Scene 3: The Ceremony

After the strange events in the graveyard, you all make haste back to the Manor, ensure the mastiffs are out and lock the doors. Twice!

Most of you have no idea who that creature was, though maybe some may be hiding some clues... What you all seem to agree on, despite the apparent absurdity of it, is that the dead are somehow walking again.

Still, you can't stop wondering about what the creature was after. You know it was something (or was it someone?) from the family. But what or who? Could the Manor be hold some old secret you are not aware of?

No one can remember Claire being at the scene, in fact, when you all just decided to go back, you just abandoned her there, still hidden behind a tombstone. The scared girl followed you back to the Manor like an invisible shadow, unnoticed, and forgotten...

You can't tell how long has passed, but you lie awake in bed. Are the recent events running around your mind, preventing you from sleeping, even if your body feels tired? Or was it that noise outside that woke you up? Maybe the light of nearly full Moon peeking from the window disturbs your sleep?

Whatever the reason, you don't think you will get much rest tonight...

After trying and failing to sleep for hours, Claire eventually climbs back out of bed and paces her bedroom. Somehow, it had felt wrong to rejoin the others after that strange encounter outside, so she had just followed them quietly back inside. None of them ever even inquired as to where she went, though, which kind of hurt. Do they not care about her?

She walks up to the large mirror and looks inside but sees nothing but an empty room inside. Maybe they're right not to care. Maybe she should be forgotten by the world like she has been forgotten by the mirror. After what she did, selfishly, those years ago. She tries to remember Annabelle's face, the face that had lured her into betraying her own family, but the image that appears in her head is probably nothing like how the beautiful woman had actually looked. And all those fantasies Claire had held about her, the two of them dancing together, lying in the warm grass, their lips touching in a chaste, nervous kiss... Claire could no longer hold on to them. Thinking of the meadow she had made up, Annabelle - or that image Claire has of her in her mind -ias there, but Claire isn't. As if she was fading not just from mirrors and from her family's notice, but from her own mind as well.

"Why did I ever lie to Annabelle?" Claire asks the empty mirror. "Alexander deserved happiness. He didn't deserve to lose everything just because I desired the same woman he did. I destroyed my brother's life because of a selfish, childish crush." With a frustrated cry, she smashes her fist into the mirror. Blood mixes with reflective shards as tears start streaming down Claire's face. "Maybe it would be best if I did just disappear!"

Roderick didn't even try going to bed. The events of the day weigh heavily over his brittle frame. And his arm adds a non-figurative, very real weight. He touches its stony surface... like touching granite. The fingers of his non-paralyzed hand find his face. Or rather, the stone mask that was once his face. He follows the contours of his facial muscles locked forever in a sardonic grin, like some comedy Greek mask from the proscenium of a grand theatre.
You are turning into a statue, old fool. What is this? Is this punishment for having used that statue - WHY DID ALEXANDER HAVE THAT???- so many years ago? Was it a curse, uttered in death by my victim?... his thoughts are a torment, a storm of darkness besieging his once-calculating mind.

He reflects on the graveyard, and on the impulse that overtook him there. Did I... commune with the ancient stones under the sacred ground of that place?? Did I... ask the stone to trap that creature?? And why? Who was it following? AND WHY DID IT CALL ME BROTHER???

He stands, and lays his good hand on the cold stone of the mantelpiece. His eyes wander. His thoughts focus around that stone, and its secret, occult connection with any other stone object in the manor.
"If I have any power over you, dark stone... respond to me. Be an extension of my fingers. Be my eyes and ears... SHOW ME..." he whispers, shaking for the effort.

The Death of Roderick Rookwood
Roderick's eyes widen in terror as he feels his heart clenched by a mighty stone grip, tightening without mercy until his heartbeat stops.

For several long seconds, he is conscious inside his dying body, feeling each bone, muscle, tendon and cell turning to stone with a sickening grinding sound, trapping him for eternity within a granitic tomb. His own body, turned funerary monument.

His mask-like face changes as he draws his last rasping breath. Mouth impossibly wide in a silent scream, terror in his now blank eyes, staring forever in the void.

His last thought is for the Rookwood name, the prestige of which he strived all his long life to protect at whatever cost - lying, beating, betraying and even killing to reach his goal.


Thus dies Roderick Rookwood,
who called to the ancient stones of his Manor,
only for the stones to claim him for eternity.

He will be found,
a granitic statue standing in his room,
arm extended to touch the mantelpiece
(and now fused to it)
his face a mask of screaming terror.

Nathaniel lays in bed, unable to sleep, and desperately trying to reconcile the oddity of the days events. He was tossing a ball in the air and catching it, figuring that throwing something is what made his arm go . . . wobbly. 'Why am I even want to replicate that?' he thinks to himself.
Also of concern is that now Alexander knows his secret, and he couldn't think of a worse Rookwood to have such information. The only solution he could think of was to ask the old man to do him a favor (and he just might, if Nathaniel could convince him it would help the Rookwood family name), but at what cost? He'd have to try to sleep on it, and worry about it in the morning.

Alexander calls a servant up to draw him a warm bath. While he waits, he places the demonic bust on the vanity, the central and side mirrors allowing him to view the creature from every angle. "Who are you?" he asks no one in particular.

The rakish Rockwood doesn't wait for the servant to leave before undressing, despite the obvious discomfort this causes. As the groom finally scurries out of the room, Alexander begins ladling water over his body, sloshing the grave dirt away into muddy whorls on the bathroom tile. Finally, he sinks into the tub and disappears completely underwater. He holds his breath. One.. two... three.. four.. five... He loses count. It's no use. He needs it—the only thing he'd been able to find to fill the hole left when Annabelle called off their courtship.

Almost unthinkingly, he reaches for a metal case on a nearby stool, opens the lid, and takes out a glass syringe—his last. The last of Grandfather's "investment"—the one that Alexander cajoled the old man for to buy some land in the valley. Well, when this serum hits his blood, Alexander laughs, he'll be thinking of places more joyous than pristine mountain valleys

As Alexander waits for the laudanum to do its work, he notices the horned statue staring back at him from the vanity. "Who the devil are you?" he thinks as he drifts off into a drug-induced delirium.

Claire couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the lingering fear of the strange creature holding her in the dark graveyard... maybe it was the pain of her own loneliness and the realization her own family didn't seem to care... She walks to the large mirror in the bedroom, maybe hoping to find herself in there, but not even that she could. Her reflection was gone, maybe forever, and maybe should she do...

