“The Doom Statues” — Chapter 38

Though receiving almost no traffic apart from the Saturday tours, Grace is tasked with keeping an eye on the gift shop, and at least drifting though it a couple of times a day. She’s sitting alone in here now, having recently spotted some middle-aged woman who apparently lives nearby, driving up the lane for a visit. After ringing up this snoopy, busybody type, Grace decided to keep hanging out in here. And this is how they find her, with an office chair pulled out into the sales floor, facing the door, flipping through a magazine and blowing on her freshly painted nails.

“I love that blouse! That’s frickin awesome!” Emily tells her, regarding this satiny, short sleeved shirt, a button up affair, which is a shiny grayish-blue, depending upon how the light strikes it, and otherwise covered with this identical repeating print of gold colored owls. Just the basic outline of this owl, really, wide eyes and all.

“Thanks,” she shrugs, though smiling, “it’s from The Collection, of course.”

“Hmm. Maybe I gave up on The Collection too soon,” Emily muses.

“So, what, you’re just chillin in here by yourself? Isn’t this extremely dull?”

Shrugging only her left shoulder this time, seated still and clutching the magazine with her right hand, Grace tells him, “eh, I kind of like it, actually. Peaceful…