked it up," she sighed again.

"So are you hungry?" Terrence asked.

"We'll buy you lunch," Fred offered.

Callista rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I'm not offering, but if you don't mind me hanging out with you for awhile, I'll make sure my brothers pay for all four of you."

"That sounds like a deal," Leah said quickly.

Nora hung behind the group slightly.

"What's wrong?" Isabella asked.

"They're trouble."

"Which one, Terrence or Fred?"

"All of them. They're all trouble."

"Even Callista?" Isabella asked.

"Especially Callista," Nora answered.

"Hey, they've got some tables out this year," Leah said as they got their food. The tables were crowded, but a fight started at one and the occupants soon cleared away, allowing them to take it over.

"So who's the lead singer?" Callista asked.

"We don't have a lead singer," Isabella replied. "We pick the singer based on the song."

"Oh. So who's the best singer?"

"It depends on the song, really. Anna can get the high notes, Lenore has a lot of power, I take the alto range, and Lee's got the contralto range."

"I'll bet you're the best singer, Anna," Fred said.

"And the best guitar player," Terrence added.

Maryann laughed. "Oh, you're so sweet."

The other four women rolled their eyes.

"Seriously, though, who is the best guitar player?" Callista asked.

"Probably Anna, actually," Leah said.

"I thought it was Belle," she replied.

"Well, thanks," Isabella said.

"So who's the best drummer?" Callista asked.

"I'll bet Anna's the best," Fred said.

Maryann giggled.

Isabella and Nora shared an annoyed look. "We all have different strengths," Isabella said diplomatically. "That's why we switch our line-up for pretty much every song. If we want to sound our best, we need everyone to play or sing whatever they're best at. We do practice to get better, of course, but we've only got so many hours in a day and we spend a lot of time on the road."

"A lot of time," Leah said emphatically.

Now Callista looked annoyed. "So who writes all your songs?"

"Song-writing is a group effort too," Isabella said.

"I'll bet yours are the best, Anna," Terrence said.

"Oh, now you're just being silly," she replied.

"So you guys, like, share everything?" Callista asked.

"Yeah, do you?" Fred asked. By the expression on his and his brother's faces, it was obvious they were thinking of something other than song-writing duties.

Callista elbowed Fred hard in the ribs. "You perverts."

"Um," they said, blushing slightly.

"I wouldn't say we share everything. But if we don't work as a team, we aren't going to make it in this business," Nora answered. "And if we aren't friends, we'd throttle each other before we ever got to a show."

Callista finally laughed.

Maryann kind of jumped and the color drained from her face. Then she shook her head. The other three band members noticed, but didn't say anything.

"Well, if you're all done eating," Callista said, "do you want to go to the stages and check out your competition?"

"I didn't think this was a competition," Leah replied mildly.

"Of course it is," Terrence said suddenly. "All these bands want to make it big and if they do, there's less chance you will."

"Well, that may be true, I guess," Maryann said, "but I don't think treating them like enemies or something is helpful."

"Sure it is," Fred replied. "You scout them out, find out what their strengths and weaknesses are, and maybe even try to steal their fans away during the show. Whatever it takes."

"Um, well, we're really not that ruthless," Leah said.

"If we're good enough, and lucky enough, we'll make it," Nora added. "Fighting with other bands doesn't serve any purpose. It doesn't make us better, and it doesn't make us luckier."

The young men sort of shrugged. "Hey, okay, whatever works for you, I guess," Terrence said. "Anyway, I'm done here so let's do something else."

They all stood up when Isabella pulled her ringing phone out of her purse. "I've got reception? I can't believe that," she said, and answered it. She spoke in short, clipped sentences and hung up after only a couple of minutes. "So that was the festival manager. We need to go talk to the Bedlam Stage manager."

"Seriously?" Leah sighed. "Just like last year."

"We'd better all go," Maryann said to the twins. "Last year they kept changing up our time and stage and at this rate we'll get over there and the manager will tell us we're on next."

"I love this place!" Callista said.

"Maybe we'll meet up later?" Fred asked hopefully.

"Sure," Maryann said. "There are only three stages and we'll be at one of them."

The band left the food court and hurried through the crowd as best they could.

"So, they're trouble," Leah remarked. "That Callista chica was really getting on my nerves. Who cares who's the best singer or drummer or whatever?"

"Obviously she cares," Nora replied dryly. "Hey, Maryann, why did you jump when Callista laughed?"

"I jumped? Oh, yeah. I don't know. It just startled me, that's all. It just set me on edge for some reason."

"You aren't going to give your number to those twins, are you?"

"No," Maryann said stiffly. "If I was, I would have done it."

"Oh. I just assumed you forgot," Nora said, just slightly contrite.

"I don't mind the guys, but their sister was annoying me too. What was her deal trying to stir up trouble like that?"

"Some people like that kind of thing," Isabella answered. "You don't mind the guys? They were acting like this was some kind of war or something."

The redhead shrugged. "Some people just view things more aggressively. But why do you think I didn't offer my number? This business is hard enough without acting like everyone's our enemy. I mean, I know Mr. Rafel represents the Widgets too, but I'm not going to spy on their shows or stalk their site or anything like that."

"They're all trouble," Nora said. "I kind of hope we don't run into them again."

They got to the Bedlam Stage and sure enough, their show time had been re-scheduled and to the much earlier time of 8:00 PM on the Anarchy Stage. The stage manager did apologize for the inconvenience.

"Can't anything happen the way it's planned here?" Nora sighed.

"You said you wouldn't complain the whole time," Maryann reminded her.

"It's not that bad," Isabella said. "But I don't have a single bar of reception right now, so maybe we'd better just hang around this area of the festival."

"Can't we just check in every hour instead?" Leah asked. "I'd rather go see some of the other shows. Frankly, some of these guys just aren't very good and I don't want to have to listen to that kind of junk all day."

"Yeah, sure, that sounds like a plan."

And that's what they did. They watched some of the performance art, which was at times funny, melodramatic, or just plain weird. They checked back in with the stage manager every hour, and as the time approached to play, they headed back to their RV to change into their actual stage costumes. When they got to the RV, they noticed there were in fact more black birds perched on top of their camper than on the other campers in the area.

"You know, it's not actually less creepy to have more birds hanging around," Leah said.

The wind shifted so abruptly that Isabella nearly passed out and the other three shivered in the early evening heat.

"What was that?" Maryann exclaimed.

"I-I don't know," Isabella said.

"It has started," croaked one of the ravens.

"That bird talked!" Leah said.

"You should follow," said the other.

"I really don't think we should," Leah countered.

"No, something's really wrong," Isabella said. "The music just stopped."

In fact, an eerie silence had descended over the whole festival. They heard no music and the din of voices that served as background noise the entire day had also ceased.

"But this isn't smart," Nora said. "We don't know what their agenda is."

"We observe and moderate, and clean up the mess," answered the first raven.

"Mess? The battlefield," Maryann whispered. "Like my dream. Okay, we're going to follow you."

The birds inclined their heads and flapped off at a slow pace, heading to the geographic center of the festival. Everyone they passed was unmoving and facing the center.

"They're under some kind of spell," Maryann said.

"Or it's the worst flash mob ever," Leah replied.

Maryann rolled her eyes. "Isabella, can you give us spirit sight?"

"I don't know if that will help, but sure," she answered, and they paused a moment. The ravens perched on the heads of two people who did not move. She quickly cast her spell and the ravens immediately flew off again. "Those birds are too clever," she muttered to the others. "They knew when I finished the spell."

"They can talk. How come that surprises you?" Leah returned.

When they reached the center, they realized the crowd had been divided in half, and the halves were facing each other, as though waiting for a signal. With the aid of Isabella's spell they could see everyone was glowing faintly with an ethereal light, but they didn't know what it meant. The ravens landed in a clear spot.

"What is going on?" Maryann asked them.

"This is the battle," said the first one. "The stars are aligned and the forces of good and evil will once again fight for a human soul."

"Oh, so like some great battle of the millennium thing?"

"No," said the second raven. "You humans have quite a fetish for round numbers, but the cycle of the universe does not depend on your accounting system. The last battle was approximately eight hundred and seventy-three years ago."

"But a thousand has a better ring to it," Leah said.

"Ladies!" Nora snapped. "We're getting distracted. There's going to be a fight for a human soul?"

"Yes," answered the first raven.

"What's wrong with everyone?" Nora asked.

"There have never been people here for the battle before," answered the first raven.

"Normally the armies would take their own forms and battle," said the second.

"But since there are people here, they're going to fight it out through them," said a voice that was not either raven. It was Callista, and she and her brothers pushed through the opposing crowd.

"Wait, you're not under the spell?" Maryann asked, confused.

"Well, clearly not," Callista answered. "And neither are you. Let's just say we know some stuff about weird stuff, and I'm guessing at least one of you four do to."

"What kind of fight is this going to be?" Isabella asked.

"Typically it has been to the death, although 'death' doesn't mean the same to such forces as it does to humans," answered the first raven.

"Wait, wait, so these people are going to start fighting each other and trying to kill each other?" Nora said, appalled.

"Yeah," Terrence said.

"There's going to be blood and guts everywhere," added Fred.

"What? You're excited about ten-thousand people slaughtering each other in the desert?" Nora snapped. "How do you know they won't kill you in the process?"

"They don't even see us," Callista said nonchalantly. "We're protected. I told you, I know stuff about weird stuff. So we just get to sit back and watch the carnage, or we make things even bloodier."

"You're sick!" Maryann shouted.

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic," she retorted. "The forces of good aren't actually going to let anyone die."

"You don't know that!" Nora shot back.

Isabella tried to think quickly. "Ravens, does this battle have to include everyone? I mean, can the battle be decided on a smaller scale?"

The birds looked at each other. "It has never been done," said the first.

"But there have never been such circumstances," said the second.

"Then let's do something else," Isabella said.

"Like what?" the birds asked in unison.

"I don't know. Maybe a game or something?"

"Yeah, a game," Leah said quickly. "You only need a few people for a game. Something not fatal either. I mean, you only need a way to determine a winner, right?"

The birds seemed to consult with each other.

"Hey! Stop messing everything up," Callista said.

Fred and Terrence walked up to the band menacingly. "Yeah. Stay out of this."

They briefly felt fear, but then the feeling passed.

"You back the hell off," Nora said, getting right up in their faces. "You and your sick sister. We're trying to save these people."

This clearly surprised the two men and they looked confused.

"We have spoken with the forces of good and evil," the first raven said.

"They are amenable to a different type of battle, as neither appears to favor these circumstances," said the second.

"So, the forces of good and evil will choose teams, and then those teams must choose a game, and that game must have a clear method of determining the winner," said the first.

Suddenly the three siblings briefly glowed black.

"The forces of evil have chosen," said the second.

"Hey!" the three siblings said in unison.

"This doesn't mean you are evil," said the first raven.

"I'm not sure it doesn't mean they aren't," Nora snapped.

Nora, Isabella, and Leah suddenly briefly glowed white.

"The forces of good have chosen," said the second raven.

"What about me?" Maryann asked.

"You will either be an observer, or a referee if the game requires," said the first.

"Hey! How come she gets to be the referee?" Callista asked. "She'll cheat for good!"

"And you won't?" Nora asked snidely.

The siblings suddenly looked quite uncertain. "Yeah, I'm not sure about this," Callista said. "I really don't want evil to win."

"If you wish to 'throw the game' as it were, and anger the forces of evil, that is your choice," said the first raven.

The three siblings suddenly turned quite pale.

"Fine, fine, we'll play for keeps. And if we win, so what? It's just one soul, right?" Callista said.

"What if it's your soul?" Nora snapped.

"Is it?" she asked the ravens.

They looked at each other a moment. "No," said the first.

"Oh, see, no problem."

"What about your brothers?" Maryann exclaimed. "Or your parents?"

"Ravens?" Callista asked again.

"The soul in contention is not of your immediate family," said the second.

"Argh! I mean, I can't even... argh!" the redhead said, too disgusted to even find words to express herself. The other three band members mentally echoed her rage if not her verbal incoherency.

"The forces of evil may choose the game," said the first raven.

"How come?" the band demanded in unison.

"Do you want us to bore you with the tedious details of the binding rules of the battle or will you just accept our word that this is how it must happen?" asked the second.

"Fine," Isabella sighed.

The three siblings huddled together to figure out what kind of game could be played with two three-player teams and would give them an advantage. "Hey, ravens," Fred asked.

"Yes?" they answered.

"Are you going to give us stuff to play this game? Like, if we picked baseball, which we're not, how would we get a field and bats and balls and mitts and stuff?" asked Terrence.

The birds conferred. "Any equipment you require will be provided once the game is chosen," answered the first.

The siblings talked with each other for a few minutes. "Alright, we've picked the game," Callista said. "Three-on-three basketball."

"Do we even get to object?" Nora asked the ravens.

"No," said the first. "Does this game require a referee?"

"Yeah," the twins said.

"Then she will be the referee," the second said, gesturing at Maryann.

"But what if we don't know how to play?" she asked.

"You will be given ten minutes to learn the rules," replied the second.

"Knowing the rules isn't the same as knowing how to play!"

"In this case, that will have to be sufficient," said the first.

"It'll be fine," Leah said. "I know what they're thinking. They've probably played together since they were really young and we probably haven't. And they're thinking I'm too short to play basketball anyway."

The siblings sort of nodded.

Leah gestured for the band to huddle. Maryann stepped forward but one of the ravens blocked her path. "You are the referee."

"Oh, sorry." She took a few steps backwards so she couldn't hear anything.

"My brothers loved basketball," Leah said. "They liked showing people just because they were short, it didn't mean they couldn't play. And I usually whined until I could play because I was tired of sitting on the sidelines and being ignored. So I can play. Can you two?"

"I didn't play pick-up games on the blacktop," Nora said, "but I did play basketball as an intramural sport in high school. And Sharon actually was on the varsity team, so I had to help her practice a lot."

"I also played intramural basketball," Isabella said. "Mom kept bugging me to join a sport, any sport, so I picked the only thing that didn't conflict with orchestra."

"Is everyone familiar with the rules of this game?" one of the ravens asked.

They broke up their huddle. "Yes," Leah answered.

"Yeah, but I've never been the referee before," Maryann said.

"If you know the rules, that is sufficient," said the second raven.

"She'll cheat for her friends!" Callista said.

"She is the referee;" said the first raven. "Her job is to be fair." The wind picked up abruptly, and briefly obscured the area with sand. When it settled again, the festival-goers had moved away to make room for half of a basketball court. The half-court was of regulation size and looked as though it had been lifted directly from a gym. Maryann found a whistle on a string around her neck.

"What about some uniforms and sneakers?" Fred asked.

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you picked the game," Nora said snidely, gesturing at her white sneakers.

"Hey, that kind of stuff is part of the game," Terrence said.

The birds conferred for a moment, and then two curtained off areas appeared on either side of the half court. One set of curtains was black and one set was white.

"I believe the correct term is locker room?" said one raven. "You may change there. The referee has shoes I believe will be acceptable and a whistle, so no accordance is made for her."

Maryann waited outside the areas as the two teams changed. When they emerged, the siblings were wearing appropriate light gray uniforms and the rest of the band was wearing white.

"Now everything should be ready," said the other raven. "There seem to be many variations on this game, so there will be two five minute periods and the first team to score 33 points wins, or whichever team has the most points at the end of the period." An hourglass appeared next to one raven. "Here is the period timer. You will have 12 seconds to shoot the ball."

A very tiny hourglass appeared next to the other raven. "This will be your shot clock," said the other raven.

"Referee, flip a coin to determine which team starts with possession of the ball," instructed the first raven.

"Oh, right. Okay, well, I guess we're actually going to do this." She took her hat off and set it down first, then dug around in her purse and found a quarter. "Okay, the forces of evil get heads, and the forces of good get tails." She flipped the coin and it landed heads up. "Okay, forces of evil get the ball first."

"Damn it!" Leah said.

The game started and it turned out the siblings were pretty good. The band was sloppy since they hadn't played with each other before, but they improved quickly. Maryann had no experience refereeing, but her father loved both college and professional basketball, so she had watched a fair number of games. The siblings had just pulled into the lead when she called a foul on Leah.

"Damn it!" Leah shouted. "There's a soul on the line here! We don't need them to get any farther ahead."

"Leah, it's fine," Nora said. "We'll play the best we can." She leaned over and said in low voice, "All souls belong to God. I don't know what all this is, but we have to believe that."