The guilt of her betrayal years ago, of her childish selfishness... maybe this was her punishment. She thought of Alexander and the suffering her cousin had to endure all this time because of her. Looking at the full moon, she knows she won't find sleep tonight... at least not before checking on her cousin. Like with the strange girl in the mirror, she had the strange feeling the moon was asking her to...Alexander couldn't take his head out of the statue. It's strange enough there was such a thing in an open and empty grave, but that face, that pagan god... he is sure he saw it somewhere before. He decides to have a warm bath to clean himself from the graveyard's dirty and think about it. A warm bath... one of the few pleasure left he could still appreciate.

But like everything else, it was a fleeting moment peace that wouldn't last long.

But his body wasn't asking for a bath and he knew it. He felt it before. He reaches for his metal case and the vial stolen from his cousin Nathaniel. As his mind starts to wonder he see the statue one last time, noticing the chipped stone on its side. Suddenly, he realizes it looks exactly like the blood stained fragment he found in the library 10 years ago! And he imagined a memory of seeing in the library when he was a child... Was this pagan idol from the Manor?Like the others, Nathaniel doesn't manage to fall asleep. His strange, maybe even supernatural, experience making his rational mind run in endless circles, searching for answers. How could his arm loose its rigidity? What could have been the process? It looks normal now, and his bones are unbroken, but his skeleton should not allow such flexibility... The possibilities of such discovery are beyond imagination! Could it have been something about the creature?

As he goes around considering all possibilities, he unpacks his medical supplies, mentally going through each chemical's and concoction's properties. Nothing there can explain such phenomenon. It is then that his attention is caught by something else. The Guild letter! It is not there! And the only missing vial he can account for... tells him exactly who has it. Alexander! The worse person to hold a secret. Though he could probably negotiate it back for another vial, he would need to buy the extra supplies from Town, and the Guild was not that friendly last time...

Maybe his best bet for now is Roderick... The old man never accepted him as one of their own, but his dislike for Alexander may be something he can use...Roderick was furious about the way things went down in the graveyard. Not only he failed to find exactly what was going on, his sister seemed to fear for him and then... that accursed statue and the creature! Could that have been him?

He would not sleep before he had the answers he was looking for! He turns to the family's powers once again, calling on the Manor to help him. He sees everything that is going on, his mind expanding to include every rock and stone withing the grounds. But in his eagerness he because reckless and fails to control the ancient powers of the family. Too late he realizes what he has done and the fate he can no longer escape from. No longer he would share a deep connection with the ground and the Manor, for now he became the grounds and the Manor himself.

As his body is consumed by his curse, his mind finally finds what he was looking for. For a moment, he glimpses at the truth. His sister smiles once again. "The moon is calling us, brother. We will meet soon"At some point during the night, you hear noises from the ground floor but you can't tell what it was.
In the morning, only the missing family sword and the open front door tells you what may have happened.
No one saw Elias that night. He vanished into the cold darkness.

Still wearing her nightgown and with just an overcoat thrown on for modesty and some warmth, Claire wanders down the hallway of the massive Rookwood mansion until she reaches the room she knows Alexander to be staying in. She's not quite sure what she's even doing here. She's obviously not going to tell him about her betrayal. Right?

Still, she finds herself knocking. "Alexander?" she asks hesitantly, but to no answer. Driven more by instinct than reason, she tries to open the door and finds it unlocked. She takes a careful step inside and closes the door behind herself.

Drawn by the sound of bathwater, she makes her way deeper into the room. In her mind, an image appears of her cousin in a bathtub filled with blood, all because of her betrayal years ago. "Alexander?" she asks again as she slowly pushes open the bathroom door...

Nathaniel takes a deep breath as he resigns himself to talking to the old man. 'Best to get it over with quickly' he thinks, and head to see if Roderick is also awake at this hour.

Opening the door, he says "Sorry to bother you at this hour sir, what with . . the . . day . . " and for a brief moment, he assumes Roderick has commissioned a statue of himself. While that's the most logical explanation he could think of, he knows, somehow he just knows that isn't the case. "I'll fix this grandfather." he says to the stone, hoping the old man hears and believes him, even if Nathaniel doesn't believe it himself.

He leaves the room, headed to the library. Hopefully something there will hold the answer he seeks, the answers he needs. Then he stopped and thought to himself "Alexander is much more familiar with the library, I'll talk to him first." befor turning and heading to his cousins room, praying a similar malady hadn't befallen upon him too.

Bliss… euphoria… bliss… Alexander feels them like an undulating caress. Slowly, he finds he can't resist the impulse to open his heavy lids. Someone is calling his name. Someone… Claire? His eyes open, still fixed on the unholy god. Its horned face and goat-like smirk quickly shift to Claire's pale visage then back again.

Alexander closes his eyes tight until he hears a rumble in his ears. After a few more hard blinks he sees that Claire is indeed in the room. "Cousin. Would you be a dear and hand me that towel? This water's grown cold."

Her eyes turned away from the tub, Claire finds a towel and holds it out in the direction of her cousin, letting him take it. "I couldn't sleep," she admits. "And so I decided to see you, even if you probably don't care to see me. You didn't seem concerned about me after this strange encounter outside." She shakes her head. This doesn't matter. The mirror forgot about her. It's no wonder her family did the same.

"How are you, Alexander?" she asks him. There is something heavy in his voice that she noticed. "Have you been doing alright?"

Alexander takes the towel, then stands with his back to his cousin as he wraps it around him. As the cold water drips off and soaks into the cloth, the last remnants of the drugs seem to ooze out with it. He quickly slips on his breeches. "Cousin! Wherever have you been tonight? I figured you must have turned in early and didn't want to disturb you. How do you know of the 'strange encounter outside'?"

"Because I was there, Alexander," Claire replies to her cousin's question, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. "The whole reason that... thing attacked us was because it wanted me. For some reason."

She notices some official looking letter lying around but doesn't pay it much attention. "Why did you just go back inside without even looking to see if I was okay? I was terrified, and hiding!"
She then remembers the thoughts she had earlier that drove her here in the first place, about Annabelle. "I guess I don't deserve better. But it still hurt."

