Day Purple

Beth pushed open the door and looked around the very empty front room. Her recent work in Moab had done nothing for her mood. Nothing could replace the void that had come in the absence of Erin and Grosland. Despair gnawed at her chest and she fell to her knees with an anguished cry. The apartments around her had not been inhabited since the laundry room massacre, and the silence was becoming unbearable. After a moment's mad contemplation, she lurched to her feet and walked unsteadily towards the back rooms. She fumbled for the hall light and--with it's flickering light--she noticed the silhouette of a large object in Grosland's room. Her eyes adjusted, and she grinned when she recognized what it was.

The time machine was there. With luck, Grosland had managed to repair it before she'd died.

Day 31

Lane watched the horizon, doubt creasing his forehead. He glanced over at Beth, who was leaning back against his extended arm. She was looking up at the stars.

"Do you know how to find the summer triangle?" she asked offhandedly. She gestured up at the sky. "See the triangle created by those three stars? That one is called 'Altair'. It's part of the constellation Aquila." She smiled vaguely. "Then we have Vega and Deneb. They are-"

Her voice was drowned out by an explosion as a mushroom cloud of flame shot into the sky--off in the direction Lane had been looking. He and Steven (leaning against the back of the truck) stared open-mouthed as little flecks of flame continued to spew off in various directions. Steven looked back at Beth once it had quieted down a little. The horizon was now glowing with flame.

"Are you sure that was necessary? I mean, this is Moab."

"My original plan fell through. I'm just glad Anilee gave me the idea for using bacon grease to bomb the site." Beth was still staring up at the sky. "I really appreciate you both helping."

"What are pyros for?" Steven chuckled, climbing into the front of the truck. "Though I'm still surprised you used this trip as an excuse to come down here. You didn't even know us prior to this week."

"I had a good feeling about it," Beth said with a grin. "Lets get back to camp to get some food. Make sure to ask about the explosion. I don't want the others to suspect anything."

Day 85

Beth was surrounded by people, and yet she felt very alone. It wasn't uncomfortable; rather, a feeling of peace had settled upon her like a smooth, silk cloak. She wore it contentedly. After many hours of horror and pain, it was nice to just sit and be quiet.

She knew something was wrong the minute Erin stepped out the door. Grosland had never returned from her late-night mission, and after pacing the living room for six hours Erin had finally grabbed her gun off the table and gone out looking for her, swearing that there would be blood running in the streets if her roommate was harmed in any way. The door slammed shut, and somehow Beth knew that Erin wasn't coming back.

Once the sun had gone down she ventured out on her own, sheathed in darkness. She navigated the alleyways with catlike tread, silent as the approach of death. She needed clues, and soon enough, she found them. At the original rendezvous point, there was a smudge of blood on a lamppost. Beth's heart leaped into her throat. She followed the dusty footprints down the street, coming to a halt at a dead end.

She looked around, confused. Then, she spotted a scratch on one of the lower bricks in the wall. Crouching down, she was just able to read the word scratched into the wall:

 Aaaauuuggghhhh

Obviously, this had been written by a Grosland in great distress. Beth felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she thought of her amusingly short friend. She touched the word-laden brick gently - then, on an instinct, she pushed it.

It gave way readily. A great cranking sound echoed through the alleyway as the wall slid back into its holding, revealing a secret passageway. Beth was immediately alert, back on the hunt, and she stalked down the passage without a flicker of fear.

Beth in the present shuddered, remembering the filthy passageway. She'd had to traverse its spider-inhabited lengths for almost an hour before finally reaching the other side. She remembered her surprise at finding a closet door, the slits of which - when peered through sneakily - revealed the expansive laundry room of their apartment complex. Her entire ward had been in there, having one of their many after-church meetings. Beth had been about to turn back, feeling she had arrived at the wrong place, when the conversation had finally wheedled through the slats of the door to her.

"That's two of them down, only one more to go!" Josh said. The crowd responded with uproarious laughter and cheering. Josh grinned and raised his beefy arms, accepting the applause. "Really, that's enough," he said modestly. "That Erin girl wasn't very difficult. Once she'd seen her friend's gutted corpse, she just stood there and let me shoot her in the head." More laughing. Beth's heart froze over with anger.

Now a skinny woman was speaking. "Paul, how did you get that first girl anyway? She's always been so clever, I was sure she'd be the last one we'd get."