The short brunette did not look happy, but she stopped protesting the calls.

Maryann was nearly in tears, but the others couldn't see that because of the large sunglasses she was still wearing. She thought her friends could win on their own even though she wasn't entirely confident of that. She very much wanted to cheat and help her friends, and by extension, the forces of good win so that the single soul would be saved. On the other hand, she didn't think cheating was a good idea either. She took a deep breath to calm down and tried to be as fair as she could as the sand in the hourglass trickled down.

The band was ahead by one point, but the siblings had possession of the ball, and there were a few seconds left. Maryann knew if she called a foul that possession would go to the band, and therefore they were all but guaranteed to win the game and the soul. She started to move the whistle to blow it, but she stopped herself.

"They can do this," she thought. "Don't cheat. They can do this." She let go of the whistle.

The game continued and Terrence scored a three-point basket right before the last grains disappeared.

One of the ravens cawed very loudly and all the equipment abruptly disappeared. "That is the game. The forces of evil have twenty-nine points, and the forces of good only have twenty-seven points. Go change," it instructed.

Now Maryann was crying and the ravens didn't protest when she joined her friends in the curtained off area.

"I-I'm sorry!" she sobbed. "I-I wanted to help but I didn't want to cheat! I thought-I thought you'd win! I've lost someone's soul!" She completely dissolved into tears. The others changed their clothes and comforted her as best they could. They walked out of the curtained off area and the basketball court was gone. The curtained off disappeared as soon as they exited. Everyone else was standing around unseeing and unmoving. The siblings had changed and were standing next to the ravens with their arms crossed.

"So the forces of evil aren't going to hold a grudge?" Callista was asking.

"You have fulfilled the obligation set before you. There will be no grudge held from these events. What may or may not transpire in the future is your own affair," one raven answered.

Maryann was still crying.

"The battle is done," said the other raven. "The forces of good have won."

"What?" everyone exclaimed.

"But we won the game!" Callista said.

"The battle was not your game," said the first raven. "Your referee was also on the side of the forces of good. She was tempted to cheat in order to assure victory. However, had the referee broken the rules, no matter how good her intentions, the forces of evil would have won."

"You-you mean I didn't lose someone's soul?" Maryann asked.

The birds shook their heads. "No. The forces of good have prevailed and the soul is safe," said one.

"Wait, wait, so it doesn't matter that we won?" Fred demanded.

"Or that they lost?" Terrence added.

"Sometimes what really matters is how you play the game," said one raven. "And now the battle is finished, and the spell will be broken and no one will remember what has transpired except for you seven."

Maryann suddenly hugged Nora. "I didn't lose anyone's soul!" she said, knocking off Nora's hat.

Nora sighed and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"That would be so hot if she wasn't crying," Terrence said.

Callista popped both of her brothers upside their heads. "Look, I know you idiots think these things, but don't say it out loud."

"So what are you two doing now?" Isabella asked the ravens. Her spirit sight spell only showed a slight glow around them and didn't provide a lot of information for her to guess what the ravens really were.

"We have done our job," answered one raven.

"Who are you working for? I could guess, but ravens are almost ubiquitous in North American and European mythologies, so I'd probably be wrong."

They exchanged looks. "That's a mystery you can ponder later," said the other, and they flew away.

The wind changed direction, and everyone who was enchanted suddenly snapped out of their trances and went about their business as though nothing had happened.

"Well, that was fun," Callista said. "So, what now?"

"I think we're not going to talk to you," Leah said.

"God, you're so dramatic. No one was really going to get hurt," she snapped.

"You don't know that!" she shot back.

"Well, maybe I have more faith in the forces of good than you do."

Leah looked ready to tackle Callista, so Isabella grabbed her by the arm. "We need to go anyway. We've got work to do. Come on."

Nora helped drag Maryann back to the RV so they could get changed into their stage costumes.

"Leah, don't let her get to you," Nora said. "We can have faith it will all turn out in the end, but that doesn't mean there won't be suffering in the mean time. There's no reason to add to that suffering if we don't have to."

"You're right, you're right. Well, at least having uniforms meant we didn't sweat into our dresses," Leah said. "Well, except for Maryann."

"But I still need a shower so badly," Nora said. "Maryann, pull yourself together. We've got a show to put on."

"Sorry. I'm just so happy I didn't screw up!"

"Yes, well, it came out fine, even if it was a weird day," she said. "And I hope we never meet up with those siblings again."

"Me too," Leah said emphatically.

Their costumes for the evening contained more black and were heavier, as was their make-up. Two ravens perched on an amplifier during the show, but other than that nothing strange happened and the show went fairly smoothly. They went directly back to the RV and sent Isabella out to get food; the rest elected to stay put. They went to bed early, got on the road early, and were glad to have another Pandemonium Festival behind them.

The Lyrics:

Time to step up to the plate

Are sure you can take the heat?

Give your best; give it your all

Hey, are you trying to cheat?

Trash talk and head games

Is not a good lead to follow

I want a win to be proud of

Not a victory that's hollow

Refrain: There's no score in life

The outcome's always the same

It doesn't matter if you win or lose

But how you play the game

Sometimes there's a referee

Someone to make a call

Sometimes it's not fair

But I'm not going to take a fall

I always play to win

But sometimes I lose

Playing with integrity

Is what I always choose

Refrain

Life is full of adversity

You should do your best

It's probably just a game

But it could be a test

Refrain x2

Track 11 - Not a Murder (Only an Unkindness)

The Interview:

Kelly: So, ladies, this next track, "Not a Murder (Only an Unkindness)" is a kind of soul pop tune with plenty of blues influence. The cello is an unexpected instrument, but it adds a kind of haunting quality to the track. This is clearly a break-up song and our listeners want to know, whose break-up?

Belle: Who says this was any one of us? We all know people who've gone through a bad break-up.

Lee: Or this could be an amalgam of all our experiences in one single song.

Bryan: So you're not going to answer the question?

Lenore: No, we're not.

Kelly: You ladies are in the big time now. People want to know.

Anna: Isn't it enough for them to enjoy our song?

Lee: Anyway, every band has to have a break-up song. It's tradition, like smashing up a hotel room or making unreasonable demands before a show.

Belle: It's also tradition not to give too much information about who the break-up song is really about.

Bryan: So it is about one of you!

Anna: Funny, usually everyone thinks the songs are about them.

Lee: "You're so vain..."

Belle: That's not exactly vanity; it's the point.

Lenore: A good song will make you think we wrote it for you or about you and your experiences.

Kelly: I don't think I've ever had a break-up that bad.

Anna: Well, I would hope not! I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Kelly: Well, influences aside, it does have a different tone than some of your other tracks. But then again, I guess bluesy soul pop was the only way to go?

Lee: Pretty much.

The Inside Story:

The band called Nevermore and the Ravens was uncharacteristically silent. Isabella glanced up at the GPS unit as she navigated the van through an unfamiliar route. Maryann and Leah, in their usual spots in the back seat, idly played games on their phones but weren't really paying attention. And Nora, in the front passenger side, stared out the window.

The GPS didn't steer them wrong and soon the band was passing through a small, old Maine fishing village.

"Fletcher's Cove really defines the word 'quaint,'" Leah said finally.

"It does," Nora agreed.

"It is very pretty," Maryann said. "And there's more sun than I thought. And it's not too hot."

"It is Maine."

"So with you here, that brings up the total African-American population to two?" Leah asked.

"Leah! Why do you say things like that?" Maryann replied.

"I'm trying to be funny. Anyway, Nora looks like I said something funny."

Nora did look amused, but she said nothing.

Isabella drove through the little town and soon turned up a hill that led to a very large and very old manor.

"We've gone from quaint to slightly creepy," Leah said, as they drove through the wrought iron gate with the words 'Castle Hill.' They looked at the imposing edifice. "All it needs is a cliff overlooking the ocean with a dark history of murder and/or suicide."

"Leah!" Isabella snapped.

Nora sighed. "The manor grounds do have that, actually."

"This is totally Lovecraftian."

"No, it's totally Nathaniel Hawthorne. I know Castle Hill Manor looks like the Pyncheon House but it's really not as bad as all that, even with Castle Peak. That's the name of the cliff with the dark history."

"Pyncheon House?" Leah asked.

"From The House of the Seven Gables. I'm surprised you haven't read it. It's kind of a supernatural horror story. And Lovecraft cited Hawthorne as an influential writer of 'weird fiction.' It's likely he used the descriptions of the Pyncheon house for his short stories."

"Really? I'll have to put that on my reading list."

Isabella stopped the van in the old brick driveway. "Nora, are you really sure about this? I mean, I understand needing a break and all, but the whole summer?"

"I know it's a long time. But we've been working really hard and I just need a break to recharge. Don't tell me you guys haven't thought some thing's been off lately?"

The other three nodded.

"I used to spend summers with Great-aunt Victoria and Great-uncle William. Castle Hill isn't actually scary. There is a family graveyard, but it's not creepy either."

"How is that not creepy?" Maryann asked.

"Creepy is just relative, right? I liked visiting Great-aunt Victoria and Great-uncle William. They invited all the kids over for the summers. We had picnics and would go swimming at Castle Hill Bay. We'd play hide and seek in the graveyard and try to scare each other. We broke so much stuff too, but they didn't care. Stuff was just stuff. It was nice. And I haven't seen Great-aunt Victoria since Great-uncle William died. Mom and Granddad are a little worried about her since that hip surgery. So it just makes sense for me to visit for awhile."

"We understand all that," Maryann said, "But what are you going to do here? Does your great-aunt even have Internet? Or a TV? Is there a movie theater in Fletcher's Cove?"

"I can always go into Bangor if I want."

"Bangor," Leah repeated with a giggle.

Nora rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we can't just sit here. Great-aunt Victoria will start to worry. She's probably got some kind of tea planned for us. She's very old-fashioned in some ways."

They got out of the van and unloaded Nora's luggage. She knocked on the claw-shaped knocker which seemed to make almost no noise although they guessed the sound was very loud inside the house.

In a minute the door was opened by a woman in her sixties wearing casual clothes that had probably never really been in fashion and thick glasses. "Can I help you?" she asked with strong Maine accent.

"Hi Mrs. Amos. I'm Nora Jackson, remember?"

"Oh, right! Nora! Well, it's been a few years since you were up this way. How nice of you to bring all your friends. Go on into the drawing room. Mrs. Huxley will be down in a few minutes. She's still recovering from the hip surgery, you know, but she refuses to let me help too much. I'll get tea ready. Just leave the luggage in the foyer; we'll get it upstairs in a bit." The woman bustled them into the house and then disappeared presumably to the kitchen.

"Mrs. Amos has been the housekeeper forever, I think. I don't remember a time when she wasn't the housekeeper. Mr. Amos is the groundskeeper, or at least he was. I think he might have thrown out his back a few years ago," Nora explained.

"How old is this house?" Maryann asked, looking at the arches and marble tiling in the foyer.

"Built in the 1700s, I think. Maybe older than that. Great-aunt Victoria's family has been here since the first European settlers came to the area."

"It's like a museum," Leah commented. "Who even has a drawing room anymore anyway?"

"Old houses do," Nora replied. "Come on, the drawing room is this way," she said, and led them to a room that was furnished with antique-looking couches, tables, china cabinets, and a large, ornate fireplace. The only thing missing that they expected were portraits of long-dead ancestors. In a touch of modernism the walls were adorned with high-quality copies of famous paintings although the frames were large and ornate.

"Can we sit on this? I don't want to ruin it," Maryann said, looking at a red plush couch.

"Ruin it? Sharon and I used to jump on it. Don't be fooled by the look of it; most of it is not really that old," Nora answered.

They took seats and in a few minutes Mrs. Amos set a silver tea set down in front of them.

"Real silver?" Leah asked.

"Been in the family for generations," Mrs. Amos said with pride. "Despite some pretty close calls," she said with a look at Nora. Then she left the room.

In another few minutes a tiny old woman in her eighties walked into the room. She was wearing a stiff navy suit, had glasses on a gold chain around her neck, and was using a handsome wooden cane to get around. Her gray hair was pulled back in a hard bun but her blue eyes were still sharp. "Nora!" she said.

"Aunt Victoria!" she replied, and hugged the old woman.

"It's so nice of you to visit me. Are these your friends in your band?" she asked, putting on the glasses and peering through them.

The other three were visibly surprised at the sight of the old lady.

"This is Isabella Nesmith, Leah Ramirez, and Maryann Blake," Nora said. "And this is my great-aunt Victoria Huxley."

Victoria walked up to them and shook their hands in a surprisingly strong grip. "Dear girl, it is so easy to read your expression," she said to Maryann. "You're surprised I'm a white woman?"

"I, er, well, um..."

She sort of smiled. "I married into Nora's family. My dear late William, her great-uncle, is her grandfather's brother. Our story was not dissimilar to the classic film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, although my family was not nearly so accepting as the Draytons. Please, sit down. Let's have some tea and chat and get to know each other a little bit before you depart."

Tea was quite pleasant. Mrs. Amos was a good cook and Victoria didn't mind talking about how she got together with Nora's great-uncle, William Huxley, during the 1950s. After tea, the band helped Nora get her luggage up the stairs to one of the many rooms. Nora promised to keep in touch, they said their good-byes, and drove away.

"They seem like nice young ladies," Victoria said as the van disappeared down the hill. "They are going to miss you."

"I know. But life on the road is really hard. I just need a break," Nora said.

"Your parents are still dissatisfied with your life choices?"

She nodded. "Sharon graduated from Bryn Mawr at the top of her class and is doing just as well at Columbia Law. I can't deal with their disappointment."

"This is something I understand quite well."

"I know. That's why I'm glad you're letting me stay so long."

"It's nice to have family around, especially since William passed. I love Mrs. Amos, and she's been so good, but she's starting to have some problems getting around. Mr. Amos is still having back issues. It'll be nice to have some youth around the place. But don't worry, my dear, I promise you there will be more to do than look after an old lady and make small talk with her busybody book club," Victoria said. She gazed across the grounds. "Come on; let's take a walk to Castle Peak. Mrs. Amos fusses so over my hip and worries I'll somehow fall."

Nora walked with her great-aunt around the huge house and across the grounds in the back. The land climbed at a gentle slope and the sounds of the ocean became more pronounced. The land abruptly terminated at a broad cliff. Below were a small, clean beach and a mini-bay that calmed some of the waves. The two women sat down on a weathered stone bench that had clearly been installed for the sole purpose of watching the ocean.

"Ah, that's nice," Victoria said. "Such a lovely summer day today."

"I've missed the sound of the ocean," Nora said.

"Poor child. It's been such a great comfort to me. I've grown up with this sound and I can't imagine doing without for long."

Nearly half an hour passed in thoughtful silence.

"We should get back in," Victoria said. "There is a change in the waves."

"Is that bad? Is there a storm coming?" Nora asked.

"Change may be for good or ill but right now I don't know. We'll see. But I think this may be quite an interesting summer."

"I think I would be okay with an uninteresting summer," Nora replied.

For the first week, it looked like Nora would get her wish. She signed up for classes at the University of Maine at Augusta's Bangor campus. When she wasn't in classes, she spent most of her time helping Mr. Amos pulling weeds around the grounds. She also helped Mrs. Amos open up some of the rooms in the mostly unused east wing and clean and generally refresh them. Her aunt did have a cable modem, but Nora tried to ignore that as much as she could except of course for fan mail. The house had a library, so when she got bored, she read actual paper books.

"I have a wonderful idea," Victoria said at breakfast. "I'm going to throw a ball. Isn't that delightfully old-fashioned?"

"Sure," Nora agreed. "But it's going to be a lot of work. Are you sure you're up for that?"

"I'll be fine. People seem to think I'm simply wasting away up here. I'll show them that is not the case. You and Mrs. Amos have done so much work cleaning up the east wing already that it won't be too much trouble to get the ballroom ship-shape."

"Yes, but about the food? Or invitations? Or any of that?"

Victoria smiled. "Don't worry. I know how to plan a party. I'll invite everyone, although I am afraid we may be short people your age. But perhaps some of the other old people like me will have visiting young relatives. It is the tourist season after all."

"It'll be fine. Is this going to be formal?"
"Well, I hope so but some people these days simply don't understand what that means."

"I don't have a formal dress," Nora said.

"Then we'll go to Bangor and find you one. It's as easy as that."

"Alright. I guess you're set on this."