Nathaniel, seeing that Alexander's door is open, walks in. He see's the letter from the doctors guild just lying about on the floor and sighs, ''Makes sense he wouldn't have some sort of competent filing system for his creatively acquired assets.' Nathaniel clears his throught before speaking; "Alright, please give me just a moment to explain why I am technically not licensed to practice medicine . . . " He's about to continue when he sees Claire.

"Oh, uhm, Claire, you're back. You missed quite the ordeal in the graveyard. Not 'miss' as in you'll regret you weren't there, but. . . " he stammers, frustrated even further with the way this conversation, actually the way this whole day is going. He needs to try to remove the focus from him while he gathers his thoughts . . "Uhm, Also, the old man's been petrified, apparently."

"What do you mean you're not..." Claire begins before her question is interrupted when Nathaniel continues, also implying - or rather outright stating - that she wasn't there down on the graveyard. "I didn't miss it!" she shouts at him. "I was there! I was the whole reason we were attacked!" She stomps her foot but it barely makes a sound, deepening the empty feeling inside of her. Her voice lowered again now, she simply, quietly repeats, "I was there."

When Nathaniel mentions something about the old man - Roderick - that just doesn't make sense to her, she can't even bring up the energy to ask. She just looks at him, confused.

"Well, there's a relatively simply way to settle this," He looks over to Alexander, but sees that he's in a towel "Did anyone else see you outside?"

Alexander ties his robe shut and retrieves the guild letter, stuffing it into a pocket. "It seems we have bigger skeletons to divulge, Nathaniel," he says. "What is all this, Claire? I was in the graveyard. Nathaniel was there. Roderick was there. Aside from some strange cat, that was it." He notices the woman's hurt expression. "No matter what you think we think about you, Claire, we certainly wouldn't simply ignore you. You're my cousin, and I am fond of you, even if..." He trails off. "Nathaniel, your arm is still injured. And the old man's been petrified? What exactly is afoot?"

"So you think I made it up?" Claire asks, tears rising in her eyes and blurring her vision even more than it already is without her glasses. "Why would I lie about something like this? I was there."

Her attention is caught by the dangling even if that Alexander didn't finish. "You know what," she says. "You're right. I deserve to be shunned. Especially by you." She wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her overcoat and turns to Nathaniel. "Now what happened to grandfather?"

Nathaniel is happy to have at least one question that he does know the answer to; "Oh, well, the 'what' is easy. He appears to have turned to stone. The 'why' is beyond my normally superb level of understanding. Perhaps tragic irony? Maybe the statue Alex found? Could be somethin the old man did in the cemetery."
He looks down at his arm, it feels firm, but the skin is skin is sill loose in places. "Thanks, but my arm is fine, or at least it will be . . probably"

"Well, whatever the why is," Claire says. She steps in front of the bathroom mirror and uses her sleeve to wipe the condensation from it and to clear its view. Then she points at the empty spot where her reflection should be. "I'm certain it's related to this."

Alexander barely stifles a gasp at not seeing his cousin's reflection. "That's just it, Claire—I don't doubt your memory. But what are you? Some sort of ghost?" He approaches and tries to place a hand on the woman's shoulder. "I think we're cursed! Are we all paying for our misdeeds? Is this damned house playing with us?"[/b]

Nathaniel also reaches out to see if Claire is corporal, but Alexander beats him to it. So instead he confirms that the mirror is working for everyone else. The way a mirror normally does that is. By reflecting images.

Claire flinches away from Alexander when he tries to touch her. "Maybe we should just leave this place," she suggests. "Grandfather is... Something happened to him. And we seem to be in danger here as well. I wish I knew what this mystery about Grandfather's sister means, but is it really worth..." She points again at the mirror. "...this?"

"I don't think I can leave." Nathaniel says. "The odd things occurring here are fascinating, and definitely worth someone looking into. At first, I figured I would just leave the the Rookwoods to their fate. Head back to my office, leave this all behind, and let it be another persons problem. Mere hours age, I would have agree with you Claire," he looks down at his arm "But now, .. 'In for a penny . .' I don't think its wise for any of us to leave until this is sorted out or . . . " he doesn't finish, recalling the image of the petrified old man 'Maybe the old man tried to leave' he thinks

Alexander snorts as Claire shrinks away from his touch. "Well, if you don't intend to verify that you're still... among the living, cousin, perhaps you'll accompany Nathaniel and me to grandfathers chambers?" He quickly pulls on some trousers under his robe then begins buttoning a shirt. "I'm bringing that bloody statue with us. Maybe it has something to say to the old man." Grabbing it, he adds, "And Nathaniel, you and I may need to discuss your license to practice medicine... and how it may intersect with my fondness for various elixirs?"

As the three of you discuss people turning to stone and doctor's "supplies", you hear the loud noise of a door slammed somewhere on the ground floor

"Blast it, what could that be?!" Nathaniel ask

"You think it's that thing from last night?" Claire suggests, her voice shaking. "Here to finish the job and abduct me after all?"

"Damn it all," Alexander spits. "Where is the blasted help?" The man slips into some house shoes and hefts the ghoulish statue from its perch. He then moves for the stairs. "You two coming? Perhaps the old man's awakened after all?"

"I'm not staying alone behind," Claire replies. She doesn't want to investigate the noise but she wants to be alone even less. Alone and probably forgotten again.

Nathaniel looks to make sure both of his cousins are ready. Well, as ready as one can be in this situation. "Well, what would you like to investigate first? The old man, or the noise?"

"Well, if we're about to be ambushed by that abomination again, I'd rather know about it in advance," Alexander says. "I'm going to slip over to the bannister and see if I can't spot it before it spots me..."

Alexander tries quietly slip over to the bannister to look to the ground floor. He immediately checks the half-open front door is damaged from the strong impact that slammed it. He quickly scans the entrance hall for anyone. As Alexander does so, he notices one of the paintings has forcefully been taken down from the wall. As he tries to look a bit closer, he feels a chill down his spine. The temperature suddenly cools down around him, as if a supernatural force suddenly materialized next to him. He looks around and sees Elias returning to the hall, sword in hand. The soldier looks straight at his cousin and mutters something in an incomprehensible tongue.

Alexander shudders and tries to speak. "Hail, cousin! What's the good... word?"

Alexander flits up the stairs behind Elias. The library? That's where Alexander found that shard so long ago... the shard that seems to match the strange pagan statue... "Elias, wait! Nathaniel is up there, as well." Alexander speaks loudly enough that Claire and Nathaniel should be able to hear him. "Claire, though—you'll have to find her if you want to confront her with that sword, dear cousin. She seems to have [i]disappeared[/I]."

