Dec 15, 2021

"How are you feeling, Spider?" Chris asks, as the two walk out to Harmonia's front yard.

"Tired," Spider sighs.

"And... is there a particular reason?"

Spider looks away from him.

"You don't need to answer that, Spider, if you don't want to."

"...you could smell the blood in there right?" she asks.

"I can guess what happened."

"Well I didn't kill anyone..."

"Well, that's the first guess," Chris replies, "Is it an animal?"

"No.."

"Is it that?" Chris makes a motion with his hand.

"Technically?..." Spider sighs.

"Do you want to... talk about it?"

"No."

"It's fine. We can talk about something else."

"I don't know, Spi. Last time I picked the topic. Now it's your turn," Chris shrugs.

"I don't know either.." Spider says, "..err you remember how we spoke about the moon?.."

"I do remember."

"I don't have to worry about where I'm going anymore," Spider chuckles grimly.

"Why do I feel like I'm not gonna like where this is going..."

"No it's nothing to with that, there's no point even trying cause it won't work."

"I didn't say it's that, Spider. I was thinking Foundation."

"Then you're half right."

"Drew offered you a spot at Geist again?"

"No, Photo wants me at the Pinelands site.."

"Oh huh. And you're gonna take him up on the offer?"

"It's not like I have a choice"

"Fair enough. When will you..."

"When will I what?"

"When will you depart for the site?"

"Probably on the day," Spider sighs, carefully putting her hands in her pockets, "...I hate this..."

"How long will you be there?" Chris sighs.

"All night, possibly the next day, too. It's er.... gonna be very tiring."

"Hopefully it all works out for you, really. I'm just surprised, 'cause I definitely didn't consider that Photo might have a job for you."

"Oh no it's not a job, it's me being locked in a room and left to get on with it."

"Well that's less fun," Chris says, "I thought it would be, like, an open field."

"Hah, no," Spider laughs, "Still, hopefully the room will have knock out gas this time.."

"Would that even work, knock out gas?"

"Yeah it does, if It didn't I wouldn't be going.... I can't relive October again..."

"As long as it works, Spider. As long as it works." Chris blinks, and asks "Do you want some mementos?"

"..mementos?.."

"Something to remember people by."

"No, it'll only be a night and they'll just get destroyed anyways," Spider shakes her head.

"OK then. And what do you intend to do in the meantime?"

"Try not to lose it I guess," she sighs, shrugging, "Have you ever felt so angry that you just have to hurt something?"

"Very rarely. My old bedroom has cracks in it from when I do, though."

"Take that feeling amplify it and then add blind terror and a prey drive..."

"Oh dear." Chris winces from the description.

"Yeah that's what the October moon was like and because I was isolated," Spider explains. Chris shudders. "Luckily last month I was unconscious," Spider laughs. Chris nods. It must be difficult to work it out. "That's one of the reasons why I... well, you know... Helps calm me down..."

"I mean... the sensation of moving the nail against my skin is basically the same principle." Chris nods in understanding.

"Yeah.. Doesn't matter if I get hurt as long as no one else does right?" Spider laughs darkly, "God I wish I had that opinion a few years ago.."

"I would object to that, but I prefer being hurt to seeing people getting hurt because of me. So in a way, I'm not that different."

"Hm," Spider sighs, smiling mirthlessly, "God am I tired."

"I think it would be fair to say we're both tired," Chris replies, smiling wearily at Spider.

"Which kind are you?"

"Mentally and emotionally. You?"

"Same, most of the time I feel nothing so it's not so bad but then it'll just hit me.."

"I can usually guess what people are feeling most of the time, and seeing everyone so tense... it's not really emotionally healthy, now, is it?"

"No...So much has happened over the past few days and yesterday was..." Spider trails off.

"Yesterday... I don't really know how to feel about that."

"I know a lot of things happened yesterday," Spider says, "Did you hear about what happened in the bunker?"

"I hear the emotional impression of it, but not much details, I'm afraid."

"Terminal teleported away, and 'cause Harmonia was touching him, she disappeared too. I went after them, and when we were in the bunker, he tried to alter us. So, I copied it, knocking him out. After he was out, I felt something telling me to alter again so I did.... I was forced to relive every bad memory I've got..."

"That's rough, Spi." Chris says, "Though... why would he try and Alter?"

"I don't know."

"That doesn't quite fit his MO."

"I don't think it was him," Spider says, thinking deeply, "He gave me a really weird smile, and he doesn't remember anything that happened down there."

"Split personalities, possibly?"

"Maybe? That doesn't explain the cloaked egg fanatic, though."

"That might be a whole nother can of worms to deal with, Mr. Tall Dark and Edgy. Like, even if it does turn out to be Term, then it comes to some really weird question about split personalities and stuff. And I'm not feeling like it today." Chris sits, and begins to doze off.

Spider sees him drifting to sleep, and she disappears.

-=-Some Time Later-=-

Terminal enters the forest closely behind Harmonia, watching the leaves on the ground, "I know them, but not the names of the songs, they would always play it during Christmas time."

"They? Like the people at the manor?"

"Not the manor dear, the uh..well the loon hospital I grew up in," he fidgets with his hands as they walk.

"Oh I see... you grew up in a hospital?"

"Yes, dear, it was safer that way."

"I suppose.. Still, that couldn't have been fun. I'm sorry you had to go through that," Harmonia looks back at him.

"It's fine, darling, it wasn't all that bad...so...what song do we sing? Are we singing loud? Quiet? Or, like, uh..like a medium volume thing?" Terminal looks at Harmonia, the rim of his cloak's hood blocking his view of her face. She smiles, even though he couldn't see it, and turns back to keep an eye on the woods.