"I am. Would you mind playing the piano a bit at the ball?" Victoria asked. "My fingers are so arthritic I can't play the way I used to and it's a shame to have such a lovely grand piano that is never used. My mother used to say musical instruments had spirits, and if they weren't played that spirit became sad and the sound of the instrument lost something."

"She may have been on to something," Nora said. "Alright, I'll get some practice in. I haven't really played any of the classics in awhile."

"Oh, you can play anything you like. You don't have to pick stodgy old Romantic composers on my account."

Nora smiled. "We'll see what I can find."

"Good. We'll head into town this afternoon and find you a nice dress."

One week later, after a lot of cleaning and planning, the ball was held at Castle Hill. Victoria had invited practically everyone in Fletcher's Cove, as well as several of her friends from Bangor and Portland. Nora, wearing a fashionable strapless dark turquoise gown, noted that the crowd was mostly elderly and at first glance she didn't see anyone close to her own age. After some strained small talk because Nora had almost no common interests with the guests, she was glad when Victoria asked her to sit down at the piano and play works of mostly 18th to 19th century European composers.

"You're very good," said an unfamiliar voice as she finished up a piece.

She turned to see a very handsome young man about her age walking around the piano to face her. He was wearing a fashionable, modern interpretation of a tuxedo. He had long, black hair tied back in a ponytail, a very pale complexion, and bony but not unattractive features. He also had purple eyes, but Nora quickly realized he was just wearing colored contact lenses.

"My name's Corbin Bailey and I am happy to meet you," he said, holding out his hand.

"I'm Nora Jackson. Why?" she said.

"Because you're beautiful and interesting."

"Really?" She was not sure what to make of this odd, if good-looking, young man.

"Well, the first one is a given but you play the piano so well I'm going to assume you're also interesting."

"Thanks. You're very flattering."

He shrugged. "Just honest. So, I'm spending some time with my grandmother. What brings you here?"

"I'm spending time with my Great-aunt Victoria."

"Oh, the lady hosting this party. Please don't stop playing on my account," he said with a smile.

"Is there anything you'd like to hear?"

"Whatever you want to play. I like all kinds of music, but don't know the first thing about it as an art form. I don't even really know the names of famous composers. But I'll bet you do."

Nora prided herself on not behaving around attractive men the way Maryann did, but even though Corbin's manner was slightly strange it was also oddly compelling. She started to play a technically difficult piece simply to focus on something besides him.

Corbin listened and watched her play with rapt attention. "You play with such passion," he said when she paused a moment to rub out her hands.

"Thanks. I'm actually trying to make it as a professional musician," she said.

"I hope you find success, but it is so difficult to find success in the arts," he replied.

"Tell me about it," she said wryly.

"How about you tell me about it?" he returned.

She smiled. "Alright. I'm done playing for now. I'm going to check out the appetizer table."

"I'll go with you, if you don't mind."

Nora spent the rest of the evening talking with Corbin or playing the piano. At the end of the night, they exchanged phone numbers and he left with a group of exiting guests and a promise to call her soon.

"What a handsome young man," Victoria said. "I've never seen him before. Did he give his name?"

"Corbin Bailey. He said he was visiting his grandmother," Nora answered.

"Well, I suppose that could be the case. There aren't any Baileys with grandchildren named Corbin here in Fletcher's Cove, but I had quite a few guests from out of town, which was quite a refreshing change of pace. I suppose you'll be seeing more of him?"

"Sure. If that's alright, Aunt Victoria."

The old woman smiled. "Far be it for me to interfere with your life, my dear. You came here to relax and recharge and you can do that however you see fit. I'll get along just fine. Now that I've reminded people I'm not some helpless, hobbled woman, I'm sure I'll be getting out a lot more. And I know you'd be bored to tears by my book club. And I'm sorry to say none of my friends listen to your kind of music, so even your aspirations to musical stardom would be of no interest to them. Besides, he is quite good-looking."

"And a little odd."

Victoria shrugged. "Well, we all pick up these little quirks. Odd is relative, after all. As long as you don't think he's dangerous, of course."

"Oh, no. It's not that at all."

"Well, good."

"I feel like I've met him somewhere before." She shook her head. "No way. If I'd met a guy like that before, I'd remember exactly where and when."

Victoria laughed. "Come on, let's get the caterer packed away and get some sleep. I am quite worn out."

Nora helped her aunt clear up after the party and went to bed although it was some time before she fell asleep.

In the morning Nora had a text message waiting for her with a request to meet for lunch from Corbin. She decided to invite him to her great-aunt's house since there were plenty of leftovers from the party. He agreed. He showed up wearing stylish black jeans, a fitted black t-shirt, a black onyx stud in one ear, and green colored contact lenses. Nora approved of his sense of style even if he wasn't strictly fashionable. She showed him around the house and grounds after lunch and Victoria made him promise to stay for afternoon tea. Finally Nora took him up to Castle Peak and they took a seat on the bench.

"So what do you do for a living?" Nora asked.

"Not very much. I'm working on my doctorate in biology. Ornithology, actually."

"You're going to be a professional bird-watcher?" she asked wryly.

He laughed. "Probably. I'm studying communication between ravens."

"And you came to Maine for that?"

"Mostly I came to relax. But luckily for me, the Common Raven can be found just about everywhere. One day I'd like to study rooks, but I'll have to get some money to go to Europe for that."

"Do you know how Castle Hill got its name?" Nora asked.

"No idea," he said, looking slightly puzzled at the abrupt topic change.

"Because the first European settlers noticed that a lot of black birds nested on the hill. They thought they were rooks so they called it 'Rook Hill.' But no one wanted to live here because they thought all the carrion birds were a bad omen. They thought it was cursed or something. But the Fletchers, those are Aunt Victoria's ancestors, saw a chance to buy a nice piece of land for cheap. And they did, but they renamed it 'Castle Hill' so people wouldn't get creeped out by all the birds, which were probably crows or ravens anyway. It's really a terrible pun."

"Ah, because rooks in chess are also called castles. That is a terrible pun."

"Leah would like it."

"You aren't scared by the supposed curse?"

"Of course not. It takes a lot to get me rattled. Anyway, no one in Aunt Victoria's family took the story seriously and look at all this," she said, gesturing at the ocean view and bay. "Sure, it's pretty lousy in winter, but right now, what could be better?"

"I agree," he said, but he was looking at Nora and not the view.

She blushed. "We should go in for tea now." And they did just that.

Three weeks quickly passed and Nora spent most of her free time with Corbin. His manner still came across as a little odd even though she could not figure out exactly what behaviors gave her that impression. After a little while, those quirks didn't bother her at all. He seemed more inclined to listen than talk and let Nora take the lead on their dating activities, although it seemed he preferred walks around the grounds to going out to eat or to the movies. That suited Nora just fine. They discussed their backgrounds, but Corbin seemed disinclined to talk too much about what he called his 'generic and boring' upbringing and again preferred to listen to her. After their first kiss, Nora concluded he probably hadn't dated in awhile, but it didn't take long to overcome that minor obstacle. So far, the summer was shaping up to be one of best Nora could remember.

A few days later, Victoria found Nora sitting on Castle Peak, staring at the waves. She sat down next to her grand-niece.

"There is change on the waves," Nora said distantly. "Something's coming, and I don't think it's good."

The old woman sighed. "I agree. I hope your pleasant summer is not ruined."

Nora smiled. "I doubt it, I mean, unless Corbin just disappears or something."

"He is a most engaging young man. I'm glad you've found someone to spend time with."

"Oh, I'm not meaning to ignore you."

"It's fine, my dear. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. I was afraid you'd start pining for your friends."

"Well, I do miss them."

"I know."

After a half of an hour, Nora helped her great-aunt walk back to the house.

Nora was anxious for a day or two, but spending time with Corbin made her forget the cause of her anxiety. She was trying to be careful with her feelings and having a hard time keeping them in check. The first troubling reminder of her initial anxiety came about a week later when they were going to the market. The market was near the docks and the center of a lot of the social life for the village, and for the summer tourists. There was a large bulletin board near the entrance to the boardwalk that had notices for charter boat tours, local festivals, sales, and more somberly, lost pet posters.

Nora looked at the board for new information on upcoming festivals but noticed more lost pet posters than usual. "That's strange," she commented. "Three dogs have disappeared in the past week. Fletcher's Cove doesn't usually have three dogs disappear in a year."

"If you say so," Corbin said.

While shopping, she overhead some of the gossip. It seemed many people were concerned not just about the sudden disappearance of several dogs, but also the strange behavior of their own animals. Some complained their dogs didn't want to walk on a leash anymore while others said theirs had started barking at nothing. Nora made mental notes but wasn't sure what it all meant.

Over the next few weeks, the frequency of odd occurrences increased, and the nature of the occurrences became more disturbing. However, Nora was uncharacteristically mostly oblivious to this. Her time and attention was occupied with Corbin. One day, she realized she was falling for him, and hard.

"Are you well?" Corbin asked as they walked through the woods near Castle Hill.

"I'm fine," she answered, unaccustomed to feeling flustered for any reason.

"These rumors around the town aren't upsetting you, are they?"

"Well, yes, they are. I mean, missing animals, scared hikers, and freak storms are all bad for tourism. And it doesn't help people are starting to talk about the curse of Castle Hill again," she said dryly.

"Is there anything else?"

She blushed. "Um, no."

He took her hand. "Good."

She blushed even redder. "It's just I wish people wouldn't be like that, you know? Castle Hill isn't cursed. It never was. I mean, things are weird and all, but why do people keep falling back on old superstitions?"

"I can't say I have an answer to that."

"I'm glad you're not like that."

"And I'm glad you're not like that either," he said. He turned the conversation to other topics.

After about fifteen minutes, Nora felt a chill down her spine and had the sense they were being watched. She stopped walking and looked around.

"What is it, Nora?"

She didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but she was certain something was in the woods that wasn't supposed to be there. "I'm not sure. Something doesn't feel right."

Corbin looked around as well. He focused on a patch of shadows and frowned. "Perhaps we should keep walking."

"Yeah, I think so." But they only took a few more steps before she spotted an odd footprint on the ground. She knelt down for a closer look. "What is this?" The footprint resembled a cat's paw, but it seemed to have three more toes and claws on five of those toes. There also was no accompanying footprint.

"I'm just a bird watcher," he replied.

She stood back up. "This is weird."

"You don't think there's any curse after all, do you?"

She shook her head. "No, no. When I say something is weird, it's because I know weird. I don't get worried or freaked out for no reason. This worries me. Come on; let's get back to my house."

They set off at a quick pace. Nora had seen maps of Castle Hill and the grounds, but had no idea where the borders actually were on the ground. But when the feeling of being watched abruptly went away, she guessed they had crossed the border. Their route had taken them through the family graveyard. Nora was so unnerved by the encounter in the woods she didn't notice the large number of black birds perched on the headstones, or that a single, slight nod from Corbin caused them all to fly away.

When they got back to the house Nora started to pull together an afternoon tea to have something to do.

"Hey, it's alright," Corbin said.

"No it's not," she snapped.

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize. I'm sorry. I'm not used to not knowing what to do." She sighed. "I want to talk to the band, but I don't want to worry them."

"You can talk to me. I'm already worried," he replied with a slight smile.

"Thanks. But don't worry. I'll get this figured out," she said, and mentally added, "It'll probably be easier to figure out what do to about that thing in the woods than what to do about how I feel about you."

"The kettle is whistling," he said.

"Oh, oh, right." She tried to pull herself together. "Well, anyway, we were having a nice day. We'll have some tea and then what would you like to do?"

"Would you play the piano for me?"

"Sure, I can do that."

Later, Victoria found Nora watching the ocean on Castle Peak.

"The ocean is angry," Victoria said, sitting down next to her grand-niece.

"I know. There was something in the woods," Nora replied. "I don't know what it was. I think it was some kind of animal but it wasn't anything I've ever seen before."

"Do you think this creature may be responsible for some of the missing animals and scared hikers?"

"It scared me, that's for sure."

"Was it following you?"

"I think so, but it didn't follow us to the house. It turned back and I'm pretty sure it was at the border of the property."

"Well, that means this probably isn't the curse of Castle Hill," Victoria said.

"Or it means we're responsible for the trouble," she replied wryly. "I guess this has come up at your book club?"

Victoria sighed. "Old superstitions die hard. And I was so hoping you'd have a lovely summer."

"Oh, no, it's been great."

"And what about Corbin?"

"That's a problem."

They were silent for awhile.

"Summer doesn't last forever," Victoria said. "You'll have to go back on the road. He'll have to get back to his studies. What happens then?"

"I don't know, Aunt Victoria. I just don't know."

Victoria patted her hand. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. But we should go in now. Mrs. Amos worries if I stay outside too long."

They went back to the house for dinner.

Nora resolved not to tell the band about the disturbances until she exhausted all other options. But in the years she'd known them, she had gotten used to having their experiences and knowledge at hand. Trying to research the mysterious creature in the woods by herself was a tedious process. After the second time she and Corbin were followed in the woods she started to think there was more than one creature. And after the third time they were followed she started worrying for his safety and the safety of the locals and tourists.

"Corbin, I need to talk to you," Nora said one evening as they watched the ocean from Castle Peak.

"Aren't you talking to me right now?" he asked.

She smiled, then sobered. "No, this is serious."

"Very well, I'll be serious."

"Okay, there are two things, and I'm not sure which is harder to talk about. I guess I'll start with the weird stuff that's going on right now."

"My grandmother seems to think the problem is just a pack of stray dogs and people are turning something mundane into something supernatural."

"She sounds pretty sensible, and normally would be right, but I think in this case she might be wrong. I know this sounds crazy, and weird, but sometimes the things people think are terrifying monsters in the woods actually are terrifying monsters in the woods."

He didn't seem to be surprised. "So you don't think this is a pack of dogs?"

"No, I don't. I think this is something else. They won't cross the property line. Stray dogs wouldn't care about boundaries but a lot of supernatural creatures do. I've done some research and I can't figure it out. I'm pretty sure it's not a barghest or anything like that, but knowing what it isn't doesn't tell me what it is. Do you think I'm crazy?"

"No, of course not. I think you can see what's really there."

"That's a relief," she said. "I know this kind of stuff isn't easy to accept. I mean, it took me awhile to start believing what I was seeing. But to paraphrase Conan Doyle, when you've ruled out all other possibilities so that only the impossible remains, the impossible must be the answer. So supernatural creatures in the woods sounds impossible and crazy but that's what I think is out there. They're scaring hikers and animals and I'm afraid they're going to hurt someone if they haven't already. I'm pretty sure those missing dogs aren't coming back."

"You may be right," he said, frowning. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. I'll pray, of course, and keep looking for information on these things. And I'll be careful. You should too."

"Don't worry about me."

"I worry about people I care about," she said with a slight blush. "And that brings us to the second thing I need to talk to you about which is a lot harder."

"Harder than confessing a belief in the supernatural to someone who you were afraid wouldn't believe you?"

"Yes." She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Corbin, I care about you. A lot. A lot more than I thought I would, especially after such a short time. I-I don't want to have to split up when summer's over."

He held her hands but looked troubled. "I care about you too, Nora, more than I've ever cared about anyone. I don't want to split up either, but I don't know what to do about it."

"I'm not used to not knowing what to do."

"Me neither." He squeezed her hands reassuringly. "But summer's not over yet. Let's just enjoy what time we have."

"That sounds like a good idea. But I still don't know what to do about the creatures. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"That's a generous thought. I like that about you," he said. "Generous, courageous, beautiful, and deep like the ocean."

"How poetic."

"I try."

They watched the ocean in silence before one of the summer's many freak storms swept in and forced them to head to the house for cover.

When Nora was with Corbin, she focused on their time together. When Nora was not with Corbin, she focused on her investigation of the strange creatures. She went to the woods and tried to find footprints and took pictures of them. She was a little scared to be in the woods by herself, but she stayed generally near the boundaries of Castle Hill since it seemed the creatures would not follow her there. She would have liked access to the band's emergency kit, but since she didn't know what the creatures were she wasn't sure anything in there would work on them. The best she could come up with was putting a horseshoe in her purse. The ocean was getting angrier and she knew something would be happening, and soon.

Nora was investigating some of the strange tracks one day when she heard an odd noise. She wasn't foolish enough to move toward the source of the noise but she did stand up and look around.

"Hello?"