Nathaniel looks to Claire "That sounds more like a warning for us."

"I'm not going to hide again!" Claire hisses at Nathaniel. "I'm not risking that you all forget me again!"

Alexander squints at his cousin. Is he in his right mind? Best not to tell him Claire and Nathaniel are up here—let alone that Grandfather is now a statue. "I suppose Grandfather's in his chambers. Shall we go check in on him?"

"Well. That's technically true. Nathaniel whispers.

Deciding that she's had enough of hiding, Claire walks out into view of Elias. "You're looking for me?" she asks him.

"Oh, I was attacked by some creature in the graveyard and then my whole family forgot I was even there," she says. "So, you know, the usual."

She then looks him over. "Where were you?"

Alexander's front relaxes when he sees that Elias means Claire no harm. "Cousin, I'm afraid we have other... odd news. In addition to Claire's, uh, disappearance last night, Nathaniel is about and reports that Grandfather has also fallen prey to some sort of dark sorcery. We might want to check on him before we head to this library of yours..." He pauses to see if Elias reacts to the news.

Claire blinks in surprise, then, looking between Elias and Alexander, asks, "What just happened?"

"Well, .. uhm, wait. I'm beggining to think these questions are rhetorical. Which is good, because I don't have answers" Nathaniel replies

Alexander nods to Nathaniel as the pseudo-doctor makes his presence known. He makes a face to indicate, Did you just see what I saw? "Yes, Elias, why don't you go fetch Gunther while the three of us check on Grandfather?"

After making sure Elias was well on his way to hunt for Gunther, Nathaniel says to the others "Well then, on to the Old Man's room?"

As Elias goes down the stairs looking for Gunther, the three of you turn to each other and decide to check what happened to Roderick. When you enter his room you are faced with the same scene as Nathaniel before. Roderick lies petrified by the fireplace's mantelpiece. The light of the full moon gently shining on his rough surface through the window. On his desk, there a confusion papers and drafted notes. His bed lies untouched.

"Well, here he is, uh it is?" Nathaniel says from the doorway, still intimidated enough by the old man to not enter his room right away

Claire does enter the room, though cautiously. She reaches out a hand to touch the statue that looks like Roderick. "Grandfather?" she asks hesitantly.

Roderick does not respond to Claire. In fact, he does not move at all, as if she was not there... You hear a crow rattling from just outside the window. Claire has the unsettling feeling that the dark bird is staring at her.

"Well, this is unnerving," Alexander says with a shudder. He eyes the crow. "Friend of one of yours?"

Nathaniel remembers the cat "I am . . . not good with animals. But perhaps the animal around here are something more?"

Claire feels a wave of unease. Of course a statue couldn't respond to her touch, but somehow, it still feels deliberate. Like her grandfather is choosing to ignore her. Or just forgot about her existence. It wouldn't be the first time.

Her attention is drawn to the bird outside and she looks back into its eyes for a moment. "Why is everything around here so obsessed with me?" she whines. "Well, unless they forget I even exist."

Claire moves closer to the window, somehow attracted by the strange bird and it's apparent obsession. As she does so, she catches a glimpse of the Caretaker returning to the Manor from the graveyard at a hurried pace. Nathaniel, on the other hand, distractedly browses his grandfather's papers on the desk.

"It's Gunther the Caretaker!" Claire announces. "He's outside and just returning to the mansion. It looks like he was in the graveyard."

Alex throws open the window. "You down there! A word, please?"

Alexander thinks about yelling at the caretaker that he works for them, but stops himself. He looks to the others. "So, shall we speak to the man downstairs? Or perhaps check out the library my cousin was so on about?"

"Let's talk to him first and see what he wants to tell us. We can always still take a look at the library afterwards," Claire suggests.

Nathaniel is looking over the Old Man's notes with fascination. 'Why does he have any of this?' He stops and looks up when he realizes the others are talking . . "Oh, yes, uh, let's go see what he has to say." he packs up and puts away the notes, trying to save his place to he can continue later.

"Something did happen to him," Claire replies. She does not feel like explaining the unbelievable event to the caretaker. "And your suspicion is correct. But what happened in town to make you think that?"

Nathaniel says to the caretaker "You seem, uhm exceptionally calm considering the news. Also, what has become of Gunther?"

"What? Why?" Claire asks. "I mean, I guess at some point someone will have to step up and get the family's affairs in order, but it doesn't have to be today. There's time for a mourning period."

Alexander nods. "Yes, let's not get histrionic, good man. Although there's been enough weirdness today that I wouldn't be surprised if you told us the house will eat us if we don't declare a successor this instant." He smiles at the joke, then swallows the grin. "The house isn't going to eat us, is it?"

"Well," Claire says, looking uncertainly after the strange caretaker. "I guess we can have a shared funeral for grandfather and his sister tonight. That might be nice. But I have my own clothes. I don't need him to find me something to wear."

"I fear he means that you will be taking over as head of the family Claire. Hard to tell with the man being exceedingly cryptic though. Still, better you than me."

"Me?" Claire asks. "But I haven't even finished my education. If anything, it should be Elias! He has experience leading people from the military. That makes him more qualified than any of us. I think."

"Well, this is all conjecture of course, but the caretaker isn't looking for a fancy dress for Elias. Regardless we need more answers, and there are far too many loose threads to tug on right now."

As Nathaniel mentions the need to find more about what is going on, he remembers the strange words from the Caretaker. He found Gunther "inanimated" and "collapsed". Not the sort of words people usually use to describe a state where you would abandon someone like he did. Curious, he decides to check what the Caretaker really meant. He walks out into the graveyard but something stops him as he is about to step through the door.

Alexander gives Nathaniel a wry smile. "Yes, we'd better put that medical degree of yours to the test, cousin! What has become of poor Gunther?" The smile disappears as Nathaniel seems lost in thought.

Nathaniel stops and the door and stares off into the distance, as one does when they are lost in thought.

Instead of stopping him, Nathaniel's memories of last night events only make him surer that they should check the location during daylight to figure out what really happened in there. As he searches the area, he notices the black cat again, quietly standing by a grave which has been damaged by some sort of clawed animal. Though the full name is unreadable, Nathaniel can estimate from the birth date he would have been born to the same generation as Roderick's, and from the epitaph you can make out "loving brother", suggesting it was a man.