"Medium I guess,, I normally dont think of it like that I guess.. But do you know jingle bells? Like 🎶 jingle bells jingle bells jingle bells all the way 🎶?" She sang the last part like a dork.

"🎶 Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh🎶" Terminal starts nervously.

"🎶 Hey! Jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way!🎶" Harmonia grins and continues the song.

"🎶 Oh, what fun it is to ride In a one horse open sleigh🎶 " He keeps his eyes on the horizon of the woods, watching between the trees, seeing that no one can hear them.

"🎶 A day or two ago, I thought I'd take a ride, and soon Miss Fanny Bright was seated by my side!🎶" Harmonia sings enthusiatically.

"🎶 The horse was lean and lank, misfortune seemed his lot🎶" Terminal continues.

"🎶 We got into a drifted jam and then we got upsot, oh! Jingle bells 🎶"

"🎶 jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way🎶" Terminal grows more comfortable as they sing, no longer watching the edges of the woods, now looking at the leaves that are left. Harmonia's still keeping an eye out for him, though.

"🎶 Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh! 🎶" Harmonia's grinning, having a good time with a close friend. It felt almost normal.

"🎶 Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way🎶" Terminals head moves side to side as they sing. He has a moment, getting to forget everything that's happened the past few days.

"🎶 Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh! 🎶"

"🎶Sans lui je suis un peu paro' 🎶" Terminal sings. Harmonia smiles, and wants to ask but doesn't want to shatter the moment. She hums along to the tune of jingle bells.

"🎶 Vient la douleur🎶" He continues. Harmonia hums with him happily.

"🎶 sans toi ma vie n'est qu'un décor qui brille, vide de sens🎶 " He stops singing, seemingly finishing the song.

"Thats a nice song,,, whats it called?" Harmonia asks, smiling.

"I have no idea."

"Do you know what it says?"

"I do not, dear."

"I see,,, sounds like Spanish maybe? Would that also play at the hospital?"

"Er- uh, no," Terminal replies.

"Oh I see,, may I ask where you heard it?"

"I uh..it was my mother," Terminal starts to walk with a little more distance between them.

"Ah,, it's very pretty... Would you like to change the subject? We can if you want," Harmonia replies, slowing her walk a little.

"Only if it upsets you, dear..I was uh..more worried of your reaction to the topic, love."

"Oh.. I'm okay right now. Normally talking about moms doesn't upset me too much I was just really unstable yesterday... I'm sorry again..." she looks at the trees around them, fidgeting wjth her sweatshirt.

"If it's uh.. not too much to ask, why do you not like her? I remember you saying you were nothing like her the other day. That stuck with me," he tries to keep a calm and sincere tone.

"Its not even that I don't like her i just... I wanted her to love me so bad... I wanted her to look at me... She was a drug addict and an alcoholic. She barely came over to see my grandma but when she did she was like a stranger... I don't know why she didn't love me." Harmonia looks everywhere other than Terminal, tearing up. Terminal slows to a stop, as his head tilts slightly.

"That's terrible, dear, how could someone be so blind to you?"

"... I think it just hurt too much.. maybe. I had a sister but uh... she died. When my mom was pregnant with me. She was like 2... Apparently I looked just like her," Harmonia sighs, "After that my dad left and my mom gave me to my grandma. And uh... yeah thats my life story I guess..." she laughs a little to hopefully improve the mood.

"That's- I.. that's just..." Terminal is at a loss for words, as he tries to collect his thoughts again.

"Sorry- anyways- um... did you have a good relationship with your mom?" Harmonia didnt want to dwell on her past for too long. There's enough trauma in the present and she didnt want to overwhelm Terminal more.

"Well, I thought we did, she uh, was the one who sent me to the hospital, without even giving it a second thought. All I remember of her is a blur, since I was so young then. She rarely would visit, but when she did she was good at pretending, I'd fall for it every time."

"Pretending? Is it okay if I ask what you mean?"

"Well, I would get so furious about her leaving me there, and when she would come to visit, I always melted. She would smile, laugh, and say all the right things. I hate her and love her. Sometimes I wished she'd just finish pulling the wool over my eyes already."

"I see... So she put you in the hospital because of your loonism?" Harmonia hoped she wasnt asking anything he wasnt comfortable with answering.

"Yes, she never said it to my face, but she had said to others I was broken," he keeps his gaze down and to the side of Harmonia.

"...well she was wrong. You're not broken," Harmonia held her hand out to him.

"..I know" Terminal looks down at her hand, but doesnt move.

"Okay,," she doesnt take her hand back yet, giving him another minute in case he wants to take it, "Do you want to keep singing and walking?"

"Er- up.. up to you," he hesitantly he grabs her hand. His hands shake some as he tenses up a moment.

"I'm down to keep walking... I like hanging out with you," she held his hand softly so he could easily pull away if he wanted to, "Do you have a favorite song?"

"Well, other than that one, I don't know the words to, there is silent night...a bit weird to sing that in the day, though.. Do you have a favorite?"

"My favorite Christmas song is also Silent Night. But song in general? I'm not too sure. I like Claire De Lune but that doesnt have any words.. heh," Harmonia replies.

"Hmm..there is that one about tulips. Heard it on a radio somewhere."

"Oh! The one you played for me. The 🎶 tip toe through the tulips with me 🎶 one?"

"Yes, that one, i dont know the name of it"

"Me neither, but I could probably Google it. Same with the one your mom sang to you,,"

"What time even is it?" Terminal asks.

"Holy shit its 3-" Harmonia says, checking her phone.

"Should we head back?" Terminal asks, softly.

"Yeah probably,, I'll lead us back."

"I hope nothing bad has happened while we were away," Terminal says, more quietly.

"Me too.." Harmonia whispers back as they start to head back home.