And now I’m thinking… is she cursed? And does she know what she lost? Does she know what she used to be and now she’s stuck in this silent bird body? Does she realize she used to be all chatty and shit, and now she can’t talk? I’ve listened for whistles and chirps and stuff. But she doesn’t even chirp at me. Sometimes I do see her little beak moving, but no noise comes out.
It’s like someone pushed the mute button on her.
I really need to figure this out because I want my friend back. Everything would be much easier if I just had my real Pia.
And now I’m sad. Because she’s not even here and I’m about to start a new job. She was always with me when I started a new job. I have to do this whole freaking day alone.
It sucks.
A monster calls up at me from downstairs.
They all know how to talk, but it’s not any language I know. And even though Tomas can understand them, he doesn’t know what language they’re speaking either. He says he gets pictures in his head of what they’re saying. I just… have no opinion on that.
But generally, I can kinda tell what the monsters are trying to say. Like this one. He’s telling me to get my ass in gear and come downstairs.
So I take one more look in the mirror, pluck a bloodhorn-dragon scale necklace out of the portal-pass jar, slip it over my head, and tuck the necklace inside my shirt.
I find Cookie standing in my open front door holding a paper sack.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to it.
He smiles, showing me all of his super-scary satyr teeth, then pushes the bag towards me.
I take it, open it up, and look inside. Then I chuckle. “You made me lunch?”
He nods and starts talking in his monster language. I’m pretty sure he’s telling me to have a nice day.
Which, I’m not gonna lie, brightens me.
“Thank you,” I say, patting him on the shoulder. “That was really sweet. And to be honest, I kinda needed this.”
He takes the sack back, puts it inside a canvas messenger bag, and then drapes it over my shoulder.
“You’re like the mother I never had, Cookie.”
He points out the door, one large clawed hand waving towards the path that leads up the hill.
I sigh, resigned to the fact that I have to start my new job today, and then we begin our climb.
I expect Pell to be waiting for me when I get to the top, but he’s not.
Frecks is, though. He’s talking to another monster who I have not named yet. This guy has wings. Which is nice. Except they are not white and fluffy and look like they belong on an angel. They are black, and rubbery, and look like they belong on a bat. So that’s what I decide to call him in my head.
Frecks notices me, directs the conversation to me, then nods as he pans his hand towards Batty.
Then Batty starts talking. And of course, I have no idea what he’s going on about, but then he hands me a rock. Not a fancy crystal. Not even a polished rock. It literally looks like he just picked it up on his way out here. It’s not even pretty. It’s tan and sandy—in fact, it’s probably sandstone.
“Nice,” I deadpan, accepting the rock. Frecks looks at me with a serious face, points at me. “Uh-huh,” I say. “Sure.” Then Batty asks for the rock back. “OK.” I’m just playing along at this point. I’ve learned that if I just humor them, they will get tired of me pretty quick. So I give him the rock. He pinches a corner between a leathery black thumb and forefinger, and little bits of sand fall off.
“Ohhh-kaaaay.” I smile at him, nod, accept the rock again when he offers it, then drop it into my messenger bag.
Both Frecks and Batty smile at this, seemingly satisfied.
I have no idea what that’s about.
I look back at the cathedral, wondering if I should wait here or go find Pell. I’m not going through that tomb without saying goodbye to Pell. For all I know, I will get stuck in there and never see him, or my home, again.
Then I wonder if thinking that is bad luck and start silently praying. Please, please, please don’t get me stuck in this portal, God. Please.