However, what catches his eyes is Gunther. The poor man fell into an open grave, collapsing like a lifeless doll. With your medical training, you immediately notice the absence of any evidence of blood or major wounds. This is surprising since you'd expect such a body in such twisted state to be the result of violent trauma.

"Any idea what happened to the poor man, Cousin?" As he waits for Nathaniel's answer, Alexander crouches, reaches out to the cat, and makes a clicking noise with his tongue.

"Well, right now all I have is ideas. But that rarely helps anyone. We need solid information, and that seems very difficult to get in this place."

"How ironic, I spend my days trying to keep people out of the grave." Nathaniel says, as he hops down for a closer inspection of Gunther's body

Nathaniel finishes his assessment of the corpse then climbs out of the pit. As he climbs it appears as if his arms strecth a bit to reach the last few inches. The dirt and unflattering smell follow him, and he starts to dust himself off as he starts talking. "Alright, based on my study of the corpse, along with the Caretakers rather,uh, cryptic wording, I believe Gunthers life, or life force, may have been tied to the Old Man somehow. When one ceased to be, well, uhm, so did the other." He starts pacing the area while he thinks.

"That begs the question: Was Gunther already passed and revivified somehow? Was he ever alive? Claire, can you ask the Caretaker if any other staff fell ill or started acting strangely after your gradfathers petrification? Alexander, do have a look and see whose name is on the headstone of Gunthers impromptu grave."

"I can speak to him again," Claire agrees. "But he makes me nervous. I'd prefer not to go alone. Elias, would you mind coming with me? Just in case he acts weird again?"
If Elias agrees, Claire will go look for the Caretaker again.

I wonder who she might want to talk to again 🙃

Alexander looks at the gravestone, trying to make out the name on it.

The cat stares Alexander as he makes the clicking noise, and then rubs the gravestone twice before stopping and meowing. Alexander turns to check gravestone to see it is ... indeed Gunther's!

You get a strange feeling of wrongness when you see Gunther's name. You see your shadow "jump" into the grave and when you look, all you see is the bottomless darkness.

---

Claire is suddenly overtaken by a sense of dread as she realizes Elias is not there. How could she have forgotten that her brother was... where was he? Ah yes! The Caretaker mentioned something happening in town he went to check.

---

As Claire waits for Alexander so both can look for the Caretaker, she is surprised as Alexander losses balance, awkwardly falling on is back while staring motionless at the grave.

"Alexander!" Claire exclaims, rushing to her cousin's side, fussing over him and trying to help him back up to his feet. "What is wrong? Are you feeling ill?"

Alexander shakes his head and squeezes his eyes shut to shake off the cobwebs of his mind. "What... What happened? Why am I in Nathaniel's grave?"

"You fell," Claire replies, not very helpfully. She continues to offer him her hand. "Are you feeling well?"

Alexander accepts the hand up. "Not sure what came over me. I felt... a darkness. A powerful presence in there. It felt like a weight, like I had a weight on me and couldn't move from a curse. But then freedom like I was out of my body, roaming the manor, the city, too." He looks to his family with eyes uncharacteristically sad. "I think we're cursed, we Rookwoods. That's the root of what's been going on. This presence is at the bottom of it. I feel like there's an old pact we're expected to renew—or break, perhaps." Alexander seems haunted by the revelation. He looks to the others for some reaction.

"A pact?" Claire asks, looking at her cousin wide-eyed. She considers his words, then nods. "A curse, that would explain my... my reflection. Maybe also why you forgot I was with you out here last night." A small gasp escapes her lips as she realizes something else. "And it might explain what happened to grandfather. But what do you mean, renew or break an old pact? Made with whom? By whom?"

"I wish I could say more, cousin. It was more of a feeling I had in there... But gods only know what our grandfather and those before him were up to." He shudders and gestures toward the house. "Maybe we'll find some answers in the library? Or maybe this cat knows something?"

"I think we were meant to ask the caretaker for more information," Claire reminds Alexander of what they had talked about before his fit. "And there is the matter of that poor girl in the village, but hopefully my brother is taking care of that."

Alexander follows.

On the way to the Manor, both of you notice the tree, the old tree that has been dead in the Manor's yard for as long as you can remember. But this time, you get a very odd feeling about it....

"The ashes for my Rose," Claire mutters quietly, then blinks in surprise at her own words. Louder, she repeats, "The ashes for my Rose. What does that mean?"
She also steps away from the evil, cursed tree. There is sweat on her forehead as she looks both scared and exhausted. "That tree is evil," she says, hoping her family don't declare her mad for it on the spot.

Alexander gives his cousin some time to gather her thoughts before replying. "The tree is undoubtedly part of this blasted curse. It does look like a person could fit through that maw, though. Who or what comes in or out of this thing?"

Nathaniel was about to state that a tree can't be good or evil, until he remembered where he was and all that had happened to the family recently. "So are we waiting to see what emerges from the tree, or sending in someone to investigate?" He looks around for a bit before asking "Where did that cat go?"

Alexander decides to act impulsively and check the (apparently) evil tree. Claire and Nathaniel wonder about what this strange feeling could be. After aawhile, they both realize Alexander is taking his time with the tree... maybe a bit too much time...

"Claire!" Alexander shouts. The tree roots muffle the sound somewhat, but it sounds less like a cry for help and more like a cry of recognition.

"What is it?" Claire's initial moment of panic is somewhat lessened when she recognizes Alexander's tone, but she still quickly runs up to the tree to check on her cousin.

As Claire approaches to check Alexander, she sees him trapped in the tree roots. It looks like her cousin tried too hard and just got more and more entangled as he tried to get out.

"How did that happen?" Claire asks. She's still reassured by his tone earlier that Alexander is fine, so she's not too worried. She steps in closer and tries to see if there's any way she can help him out of the roots he got himself caught in.

Nathaniel will slowly move toward the tree to see what Alexander has gotten himself into.

Everyone sees Alexander tied up in the tree roots, not quiet clear what he was trying to do or how he get there. But he is alive xD

"I'll help you get out," Claire offers. She leans down and pulls on the roots, trying to free her cousin from where he is trapped.