No one answered, but she kind of expected that. She touched her cross necklace reassuringly and then started to move in the direction of Castle Hill. She heard movement above her and looked up to see what she guessed was a crow fly off in a hurry.

"Yeah, that's not ominous," she thought, quickening her pace.

There was another odd noise in the direction she was moving and now she was certain she saw eyes.

The head of a black, shadow-like creature appeared from the bushes. It made a low noise like a growl and showed a mouth full of very real and very pointy looking teeth.

"Okay, as Leah would say, this is where I run," she said, and did exactly that, trying to get around the creature so she was running generally in the direction of Castle Hill. Nora skidded to a stop as more of the black, shadowy creatures emerged in front of her. She turned to run another direction but realized she was surrounded. Now that she couldn't run she got a good look at them. They almost seemed to be made of tar and their shape constantly changed as they walked although 'walking' wasn't really adequate to describe their method of locomotion. Some didn't seem to have legs at all and just slithered along the ground; others had six or nine or more legs and loped forward with an awkward gait. What didn't change were their sharp, white teeth, all of which were bared at her. She clutched her necklace and readied her purse to use as a weapon to fight them off. "God help me," she thought.

Suddenly Corbin leaped over the ring of creatures, picked Nora up in his arms, and leaped over the other side of the ring carrying her as though she weighed nothing.

The creatures howled and started to chase them.

"We can't outrun them," Corbin said as he easily maneuvered through the woods. "They'll pick up your scent."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, too stunned to make much sense of what was happening.

"We'll have to take to the air."

"What?!"

He jumped and two giant black feathered wings burst from his back and ripped his shirt and jacket. In defiance of all laws of physics, his wings provided enough lift to send them soaring into the air.

Nora grabbed him tightly around the neck and buried her face. She could hear the angry howls from below but didn't dare to look down. "I'd really, really appreciate it if we could land," she said in a small voice.

"I won't drop you," he said. "You're perfectly safe."

"I'm also acrophobic!" she snapped.

"Acrophobic? I don't know what that word means."

"Fear of heights!"

"I'm sorry. I need to make sure the monsters have lost the trail. I'll set you down as soon as I can." Corbin circled above the treetops for a few minutes and then finally landed in the family graveyard. "I've landed. You can let go now."

Nora unclenched her fists and awkwardly regained her feet.

Several black birds, either crows or ravens, flew out of the woods, landed on the weathered headstones, and stared at Corbin.

"We should be safe at least for a little while," he said, his wings folding around him like a cape. "But I don't know when they'll be back..."

"What the hell is going on here?" Nora demanded. "What are you? What were those things?"

Corbin looked taken aback. "I just saved your life."

"You're not human! What the hell are you? And don't you dare lie to me!"

He sighed. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before you found out. The name 'Corbin Bailey' is not entirely unsuitable to describe me, which is why I chose it, but it is not my name. I do not give out my name." His voice had changed and now had an inhuman echo to it.

"I didn't ask your name," she snapped. "I want to know what you are, and your name doesn't tell me that anyway!"

"We met once before I came to this place. A few years have passed for you since then."

"Just answer the damn question," Nora said through gritted teeth. "What are you?"

"I am the ruler of raven, rook, and crow."

"Raven, rook, and crow?" she repeated. She noticed the birds. "I remember now! You were that god that those girls accidentally summoned during the Ren Fair."

He nodded.

"You said you were sleeping, or something. What are you doing here in Maine? Why were you pretending to be human and dating me? And what do you have to do with those monsters in the woods?"

"I am neither alive nor dead, nor fully asleep nor awake. I told you then in due time I would fall fully asleep and return to my world, but that time is not quite yet," he answered.

Nora crossed her arms. "Okay, I don't think I understand that, but fine. Why did you decide to play human and date me?"

"You and your three friends intrigued me. I have been alone for countless years and the chance to even partially wake up does not occur often, to say the least. I watched the world and eventually decided to engage with it, and you."

"Why me? Why now?"

"You impressed me, and I found out that you would be away from your friends, and that would provide me with more time to spend with you," he said.

"That sounds stalker-ish and creepy," she snapped. "You watched me? You watched us? You followed me?"

"Why are you angry? You wish to be famous. You have not made it difficult to follow you. Crows have a great gift for memorizing faces so they watched for you. And even if I chose a more human way to find you, it would not be difficult. I believe that's the purpose of social media, is it not?"

"Fine, that's a fair point, actually. But still. It's been years since that happened."

"For you. For me, it has not been so long. And soon I will sleep again."

Nora blinked back tears. "What-what were those things? Where did they come from? Are they coming back? Are they going to hurt Aunt Victoria? Or anyone else?"

"They are creatures of shadow and nightmares. Those in my pantheon have been long forgotten, but some of our creations have managed to outlast us," Corbin said with a sort of angry smile. "My minions are the natural harbingers. Other gods created unnatural dark creatures as servants. Those monsters exist elsewhere but I'm afraid they have been drawn to this place by me. I would not bring them here intentionally; I think they are seeking their old ruler."

"Can you get rid of them?"

"I can only draw them away. I do not have enough power to drive them away. But they would dare not enter the graveyard, for that is partially my domain. And they will not cross the boundary to your family's land anyway. It has been blessed over the decades your family has held it and as such is anathema to those things. But they are free to roam the woods."

"So other people could get hurt?" Nora asked.

"They cannot see those that cannot see them. Most people would be safe enough, although a close encounter with them might, as you say, creep them out."

"And animals? What about animals?"

"The animals are not safe. I agree with your assessment that the missing pets will not be returning."

"Will they leave here?"

"When I leave, they will follow me, and we shall all return to our dreamless, endless sleep."

"When are you leaving?"

"The next dark moon."

"I'm not an astronomer," she said dryly.

"Three days," he clarified.

"Three days?" she repeated, aghast. "Three days! When the hell were you going to tell me you were a forgotten god? Were you just going to say, 'Hey, Nora, I'm that god from the Ren Fair. It's been fun so long?' What the hell is wrong with you? You can't just do that! Even if you weren't a god, it's a hell of a thing to spend so much time with someone and just up and leave them just like that!"

"I'm sorry, Nora," he said.

"Sorry? Sorry? You're sorry! Oh my God, you don't have a clue, do you?"

"I really don't know what you mean."

"Why did you decide to pretend to be human? Why did you lie to me about everything? Why did you try to date me like a normal person? What do you want from me? Do you even care about me at all?"

He moved to her and attempted to hold her hands, but she kept her arms firmly crossed and drew back a step. "Of course I care. You intrigued me, and I wanted to know more about you, and I wanted to engage with humanity. So I took this disguise and I engaged with you. I knew I had to have a plausible background. I couldn't present myself as what I truly was or you would have rejected me immediately."

She blinked back tears again. "But why do this to me?"

"I wanted to spend time with you, that's all. I can't really articulate my motivation. I have been so lonely. I have enjoyed my time with you, I really have. I don't want to leave so soon, but I am fading into sleep. I wouldn't let those monsters hurt you. I wouldn't let anything hurt you, Nora."

"Except you," she said quietly, as the tears started to flow. "You don't even know what you did. You lied to me! You played a game with me, Corbin, and now you're breaking my heart."

He tilted his head to the side in a bird-like fashion. "Your heart is functioning properly. I can hear it beat, and it beats so fast right now."

She laughed through the tears. "It's a figure of speech, which you don't understand. I've been so stupid. You fooled me. You fooled me good. I thought you were kind of strange, but I'm no stranger to strange. You were also kind, intelligent, and good company."

"I wasn't trying to play a game or make a fool of you. I never meant to be unkind to you."

"No?" she snapped.

He drew back a step. "I really did not intend harm."

"I believe that. I really believe that. But you've done harm because you don't understand what it is to be human."

"I think I've learned much in my time with you."

"But you don't know what it means to break a heart." She pulled a tissue out of her purse and wiped away the tears.

"Nora, I may have lied about my nature and background, but I didn't lie about my feelings. I do care about you more than I've ever cared for anyone."

"How can you expect me to believe anything you say?"

"I suppose I can't," he said.

"I'm going inside now. If you can get those things away from Fletcher's Cove, I'd appreciate it if you would do that."

"What about us?"

"I-I have to go think about that. You need to go now, okay? Just go. I'll let you know if I want to see you again."

He drew back. "Very well. But there is not much time."

"I know."

He blinked, just once, and was gone.

Nora walked to Castle Peak. The waves smashed against the bay in a reflection of her inner turmoil. She sat down on the bench and cried.

"My dear child," Victoria said to her some time later, "what's wrong?"

Nora sighed. "Corbin lied to me."

"Oh, no. What about?"

"Everything. Who he is, what he wanted, when he was leaving."

"Goodness gracious," Victoria replied. "Then who is he, what does he want, and when is he leaving?"

"He's just a guy who wanted to have a fun summer with an interesting woman with no strings attached. He let me think it could be something more when he had no intention of staying or even keeping in touch with me. He just wanted some fun and then that's it. All done. He played me for a fool," she snapped. "For someone who can really see what's there, I couldn't see through all his lies."

Victoria patted her hand. "I'm sorry, my dear. I'm so sorry. I know you cared for him very much."

"And that makes it worse. I almost want to forgive him, but he has no clue how badly he's hurt me. And I don't think he ever will. He's just not that kind of person."

"Do you think you loved him?"

"I could have. I care for him more than I thought I would."

The waves crashed against the rocks.

"You should see him again before he leaves," Victoria said. "You don't want to leave without saying what you need to say. Trust me on this."

Nora sighed. "You're probably right."

Three days later, Nora sent a text to Corbin to meet her at Castle Peak.

He appeared out of nowhere.

She turned and looked at him.

"I was afraid you wouldn't see me," he said as the sun set. He looked up at her with his own eyes.

She gasped. They were hawk yellow with a silver reflection.

"I didn't make it easy for you to see what was really there," he said. "I knew you would see right through me if I didn't try to hide my nature."

"Well, that makes me feel a little better about being such an idiot."

"You are not and were not an idiot. I did deceive you, and I meant to. I have no excuses and you have every right to resent me for that."

"Well, good," she replied.

"And I'm sorry I hurt you. You were right; I had no real concept of how my actions could hurt you."

"I'm not sure I can forgive you."

"I understand. So why did you agree to see me?"

"Closure. Humans are big on it." She walked up to him. "I don't get attached to people easily. It's just not my nature. But when I do, I really get attached. When I care, I care deeply. I really enjoyed spending time with you. I thought maybe this could last beyond one summer. I know, with me being on the road odds were against that even if you were exactly what you said. But I would have been willing to try. That's how much I care."

"I cannot undo what I have done," he said. "If I could turn back time, I would have told you the truth from the beginning. I would not have broken your heart."

"Oh, you still might have," she said. "But I would have been more careful and would have known what I was getting into. That would have made a world of difference."

"I am sorry."

"Corbin, or whatever your name is, I'll try to forgive you," she replied as her eyes stung with tears. "Ignorance doesn't make me hurt less, but at least there was no malice. You were lonely and I can't resent you for that. Anyway, I'll move on. That's human nature. But you'll go back to sleep, lost and forgotten and that seems like a much worse fate than a broken heart."

He nodded sadly. "I made something for you to remember me by," he said, and held out his hand. Lying on his palm was an intricately woven silver ring. "Once the world knew me by this symbol."

Nora started to protest.

"To take this is not a commitment to worship me. You will have no other gods; I understand that. I would never ask you to abandon the faith that gives you such strength. This is a gift from a man to the woman he cares for."

"Alright."

He slid the ring on her right ring finger. "I have enjoyed this time with you, Nora, more than I can express. I am grateful for your generosity and compassion." He gently caressed her cheek. "Remember me, and I will not be forgotten. Cherish those memories, and I will not be lost. But I must go now, and descend again to my realm." He leaned forward and kissed her.

She returned the kiss.

"One day the stars will spin in the sky to the right alignment. Perhaps we'll meet again. Until then, I wish for you to receive all your heart desires."

"Goodbye, Corbin," she said, her voice breaking.

"Goodbye," he said. He took a step backwards and then vanished.

Two weeks passed. The mysterious creatures in the woods were gone, no more pets disappeared although the ones that were gone did not return, animals returned to their normal behavior, the weather returned to normal, the sea was no longer angry, and people stopped talking about the curse of Castle Hill. Life went on in Fletcher's Cove as it had for decades and the unpleasantness was soon forgotten as the tourist season drew to an end.

The band's van pulled into the driveway and the women knocked on the door.

"This still looks like the kind of place that should be in stories that start with, 'it was a dark and stormy night,'" Leah said.

"But it's sunny," Maryann countered.

"I'm surprised your hair always looks so good with so much going right over your head," she said sarcastically.

"Thanks!"

Both Leah and Isabella rolled their eyes.

Mrs. Amos let them into the house. "Nora's in the ballroom at the piano again," she said as she led the way. "She's spent a lot of time in there lately. I guess her young man must have left."

"Young man?" the three said in unison.

"She didn't tell you? Oh, well, I guess I've said too much. There she is."

Sure enough, Nora was at the piano playing a melancholy take on 'Moonlight Sonata.'

"Nora!" Maryann said.

"Hey, everyone."

They rushed to the piano.

"You didn't tell us you got a boyfriend! Why not?"

Nora smiled sadly. "I wrote a song. Do you want to hear it?"

"I want to hear about your boyfriend!"

"This will tell you everything."

"Well, sure," Maryann replied, quite confused.

Nora played the song.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Maryann said after she was done. "I'm real sorry."

"Do you want to tell us the story?" Leah asked.

"Maybe later. Let's have some tea and you can tell me where the next gig is going to be."

"Alright," Isabella said. "Hey, where did you get that ring? It's like nothing I've ever seen before."

Nora smiled sadly. "He gave it to me, before he left. Come on. We shouldn't keep Aunt Victoria waiting."

The Lyrics:

Everything about you is wonderful

You're already my best friend

I think we can have it all

I hope this never ends

I've never been so sure about anything

I've never felt love so strong

But I think you're pulling away

What is it; is something wrong?

Refrain: Just because I could hurt more

Doesn't mean I hurt any less

This isn't as bad as murder

But this isn't an unkindness

But you said that you loved me

You said I was your best friend

Were you lying to me?

Is this where it ends?

You can't break my heart

And then run away

What's wrong with you?

What do you have to say?

Refrain

You're leaving just like that

I know you can't stay

Why did you do this to me?

What do you have to say?

You should have told the truth

And then I would have known

Then I would've had a choice

To reap the pain you have sown

Refrain

I trusted you with my heart

What you've done isn't fair

You've taken all I have to give

While leaving me in despair

And now you're gone

And I'm left all alone

To sink into sorrow

And reap the pain you have sown

Refrain x2

Track 12 - Like a Writing Desk

The Interview:

Bryan: The music for this song is really different from the last one. This is kind a weird synth-pop sort of tune.

Anna: Well, the last song was just so depressing we thought our listeners could use something to cheer them up.

Lenore: And as you've brought up, the overall tone of this album is darker than our first one.

Belle: We also like to experiment a little with our music.

Kelly: So you don't think listeners will find this kind of jarring after that soulful track?

Anna: Well, maybe, but we never promised anyone we wouldn't make some mistakes.

Bryan: If you could re-do the order of the songs, would you?

Lee: Maybe. You'll have to wait until we release some overpriced, over-hyped, unnecessary, greatest hits anniversary edition.

Kelly: [laughs] Alright, I see you're thinking ahead.

Lee: Sometimes we do, anyway.

Bryan: So, what was your inspiration? I mean, I'm asking because it's my job, not because I think you're going to answer.

Anna: Life gets weird.

Kelly: That's it?

Lenore: Should there be more?

Bryan: The title is a quote from Alice in Wonderland. Was that your inspiration?

Belle: Not exactly. This is a good example of a song we wrote before had the music.

Anna: Life on the road is weird and sometimes things are really crazy. Sometimes we feel like we just fell down a rabbit hole, you know?

Kelly: And the White Knight's talking backwards?

Lenore: I believe in our band, and our music, but even I am not going to compare our weird little song with anything from Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow."

Lee: We do have some sense of humility, you know. But if you want to compare our song to a great album like that, well, be our guest.

The Inside Story:

The band called Nevermore and the Ravens was scouting out a park that was to be the site of a festival the next day, which they were scheduled to play at. Although dressed identically on stage, they dressed very differently outside of those personae. Maryann wore an orange shirt and yellow skirt, Nora wore a fashionable blue summer dress, Leah wore a green t-shirt and denim shorts, and Isabella wore a white shirt, denim shorts, and a baseball hat.

