Conversation · Plaisance

...my husband is completely different. Of course.

"Yeah, actually it's super all right for kids to chew their hands off. Forget I said anything."

"What you're doing is wrong. Even I know that, and I usually don't know anything."

"Okay. Forget it." (None of your business.)

"God, ugh, I've told her not to do that. It's such a disgusting habit." Her voice is firm. "She'll get over it. Anxiety is a part of life."

A part of hers too, clearly.

"Plaisance, I have something to tell you... I've found the actual source of doom."

"What do you mean the actual source?" She clutches her pendant anxiously. "Are you talking about the... Third Presence?"

She remembers. Good.

No, not presence -- Absence.

"Yes, the Presence, the Entity, the malicious Energy -- however you may want to call it..."

"She Who Has Many Names..." she nods solemnly. "I imagine things must be rather bleak for you to return to me. Tell me, what have you found?"

"My investigation has led me to discover a two-millimetre entroponetic hole in reality. That's the source of doom -- both in the commercial area and in Martinaise."

"A... a what?"

She wasn't expecting this -- at least not the word entroponetic.

"A tiny hole... in reality. It may be connected with pale, an origin point of sorts. It would explain why historically so many things have ended in failure here in Martinaise."

"Ma'am -- what he's saying is true. We found an entroponetic anomaly in the Small Pinewood Church down the coast. I don't mean to be an alarmist -- and more research is needed -- but... it's not looking good."

Not for her, not for him, not for Revachol -- not for Elysium.

"But... but... that's not in any of the ancient texts! How am I supposed to protect my bookstore from that?!"

She's too afraid to even say the word.

Tell her the truth -- it's out of her hands.

Whatever you do, don't take away her hope -- the only weapon against total absence.

"You can't protect it -- not against pale. Close up the shop and try to get as far away from this thing as possible."

"Close... the shop? But it's all I have! No, there must be a way..."

"Especially now that Annette is settling in at school again. She's finally making friends in this place!" She looks at her daughter, quietly studying in the corner of the shop. "No, we can't leave Martinaise. We can't."

"Thank you for your help, in any case. You're welcome back here anytime."

"Thank you for your help, in any case. You're welcome back here anytime."

"You can protect it with hope, by refusing to give up. That's what people have done in the past -- by building a church, a place of worship around this thing."

"You're right, officer. I mustn't lose faith -- especially now that Annette is finally settling in at school and making friends." She looks at her daughter, quietly studying in the corner of the shop. "No, we can't just leave!"

"Besides, didn't I have some Seolite hope catchers around here somewhere...? I must find them; everything will be alright if I can just find them."

"You're right, officer. I can't just leave everything -- after all this work! This little bookstore has become the cornerstore of our neighbourhood -- I can't just jump the ship and leave."

"You'll have to find your own answer. I've spent too long on this quest as it is."

"Yes, you've certainly done your part. I've come so far... I can't give up now..."

"No, not the Presence..." (Close your eyes.) "The Third Absence."

"Absence...!" she gasps. Then, after collecting herself: "I imagine things must be rather bleak for you to return to me. Tell me, what have you found?"

"What do you mean the actual source?" She clutches her pendant, clearly irritated. "Are you here to lecture me about economics again?!"

"I'm afraid all I can tell you is this -- you must leave Martinaise immediately. It's too dangerous to stay."

"Leave?" She blinks twice, mulling over your words. Then: "Officer, I must insist that you tell me what you've uncovered! I can't just leave everything on a whim..."

Maybe it's best to tell her the truth after all. Here we go...

"What do you mean the actual source?" She clutches her pendant, clearly irritated. "Earlier you told me there was no curse!"

"What do you mean the actual source?" She clutches her pendant anxiously. "I thought this issue was resolved!"

"Yes? What news do you bring?" Her fingers grasp tightly at her pendant.

"I had a few more questions about the curse..."

"Okay, but please, only a few questions." She peers at the curtains. "You wouldn't want to disturb the spirits..."

"I was told that there's a huge fridge in the building's cellar. Can you lead me there?"

"A fridge?" She fidgets with her pendant. "No, I don't know anything about a fridge. Aren't you interested in books?" She nods at the bookshelves.

For whatever reason she's lying to you about the fridge. Seems like you have to find your own way to the cellar.

"The girl outside mentioned that this place is cursed."

"Cursed? Who said that, Annette?" She blinks. "I will have a word with her... This place is not cursed, it has a robustly magnetic energy. Good for commercial activity. My business is thriving, sir!"

What in god's name is she talking about?

Doesn't feel like it's thriving. Feels ghostly.

"Seriously, I need to get to the fridge in the cellar -- it's a police matter. I have a dead body to take care of."

"A dead what?" Her eyes widen with shock at the mention. "Oh my god, a victim of the curse? The curse has started killing people? It's killing now?!" She grabs her head with both hands.

"You're right, the curse is worse than ever -- that's why you need to let me in there to investigate."

"You're right..." She is mortified. "It's worse than I imagined. We definitely have to contain it now!"

Yessss, this is your chance! Only a remote viewer can solve this case.

This definitely softened her up.

Yessss, this is your chance! This is your chance! Only a para-detective can solve this case.

"Enough of this mumbo-jumbo, I have a decomposing body rotting away as we speak. Just let me in!"

"Absolutely not." She is mortified. "It's more dangerous than I ever imagined. I definitely can't let you in now, we have to contain it."