Alexander blinks for a long moment and shakes his head as if caught in a cobweb. "Um... thank you, Claire," he stammers as he brushes off soil and wet leaves. "That tree—I'm certain it leads to the manor. But all I saw was darkness in there. Like I saw in the grave, only... hungrier." He pauses and stares off into space before going on: "There was a strange rune, too. Like something ancient and evil. I could see Roderick there, and... you, Claire. Or someone who looks just like you. The old man turned to stone, and then all sorts of ghastly creatures danced around. Then came someone in a dark robe. She stabbed you in he heart and then the monsters all danced. The old man came back to flesh, and the robed figure said something like, 'It's time.' She wanted me to take you to her, Claire."

Claire listens to this tale with visible confusion. "So, uhmm," she asks. "Someone wants to sacrifice me to revive grandfather? A woman?"

"Or someone that looks just like you" Nathaniel adds

Alexander shakes his head. "I'm not sure. But you may have a doppelgänger. Maybe put a red ribbon in your hair or something so we can tell you apart later..." He signs. "So I suppose we must head back to the house?"

As they start walking back to the mansion, Claire suggests, "Maybe we should come up with a password. If you're unsure if someone is me, just ask and I will say it so you know. The password could be..." She doesn't think long and just says the first word that comes to her mind that's unlikely to accidentally come up in conversation. "...Annabelle."
She realizes what she said the moment it is out of her mouth. "Or something else!"

"'Annabelle or something else'" Nathaniel repeats misunderstanding. "it's definitely unique"

Alexander winces at mention of the name Annabelle. He glowers at Claire and nods. "'Annabelle' is a most appropriate password, Cousin, especially if we are to undo whatever blasphemous covenant our malefactor forebears have struck. A curse for a curse, eh?" He heads toward the manor.

Nathaniel followed the others, making a mental not to try to keep them both in his sights. "So, uh, what are we hoping to find in the house this time?"

You all decide to go back to the Manor and look for the Caretaker. The man is in a hurry, his heavy steps echoing though the old building giving away his location on the first floor.

The family catches up with the caretaker, matching his brisk pace.''This is much more exercise that I was expecting to get." Nathaniel sighs "What's your hurry?" he ask

Claire eyes the cat suspiciously as they pass it and quickens her steps but otherwise ignores it and follows Nathaniel, letting him take the lead in speaking to the caretaker for now.

Nathaniel says to the Caretaker "Uhm, Sorry to keep troubling you, but we have so many questions, and so few answers . . " Nathaniel finally notices that the Caretaker is standing in a large closet looking at various dresses. He then he stops to see where they actually are, a large beautifully decorated bedroom. Like many other rooms in the manor, it doesn't look as if it's been used in years. "Alright, another question then: Whose room is this?"

Alexander holds up one of the dresses and grimaces. "Someone with... ancien tastes, I presume."

Claire's face turns thoughtful for a moment. "You're right," she says. "It is my birthday. I... I forgot."
She then raises her eyebrow at the fancy and old-fashioned dress. It doesn't match her style or preferences in the slightest. "There is no way I'm wearing that," she says stubbornly. "I have a dress of my own. Or I'll just wear pants." She's certain that last part is going to upset the caretaker, but she hopes - against reason - that her family will back her up on the idea. "Besides, why do you even care so much about my birthday?"

"Fair question," Alexander agrees. "And these clothes are more likely to kill us from sneezing than to make for a happy birthday celebration."

Nathaniel hesitates a bit before he ask "I didnt receive an invitation to a birthday party. Which family members are coming that arent already here?" ' and are they all still living? he feels to embarrassed to ask aloud.

"Elias!" Claire calls out. She immediately feels better upon hearing her big brother's voice and rather than consider his words first and try to figure out what he's referring to, she quickly moves towards where she heard his voice. Maybe he will be able to talk some sense into this caretaker!

Claire immediately recognizes "the witches"

Claire walks up to her brother and stands next to him, facing the three witches and taking some time to look all of them over. "I saw you talking to my grandfather," she then tells them. "Who are you? What do you want here?" She stops speaking briefly, waiting for them to answer, before realizing her own rudeness and adding, "My name is Claire Rookwood and this is my family home."

The women look at Claire and smile. The red-haired one says a blessing in a strange language (or, was it a curse?) before talking again. "Oh little lamb, indeed we spoke with the man who is no longer. But he has not found peace did he?"

The blond woman behind her is quick to reply "No he did not. No peace can be found in a house where the sun is not allowed to shine"

After you heard those words, you have the sudden claustrophobic sensation, a feeling the manor itself is surrounded by shadows, the halls are darker than they were at Riverlight Manor, even the air feels heavier now...

Claire nods eagerly at the women. "There is something wrong in this house!" she agrees, unable to take her eyes off of them even for a moment. "Strange things have been going on. Do you know what's wrong here? Why does my own family forget me? What happened to grandfather? What does the caretaker want with me?"

Alexander hovers behind Claire, unwilling to let her alone after the disturbing vision in the tree.

Nathaniel rubs the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Trying to pry a straight answer out of this vault is beginning to get frustrating. Caretaker . . When you say 'All', could you possible give us a total, or names?

"Strange things you say? We don't know what is wrong but we sense the night is coming soon. We are here to let the dead rest"

"Would you, little lamb, let us in and see your grandfather?""What do you mean see him? He fell for your dark sorceries!!"

"Do you think you can help him?" Claire asks, still looking wide-eyed at the three beautiful sorceresses. "Or at least figure out what happened so we can stop it from happening to anyone else?" She was completely ignoring Elias' words as she gestured for the entrance door. "Of course, come in! I'll show you where he is."

Alexander doesn't stand in the way. "Yes, be my guest, ladies."

Even if Elias protests about letting the three women inside, they enter the manor stopping for a moment as if inspecting the building.
"Little one, you said something happened to your grandfather? Can you tell me more?" the third woman turns to Claire, waiting for more information as they are shown where it happened.

Claire leads the way, trying to walk confidently, using what she had been taught at Riverlight Manor in an attempt to impress these three beautiful witches.

"He got turned to stone. Petrified," she explains. "We found him this morning. It was pretty grim. That there is his room." She points to the closed door.

She then pauses before turning to face the witches. Her cheeks are a bit red but she puts on a confident expression as she states, "And I'm not little. I'm fif... I'm sixteen, basically an adult. It's my birthday."