Paul smiled fiendishly, sitting on the couch with a couple of cronies. "Well, naturally, I made sure I had the upper hand. She made be skilled, but even a skilled assassin has little chance against twenty gunners. She's a lot easier to shoot when she's already dead." The laughter in the room was incredible, strong enough that Beth almost expected to feel it like a gust of wind on her face.

Suddenly, as the group of people shifted, Beth saw the table at the center of the room. A shock pulsed through her, making her gasp. Even though she'd expected it, the sight was more than she could ever have imagined: two slaughtered bodies displayed on the table like trophies - her roommates, too mutilated for her to even tell which one was which. Her breath came ragged and her sight was tinged with red. The laughter coming from the room rose and fell with her heartbeat, pounding in her skull. No more thinking; Beth was beyond that now. She was beyond BETH. She was the Hassassin. And the Hassassin only ever had one task....

The door crashed to the floor, making several of the ward members cry out in surprise. They all looked at her. Some didn't recognize her, and didn't know to run. Others, though, began to flee the moment she appeared, as if they could see death in her eyes. 


Beth smiled serenely, perched on the back of the couch. She was surrounded by people, but none of them moved or spoke, and none of them ever would again. She was alone in a crowd of the dead.

She started to whistle.

Day 79

Erin took one last look in the mirror, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ears, and clipping them back with a large flower barrette. She smirked at the cheerful effect it had, and turned to leave.
She grabbed her gun from the table as she passed and tucked it into the back of her pants, covering the bump with her perky, checkered dress, then left the apartment, striding purposefully down the hall and down the stairs.

A text message arrived, almost on cue, as she made her way across the courtyard:
 He's in. You should have a clear shot.
Erin smiled and pressed the button to reply.
Thank you. You'll be paid within the next day or so. Once the job is finished. 
She felt very pleased with the way things were working out. She could not have even imagined that his roommate could have been so easily bought.


She continued walking, heading down the empty corridor until she found number 36. She put on her softest expression and knocked softly. Nobody answered. She knocked again. After a moment she heard a voice speak tentatively from behind the door.
"Who is it....?"
Erin affected her voice to sound shy and sweet.
"Is Justin there?" she asked, tilting her head for effect, in case he was looking at her through the peephole. The door cracked open and an eye appeared.
 "What do you need?" the voice inquired suspiciously.
"I need to talk to Justin..." Erin replied, shuffling her feet and looking unsure. There was a pause.
"Are you hunting me?" he asked nervously, though opening the door a little more. Erin raised an eyebrow at him as though confused.
"Show me your hands," the man behind the door commanded. Erin complied. "Now turn around." Erin did so. She spun around; a useless action, as her dress concealed any lumps she had in her jeans -- her keys, her phone, and especially her gun. Were he smart he would have patted her down, but he appeared to be too much of a gentleman.
"Okay..." he said slowly, pulling the door further open. "Come in. But don't try anything... I'm not afraid to kill you if I have to..."
Erin smiled reassuringly and stepped forward, feeling smug. Men were all too willing to open the door to a pretty face and an innocent smile -- or even a suspicious one. Her hand briefly moved back to brush her gun -- a stupid instinct that was liable to get her in trouble.
"Hey! Hands where I can see them," he warned, closing the door slightly again. Erin raised her hands and waved them innocently. He lowered his eyebrows and stepped back from the door so she could enter.

He certainly was well armed. He had a pile of grenades on the table next to the door, almost as though he were expecting an army. She saw no weapon on his person however.
"Alright. What did you need?" He asked, lowering his voice.
"Last time we talked, we discussed some information you had... I've just come to collect it," she said, nonchalantly.
"Right," he nodded. "Let me get it."He turned his back and began to retreat to his room. Seeing her chance, Erin reached behind her back and seized her gun, whipping it out and aiming it at the back of his head. Unfortunately, he chanced a glance behind him just as he did, and immediately jumped into action, ducking her shot and popping back up behind her, throwing himself on her back and trying to wrestle the gun from her hand. She fought him off, despite the significant size advantage he had over her, firing several stray shots that hit the walls and the floor. Finally, she managed to drive a shot into his gut. He grunted, shocked, and stumbled backward. Acting quickly, Erin spun around and fired a shot into his forehead. Immediately he fell to the ground. Erin fell to her knees beside him, panting, and rifled through his pockets hastily until she found what she was looking for. She read the paper quickly, scowled, then stuffed it down the front of her shirt, leaping off the floor and heading for the door. She hadn't been very subtle, and somebody would have heard. She had to get out.
I need to work at being a better assassin...  She reprimanded herself, pounding down the corridor away from the scene. Indeed, it seemed she had been heard, and soon a shout came from behind her and shots started to ring out down the hall, ricocheting off the walls. She continued running without looking back. Trying to ignore her pursuer, she turned her thoughts to her next target. It would be harder this time; the new mark had a much higher profile. She'd have to be more creative. Even as she thought it, she saw him, through the window of his apartment, working on his computer. How easy would it be to stop right now and bump him off. But as she began to slow her pace, a bullet sang past her ear. She'd have to do it later. Of course her luck would never allow her to make a kill so easily. As she flew across the courtyard, bullets pelted the pavement around her. She looked up to the balcony and gave a mockingly apologetic smile. 
"Sorry, friend! It's just business!"

