“I’d advise to be careful still… I-I have no right to impede this personal moment, but I still don’t know how Ms. Calypso’s recovered enough. The other two are still comfortable with phone calls—and still debating about face-to-face conversations downstairs.”

Calypso was glad that her professor gave her enough of a lead, for the role she was about to play. Also didn’t hurt that it was somewhat confirmation that she wasn’t in yet another living nightmare.

Sal took Mrs. Moses’ words into account as well, gently breaking out of the bear hug to grip her cousin’s shoulders, “Well, let’s put it ta’ the test… Ya’ good, Cal? Feelin’ better, healin’ better after all that mess ya’ managed ta’ wrangle outta…?”

Calypso chuckled, closing her eyes to let the excess tears escape from them. “Much better than before. I… I’m just glad that you can finally, y’know—able to see me without issue now…”

The skeletal monster girl eyes shot with quick pain, panicking momentarily before realizing Sal just shook her a tad.

“Isweartogawdcalifyouwerentjusthealin’—WE’RE HAPPY THAT WE CAN SEE YOU, YA’ DUNDER HEAD!” Sal laughed, thus adding extra volume to her voice. It made Calypso conflictingly nostalgic.

While she still grappled Calypso, Sal turned her head towards what the latter assumed was her professor. “An’ we’re grateful that ya’ got yerself a bad-ass teacher that can look out fer us~”

Mrs. Moses’ chuckle was thin and just as performative as Calypso’s, which also made her conflicted on some level.

“I did what I could in the moment—”

“WHILE STILL IN A WHEELCHAIR—n-no offense with that, I-I-I just wanted ta’, y’know, give ya’ massive props--!”

Mrs. Moses chuckled again, “Props achieved and appreciated, Ms. Sally.”

And before Calypso could process that her deadpan killer professor saying that, Sal quickly snapped her head back, with a grin stretched across her face, if not wavering once again.

“Maw an’ Paw are right outside the door… T-they good to come in an’ see ya’, or ya’ need more time?”

Calypso forced a smile on her pasty face—or at the very least hope it’s still pasty and sad in the human sense and this just isn’t a dream still. “By all means… I’m… Sure they’ve been worried most of all about me—”

“You’d be wrong~!”

Calypso jumped in her own skin once more, causing Sal to look over at her cousin before Calypso gave a half-hearted, yet indicated bravery, smile. With that falsified confirmation, Sal got up to open the door, giving Calypso the much needed look around.

A wooden attic. Judging by the furniture that was covered in white tarps—the cream and seafoam accent work on the walls, this was her professor’s abode again.

The girl looked over, to see her professor basically sat in the corner and yet gave that so much dignity. In what looked to be a new chair that had a control pad on the left arm, with a massive cover draped over her shoulders (and surprise: it was seafoam green).

But what rested on her lap, and where she rested her hands on, was very important.

She had the Tome. Mrs. Moses traded a quick look at Calypso, a very long nod. Hopefully, as Calypso prepared herself, her professor knew about Melissa still being trapped in there still.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

But there wasn’t time to worry about that now, as Artemis Grimes scrolled through the old door first, stepped aside for the massive tower that is Bradley Grimes to slowly adjust and eventually pop his way in.

“You should’ve seen her, Cal,” Artemis’ dry but engaging tone enriched what she was going to say. “I thought we were gonna start buying milk carton ad times after the second day—”

“EXCUUUUSE ME!” Sal hollered back at her mother. “Who was the gal that suggested phonin’ up ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ the hour in--?!”

Artemis raised her arms in response, “Hey! I joke a lot when I’m panicked—!”

“It’s true,” Bradley kneeled down before Calypso, chuckling at his family, before turning all attention to his niece. “How ya’ holdin’ up, baby girl…?”

“Better, better…” Calypso nodded her head up and down in quick succession, looking about to further convey the unease she was meant to be feeling. “S-so… It was… How long has it been…? It’s just—I-I should know but…”

And as soon as Calypso lowered her head, covering her eyes with her dainty hand, she immediately felt Uncle Bradley bring her in, using his incredible might to be as gentle as possible.

“Hey, hey, hey…” he assured. “No need to be worryin’ ‘bout all that now. Yer safe and we have Mrs. Moses to thank to do what she did for ya’ girls…”

“I simply did what anyone would,” Mrs. Moses answered, matter-of-factly.

“Woman—” Artemis directed her snark at the girl’s professor, “All the people ran for their lives at that god-forsaken hospital—rightfully, honestly! But you managed to pull three traumatized girls out with you and then go for more help without a walker! You’re nothing sort of amazing!”

There it was. Calypso was glad that her face was concealed, her eyes relaxing would’ve given everything away.

“Bit of embellishment here and there, I might add…” Mrs. Moses actually sounded meek… And it was oddly adorable. “I’m just beating myself up, over the makeshift first aid I gave them during these four days, there’s no praise deserved for that…”

Bradley patted Calypso’s back with his massive hands that felt like he covered the entirety of the upper part, separating and turned towards Moses, “Considerin’ folks know little ta’ none about it at all, yer still a saint.”

“Man, no wonderin’ ya’ look out for Cal…” Sal crossed her arms, close to the foot of Calypso’s guest bed, but facing Moses as well. “Yer just ‘bout the same, damn near!”

Calypso quickly felt her side. She knew that she healed that self-stab wound practically centuries ago, but was relieved once she felt a patch under a gown she was wearing. Not a detail was spared.

Maybe Sal was right in a sense.

It was Artemis’ turn to “visit” Calypso, as the pallid shirt woman got close and kneeled down next to her bed. Her aunt offered her worn and weather hand, and Calypso met it with her small one.

“I’m just glad you’re safe, kiddo… It was a hard couple of days and… Like fuck, we’re supposed to be looking about for you, I’m so sorry that we basically suck at our jobs and you’ve been having such a shitty time here…”

“You didn’t cause any of this…” Calypso felt her voice croak and rumble in her throat. Good that her guilt still worked, she needed actual emotion for these next lines. “You couldn’t have anticipated any of this… I’m just. I’m just cursed…”

Artemis quickly squeezed Calypso’s hand. “Hey. I’ve dealt with your mother in the past whenever she acted like this—if you thought Sal never letting go was bad…”

Calypso giggled, if not with strain. Over the ambiance of Sal groaning with her head rolled back, almost Charlie Brown-equse.

Though, Calypso ended up stopping. Not only did Artemis’ face shifted downcast, she sensed the build-up of emotions brimming to the surface.

“That’s why… She’s um. She’s coming up here—maybe tomorrow or the next day. I had to call her, tell her what happened to you once we finally figured it out, y’know? Not just to make sure you’re okay but… Your decision to pull out of this or not. Your choice.”

It was odd, whenever Calypso felt the full brunt of emotion. This was such a crush, it caused her own head to physically lowered, while still looking at Artemis. It was hard for her eyes to focus on her.

“I… I see,” Calypso gulped silently, and gritted her teeth briefly. “Bu-but, it’s only a couple of hours away, why the delay…?”

“We’re figgerin’ that there’s gonna be curfew enacted,” Bradley stepped into frame, behind his wife. “We won’t know fer sure until the Town Hall meetin’ comes on, but things’ve been so tense lately that it’s a matter of time.”

“Speaking of such…” Mrs. Moses pulled out a fob watch, looking at it before shutting it closed. “It’ll be on in a few minutes. Let’s all watch it and plan what’s next for us, hm?”

***