Nathaniel is still standing in the room with the caretaker. In his effort to cure his current befuddlement, it's possible that he didn't even notice that Claire and Alexander had left. He takes a deep breath before attempting to ask the caretaker another question; "I, uh, I hesitate to ask this, due to the farcical nature of the question and all, but, as I don't see hundreds of people around, . . . are any of the guest coming apparitions or spectres?" he sighs again as soon as the question escapes his mouth. "and I think the dresses are fine, although fashion is far from my specialty, it seems to be the overall situation we are in that Claire has a problem with."

"What do you know about the curse?" Claire asks immediately, her eyes lighting up with the possibility of learning more. "Weird things have been happening to all of us. People keep..." She interrupts herself and shakes her head, then instead steps in closer to the red-haired woman and awkwardly half-reaches out to her. "Are you hurt? What happened? Would you like some ice for your hand?"

Alexander follows the women into the bedchamber. Prodded by his cousin's remarks he snaps to motion. "Yes, I believe our grandfather keeps a few unguents in his things. One of them should do the trick." He begins looking through the boudoir for the phials.

Even with everything that's been happening, Nathaniel is still reluctant to go all-in on believing in ghost, but his long term desire for knowledge, and his short term desire to get a straight answer from the Caretaker keep him talking. "Apologies, I didn't intent to offend. Can you communocate with them? What do the visitors from 'Across the Border' prefer to be called? And, uhm, is grandfather currently one of them?"

The woman looks suspiciously at the unguent Alexander finds before accepting it. "We only know the dead are restless. Something is not right with the Rookwoods. Can't you sense the old presence of an old shadow over this place?".

---

"Master Roderick?" the Caretaker asks surprised. "But you have seen him already no? He is in the Manor... Perhaps he is a bit lost at the moment, but I'm sure he will join the others." As he leaves the room he turns to clarify Nathaniel's question "You can communicate with them yes, but usually the family only likes to communicate to a few..."

"I don't know," Claire admits, looking at Alexander for the first time since the witches arrived. "An old presence?" She then turns back to look at the three women. "There have been weird things. I lost my reflection, and people - including myself - keep forgetting about me. And I got attacked by a... a man? Or a monster? I'm not quite sure. I got attacked in the graveyard. And the caretaker is acting really strange as well. And when grandfather died, so did his servant." She takes in a deep breath after rattling off all those events. "I think the caretaker is planning something weird at this celebration for my birthday this evening that he's preparing."

Chewing her lip, she then closes her eyes. "But an old presence... I'm not sure." She tries to feel anything like what the red-headed witch mentioned.

"Oh, I'm sure I've already felt this presence, my ladies..."

Nathaniel is standing in the room, only now realizing that his cousins have also left, and he is all alone. That's fine, it would give him a moment to think.
Although it probably not a good idea for anyone to linger alone too long. He'd better find the others.

Claire is unable to answer the woman's question. Tears rise in her eyes and her shoulders shake with fear and despair before she sinks down to her knees, sobbing as tears begin running down her cheeks from underneath her glasses.

Tears find Alexander's eyes, too, as his cousin breaks down sobbing. He moves as if to comfort her, but catches himself with a shudder. Instead, he turns his back on Claire and walks toward a window, peering out at the manor grounds. "None of us saw my cousin's monster. Just a cat, an open grave, and a tree that tried to gobble me whole."

"You saw it!" Claire manages to press out between sobs. "You saw it and you fought it. Why are you lying, Alexander? Do you want me to die? Like they do?" She takes off her glasses and wipes her eyes. "Why?" she cries. "Why do you want me to die? Because of Annabelle? Because I took her away from you?"

Nathaniel is desperate to leave the manor and find his family, but it seems his body is working against him at every turn. His bones, which are normally, well, boney, are loosing their rigidity. Putting his hands against the wall doesn't help, as his fingertips don't appear to grip anything, there's little to no friction and he slides slowly along the wall. His body feels sweaty, but it's not wet.

Alexander turns toward Claire as if ready to pounce. "Annabelle! You dare utter her name! Claire, Annabelle is the shadow consuming our family! She's a dark sun swallowing us whole!" He pauses. "But... I don't want you to be consumed. Whatever Annabelle's become, you're my only link to whom she used to be..."

Claire blinks, completely taken by surprise by Alexander's response. She didn't know what to expect. For him to scream at her, hit her, curse her, maybe. But this?
"No," She protests, looking up at his face. "No, you don't understand! I lied. To you and to her." She takes off her glasses and wipes at her eyes. "She was never the villain in what happened. I was." She bites her lip and scrunches up her face, trying to stop herself from crying anymore. Eventually, she manages to press out, "I was in love with her. And... and I thought if I broke you two up, she would fall in love with me as well."

As Claire finishes her emotional revelation, the light suddenly fades from the room as a dark cloud covers the sun. Immersed in the dark, the women just stood there as Claire broke down. In the silenced that followed, the raven haired woman turns her attention to Alexander "Who is this Anna...belle she speaks of?"

Alexander almost replies, but then he remembers something Claire said before entering this cursed place: "Claire... You pulled Annabelle away from me? How do I know you're you?"

Claire's posture tenses at this and she looks at Alexander with an almost bitter expression. "What do you mean?" she asks. "You don't recognize me anymore?" Fears shoot up inside of her. Is this that curse again? People forgetting her. Before she can fully panic, she remembers their brief conversation outside, however, and realizes that Alexander must be referring to that. She bites her lip and says, "I was supposed to tell you the password. Annabelle." She lowers her eyes. "And now you know why she was on my mind, seeing you again."

The women whisper to each other in a strange language. You only understand the name of Annabelle being repeated many times. Clearly they are paying close attention to what will happen next

---

"Ah there you are cousin!" Nathaniel, still sitting by the wall next to Alexander's room, hears a familiar voice. Looking up, see Elias looking offering his hand to help him stand. "Are you feeling ok"

Alexander regards the strange women, eager to know so much about a chapter of his past he's tried to forget. "Annabelle and I were betrothed. I was smitten, of course. It's rare in families such as ours to find both a perfect social match and a powerful attraction between the fiancés. But Annabelle broke off our engagement mere hours before our wedding ceremony." He turns to glare at Claire. "And now, perhaps, I have some inkling why."

Claire shrinks away under her cousin's glare. "I'm sorry," she sobs. "I..." She can't find the right words, so she gives up. She's terrified that he will hate her now, knowing what she did. And knowing why she did it. That she likes women. That she's wrong like that. "I wouldn't do it again," she finally manages to press out. "It was wrong."