"Everything seems normal," Isabella said, watching the activity on the other side of the shady park.

"So how do you suppose Maryann will get into trouble this time?" Leah asked.

"Hey! I don't always get into trouble," Maryann said petulantly.

"No, I suppose that's true," Nora said. "No one always does anything. But you get into more trouble than the rest of us."

"That's not true," she said. Then she dropped right through the dirt into a hole that had been hidden by grass. She screamed all the way down to the bottom where she landed on a dirt floor with a thump and a bruise.

The other three were just staring at the hole in the ground.

"Okay, tell me no one is surprised that just happened just now," Leah remarked.

The other two just sighed.

"Sooooo, did Maryann literally just fall down the rabbit hole?"

Isabella cast a spirit sight spell on the three of them. "It appears she fell down some kind of hole, but I don't think a rabbit made this."

Maryann looked up and could see a tiny dot of light far above her. "Guys! Guuuuuuyyyys!" she yelled.

"Ssshh, I hear something," Isabella said. "I think Maryann's shouting at us. Maaaryyyaaann! We'll be right down!"

Maryann barely heard the faint response. "Well, I hope they come to get me. But I probably shouldn't stay here in case they fall on me." She pulled a flashlight out of her purse and saw she was in some kind of dirt tunnel with room to stand up, so she did so and moved away from the landing zone.

"I'll get the emergency kit," Leah sighed, and walked to the van to grab the heavy duffel bag filled with broadly useful items.

"Is that door going to close?" Nora asked.

"I don't think so. Not right now. I am going to close it, though, if I get a chance."

"How often to holes like this just open up?"

The blonde shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Okay, ladies, I have the kit. But I'm a bad adventurer because I don't have fifty feet of rope in this thing," Leah said.

"Yeah, I have no idea what you're talking about." Nora said.

"Honestly, have you never rolled dice for anything except a board game? No? Any adventuring party needs a ten-foot pole and fifty feet of rope."

The other two just looked blank.

"Forget it," Leah sighed. "The point is I don't have any way to get us safely down that hole or back up again."

"It sounded like Maryann landed fine," Isabella said. "I think the only thing we can do is jump and hope we also land safely and hope we can find a different way out."

"That sounds like a terrible plan," Nora said. "Remember that hotel in New York? We only got out because something helped us."

"Do you have a better idea?" Isabella snapped. "I'm not leaving Maryann down there alone, even if it means we're all trapped."

"Damn it. Hey, Maryann, move it!" she yelled down the hole. "Is anyone claustrophobic?"

"I don't think so, but I guess we'll find out," Leah replied.

"Alright, I guess I'll go first." Nora held her cross necklace for just a moment, then sat down on the grass and slid into the hole. She fell for what seemed like a long time and then landed with a thump. "Ouch!" She peered into the darkness. "Maryann?"

"It's me. Better move if the others are coming down," she said, helping Nora stand up.

After a pause, Leah slid down, and then Isabella. Leah put on her headlamp flashlight and they all looked around.

As far as they could see in either direction was a round tunnel made of dirt. There were no supports or tree roots. The only sounds they could hear were each other.

"Any idea where we are?" Nora asked Isabella and Maryann.

They shook their heads.

"So that means no one has idea how we get out?"

Everyone shook their heads. Maryann was about to say something when they were interrupted by a pigeon nearly flying into them, banging into the wall of the tunnel instead, and tumbling awkwardly to the ground.

"Oh no!" Maryann squealed and knelt down next to the dazed bird. "Is it going to be okay?"

"How are we supposed to know?" Nora replied acidly. "It's a pigeon. It's probably just fine."

"Oh, and thank you for your concern," the pigeon said in a Brooklyn accent.

Maryann stood up quickly and stepped back to the rest of the group.

The bird got to its feet. "What's with all the lights? Hard to see, you know."

"We, um, fell down the hole," Maryann said, pointing to the tiny light. "We're trying to find a way out."

"You fly out, like I'm gonna do."

"We, um, can't fly."

The pigeon cocked its head at them. "Well, you're in trouble, ain't ya?"

"Do you know the way out?"

"That's it," the bird said. "Only one I know."

"But we can't fly."

"Like I said, you're in trouble."

"Are you sure there's no other way out?" Maryann asked.

"Could be. I never looked that much. Anyway, I got places to go. Good luck!" the pigeon said, and flew up and out of the hole.

"So, we just had a conversation with a pigeon," Leah said. "Well, I always wanted to go on an 'Alice in Wonderland' style acid trip."

"It's not about drugs, it's about math," Nora sighed.

"What?"

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Charles Dodgson, or Lewis Carroll, was a professor of mathematics when this new abstract math started to become popular. He wrote the book to make fun of it."

"Wait, so what was with all the cakes and drinks and growing?" Maryann asked.

"Proportions. Just a demonstration of the absurdity of the new math," Nora said. "I think the whole tea party had something to do with irrational numbers. That book report was a long time ago."

"You went to a better high school than I did," Isabella sighed. "But we're getting side-tracked."

"Wait, so what was Through the Looking Glass all about?" Maryann asked.

"Math and a chess game," Nora answered.

"And another aspect of my childhood ruined by facts," Leah sighed. "And math."

"Ladies," Isabella said sternly. "Whatever this place is, we need to get out. Let's pick a direction and hope there's another way out."

"Okay, but it's just a matter of time before we fail our random encounter check," she replied.

The other three looked at her.

"It means we're probably going to run into something dangerous," Leah clarified. "In geek-speak."

"Oh, well, that's a given," Nora replied.

Isabella took the lead and they started walking down the tunnel.

"I know we don't know where we are, but are things like this common?" Leah asked. "Is the world just full of holes that open up to other places?"

"I don't know," Isabella answered. "My grandmother Ami taught me about doors. And I guess some doors could be holes in the ground."

They continued to walk for about fifteen minutes without seeing or hearing anything else. The tunnel started showing signs of plant life and was nearly completely covered with dark green moss and tiny pink flowers when they heard a faint, scurrying sound and they could see a large, black rat running along the wall in their direction.

Maryann squealed again and jumped out of its path.

The rat halted when it reached the band. "Well, well," it said, with a Queens accent. "So here you are."

"Did-did you know we were down here?" Isabella asked.

"The pigeon told me."

"That stoolie!" Leah said.

The band members kind of groaned but the rat sniggered. "Are you going to make puns about my hygiene?"

"I have no way to know if you are, in fact, a dirty rat," she said.

The rat sniggered again. "So, you fell down a hole."

"And we'd like to get out again," Maryann said. "Do you know the way out?"

"There's only one way out. It's right up there," the rat said, looking up at the ceiling.

They followed suit and saw the tiny dot of light right above them.

"How does that work?" Nora said with exasperation. "We've been walking for nearly twenty minutes!"

"If you don't know where you're going, how do you expect to get there?" the rat asked.

"Fair point to the rat," Leah said.

"We want out. Can you help?" Nora snapped.

"The only way out is up there. You have to get out the same way you got in."

"We fell down," Maryann said.

The rat rubbed its whiskers. "So there you go."

"We can't fall down any more and we can't fall up!"

"No? Well, look, if you can't fly, that's the only other way out."

"Can you fall up?" Nora asked snidely.

It looked at her with beady eyes. "You're touchy. I can get out, but I can't tell you how to do it. You've got to figure it out yourself. Kind of the point, really."

"Can you tell us what this place is?" Isabella asked quickly, to cut off a potential angry rant from Nora.

The rat rubbed its whiskers again. "I don't know what you would call it. I call it a good place to hide from cats. That's why the pigeon was down here. But you can't stay down here. Oh, no, no, that would not be good for you."

"Why not? Is there something dangerous down here?" Isabella asked.

"Not to me, but probably to you. Humans aren't supposed to be down here, you see. That's one of the rules."

"Whose rules?"

"The Hag's rules, of course," the rat replied.

"Who's the Hag?" Maryann asked. "And why did she put that hole there?"

The rat shrugged. "The Hag is the thing that rules. The Hag likes animals. The Hag doesn't like humans. I personally don't care. I mean, humans poison cheese but that's what humans do, so what's the point in hating them for it? But I want you to leave so the Hag doesn't take away my place to hide from cats."

"But I want to block the hole so no one else can fall down here," Isabella said.

"You can't block the hole," the rat replied. "But I also don't think most humans can fall through it either or there would probably have been some down here before now. More of you than rats, you know."

"Are you just a rat?" Leah asked.

"As far as I know. No, I don't normally talk outside and I think better down here, but I'm just a rat and that was just a pigeon."

"Isabella, is that true?" Nora asked.

Isabella cast a spirit sight spell on all of them. "Well, it does show up a little weird, but everything here does. I think it is just a rat and whatever this place is makes the rat seem like more."

Maryann knelt down next to the rat. "Listen; is it possible there's another way out besides that hole in the roof?"

"I guess. I mean, I'm not really the curious type. Curiosity killed the rat, you know."

"I thought that was the cat," Leah said.

"Really? It gets them too?"

"Can you help us try to find another way out, or figure out how to get out of that hole?" Maryann asked.

The rat appeared to think this over. "What's in it for me?"

"The Hag doesn't get mad for finding us here," Nora said irritably.

"Hey, I don't know if the Hag will take this place away," the rat said, looking shifty.

Maryann dug around in her purse and pulled out a half-eaten granola bar. "How about this? It's all natural, whole grain, no preservatives. All good stuff."

The rat sniffed at the air without getting closer. "What, no nacho cheese?"

"That stuff is bad for you."

"Human, I'm a rat. My life is really short. I don't care about all that stuff that may kill me in forty years because I don't live that long. Anyone else got something good? I like sour cream and chives too."

"No," Nora said coldly. "We do care about stuff killing us in forty years."

"Fine, fine, touchy human. Okay, I'll take your bribe." The rat walked up to Maryann and pulled the granola bar out of her hand and started to eat. "But I don't know if I'll be too much help."

"Then why did you take the food?" Nora snapped.

"'Cause I'm a rat, and I'm hungry."

"Again, fair point to the rat," Leah said.

"So what's your name?" Maryann asked.

"I don't have a name. I'm a rat."

"What do you call other rats?"

"'Hey, you rat,'" the rat answered. "If there's a particular rat I'm talking to, I'm in their face. If I'm talking to a bunch of rats, it's because something dangerous is coming, and everyone should listen to me anyway. Names are only important to refer to someone who isn't there. Rats aren't really concerned with other rats who aren't right there."

"Wow, I am amazed at how smart this rat is," Leah said.

"Well, I'm going to call you Templeton if you don't mind," Maryann said.

The rat shrugged and continued to eat the granola bar as fast as it could.

"From Charlotte's Web?" Leah asked.

The redhead nodded.

"I'll bet you cried like a baby when you read that."

"Everyone cries when they read that," Maryann said stiffly.

"Okay, let's start walking," it said in a voice slightly muffled from the sticky granola still in its mouth. "If we get back around you may be able to get out then. And hope you don't run into the Hag. Oh, and you can put away those lights. You won't need them."

"We're not really going to listen to a rat, are we?" Nora asked.

The others shrugged. "If it's too dark we'll just turn the lights back on again," Isabella said.

They reluctantly turned off and put away their flashlights. For a minute they could only see the light of the hole in the ceiling, but there seemed to be some light being emitted from an unseen source. Once their eyes adjusted to the dimmer light they could see fine.

"Where's the light coming from?" Maryann asked in a lowered voice.

"I don't know," the rat answered.

In a few minutes the tunnel opened up into a large cave with a strange garden. The ceiling was still covered in moss and flowers and the light seemed brighter. Some of the plants were squared off hedges, some were bushes covered with berries or flowers, and some were just flowers. There seemed to be no pattern in the layout of the plants and it was so large they couldn't see the end of the garden.

"Stay away from the plants," Templeton said.

"So we don't catch the Hag's attention?" Maryann asked.

"No, because a lot of them are definitely poisonous," it replied irritably. "So I assume they all are, just in case. But hey, you can test that out if you want."

Leah recognized one of the plants as an oleander bush, and Isabella recognized a cluster of foxgloves. They were certain, however, that some of the plants were completely alien.

Suddenly the cave was filled with a horrible wailing sound. The band clapped their hands over their ears, but that didn't seem to diminish the noise. In a moment it stopped.

"What was that?" Maryann exclaimed.

Templeton looked agitated. "That was the Hag. It's really unhappy and that might be because of you."

"What can we do?" Isabella asked.

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking."

"You're thinking of running off and leaving us," Nora snapped.

"Hey, I'm just a rat." Its ears perked up. "Quick, hide behind that hedge!"

They ran behind a nearby square hedge and ducked down.

"Rat! Rat!" said a squeaky voice. "The Hag! The Hag!"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard it. So what?"

There was a pause. "Oh, what's that? What's that?"

"Hey!" Templeton said.

There was a scurrying sound and a brown rabbit poked its head around the hedge and stared at the band. "Eek! They can't be here!"

"I know that," Templeton said irritably. "I'm trying to get them out, but I think they'll need to get back around."

"Yes, yes, that might work. But the Hag knows there are intruders and is looking. They'll never get past it!"

"I know that too. Why don't you help me think of something?"

The rabbit and rat were silent for a few minutes. "Well," the rabbit said timidly, "we could take them to the weird crow. It's the smartest creature down here, maybe besides the Hag."

"That's actually a good idea. Alright, humans, we're going to see the weird crow. But follow me closely and be quiet."

They nodded and followed Templeton while the rabbit hopped ahead. After about fifteen minutes, the rabbit came back at full speed.

"They must hide! Now!" it said, shaking with terror. "The Hag is coming!"

"Quick, get in that bush," Templeton ordered.

The band dropped to their knees and crawled into a thicket of bushes which were luckily enough more flexible than the types of bushes used for hedges. Templeton ran around to some of the nearby flowers and hit them, which caused pollen to fly in the air. Both he and the rabbit then hid under some of those flowers and tried to look like they were asleep.

"What are we doing?" Nora whispered irritably. "Why are we listening to animals?"

Then they felt the temperature drop so quickly they could see their breath condensing in the air. They heard something that sounded like an insect skittering in the dirt coming towards them, only this was much louder than an insect and they assumed much larger. It was difficult to see much through the leaves, but what they did see was something quite monstrous. They could see a large, hooded and cloaked creature that was probably eight to nine feet tall. The overlarge black garment hid the thing's shape, but they could see dozens of insect-like legs sticking out from the bottom. It looked up and around, but they couldn't see its face. There were tendrils of darkness emanating from the sleeves, although they could see no hands. After a few heart-thumping moments it slowly walked away. The warmth returned to the area.

Templeton opened one eye slowly, then jumped up and ran to them, followed by the rabbit. "That was close!"

"What was that?" Maryann exclaimed.

"The Hag! The Hag!" answered the rabbit.

"That thing is terrifying! Why do you stay down here?" Isabella asked.

"We don't stay down here all the time," Templeton said, "and start walking. It will probably find you next time. I just come down here to get away from danger. And the Hag doesn't hurt us and usually isn't like that. It's angry, you see, and that's a problem."

The rabbit followed them as well, looking nervous.

"Can I call you Pipkin?" Maryann asked.

"Sure, sure, if you like," it said.

Templeton rolled its eyes.

"That one must be from Watership Down," Isabella commented after a few minutes.

"That's right!"

They followed Templeton to a sort of side alcove in the garden. "The crow's up there," it said, gesturing up to a small nest in the mossy tunnel-face. "I'll be right back." Templeton had no problem climbing up the uneven wall with the plants to cling to while the rabbit waited on the ground.

"So that's why we're following the animals," Maryann said to Nora.

Nora still looked upset. "Yeah, I know, it's just this is one of the weirder things we've come across, and that's saying something, and I'm trying to figure it all out."

"I wonder what the rat meant by a 'weird crow,'" Leah said.

In a minute, her question was answered as a crow walked out of the nest and then proceeded to walk down the wall as though it was a horizontal surface while Templeton had to navigate the moss and cliffs. While it walked, it almost seemed as though it had three legs, but they could only see two as it stood there. It looked different than the rabbit or rat with spirit sight, but none of them knew how to interpret what they were seeing.

"Well, well, this explains both how they got here and why they can't be here," the crow said with a very odd accent. "But how to get them out again?"

