“Coffee, finally”
“Man, I can’t believe it’s over”
“That’s understandable, we basically spent the whole night on panic mode”
“I know! And now we are supposed to go back and worry about normal stuff?
This is like when I was a kid and thought quicksand would be a big problem in my day to day life
What do you mean I don’t have to think about time resetting maniacs anymore??”
“I mean, who would believe it?”
“That’s true.
All of us are going to trauma bond so much”
“I can see that.
I’m glad we got friends out of it, at least.
That’s how difficult it is to make friends as an adult, you need at least one stabbing for a dnd group”
“Been there, been there”
The house explodes again, the bomb squad is waiting on firefighters and the police.
The body was found and covered
They all agreed it was an attempted mass murder gone wrong
“… So, how do you feel?”
“Like a very used rope that will snap at the lightest weight”
“I feel like my skin is not as resistant as it used to be, like whatever happened took parts of me that I’ll never get back”
“…Yeah, I understand”
“Not to be pessimistic, but part of me feels like I will never leave this place
Even though it’s destroyed, even if they tear it down and build a starbucks on top
I think I’ll still be here
A ghost of me”
Oliver Beebo recently started believing in ghosts
The supernatural and psychological type
“My dreams are going to get so weird now”
“Hey, I told you, didn’t I? I have great contacts in the mental health department”
“Is that why you’re so put together still?”
“I am nowhere near put together, I’m just great at acting like I do”
“I think someone called it masking?”
“Comes with the job”
“I’m sure”
Marigold approaches
“Hello! I wanted you two to know that we will take care of everything legal, but we do need you to te stify, so if I could have your numb ers for further contact?”
“Oh, of course”
“Also, the now renamed family Iraola cordially invites you to any and all holidays and game nights”
“Oh, nice! Does this involve card games?”
“If you ask Owen, he will immediately challenge you to some kind of battle on his multiple card game sets”
“I will bring only my best for such opponent”
“Uh, miss Marigold Iraola?”
“Yes?”
“When should we concrete the legal agreement to pass you the company?”
“…. What?”
“You are the one who should have it. It’s only fair”
He gives Oliver a look
“… really? But you used so much money!”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind a, let’s say, monetary compensation for my efforts both here and there”
“I don’t think ‘efforts’ is the right word for your work at the company, Nadia would throttle you for saying that”
“Did it go broke.”
“Uh. I don’t know”
“…Alright, that’s fine. I’ll fix it and get you two with psychological compensation, medical compensation, and, well, compensation for the detective work”
“I have been in worse situations and been paid 20 dollars. This is the best thing that could happen to my wallet”
They interchange phone numbers and are put on the “Clock haters” groupchat
Vivi immediately floods his phone with cat memes
He answers with a thumbs up emoji
“… I feel like I should do something”
“It better not be stand up. Your ankle is lumpy and weird”
“No, no. I mean…
When I was at the other house, I promised to let a bit of beard grow, to, yknow, commemorate my survival, I guess.
Maybe I should let my hair grow? Would it look to unkept?”
“If you let someone else cut it, then you could look fine”
“But my money”
“I’ll get it for you, im curious too.
Although, now we have these huge gashes on our faces, doesn’t that count?”
“No, They weren’t made intentionally.
…Maybe a tattoo?”
“Oh yeah! That’s a good idea! I’ll take you to my usual parlor”
“You have tattoos?”
“Yeah, but it’s too cold to show you right now”
“Where will you go after this, by the way. Back to the capital?”
“No, I’m going to be too tired in the way there, I’ll just stay the night at my hotel”
“Oh… well… y'know…”
“I don’t live that far, well, I live in the region center, but that’s way closer to here than the capital so, uh…”
“You could, you know, stay over if you want”
“… And do what?”
“Uh, do you like boardgames?”
“I supposed so”
“I really doubt we would have the energy to do anything else more, um, physically taxing”
“That’s fair. I’ll crash at your place then.
We could go sightseeing after, or just play video games inside”
“Yeah, and cook a nice breakfast, get some groceries maybe”
“Go to a park, get ice cream, play with your cat…
It would be nice, I’d like that.
A life like that”
“Ah, but I’m taking you to my apartment as well. You will meet the real city life, Coast Boy. ”
“Oh, you city people with your underground trains and expensive international snacks”
“Haha, just the best for the capital!”
Silence hangs over them
“… I’m still scared”
“Of the future?”
“Yeah.
Will it ever go away?”
“… I don’t know, I’ll help you though.
I’ll get you a planner. You can be like those instagram girls with a very strict planner”
“… Yeah, I guess.
Sorry, my mood is all over the place”
“I don’t blame you”
“I mean, I don’t even know what am I going to do after this. I’m basically out of a job”
“Well, what are your options?”
“I could go back to crime. Maybe hacking or something with medicaments, that could be fun.”
“No, I’ll get you”
“I know, but you’ll do it lovingly”
“I guess I could go back to do something security related. It’s boring, though.”
“I heard my local chuck e cheese is hiring security guards”
“I am not applying as a night security guard in a building with animatronics.”
“That’s oddly specific”
“I still could be your detective assistant, I can use Excel, you know”
“You overestimate how much I’m paid”
“Or I could be literally anything else, but for now, I’ll be on vacation”
“Yeah, me too”
“I’m thinking of taking cases of more haunted houses”
“… Are you out of your mind”
“I know how to stop them, and I wouldn’t be going blind like these last two. I could even find a way to do it without entering them”
“Please stop risking your life. The detective life is already dangerous enough”
“I’m the house killer, the home terror”
“Sure, sure
Maybe I should be your bodyguard”
“Again, you overestimate how much I can afford”
They drink their drinks in silence
They can’t help but feel slight sadness at it all
But time doesn’t stop
“Ángel! Ángel look!”
“Huh?”
“The light, the sunrise is starting!”
It is 8:00 am
The sun is coming out
A cold breeze passes through them
The chatter of everyone quiets down
The sun is back
A new day has started
It always will
A collective melancholy passes through all of them
The eternal night is over
What now?
The future is waiting
They are alive
They will live another day
As many as they can
“We’ll be alright
Not all of the time, but we will.
I’m going back home, finally
I’ve lost so much
And gained as well
I’m full of conflicting feelings that my subconscious will have a blast using
I’m scared too
But I’ll be brave
Just to see another sunrise like this
With people that I love
We’ll be alright
The future is full of chances”
A new day is born
And they watch it together
Hand in hand.
Thanks for playing