“The Doom Statues” — Chapter 52

Emily doesn’t creep back into the cabin until shortly after sunrise. Jeremy tussles a little in the bed but doesn’t open his eyes, and she’s able to slip back in without his ever having noticed that she was away. Following such an experience in the tunnel, she’s understandably exhausted, and will forego her painting ritual for a change, in the name of some quality rest. Still, it’s not as though she is able to sleep in very late — not once the commotion about their latest disappearance reaches her ears.

When Kathy arose this morning, their cabin was already empty. Such an occurrence was not exactly out of the ordinary, however, as Tom frequently awakened even earlier than she, and went straight to work at the school. She got ready the same as always and drifted over, before dawn, to the third story workshop at the main house. It wasn’t until she bumped into Liam down in the café, when both were grabbing a quick lunch, that alarm bells began sounding.

“I gather Thomas must be on another sketching expedition, heh? I haven’t seen him today,” Blodgett casually remarked, tray in hand, as he moved from the counter to a table. Kathy herself intended to just order a salad and go sit on the rooftop to eat, feet dangling over the edge, as she commonly did.

“Mmm…no, not that I’m aware of…,” she casually replied.