"I was hoping I'd think of something before we got back around again," Templeton answered.

"You have good instincts, but there needs to be a bit more to it, I'm afraid."

"Can you help? The Hag just barely missed them once because of all the pollen. It won't miss them again."

The crow walked in a circle around them, and again appeared to have three legs. "I can. But you'll have to get them back around."

"What did you do?" Isabella asked, seeing their auras fade in the spirit sight.

"I have made you less obvious to the Hag's senses. It does not see, but it does smell and it does hear. You will still need to be cautious, and perhaps clever, and possibly lucky. You do not want to get caught."

"What happens if we do?" Maryann asked.

The crow blinked at them. "Just don't."

"Why do you stay down here with that terrible thing? Don't you want someone to try to get rid of it for you?"

"We aren't 'someone,'" Nora said sternly.

"Your heart is in the right place," the crow said to Maryann, "but your friend is right. This place and the creatures in it are not your concern. I do not believe many humans could have found their way here, and should it happen again, I will try to see them back. But it is not for you to upset the order." The crow walked up the wall again with three legs.

The redhead looked upset, but she didn't reply.

The crow paused at the entrance to its nest. "You should go now. My spell won't last forever. Follow the rat and the rabbit and do not touch anything unless they tell you it's safe."

"We weren't planning on touching anything at all," Leah said dryly.

"Good." It walked back into its nest and disappeared.

"Well, let's get going," Templeton said. "You too, rabbit, because the crow said so."

Pipkin hopped nervously from one foot to the other. "Oh, that's what I get for being curious. Come on, humans. Be as fast and quiet as you can."

Nonplussed, the band followed the two animals, and Pipkin got more and more agitated.

"That is neither fast nor quiet, and the crow is helping you. What is wrong with you?" it hissed at one point.

"We don't have to be fast and quiet to survive," Leah answered.

Pipkin paused.

"That's a fair point to the human," Templeton said.

"I suppose I can't blame them for being loud and slow," the rabbit replied grudgingly.

"What's the time?" Maryann said in a low voice.

Isabella, as the only one who wore a watch because she had been in too many places without cell phone reception, answered, "It's been an hour. I mean, assuming time doesn't flow differently down here."

"What part of 'quiet' don't you humans understand?" Templeton snapped.

"Sorry," the redhead said.

"Don't be sorry; be quiet."

"Sorry," she said again.

Templeton rolled his eyes and Pipkin shook its head. Twice more they heard the terrible wailing, but it seemed to be at quite the distance. Abruptly the ill-lit grassy tunnel turned into an ill-lit snow-covered tunnel.

"What the hell?" Leah said as snowflakes fell from the top of the tunnel.

The plants changed to stunted pines and other evergreens with the odd rosemary bush. There were more plants that they didn't recognize, although many seemed evergreen-like. The temperature, however, was not much colder, for which they were grateful.

"It's just the winter garden," Templeton said dismissively. "Hurry up. Rabbit, try to hide those prints."

Pipkin grabbed a fern branch in its teeth and started to sweep behind the band as the rat took the lead, although that just made a messy track instead of clean footprints.

"This is just getting weirder," Leah murmured.

"And you're not getting any quieter," Templeton retorted.

They heard the wailing again and it seemed closer this time so they tried to hurry up. The snow-covered ground was slippery and after Maryann fell down twice, once onto a rosemary bush, they decided going faster wasn't really helping matters.

Pipkin's whiskers quivered. "They need to hide," it said.

"Quick, under this bush," Templeton ordered.

The band crawled under a tough, ferny bush.

"Do you have another one of those granola things?"

"This is no time to eat!" Maryann exclaimed.

"No time to argue!"

Isabella hastily pulled a bar out of her purse and gave it to the rat.

"Come on, rabbit, and brush those tracks!" Templeton lead Pipkin to the other side of the tunnel with Pipkin hastily trying to scratch out the tracks with the branch. "Drop it and help me open this thing!" Pipkin dropped the branch and started fighting with the granola bar wrapper. Their struggle made a lot of noise.

Fog crept down the tunnel, the temperature dropped again, and the band saw their breath condense. Then they heard the skittering sound again as the Hag walked down the hallway. Through the branches they could see the hood turn this way and that. It was distracted by the crinkling of the granola bar packaging and walked over to the side with Templeton and Pipkin. It seemed sniff the air, shake its head, and then soon moved on.

When the Hag was a good distance away from the band, Templeton and Pipkin returned with Pipkin chewing on the granola.

"Mmm, is this all natural?" Pipkin asked.

"Of course!" Maryann said.

"Ugh. You're such a granola-loving hoppy," Templeton said with disgust.

Leah raised an eyebrow. "I am liking this rat as much Remy."

The rat winked at her. "Well, we're getting there. I don't think you'll be lucky three times, so let's move."

Then the winter garden turned into an overgrown jungle with thick vines and brightly colored flowers.

"Curiouser and curiouser," Isabella commented.

Nora raised her eyebrow.

"You brought it up," she replied.

"Be very careful," Pipkin said, and stashed the evergreen branch into a thicket of vines. "This place is very poisonous."

"Oh," Maryann said in a small voice, as she pulled away from a pink flower.

"You weren't going to touch that, were you?" Templeton asked. "Because I told you at the beginning most things here are poisonous."

"Um, no," she said.

The rat rolled its eyes. "You humans are not worth this trouble," it sighed. "Come on already. We're nearly there."

"This doesn't help us get out of a hole on the ceiling," Nora said.

"Don't be so narrow-minded, touchy human. But do be quiet."

They tripped their way through the vines when a bright blue frog appeared on a vine almost right in front of Isabella's face.

"Hey!" it said.

The blonde turned pale but did not jump.

"They can't be here. The Hag is coming."

"We know that," Templeton said irritably.

"No, I mean right now!"

The tunnel was filled with the terrible wailing.

"Okay, humans, run like your lives depend on it!" Templeton ordered. "Because it does!"

They followed the rat and rabbit who were much faster than they were because they weren't being tripped up by the vines. They could see the fog catching up to them.

"The hole is above us! Where are we running to?" Nora panted.

"Right now we should be focusing on running from!" Leah retorted.

The Hag screamed at them and they put on a burst of speed.

Suddenly, Nora slipped and fell down a hole. After what seemed a long distance she landed with a thump. She was quickly followed by the rest of the group who landed more or less on top of her. "Ouch!" she shrieked.

The band scrambled to their feet as best they could. They quickly realized they were back in the park.

"Oh, my back," Nora winced. "You all fell right on top of me."

"How did we fall back into the park anyway?" Maryann asked.

"I guess we really can fall up," Leah said, brushing herself off.

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Nora snapped.

"Does anything that happens to us make any sense?" she retorted dryly.

"I like to think there's a reason for it," she replied with a frosty sigh.

"'Why is a raven like a writing desk?'" Isabella asked.

"What?"

"That's the riddle the Mad Hatter asked Alice. The whole point was that it's a nonsense question. People assumed Dodgson had an answer, but he didn't. I'm guessing since you said this was all about math, he was pointing out how absurd the new math was by having ridiculous questions taken seriously in his story. But there is no answer. A raven is not like a writing desk. And sometimes weird things with no apparent meaning happen to us."

"Shouldn't we be used to this?" Leah asked.

Nora sighed. "I still believe there is order to the universe. Doesn't this upset you, Leah?"

"Sometimes," Leah said. "But that's just part of having faith. Right?"

"I suppose you're right," she replied grudgingly. "This is why I had to take last summer off. There are just some days..." She took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I know what you mean," the brunette agreed with a sympathetic smile.

"Isabella, can you do something about that hole?" Maryann interrupted.

Isabella looked behind them. "I can't see the hole. I've got spirit sight and I can't see anything at all. I guess it already closed."

"Does that happen?" Leah asked.

She shrugged. "I really don't know. It apparently did here. Anyway, the hole is closed for now and if I can't see it, I can't even try to seal it. So we should get ready for our gig. We just lost two hours running around in Wonderland or the oubliette or wherever the hell we were."

"Hey, I wonder where Templeton and Pipkin went," Maryann said.

"They're probably hiding in the bushes because here they're just ordinary animals," Nora said. "Come on. It's been a weird day. Let's try to focus on having a good show."

"You're right," Maryann agreed.

They hurried to the stage area while a rat and a rabbit watched them from underneath the bushes. They looked at each other, seemed to nod, and then walked off in different directions.

The Lyrics:

When up is down and down is up

Right is left and left is right

The laws of physics are broken

And darkness shines like light

Going nowhere by running

Going backwards by being still

Walking on a flat surface

Gets you to the top of a hill

Refrain: When the world has gone topsy-turvy

When desperately seeking a sane haven

Remember some riddles don't make sense

And a writing desk is not like a raven

At the end of the sidewalk

I fell up instead of down

And after I flew over the clouds

I landed softly on the ground

What is happening here?

I just don't understand

I need some useful answers

Can someone give me a hand?

Refrain

Sometimes order breaks down

And chaos rules the day

But a little madness isn't so bad

Sometimes it's the only way

Refrain x2

Track 13 - Howl at the Moon

The Interview:

Kelly: So this next track, "Howl at the Moon," has kind of a '70s rock feel too it.

Anna: It should. We were thinking of calling this one something like, "Werewolves of Cleveland" but figured people would think we were ripping off Warren Zevon.

Lee: However, he was a pretty good musician, so maybe we should have gone with that.

Bryan: So this isn't a rip-off?

Lenore: No.

Kelly: Why would you have named it "Werewolves of Cleveland?"

Lee: Because Cleveland rocks. Also, it would have been funny.

Bryan: Okay, I agree that would be funny. Is "Werewolves of London" an inspiration then?

Belle: You could say that.

Lee: Or maybe we just wanted a song that would make everyone's custom Halloween playlist.

Kelly: I think many of your songs are already there.

Lee: You record one song about the number thirteen and people just stereotype you.

Kelly: You can't be surprised by that.

Belle: No. We've clearly made an impression.

Bryan: Are you trying to play into this stereotype that you're a creepy Goth band?

Lenore: I don't see how that stereotype is valid. I'm not even sure what Goth music is but I'm pretty sure it doesn't include '70s bluesy-rock, regardless of the subject matter.

Anna: And we're not creepy!

Bryan: Okay, okay, I'm sorry. You're not creepy and you're not Goth. You're...

Belle: Successful. How about we stick with that?

Kelly: [laughs] That's fair.

The Inside Story:

"So why are we in Cleveland again?" Nora asked.

"Because we have a show downtown," Isabella said.

"And I want to visit Skipper, I mean Jason," Maryann answered.

"He changed his name like, five years ago, and you still call him Skipper?" Leah asked.

"Hey, he was Skipper for a lot longer than he's been Jason," she retorted. "He's going to graduate soon and I may not be able to see him get the diploma, so I'm going to see him now and wish him luck before he defends his thesis. I mean, I'm sure he'll pass."

"Your parents won't be upset about you missing his graduation?" Nora asked.

"Well, they won't like it, but they understand. Life on the road is hard and they know I'll just miss out on some things. I've made my choices, and they'll let me live with the consequences," she replied.

"You don't know how jealous I am."

"Me too," Leah sighed.

"So, where are we meeting Jason?" Isabella asked. "I have a hell of a time finding any parking around campus."

"I think he's at the lab, so we'll just park wherever we can and walk. Hey, maybe we can visit the spirits at the chapel," Maryann answered.

"As long as the area is pretty deserted."

Isabella did not manage to find a close parking space, so they had a bit of a walk down to the main quadrangle of Case Western Reserve University. Before stopping at Jason's lab in one of the many engineering buildings, they stopped next to an old chapel that had a bell tower with three angel statues and one gargoyle statue.

"They've done some work since we were last here," Maryann said, looking around the changed quad. She adjusted her bright red coat.

"They still need to work on their aesthetics," Nora commented, looking fashionable in her elegant dark blue wool coat.

Leah unzipped her brown jacket. "At least it's warmer than the last time we visited. See anything?" she asked the blonde.

Isabella put her hands in the pocket of her trenchcoat and felt for some papers, but changed her mind against casting a spell. "Well, they aren't up there," she said. "I can tell you that even without active spirit sight."

"Huh. I wonder where they are?" she asked.

"Maybe playing a game or something in a computer lab," Maryann replied.

"I'm not sure I want to just stand around here, especially since we aren't students," Nora said. "Maybe we should just go find your brother and we'll try to talk to the spirits later."

"Okay. Maybe they'll see us," she agreed. "Come on. He told me which building but I'm going to have to ask him to let us in." She led them across the quad and had to call her brother three times before he answered. By the time they got to the doors, he was waiting for them.

"Hey, Maryann," he said, brushing his auburn hair out of his tired eyes. His clothes were rumpled but at least they were clean. "Hey guys. I'm still working on all the references and appendices for my thesis and my professor wants some extra simulations run, just in case."

"Have you been spending a lot of time in the lab?" she asked sympathetically.

"Yeah, well, I am writing a thesis."

"You look like you're sick," she said.

"I don't feel good, but it's just stress, you know? My whole academic career is about to come down to one hour and three professors' opinions."

"I'm sure you'll pass just fine."

He smiled wanly. "I'm sure you're sure. So, anyway, what are you doing in Cleveland?"

"We have a show! Downtown!"

"That's pretty cool. Where?"

"Fourth Street tomorrow night. I'll send you information and get you tickets."

"I don't have time for a show."

"You should take a break every now and then," she said. "It won't hurt."

"I'll think about it," he said.

"Okay, well, you did miss the last one. If you're going to miss this one, can we meet up for lunch Sunday before we head out again?"

"Sure, sure," he answered vaguely. "Listen, I need to get back to the lab. I'll see you tomorrow."

Maryann looked unhappy. "Okay, see you tomorrow."

Jason went back into the building and they slowly walked back to the Amasa Stone Chapel.

"He doesn't seem like himself," she sighed. "I'm sure he's under a lot of pressure, but I think he's been working too hard."

"Last time we see him he's slacking off playing some game," Nora said. "Now he's working too hard. Your brother needs to find a happy medium."

"He's met Isabella," Leah said.

The other three groaned. Then they heard a gravelly chuckle.

Isabella cast a spirit sight spell on herself and the rest of the band.

They could now see four spirits. Each was about five feet tall; three looked like angels and one looked like a gargoyle. The three angel spirits were also rolling their ethereal eyes while the gargoyle was obviously the one who was laughing.

"No one appreciates a good pun," Leah said.

"Well, not many," the gargoyle agreed. "It's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you too," Nora said.

"Do you have names we can call you by?" Maryann asked.

"Well, we don't have names as such, but we did pick something," answered the gargoyle spirit.

"I'm called Sabrina," said one angel spirit.

"I'm called Kris."

"I'm called Kelly."

"Let me guess," Maryann interrupted. She pointed at the gargoyle. "You're Charlie!"

"Very good," it said. "I thought about 'Bosley' since I'm actually interacting with them, but I liked 'Charlie' better."

"Why not Jill?" Maryann asked Kris.

Kris shrugged. "I liked Kris better. Jill was only there for one season anyway."

"Wait a minute. Charlie's Angels?" Nora asked.

They all nodded.

"Leah, you failed to catch a pop culture reference?"

"I think the woman named 'Maryann Ginger' is more likely to catch a reference to a campy '70s TV show than I am," Leah retorted.

"Actually, Gilligan's Island was a campy '60s TV show," Maryann replied. "But Charlie's Angels was the '70s."

Leah rolled her eyes.

"You were named after characters on Gilligan's Island?" Charlie asked.

She shrugged. "My parents loved that show."

"So, how are things working out for you?" Nora asked.

"Pretty good. There are just so many adorable cat videos!" Sabrina said.

"This internet is truly something amazing," Kris said.

"Also, we started our own guild and we're kicking all kinds of butts," Kelly said. "I think that's the right phrase. Human colloquialisms are difficult to master."

"But there is a problem," Charlie said. "It's not really your concern, but I do remember you mentioned you had a brother who attended this school."

"He still is, at least until this May if he passes his thesis defense," Maryann said.

"What's the problem?" Isabella asked.

"There is a darkness that has entered the boundaries," Sabrina answered. "We are trying to protect those within the boundaries."

"And I'm trying to keep the darkness out," Charlie added, "but somehow it bypasses my protections. I think the source of this darkness may be one of the students."

"Oh, no, poor Skipper," Maryann squeaked. "You think my brother is in danger?"