Erin stumbled slightly over her feet as she ran, red faced and sweating, across the parking lot, leaping into her car and starting the engine. She would have to leave town, at least for the day. Perhaps she could visit her cousin. Clearing would definitely understand her situation and take her in. She could wait until the vengeful hunt died down, as well as avoiding her own tracker. She only hoped the others would be okay for the time being...

-----------

It was late in the evening. Erin and Beth looked up from the couch as a frantic pounding sounded at the door through which Erin had returned home just a few minutes ago. Beth leapt up cautiously and went to the back to hide. Erin crept towards the door, looking through the peephole. There was a man there, but it was far too dark to see who it was. Erin paused.
"State your business," she commanded.
"It's Andrew, let me in!" the man outside replied, sounding very nervous. He was an ally; it was safe. Immediately Erin opened the door and stepped aside. Andrew entered, looking disheveled.
"I need to borrow a gun," he said, looking around nervously. Beth emerged from her safe spot and joined them in the kitchen.
"Take one of the ones on the table," she said. He did.
"What's wrong?" Erin asked, watching him fumble with the weapon.
"I have to take a hit next door... But I think they've got my number... One of them is after me, but I have no choice. I have to do it now..." he replied.
"What are you going to do?" Erin asked.
"I'm going to get her before she gets me," Andrew said, stiffening his resolve and throwing open the door.

Erin and Beth peered nervously around the doorframe as Andrew crept quietly next door, slipping past the window so as not to be seen. He took a deep breath and knocked, holding his pistol at the ready. The door flew open, and Erin and Beth both stifled screams as he was immediately riddled with bullets. Andrew stumbled back against the railing of the balcony. Gasping, he held himself up on the rail and gave a rattling breath as a smirk crept slowly across his face.
"So it was you..." he said to whoever was behind the door. "Well then, it will be interesting to see what you do... you inherit my target... it's her... " he pointed a shaking finger at another individual. "...are you going to kill her? ...your own roommate? ...your friend?" Another shot rang out, piercing Andrew's skull and effectively silencing him. He slumped down against the railing. Erin held back a whimper, and she and Beth ducked back inside. Through the slightly open window, they heard the other door click shut in the hallway. After a long, tense silence, a shot rang out from next door, muffled by the walls, and something heavy fell. More silence. Erin and Beth looked at each other, knowing exactly what had happened.
"Everyone is a traitor..." said Erin. "Our last true ally is gone. Nowhere is safe anymore." She paused for a moment. "Where's Grosland?"
"She's resting for right now..." Beth said. Erin sighed with relief. "But she's going out to take a hit at midnight... we'll need to watch her back." Beth continued. Erin took a deep breath and nodded.
"How did we ever get ourselves into this?" she sighed.

Day 78

The group walked in, greeted enthusiastically by Andrew. He led the girls to the stage piano, and struck up a dramatic tune, which echoed throughout the theatre. Their voices harmonized flawlessly--

But Beth was focused on other things. Her eyes darted out towards the darkness of the theatre, and she saw his silhouette. She knew it was him, though she could see little besides the reflection of his glasses. He was totally unaware of her intent... but it was too early to strike. She continued to sing strains of "Thoroughly Modern Millie," all the while remaining aware of his movements. This opportunity was too perfect to waste.

"And that," Andrew finished the piece grandly, "is why I want all four of you to star in my new production. You all sound so excellent! Don't you think, Ryan?"

"Definitely!" he called out from the audience.

Beth felt a remarkable calm come over her--just as she always felt before a kill. "What was your name?" she called out off-handedly. After a moment's pause, the response came.

"Ryan?"

Before he had even finished, Beth had whipped out her CZ-75 and blown a hole through his head. His figure slumped over the seat and was still. Everyone on the stage was silent.

Andrew let out a low whistle. "That's rough, buddy."