Nathanial slowly turns his head toward the voice he hears. "No actually, Not by any definition of the word." Nathanial is not quite sure if he can trust Elias, or anyone in the manor for that matter, but his options are few, so he takes the helping hand. "We should probably find the others." hoping to distract Elias from the stench of decay that has been lingering recently.

Alexander seems puzzled by Claire's response, but then it dawns on him. "That... That's why Annabelle was so distant for those few weeks... It was wrong, Claire! But wrong because you are my blood—and you both kept it from me!" His gritted teeth strain his jaw. "We both... wandered from time to time. With girls and boys. But we were always honest with each other!"

Claire's eyes go wide behind her glasses. "No!" she quickly responds. "We never... I never... She and I..." She shakes her head emphatically. "I've never done that," she says, her cheeks burning bright red. "With anyone. I wanted to, but Annabelle only had eyes for you. I..." She lets out a shaking breath, then confesses, "I wrote a letter. I made it look like it was from you to grandfather, and I showed it to her. I had you write that you knew she was only in it for our family's wealth but that you didn't care because you were never serious about her anyway and were planning to get rid of her after you had your fun."

It's hard to say those words. But she did this horrible thing. She at least has to be able to speak about it now if she ever wants to be forgiven.

The woman look at each other. "The little lamb it's already tainted..." one comments as the other worries that "Maybe her curse is what its upsetting the dead". They continue discussing Claire's and Alexander's conversation as the teenager reveals her secret.

---

Elias looks around at someone who is not there before helping Nathaniel stand. "Don't worry about them, they will be gone to their place when this is all over." he reassures his cousin, without actually explaining of what. "Claire and Alexander were enthralled by the three witches. We have to stop them."

Alexander stands silent for a moment at Claire's revelation. Tears stream down his cheeks, but he otherwise remains motionless. "You always did have a remarkable capacity to mimic others' penmanship." He retrieves a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes his eyes. "Please excuse me for a moment. I need a moment to collect myself."

As Elias helps him along, Nathaniel ask "Wait, just to clarify, are we trying to stop the witches, or stop our family?"

"The witches of course" Elias replies to Nathaniel as if the answer was obvious. "That is what the family wants. No matter what happens, the Ceremony cannot be stopped". He rushes to rejoin the others.

The three women watch as Alexander leaves. They let the man go, focusing their attention on Claire. For a moment everything is quiet and Claire can hear the wind outside slowly picking up strength. "Could she be the key to door which stands on the twilight?" the blond woman casually mentions, mostly ignoring Claire's presence. The others appears to agree in some strange language.

However, their thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of Nathaniel and Elias...

"Leave her alone!" Elias shouts as soon as he sees Claire on her own with the three women, drawing his sword with the clear intention of fighting them if he needs to...

Claire has just opened her mouth to say something in response to the beautiful blonde witch when Elias storms into the room and begins threatening the trio. Claire, without thinking, jumps in between them, stretching out her arms as she shields the witches against her brother. "What are you doing?" she asks him. "Elias, they're on our side. They're here to help. They're friends! Leave them alone!"

The women look worried as they realize Elias' direct challenge. "Come with us young mistress. Come, step away from this brute and lets end this curse."

Elias is infuriated by the woman's insistence and quickly turns to one side and another as if waiting for some invisible presence to confirm what had to be done. "Sister, don't listen to this non sense. Don't trust those witches! The family needs you here. Our family"

Claire tries to stay strong, to keep her position, shielding the witches from Elias' attack while she considers everyone's words.

"Leave them alone!" Claire screams at Elias. "I'm not going to let you hurt them. I..." She glances back over her shoulder at the three beautiful women, then turns her eyes back to Elias. "I'm going with them and you can't stop me!" Her fierce expression softens a bit. "Please don't try to stop me, Elias. This place, it's evil. We should all leave and never look back."

Nathaniel is leaning against a wall, watching the exchange between the witches and his cousins. He wasn't sure what cousin was correct, but had an inkling Claire was the key here. "Elias, I don't know if this place is 'evil' or if we are cursed, but peculiar things are happening here, and if these ladies can help end it, please let Claire try." he then moves to stand between the two siblings, although he's not sure he could stop Elias if he tried.

"These witches can't help! They will ruin everything". Noticing how it Elias until is sister is "safe", the blond woman pushes Nathaniel back. The other two women quickly take you away from the room as you sense some strange magical changes.

One glance back is enough for you to see the blond woman's dropping her illusion, reveling the mystical runes painted all over her skin. "I sense dead surrounding you boy. Let them have their peace". Those are the last words you hear before you leave the manor...





Once outside, the red-headed woman turns to Nathanial and Claire and points to the graveyard "Come, we must find the door which has been open"

As the two women are taking Claire and Nathaniel back to the graveyard, Alexander suddenly runs out of the main door, catching up with them!

"What door?" Claire asks, though she doesn't slow down and continues to follow the women towards the graveyard. She looks back when Alexander catches up with them, but waits for him to speak first.

"Well, if they, uh, are talking along the same narrative as the Caretaker, then this perhaps may be a metaphorical door to the afterlife." Nathaniel says. Pausing in thought to wonder if Claire's schooling has covered what metaphors are yet.

Alexander doesn't speak for a long moment. Finally, he addresses Claire, his tone still short and hurt: "Cousin. I found Elias. He seems to be lost in another world, at least his mind does." The man's shadow seems to move on its own, stretching toward one of the witches. "I suppose we can see what these women have in mind for us then."

"He was behaving strangely..." is all that Claire says in response to her cousin. They continue to follow the witches.

Listening to Nathaniel's hypothesis, the red-haired woman nods in agreement. "We protect the barrier between the this world and the spirit world" she starts explaining (finally!). "A growing unrest among the spirits was sensed ten cycles ago. Since then, we have been trying to find the cause."

The raven haired woman points back to the manor. "Something there is causing it" They start walking back to the graveyard.

"I'm no powerful witch," Claire says, sticking close to the two women. "I'm just Claire. But if I can help in any way, I want to. Just tell me what to do." She hesitates before adding, "And... and I think I would like to join you. For good. I love my family, but..." She looks at her cousins and suddenly looks rather sheepish. She thinks back to the moment when they all forgot she was even there, when nobody - including herself - remembered her birthday. But also further back, to when she was sent to Riverlight Manor to be properly trained, to being told that she would have to find a husband and to the revulsion that thought wakes in her. "...but I don't think my place is with them."