"All students are in danger right now," Kris said. "We know it appeared before the long winter break and is strongest on the full moon."

"Long winter break?" Isabella repeated. "So it showed up last semester. And is strongest on the full moon?"

"It's a werewolf," Leah said.

"How do you know that?" Nora asked. "That's just the most obvious answer. I'm sure there other possibilities. Right, Maryann, Isabella?"

The other two and the spirits exchanged glances.

"It is probably a werewolf," Charlie conceded. "We didn't want to frighten you by saying so directly. The angels tell me I am too blunt, so I was attempting to be tactful."

"Really?" Nora asked.

"I know, I'm not very good at it," it said.

"No, no, not that tact thing. I mean, there's really no other option for source of darkness on a full moon besides a werewolf?"

"Well, in theory, there could be other things," Maryann said.

Isabella sort of shrugged. "Sometimes the most obvious supernatural cause is actually the right one. Of course, we won't know unless we run into this werewolf."

"That's the kind of evidence I can do without," Leah said. "Unless one of you packs a gun and some silver bullets, we're likely to get torn apart."

"Yes, such creatures are very powerful," Kelly said. "This one we feel is new, however, and somehow drawn to this university. There are other spirits attempting to learn the source of the creature, and to protect the students."

"We do not think the creature was cursed with lycanthropy on the university grounds," Sabrina said. "We would have known about that sort of magic and our protection should prevent that from happening."

"We know this student does not live on-campus. But we are limited by the boundaries and so is our investigation," Charlie said.

"We'll figure this out," Maryann replied. "My brother may be in danger. And we're the only ones who can do this."

"Oh, so you have the gun and silver bullets," Leah said.

"Um, no."

Nora sighed. "Look, I don't want to sound like a total jerk here, but we aren't really qualified to hunt dangerous supernatural creatures and we have to roll out in two days for the next show."

"I can't leave Skipper here with some werewolf running around!"

"He's graduating in May. He won't be here that much longer," Leah said.

"Leah!"

"What? It's true."

"Ladies, ladies," Isabella interjected. "We'll do what we can in the two days we have. Maryann, I'm sorry, I know you're worried, but odds aren't good we'll find this thing and I don't know how we'll handle it if we do. Anyway, if there's no full moon, we've got almost no way to find this thing."

"Actually, tonight and tomorrow night will have full moons," Charlie said.

"Who's surprised? I'm not surprised," Leah said wryly.

"This happens every time," Nora sighed.

"Please, do not endanger yourselves," Sabrina said. "If you should be so unlucky as to run into this creature, do not attempt to fight it. Run away as fast as you can. We will protect the university. That is our job. It is not yours."

"But he's my brother!"

"Maryann, please, listen to the spirits," Isabella said.

Maryann looked like she was about to protest, but she crossed her arms angrily. "I'm going to at least try divination to figure out who it is. I don't know all the students here, but if I can get a name or description, it'll help you, right?" she asked, addressing the spirits.

"Yes, a name would be best but a description would be helpful," Charlie answered.

"Perhaps, since this is a student, you may find information related to their year or major, which would also be helpful," Sabrina said.

"Come on," Isabella said. "Let's get some rehearsal time in and when the moon comes up you can try your divination, okay?"

"Okay," Maryann answered grumpily.

"We'll check in with you guys if we find anything," Isabella said. "And if we don't we'll at least try to stop by on Sunday before we head out of Cleveland."

"That sounds fine," Kris said. "But again, please be careful. Do not pursue this creature!"

The band led Maryann away, reluctantly, to their hotel and then managed to get through a few hours of rehearsal in which Maryann was clearly distracted. They finished up, had a quick and cheap dinner, and then Maryann pulled out her favorite tarot deck. The others watched mostly to see how Maryann would react.

"Um," she said after she'd thrown out the spread.

The others gathered around to look.

"I'm not surprised to see the Moon out there, but that's pretty literal," Isabella said.

"Translation, please," Leah said.

Maryann sighed. "Okay, I used a typical ten-card spread. The first card is the questioner but since I'm asking about someone else, this card is the person we're looking for, which is the Page of Pentacles. That's the student card."

"So the werewolf is a student at Case, which we already knew," Nora said icily.

Maryann glared at her. "The opposing force is the Moon. I'm asking about the identity of a werewolf, and that's like Isabella said - pretty literal."

"But the card even has two wolves on it. What else would it mean?" Leah asked.

"Actually, one's a dog and usually it means deception, which I guess it could still mean that since we don't know who's the werewolf," she replied.

"I thought divination wasn't supposed to be this direct," Nora said.

"It's usually not. Remember how much trouble had figuring out the identity of your sister's roommate?"

"Yeah, but that was kind of literal too," Leah said. "We found her by the Moon Bench."

"Yeah. Hrm. Okay, this card is the background or the reason I'm asking and it's the Three of Swords, which is sorrow and loss."

"I see the card is literally a bleeding heart," Leah said.

"I guess the loss might be whatever caused this person to end up a werewolf," Isabella said.

"This fits in with the next card, which is the recent past, or what lead up to this situation. It's the Five of Swords, which is betrayal."

"So maybe whoever is the werewolf was betrayed," Nora suggested. "Maybe the werewolf, probably a guy since this is Case, was dating a girl. The girl was a werewolf and the guy didn't know it, and by making him into a werewolf, she betrayed him."

"That's not a bad interpretation, actually," Maryann said. "Could be a girl is the werewolf, but same betrayal. This next one is the near future which is the Tower. You can tell by the picture this isn't a good card. Basically everything comes crashing down."

"Is that for the werewolf?" Leah asked.

"I assume so since I'm asking about its identity. Maybe this is me figuring out who it is."

Isabella frowned thoughtfully but didn't say anything.

"Next card is present state of the problem, and it's the Eight of Swords. That's the prisoner card."

"Do you think this person knows they're a werewolf?" Leah asked.

"I don't know. They may not but they may also somehow know something is wrong," Maryann said. "Next is external influences or higher powers and it's the Hermit. That's kind of odd, actually. I guess the werewolf is a loner?"

"You mean a lone wolf," Leah said.

Nora groaned. "Honestly."

"Isn't the Hermit kind of related to the Moon card?" Isabella asked.

"Oh, sure, by a cross sum, if you take that kind of thing into account."

"I really wish I spoke occult sometimes," Leah sighed.

"There are lots of ways the cards can be related depending on the reader," Isabella said. "But since people like to look for meaning and patterns, sometimes those connections aren't always relevant. But considering this is all about a werewolf, I think the Hermit's link to the Moon may be important."

"Does this help us figure out a name?" Nora asked, sounded annoyed. "Because right now this seems like stuff we already know."

"Please, Nora," Isabella sighed. "This is divination. It's not an exact science. We already know the only accurate prophecies are the ones that are actually history."

"Fine," she said, sounding unconvinced.

"The next card is internal influences, which is the Queen of Wands. That's actually good."

"That's you, Maryann," Isabella said.

"Well, sure, because I'm doing the divination to find out its identity," she continued, "the next is hopes and fears and that's the Nine of Swords, which is only the worst card in the deck. Basically this is the worst case scenario. This is everything going wrong."

"This means we're going to meet the werewolf," Leah said.

"This isn't supposed to be about us," Nora said. "I thought this was about the werewolf. Clearly it's going to have a very bad day, which is what we want, right? Someone to figure out who it is?"

"Well, yes, but I don't know if this is what that means. I have a really bad feeling about this spread," Maryann said.

"Yeah, the last card is Death," Leah said. "I'm pretty sure that can't be good."

"It's not exactly bad. It doesn't usually mean physical death. I mean, hardly ever as far as I know. It is generally interpreted as a profound change."

"But it could mean actual death, right?" Leah asked.

"Sure, it could, but I don't think that's likely."

"Does this tell us who the werewolf is?" Nora interrupted impatiently. "Besides that it's a student here at Case?"

"Um, it's probably a guy," Maryann answered.

"Yeah, and over half the students here are guys," she snapped. "Listen, it's nice that you tried but this doesn't really get us anywhere."

"I'm just hoping that Death card isn't literal. I mean, werewolves and death kind of go together," Leah said.

"It's not worth worrying about now. We need to get to some sleep. And tomorrow we need to do some more rehearsing," Isabella said. "You try another divination if you want, but I don't think it will help."

Maryann sighed. "I just wanted to help Jason."

"We understand that," Leah said. "But Isabella's right; we need to get some sleep."

And that's what they did.

Maryann was the first awake so she got breakfast for the group.

"You didn't sleep well, did you?" Leah asked, since she had shared a room with Maryann as normal.

The redhead sighed. "No."

The other two joined them for breakfast.

"I had a weird dream," she said.

"So did I. I dreamed we were in an Old West ghost town with the Three Stooges," Leah said.

The other three gave her odd looks.

She shrugged. "Hey, those are my dreams."

"Mine wasn't so, um, weird, I guess," Maryann said. "I dreamed about the tarot reading. I saw the Tower but it was the Amasa Stone Chapel. Lightning struck it and I could see who the werewolf was and suddenly I was surrounded by nine swords floating in the air."

"Can you tell us who it is?" Isabella asked.

She shook her head. "No. It was so clear in the dream. I was frightened and I ran to the chapel to try to get inside but the door was locked. I was yelling at you to open the door. Charlie and the angels tried to protect me, but they weren't strong enough. Then the moon glowed like the sun, I saw a shadow of someone in a hood and cloak, everything turned silver and then I woke up."

"I'll make some door charms just in case this is one of your psychic dreams," Isabella said. "And if it's not, well, I'm out some ink and paper."

"I'm going to call Jason and make sure he's okay since last night was a full moon," Maryann said. "And then I'm going to make sure he comes to our show tonight. I want to get him away from Case since tonight's a full moon."

"You think he'll be safer in downtown Cleveland?" Leah asked. "At least there are spirits watching over the university."

"Well, we can protect him if we have to. Anyway, he really needs to get out of that lab and have some fun. If he's going to be stubborn, I'll bribe his friends to take him to our show." After three separate attempts she had failed to get in touch with her brother. "That's it! We're going over to his house!"

"I'm sure he's fine, Maryann," Isabella said.

"Well, I want to be sure."

"Does he share a place with other guys?" Leah asked.

"Yeah."

"Then call one of them first. We don't want to walk in on a bunch of dudes unannounced. I have three brothers; trust me on this one."

Maryann looked doubtful, but contacted one of Jason's housemates. "Okay," she said, hanging up, "Aadi told me Jason's already back at the lab but that he'd be willing to drag him to the show if we can get tickets for everyone."

"We can do that," Isabella said. "But why didn't your brother pick up his phone?"

"Aadi said Jason told him he was so tired he left his phone in the lab last night."

"But if he's at the lab, why didn't he answer?"

Maryann shrugged. "He's not very good about keeping his phone charged anyway."

"I didn't know that sort of thing was genetic," Leah replied.

"Hey! I'm a lot better about that now," she retorted. "Anyway, we need to drop off the tickets and I want to ask those guys how much Jason's been at the lab."

"They probably won't talk," Leah said.

"They'll talk to me," she said firmly.

After taking care of some band business, they drove to the half house Jason was sharing with three roommates: two seniors and one junior. The junior, a young man with a dark complexion wearing baggy clothes, opened the door. "Hi, Maryann."

"Hi Aadi."

"I didn't think you were bringing the whole band just to drop off tickets," he said.

"I brought doughnuts too."

"Awesome. Hey, guys, we got doughnuts!" he yelled to the other two unseen housemates. They heard some positive replies.

"But the doughnuts have a price," Maryann continued. "I want to know what's going on with my brother."

"Oh, man," he sighed. "Fine, come in."

They followed him into the living room which was not as messy as they expected. Maryann set the doughnuts out on the coffee table and the other two housemates grabbed some but then quickly made excuses to leave.

"Thanks guys!" Aadi called sarcastically as they walked out the door. "Look, Maryann, I don't know what you want me to tell you. Jason's been real busy with his thesis. His professor keeps thinking of more work for him. Sometimes I swear the guy doesn't want him to graduate so Jason can keep doing his research for him."

"He looks awful! Is he sick? Has he been to the doctor?"

Aadi was looking very uncomfortable. "Well, he does stay at the lab most nights. Like, almost every night. I mean, he comes back here, eventually, but he's usually out real late."

"Something else is going on here. What is it?" she asked firmly.

He sighed. "So he didn't tell you about her?"

"Her?" Maryann exclaimed.

"Jason, well, Jason doesn't get out as much as he should," Aadi said. "But last semester he met this girl. Deanne or something. He fell for her really hard and fast. Like, creepy tween romance fast. Don't judge me," he said quickly. "I've got two older sisters and two younger female cousins who were always around."

"That's fine," Maryann said impatiently. "So this girl?"

"Yeah, this girl. He spent all the time he could with her and kind of neglected his thesis work for a little while. I mean, she was like all he talked about."

"Wow, so that's genetic too," Leah whispered to Nora.

Nora sniggered slightly. Isabella gave them a warning look but Maryann didn't notice.

"And then something happened over Thanksgiving break and he stopped talking about her. It was like she didn't even exist. That's when he really started working on his thesis again and it seems like he had a lot of work to make up."

"Did you ever meet this girl?"

Aadi shook his head. "Nope. We teased Jason about making her up so he'd let us meet her, but he made some excuse about her being shy and uncomfortable around new people. And then there was the big break-up, I guess, so we didn't bug him about it."

"Why didn't he tell anyone he had a girlfriend?" Maryann asked, looking hurt.

"He didn't want you or his mom to make a big deal of it, I think," Aadi answered. "And they broke up anyway so there wasn't anything to tell you."

"You can't expect your brother to tell you everything," Leah said. "My brothers don't tell me anything and honestly I'd rather not know what they're up to."

"I know, I know. But being all broken up over a girl doesn't explain why he looks sick," Maryann said.

"Well, I'll tell you he hasn't been coming back here to eat for awhile. I assume he's getting some take-out or something and eating at the lab. I don't think he looks too much worse than some of the other guys working on their thesis."

"Okay, well, thanks," the redhead said, looking quite unhappy.

"Hey, thanks for the doughnuts. I know you will anyway, but don't tell Jason you heard about his girlfriend from me."

"I'll blame the other two," she said.

"So, can I keep the rest of these?" he asked, gesturing at the remaining doughnuts.

"Sure."

"Come on, Maryann. You got your answers, and we have some stuff to take care of before the show tonight," Nora said.

"You will bring Jason to the show, right?" Maryann asked Aadi.

"Yeah, sure, I think we can drag him out for one night anyway. Might have to get a few beers in him though. He's been seriously uptight lately with that thesis hanging over his head like the sword of Damocles."

They couldn't help but give him an odd look.

He sighed. "I'm double-majoring in mathematics and world literature. Not all students here are engineers who are afraid of the humanities."

"We're sorry for stereotyping," Maryann said contritely.

"It's fine. Happens all the time. I'm looking forward to your show tonight."

"Thanks," Nora said. "And if you can convince some other people to go who would have to buy tickets, that'd be great."

"I'll try."

"Thanks again," Maryann said as the band filed out of the house. "I sure wish Jason had told me about his girlfriend."

"He's allowed to keep secrets," Nora said. "Maybe he'll tell you once he's over her."

Isabella frowned thoughtfully but said nothing.

The band took care of some more chores in preparation for their show and Maryann was obviously distracted. They got to the gig and it was clear she was searching for her brother or his housemates, and everyone was relieved to see the whole household in the crowd. Jason, however, looked more annoyed than excited. Maryann assured him it would be a great show and he would have a great time and then they disappeared backstage.

After a long set and a good show, they rejoined the crowd.

"Aadi, where's Jason?" Maryann asked.

"Um, we maybe got too many beers in him," he answered. "He started looking real sick and ran to the bathroom."

"Has anyone been in to check him?"

"Yeah, yeah, he's just taking care of business."

"We need to get our gear loaded up," Isabella said.

"Okay, well, we'll try to stop by tomorrow and maybe go to lunch," Maryann said. "Make sure Jason's okay."

"No problem," Aadi replied. "Good show, by the way. I like the punk meets Goth inspired costumes."

"Thanks!"

It took some time to pack everything up and by that time they wanted some food, so they parked the van in a nearby parking garage and got some dinner at a bar before the kitchen closed. After dinner, such as it was, they hurried back to the parking garage before it closed.

"Hey, is someone standing next to our van?" Nora asked in a low voice.

