Half Submerged Hideout

September 17^th X288

The ghosts released their guests.

Officer Keen, still restrained, was supported by Florian as they hobbled to his patrol car. Dr. Ronaldo limped not far behind.

🙠🙢

Sophie looked around. “Where’d they go?”

“Oh, the intruders? We let them go,” Sticks said.

“Eh? Aren’t they new friends? I wanted to watch them heal and share scary stories,” Sophie said.

“Gahaha, I didn’t get to hear that kid’s trick. Oh well. You didn’t have to be that hard on them, Boss. They were in tears, you know,” Travis said.

“Recruiting under these circumstances isn’t optimal, Wit Law. Were you going to toss them in the driver’s seat and just trust them with the wheel tonight of all nights?” Selucius asked.

Juke kept looking down at his hands. What did he do to me? I feel strangely calm. Sophie’s also more cheerful and well-rested. What’s going on?

Selucius, through the monitor, must have noticed the change of pace as well. He called out. “Miss Lantern. You seemed awfully kind to our guests. The entire time you were within earshot of our conversation. Have anything to say for yourself?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Clarissa smiled with a sly look. “I can’t hide anything from you, can I, Selucius?”

🙠🙢

Florian removed Keen’s blindfold.

“Damn it! Did they give back my keys?” Keen said.

Florian and Ronaldo shook their heads.

“Well, I guess we’re walking,” Keen said, holding his head.

“They have our phones and wallets, too,” Ronaldo said.

“We’ll find someplace with a phone and call for backup and an ambulance.” Officer Keen went on ahead.

Ronaldo sat down on the side of the road. Florian stayed beside Ronaldo, worried he might collapse at any moment. They wouldn’t look each other in the eye, sniffling the remaining tears they had left.

It was quiet; only the sounds of nature accompanied the night sky.

“I’m sorry,” Florian said.

“No. I’m sorry. I had plenty of chances to stop you,” Ronaldo said.

The sound of a motorcycle roared in the distance. It must have been Irina Halt.

“Are you feeling okay?” Ronaldo said.

“Yeah, I’m not crying anymore.”

“No, you vomited back there.”

“Oh, it was their boss’s soul. It caught me by surprise, that’s all.”

“So it was his soul. What a grotesque man.”

Florian disagreed. “He’s right about all of it. In mere moments he understood me better than I understood myself. I can’t imagine how his soul became the way it is. I’m such an idiot.”

“You aren’t an idiot. You’re just a kid. You deserve to live. When their boss said you were “self-destructive,” I couldn’t help but think about your missing soul. Did you do all this because you think you don’t have a soul?”

“I don’t know.” Florian stared up at the starry sky.

Ronaldo stared at her, silent.

“All right, the police should arrive here within ten minutes.” Officer Keen hobbled back to them. “They were busy chasing someone on a motorcycle, shooting fireworks all over the city. It must have been that Irina Halt lady. She better not get caught; I’m the one that’ll arrest her and all those other guys too. Just wait and see.”

“Count me in. I’ll help in any way I can,” Ronaldo said, looking in Florian’s direction.

Florian hesitated. She knew what Ronaldo was pulling, but it brought a smile to her face.

Police sirens zoomed past the trio.

“There they go! Go get them!” Keen cheered.

Florian had a bad feeling in her gut. She sat down beside Ronaldo.

After a few minutes, gunshots fired off in the distance.

“Shit! Get down!” Officer Keen pushed Ronaldo and Florian to the ground.

Florian covered her ears, but the words of Selucius echoed in her mind.

The gunfire drowned out her cries.

Ronaldo shielded Florian with his already wounded body. He held her, and even with her covering her ears, he repeated, “It’s not your fault.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It’s not your fault.”