Beth flipped off the stage, landing delicately atop the row of seats in front of where the body was. She reached down and rummaged through his pockets. After a short moment, she drew out a rumpled piece of paper. Scanning it briefly, she cursed.

"What is it?" Erin called out as Grosland suddenly disappeared for nefarious purposes.

"Another clue..." Beth whispered darkly. "This had better be the end of the trail."

Day 73

"I don't understand..." Gros said, staring straight ahead and looking confused and worried.
"Neither do I..." said Erin, frozen in a similar position. "He has a mullet... He has a horrible earring... His picture should be in the dictionary next to 'the Eighties'... I... don't understand these... feelings..."
"You guys... I love him... Heaven help me, he has a mullet and I still love him!" Beth said, looking very frightened and upset. Erin put a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay... I feel it too," she said quietly.
"Me too," said Gros. "I never thought I could feel this way about a mulleted frat boy...." She trailed off and the three of them all drew breath sharply and then let out identical longing sighs as he gave yet another devastating look.
"Oh, Officer Penhall... " Erin breathed, leaning closer to tv, biting her lower lip.
"21 Jump Street has ruined us..." Beth said, very seriously. "We must never speak of this to anyone." The other two nodded vigorously in agreement.
"He'll be our little secret," said Erin.
"And It's not like there's some all-knowing, invisible entity that writes down all our little exchanges like this on a blog for all to see," added Gros. They all laughed.

Ooh, Mister Penhall!

Day 72

"Hi, Gros!" Beth said brightly, bursting into the apartment.
"Oh... hi, Beth..." Gros replied quietly from the couch, shrinking slightly into the couch, Beth's computer open on her lap.
"How's it going?" Beth leapt over Erin, who was still asleep on the floor, on her way to the room to dump her backpack.
"Fine I guess..." Gros tilted the laptop screen down slightly.
"You sure?" Beth peered back into the living room suspiciously. "Wait a minute... what are you looking at?"
"Nothing!" Gros replied defensively, shielding the laptop screen from view. Beth furrowed her brow and crossed the living room to the couch.
"Give me the computer, Gros," she commanded, trying to wrestle it away.
"No!" Gros protested, clearly trying to click out of her internet browser window before Beth could see what was on it. Beth finally managed to get the upper hand, and her eyes widened in horror as she saw what was on the screen.
"GROSLAND!" she scolded. "What have I told you about using my computer to look up this sort of thing?!" Gros avoided her eyes, staring sheepishly at the floor without answering.
"I'm revoking your computer privileges for a week. I'm keeping my computer with me until I'm convinced that you can be trusted not to defile my hardrive with your... habits..."Beth continued sternly.
"I'm sorry, Beth..." Gros said, almost inaudibly. "I just wanted to look up how my team was doing in the world cup. It was just for a second. I didn' t think--"
"You didn't think I'd find out that you were looking up sports news on my computer?! Think again! You look that stuff up on your own computer, dangit! I don't want to find any more google searches for soccer rankings or football scores in my browser history. It's SICK I tell you! I don't want any part of it!"
"What's your problem?" Erin grunted, stirring and looking blearily up at them from the floor. "Did Gros use your computer to look up soccer things again?"
"Yes!" said Beth, sounding very perturbed. "She needs to learn to keep her sports to herself."
"Hmm..." Erin nodded, then paused for a long moment, seemingly in consideration. "Y'know, guys..." she said finally. "I think we might be really really weird..." The other two nodded in agreement. The three all seemed to disappear into their own thoughts for a while. The silence was eventually broken as Erin spoke again.
"So anyway... I taught the goblins to sing Phantom of the Opera. Anybody up for an impromptu performance now that we have enough people to play all the parts?"
Gros and Beth grinned and agreed.
"I get to be Carlotta!" said Gros.
"Wouldn't have it any other way," Erin smiled.