They halted for a moment. The parking garage was adequately lit but there were still numerous shadows. It was clear someone was by their van and that the person appeared to be on all fours.

"Okay, this is getting weird," Leah said in an equally low voice.

"I have a really bad feeling about this," Isabella said. "The wind just died."

"Then I think we should back up slowly to the elevator and get security," Nora said, and they proceeded to do so. However, the elevator made a beeping noise when it reached their floor which the mysterious person around their van seemed to hear. The person stood up and stepped forward into better light.

Leah cursed in Spanish.

The figure was a seven-foot tall, reddish-blond werewolf.

"Take the stairs," Isabella said, pulling a piece of paper with Japanese kanji written on it out of her purse.

The werewolf growled.

"Now!" she ordered, and they all scrambled for the stairs.

The werewolf bounded after them but Isabella put the charm on the door behind them. The werewolf smacked into the glass, looked confused, ripped off the paper, and then followed them down the stairs, but at least they had bought a few moments' head start. The band got out of the stairwell and started to run down the street.

"Are you sure this place isn't on a Hellmouth?" Leah shouted as they ran down Superior Avenue.

"Yes! There's no such thing!" Nora replied.

"Then explain the werewolf!"

The snarling, giant beast knocked over several newsstands as it pursued them. The few people on the street at that hour screamed and got out of the way but only acted as though they were seeing a crazy dog.

"Maryann, I need a door!" Isabella yelled.

"That's your thing!"

"Where can I find an old door?"

She struggled to concentrate as they continued their mad dash. "The Arcade! We'll cross Sixth Street and then you'll see it!"

They crossed Sixth Street and skidded to a stop in front of a large glass door and glass windows. The security guard inside looked at them curiously.

"It's coming," Leah said. "It'll smash through the glass..."

Isabella pulled out another piece of paper with Japanese kanji written on it. She stuck it to the door and opened it, even though it should have been locked at that late hour. "Go!"

The other three gladly ran through and Isabella was last as the werewolf bore down on her. She pulled the door shut.

The werewolf slammed into the door but did not break the glass. The paper on the outside turned to ash.

"And again we find ourselves being chased by a terrifying monster," Leah sighed.

"Well, at least we have shoes we can run in," Nora said. "Where are we?"

"The Arcade. It was a Victorian shopping mall. It was called the Crystal Palace once. The top three floors are the hotel and the rest are shops. It's a historical building and supposedly one of the country's first shopping malls," Maryann answered. "Skipper told me all about it."

"No, that's where we were. Where are we now?"

"The spirit realm," Isabella answered.

"Why does it look different every time we end up here?" Leah asked.

"When we change our perceptions change."

"Who are all these ghost people? I mean, they aren't really ghosts, are they?" Maryann asked, looking at the opaque silhouettes walking around them.

"I don't think so," Isabella said. "I think we're seeing shades of real people."

"But the Arcade is closed right now."

"These people were here once. In a place like this their passage left an impression. Or we're seeing people from a different time. The spirit world is a strange place like that. I think if we wait here for a little bit we can go back out this door and get to our van."

"What if that thing is waiting for us?" Nora asked.

"The alternative is trying to walk through the spirit world to find an exit to someplace safe. I don't like walking through the spirit world. It's easy to get lost," Isabella answered.

"Can we walk to the van in the spirit world and make sure it's not waiting there?" Leah asked.

"I suppose we could, but we probably couldn't get out there. I can't make a door just anywhere, you know."

"I know, I know. I'm just trying to figure out a good solution."

"I'm wondering what that thing was doing around our van in the first place," Nora said.

"I'm so worried about Jason. We need to get back to the van so we can either get to Case and talk to Charlie and the angels or go to his house and make sure he's okay," Maryann said.

"Fine," Nora sighed. "We'll wait a few minutes, make sure it doesn't run past us, and maybe Isabella could open that door on the other side just in case it's hiding on this side?"

She walked across the Arcade and examined the other door. The band followed her. "It won't be as easy to open as that door, but I think I can do it."

"So now we wait," Leah sighed.

And wait they did for twenty long minutes. There could see no shadow of the werewolf outside the doors to the Arcade, so Isabella opened the door out to Euclid Avenue. They could see flashing lights through the glass of the Arcade on Superior Avenue, which made them glad they opted for the other side. They made their way back to their van and found it undamaged although it had a large scratch on the passenger side.

"It looks like someone keyed it," Nora said.

"I'd say someone clawed it," Leah replied.

"So, Maryann, where do you want to go?" Isabella asked.

Maryann was already calling her brother. "Let's go to Case and talk to the spirits. I'm going to try Aadi next."

Isabella drove them to Case while Maryann became increasingly hysterical. She couldn't get in touch with her brother and Aadi reported Jason had not come home.

"Aadi's going to make some calls," she said. "He finally sounds worried too. He doesn't think Jason's still at the bar, but no one remembers seeing him leave and he got a ride with the guys so if he did leave he would've had to get a taxi."

They parked on a side street and hurried to the main quadrangle. They didn't need spirit sight to see Charlie and the angels; they were making themselves visible.

"You should not be here!" Charlie said. "The creature has crossed the boundaries. It's not safe here!"

"Please leave now!" Sabrina said.

They heard a low growl and the werewolf suddenly emerged from behind the guard booth.

"Too late," Leah moaned.

Isabella pulled a charm to ward off evil spirits from her purse. "Please stick this on its forehead," she said, holding it out.

Kris took the piece of paper and moved forward.

This seemed to anger the werewolf and it lunged towards the band.

Kris stuck the charm right on its forehead as its claws passed harmlessly through the spirit's ethereal form.

"Now what, now what?" Maryann shrieked.

"That charm is not going to hold it!" Isabella cried as the werewolf clawed at its own face.

"Where are we supposed to run to now?" Leah said. "The thing is unstoppable."

"Why is it even after us?" Nora exclaimed.

Charlie and the angels performed a quick magical ritual.

"We have just learned his identity," Kris said.

The auburn werewolf stared at Maryann, unable to get the charm off of its forehead.

"His identity?" she murmured. "Oh, no, it can't be..." She suddenly understood the full meaning of the divination she had performed the night before and felt like she had been struck by lightning.

"Yes," Kelly said. "This is your brother."

"What?" exclaimed Nora and Leah in perfect unison. Isabella, however, did not look remotely surprised.

"We haven't been close enough to identify him before. But he's a student and we cannot force him away from this place," Sabrina said. "But our protection spells make it difficult for him to stay when he transforms."

"Then why did he follow us back here?" Nora asked.

"He needs help," Maryann replied.

"But Jason doesn't know about any of this," Leah countered.

"No, but it doesn't mean he would not be drawn to his sister anyway. The werewolf is more in tune with such forces than the man," Charlie said.

"Can you guys help him?" Maryann asked the spirits.

"I'm afraid not. We protect and defend. The best we can do is prevent him from harming any of the other students, staff, or faculty while they are within the university's borders," Sabrina answered.

"But we will have no power at all once he graduates," Charlie added.

The werewolf looked at Maryann, silently pleading for her to help him.

"I don't know what we can do, Maryann," Isabella said.

"We can pray," Leah said.

"You guys pray. I will too," she said, remembering the Hermit that had come up in the reading and her dream. She drew a circle around herself and murmured an incantation in Greek. There was an infusion of energy and the spirits suddenly drew back. Maryann was standing still with her eyes closed. Occupying the same space, as though superimposed, was a spirit of an old woman in a black hood and cloak.

"Why have you summoned me?" the cloaked figure asked in a voice that was both Maryann's and not.

"I need help, Goddess Hecate."

The representation of Hecate looked at the werewolf, who was now whimpering in fright. "You wish for me to destroy this creature?"

"No! That's Skipper, I mean Jason, I mean, that's my brother! I ask that you break the curse of lycanthropy on him."

The deity appeared to contemplate this for a moment. "You know the price of asking such a favor?"

"I would not call upon you if I did not know and was not willing to pay."

"Very well, I will remove the curse upon this... Skipper Jason."

"His name is Jason Skipper Gilligan now."

"He changed his name to Jason and kept the rest of it?" Leah blurted.

"This is not the time," Isabella hissed.

"Skipper? Gilligan? From that television show?" the goddess asked, sounding somewhat incredulous.

Maryann looked faintly annoyed. "It's a great show!"

The goddess now almost seemed to shrug. "Mortals." She stepped forward while Maryann stayed standing still. "This is a magic not native to my lands," she said, looking at the charm. "But it is sufficient for the short-term for such a creature, although it is already starting to break down." She removed the charm and it disintegrated before it hit the ground.

The werewolf dropped to the ground and tried to hide his face with his paws.

She leaned over and put her hand on his head. The translucent spirit form and the werewolf both glowed with silver light. The light flashed brightly, and then both the goddess and werewolf were gone.

In place of the werewolf was Jason, unconscious and looking unharmed.

Maryann sighed and passed out.

Charlie and Kris caught her before she hit the ground. "That was most dangerous magic," Charlie said. "Such a goddess is very dangerous indeed."

Isabella knelt down to check on Maryann. She seemed fine, so she tried to gently wake her up.

"Hey, Charlie, angels, could one of you tell me where I can find a pair of men's pants? Like now?" Leah asked, deliberately not looking at the unconscious Jason.

"I will fetch something from the theater," Sabrina said, and vanished.

"I thought you had everything in the emergency kit," Nora said, also not looking.

"We've got a change of clothes in the van but I never thought I'd need guy pants. But I'll include a pair for next time."

"I hope there won't be a next time," Isabella said.

"Hey, it may not be a werewolf but it doesn't mean we won't need emergency pants," Leah replied.

In a few minutes, Sabrina returned with some clothes and the spirits dressed the unconscious young man. "I couldn't find any pants I thought might fit," it explained apologetically. "This will at least cover him."

Maryann slowly woke up, and then sat up and blinked. "He's cured!" she said, seeing her brother. Then she frowned. "But why is he wearing a dress that looks like some kind of costume?"

"It's the best I could do," Kelly answered.

"Oh, right, because the transformation left him naked," she said.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Leah said.

Maryann ignored Leah's remark. "Thank you very much Charlie and angels," she said. "But what are we going to tell him when he wakes up?"

"That he had too much to drink and some of his friends played a pretty mean practical joke on him," Nora replied. "Believe me; this one is easy."

"But Jason's not that kind of guy."

"Every once in a while, everyone is that kind of guy."

"Okay, but I don't think Aadi and the other guys are that mean," Maryann said.

"Then we'll make it sound like some drunken frat boys picked him up at the bar and played a mean practical joke on him and we happened to find him," Nora replied.

"Not all frat boys are like that," she said.

"That's not the point!" She took a breath. "The point is we think of something to tell Jason's roommates so they aren't wondering why the hell we're bringing him home in the middle of the night wearing Juliet's ball gown!"

"Oh, right. Yes, you're right. We should get him home. I'll call Aadi and let him know we're on our way." She did just that while Isabella brought the van around to load up the still unconscious Jason.

"Thank you," Charlie said when Maryann got off the phone. "But next time, please, please don't go seeking out such a creature. I can see what he did to your van. You would have fared far worse."

"We didn't mean to," Maryann replied. "But we'll be careful. Thank you for trying to take care of Skipper-Jason."

"I wish we could have done more," Kelly said. "Do you have any idea where he contracted the curse?"

"His roommate said he was dating some girl last semester and she disappeared around Thanksgiving. Maybe she was the one," Leah offered.

"Perhaps. That indicates she was not likely a student unless she left mid-semester," Sabrina replied. "But that is not your concern. He is cured and safe now. He will need much rest, but he should recover."

"I, um, don't suppose you could help him out with this thesis defense?" Maryann asked.

"That would be cheating," Kris answered sternly.

"Yeah, I know, it's just I'm sure this whole werewolf thing is why he looked so sick and tired. I'd hate for him to fail his defense because he was cursed and all."

"I'm sorry, but we can't do that. We will watch out for him though, and give him what help we can where we can," Charlie said. "Thank you again."

"Maryann, we need to go before security comes by," Isabella said. "I'm illegally parked here."

"We'll try to stop by again. Thanks!" she called, getting into the van.

Charlie and the angels waved at them as they left, and then faded from normal sight.

The band dropped Jason off at his house. His roommates believed their lie about why he was passed out and wearing a dress. Maryann made them promise not to take embarrassing pictures and post them online because he was so close to his thesis defense. Very late that night, or early that morning, they finally made their way back to their hotel room to get some sleep.

They met up with Jason and his roommates the next day for lunch and he already looked much better. He kind of laughed when his roommates teased him about the previous night and it was clear he had no idea what actually happened. Maryann wished him luck on his thesis defense, told him to keep his phone charged, and the band rolled out to their next gig.

The Lyrics:

Saw a guy walkin' down the street

With a secret he couldn't hide

Acting cool and collected

Denying the animal inside

Saw a girl shopping on Rodeo

Looking chill and aloof

Trying to act like an ice queen

When she's really a lone wolf

Refrain: The sun goes down

The silver disc rises soon

Once it's full in the sky

Howl at the moon

Saw a guy driving in a car

He was a real ladykiller

Trying to stay away from guns

Loaded with bullets of silver

Saw a lady out shopping

Looking calm and casual

But when night falls

She becomes an animal

Refrain

Bathed in silver light

Urged to bite and maul

Almost nothing you can do

Once you hear that call

Everywhere you look

All you see is prey

It takes so much will

To keep the monster at bay

Refrain x2

The Wrap-Up

Bryan: Well, that covers the entire album. That was a long interview, and we didn't even get to talk about your music videos. And I'm pretty sure we didn't get the inside story for any of the songs. The full interview, of course, will be available to download tomorrow.

Anna: Don't feel bad; we don't tell anyone the inside story. We're glad you took so much time to talk with us.

Kelly: You are a very unconventional group.

Lenore: So you've said.

Bryan: So, any plans for a tour this year? Last year there were some rumors about a tour, and even a few shows, but then nothing official was ever announced, so it's not like a tour was canceled.

Kelly: There were lots of rumors about why that happened, too, and we'd really like to know what that was all about.

Lee: Yeah, we heard those rumors too. There were rumors the band was breaking up, and getting a new member, that someone was getting married, and that there was a really bad break-up. Heck, I read somewhere one of us was apparently having a baby. Obviously not all these things can be true.

Anna: Well, not at the same time. Unless maybe one of those things was happening to each one of us.

Lee: Okay, that's a fair point. But that's a lot to cram into a year since our first album was released.

Bryan: That's a good point too, but there must be some truth in there.

Belle: We didn't have enough material for a show. I know that some performers, many actually, have done a concert tour with just one hit album, and we definitely understand that push to capitalize on success as quickly as possible.

Lenore: Since we all know how difficult it is to achieve and maintain success in this industry.

Belle: Mr. Rafel was definitely pushing, but we decided to be conservative. With two hit albums and twenty-six tracks, a concert tour is looking a lot more likely.

Bryan: Is that a promise? When will the dates be released?

Anna: Soon. We have to get some stuff settled and make sure we have time to work on our third album.

Kelly: You're not taking a break?

Lenore: Success is fleeting, as I just said. We have to keep working hard and releasing albums while people are still interested. So we're hoping to release a third album next year.

Bryan: And a concert? That's a tough schedule.

Belle: Yes, but plenty of bands before us have managed, and I'm sure plenty after us will too.

Kelly: Well, good luck. I'm looking forward to the next Nevermore and the Ravens album and of course, the concert tour.

Lee: Don't worry, we can get you some tickets. We know people.

Bryan: [laughs] I'm Bryan Highwave.

Kelly: And I'm Kelly Kellem. And that's all for "Top 45 Revolutions!" Join us next week!

###

First, thanks for reading the further adventures of Nevermore and the Ravens! If you missed it, check out their debut album (and debut novel), Necromancy for the Greater Good. Like trick-or-treating, jack o'lanterns, and candy corn, Nevermore and the Ravens will try to be back next Halloween.

Second, thanks to Mr. Dave Heath, who is a real-life person, poet, and plot for a Coen Brothers movie. He wrote the lyrics to "Cathedral of the Soul" and "Bad Seed" and a book of poetry titled Life, Love, and Regrets.

Third, all trademarked and copyrighted characters and products in this novel are the intellectual property of their respective parent companies and corporations.

Finally, shameless self-promotion:

-  A Writer's Hail Mary Pass (my blog)

-  Facebook