Day 71

"Umm... Erin? Can we talk?" Gros said apprehensively, standing in the hall and peering into the living room where Erin sat on the couch hunched over her computer. Erin didn't look up, but grunted to indicate that she was listening.
"It's just that we're worried about you," said Beth, standing beside Grosland. Erin did not respond, but scowled slightly at her screen.
"Erin... you know what this is about... I -- I think you need some help. This is becoming a serious problem," Gros said, sounding very concerned and fiddling with the hem of her pajama pants. Erin bristled and turned to glare at her roommates.
"I do NOT have a problem!" she snarled. The dim light in the room caused the deep shadows under her eyes to become even more pronounced, giving her an almost corpse-like appearance.
"Please, Erin! You can't keep this up! This... addiction is tearing us apart!" Beth insisted.
"It's not an addiction. I can quit any time I want," Erin replied hastily, turning back to look at her computer.
"Can't you see that this is killing you?!" Gros cried, tears welling in her eyes. "You have to quit! You have to let us help you!"
"I can't!" Erin protested wildly,  even as her breathing lapsed and her hands shook. "You can't make me stop! I need it!"
"No, Erin! You need to listen to us! We're your friends! We care about you!" Gros knelt down by Erin's side and put a hand on her trembling shoulder.
"I can't... It's... I need..." Erin stuttered, eyes darting frantically around the room as though searching for something....
 "Oh, for Pete's sake, woman! Just go to bed! You've been up past 1 AM every night for three weeks!" Beth cried in exasperation, striding over to Erin and giving her a solid whack to the back of the head.
"Ow, hey!" Erin said indignantly.
"Seriously. I didn't even know it was POSSIBLE to be addicted to staying up late, but you, madame, have shown me the light!"
"It's not an addiction... I'm just too busy to go to bed, that's all..." Erin muttered sheepishly.
"No you're not." Beth replied sharply. "Now go to bed, doofus. You've got work in the morning. If you stay up one more night you're going to kill yourself." Beth nodded and Gros reached out and slammed Erin's laptop shut. Erin opened her mouth to protest, but then gave in.
"Fine... you win. I'll go to bed on time, for once..." she sighed, getting up from the couch. The other two smiled encouragingly at her as she took a step toward the hallway. Unfortunately, she didn't make it very far before she swayed, dropped to the ground, and fell dead asleep on the carpet.

And THAT, children, is why sleeping is important. Don't be an Erin. Get to bed on time!

Day 69

And it came to pass that it was Sunday. The day started out as per usual. The hot air began to filter through the window that seemed to have only just begun to catch cool breezes. Beth was thinking longingly of the beginning of spring--the endless rain, the freezing breezes...

She sat up abruptly in her bed, determined to do SOMETHING about the apartment's current lack-of-cool-air.

Or rather, her position IN the apartment's current lack-of-cool-air.

So she went to Canada.

To kill someone.

The end.

(P.S. And this time, it wasn't Grosland.)

Day 68 - Gros's Story

Erin and Beth were playing on their laptops when Grosland finally entered the living room at around noon. Her hair was plastered to her forehead and stuck up all over in the back; she was wearing her frumpy cow-print pajamas; and from the look on her face she seemed to have developed an intense hangover. She stood in the doorway, staring mirthlessly at the pair of them. Beth and Erin looked at each other, then Erin said, "Hey, Bro. You want some breakfast?"

Grosland didn't answer, simply walking forward and plopping herself down on the couch between her roommates. They once again exchanged worried glances, but curiosity was burgeoning from them. Before either one of them could say anything, Grosland grunted, "I suppose you want to know where I've been this past week."

"Only if you want to tell us!" Erin said, leaning towards Grosland excitedly. Beth nodded fervently.

Grosland took a deep breath, rubbing her hand down her face. "I'm gonna need a drink, then."

Two minutes later, Beth and Erin were sitting on the floor in front of Grosland with their legs crossed. Gros had a tall glass of strawberry milk in her hand, and the wise look of an old sailor on her face as she began her tale. "First of all," she said, glugging down some milk, "I wasn't in San Francisco." Beth's face became outraged, and Gros corrected, "Well, I was. But only for a few hours. My true destination was a bit more . . . foreign. See, I was in San Francisco to meet a helicopter."

"What?!" Erin burst out. Several goblins (who had been listening in on the story, though they were still out of sight) gasped in shock as well.

Grosland glared at Erin with her bloodshot eyes. "Don't interrupt. It's very rude. Like I said, I was meeting up with a helicopter. The helicopter took me to China, see, but even that wasn't my true destination. It was just the most convenient place for my crew to assemble without attracting much notice.

"Now, before you interrupt again, yes I have a crew. They're a colorful lot, wizened old men and tattooed women and all that sort. But we're all united in our passion: hunting down the Kraken." Beth and Erin looked at each other in bemusement, but didn't dare to interrupt. Grosland was getting a crazy look in her eye that boded ill. "That beast of beasts, the terror of the seas. We've been working together for years, trying to track down the thing, and we finally had a breakthrough. One of my scientists found the monster's lair with a probe. The probe was destroyed, but not until we'd gotten the approximate telemetry of its location. As soon as I was informed, I sent word to the crew that we were to gather on the coast of China, at a little seaport called Nhiaka.

"We boarded our submarine, El Destino del Calamar, and set off for the Kraken's lair on Tuesday. We were well-supplied with torpedoes, harpoons, ray guns, and anything else we might need to survive such a dangerous encounter. We were prepared for everything . . . except what eventually defeated us."

At this, Grosland took a long drink from her glass. Beth said, in a strained voice, "You have a crew? And a submarine?"

Grosland laughed without humor. "I did," she said darkly. She slammed her fist on the table. "I DID."

There was a significant pause. A squeaky voice from behind the couch said, "More story! What is happening once boat go in water?"

Grosland blinked, but seemed to decide that the voice had come from Erin, for she continued without question. "We searched for the Kraken's lair for two days. Once, we thought we had found it, but that cave just ended up leading to some underwater city - Atlantis, I think it was - and they didn't know anything about the monster. Dead end after dead end, we searched the blackness of the deeps. But on the third day . . . ." Grosland's eyes lit up for the first time since she'd been home. "I saw it."

Erin gasped involuntarily.

"It was massive," Grosland said, waving her arms the way sailors do. "Tentacles at least fifty feet long, and great big eyes the size of manhole covers. We spotted it devouring a poor beluga whale, and its beak glinted maliciously even in the dark waters. It was so distracted by its meal that it didn't even notice us until we were a hundred yards away."

Suddenly, Grosland was standing on the coffee table, gesticulating wildly. "We shot a load of harpoons at it, but it caught every one. SNAP! SNAP! with its powerful tentacles. It swam right at us, but we'd upgraded El Destino with a few radioactive motors! SZWOO SZWOOSZWOOSZWOO! It was close behind, and the ray guns seemed to be having no effect through the water. It grabbed us in its slimy arms and began to squeeze. The oxygen tanks were bursting all over the ship, POW! POW! and we were close to collapsing. BUT! The foolish beast had its mouth clamped right over one of the torpedo tubes! We managed to get our biggest torpedo in there, and as our last hope, we shot the torpedo right into the beasts mouth! KAPLOW!"

Grosland jumped into the air, shooting out her arms and legs. Beth and Erin jumped as well, startled, and several of the goblins screamed. When Grosland landed, she knelt on one knee and sighed. "We had barely escaped with our lives. There was just enough power to make it back to land, and I ordered a retreat." She looked up, and her eyes were cold again. "But my first mate - Loghain - had other ideas. He arranged a mutiny, rallying up the crew with rants about how they could still win the fight. I tried to talk them down, but the men were insane with bloodlust, and cared more for their futile fight than for their lives. I was the only one who saw the sense in retreat, in fighting another day. For my sensibility, I was . . . put off the ship."

She stood again. "In only a wetsuit and helmet, I was ejected from the submarine. I watched my ship dive back into the depths, and within thirty minutes I was watching bits of my comrades floating back up to the surface." Erin's hands were clamped over her face in horror. "I swam as quickly as I could, and I would have made it to the surface, but I was attacked by a hammerhead shark. I defeated it handily, but not before he had bitten through my helmet. I blacked out, and the last thing I saw was the shadow of a ship high above me.

"It turned out to be a boat of Chinese fisherman. They caught me in one of their fishing nets by mistake. When I awakened, I managed to convince them that I was a mermaid princess, and they agreed to help me in whatever way they could. I told them that if they delivered me to the San Francisco bay, I'd grant them three wishes. Fortunately, they all wished for peanuts, so that was easily settled once we'd reached California. They dropped me off on Alcatraz Island, and I used the secret tunnels to get back here."

Grosland had finally settled, sitting down heavily on the couch and slurping from her strawberry milk again. Beth and Erin were flabbergasted, staring at Grosland with wide eyes and wider mouths. When she had finished her drink, Gros slapped it back down on the table and leaned back into the cushions with her eyes closed.

They stayed like that for an immeasurable time.

Then Grosland's eyes shot open and she sat up straight as a rod, looking around in alert suspicion. "Girls," she asked in a would-be-calm sort of voice, "why is the apartment full of chickens?"

Day 67

"Is Gros asleep then?"

"Yeah. Her trip left her a little under the weather," Erin shrugged. "And she had to work today."

"Huh. And did she say anything about...?"

"Nope. Don't think she noticed."

"Huh." Beth kept playing her video game. Erin kept drawing. The 40 or so chickens around the room continued to sleep in the darkness.