The metal braces around Faith’s chest and legs open by themselves.

Being locked up for so long…

…as much as Faith wants to rush to Dee’s side, she has reasonable cause to wait…

…Jacques is still on the floor…motionless…

Melted candle wax drips from the stone…

…

She cautiously starts to get up from her seat…

…

Faith takes one step forward…

Suddenly Jacques’ hand smacks on top of the stone slab!

Faith stops!

He struggles to pull himself up…

Stumbling, regaining balance, some of her wood tiles and cards get knocked around.

Faith remains firm. Ready.

Jacques is wheezing, completely haggard.

His clothes are tattered, his face burned.

He was spared a fiery death.

Jacques doesn’t seem to be “all there”.

Lackadaisically feeling out the texture of the stone…

With his other hand, he fumbles around his shirt and pants…

‘He is weak…’ Faith thinks.

Looking at his burlap sack on the floor…

‘The gun…is it…’

…

‘If I’m quick enough…I can grab-’

*CLINK*

Jacques had thrown his pocket watch onto the stone near Faith.

“Uh-I-I-I’m-s-s-s-sorry…” he wheezes.

Faith is startled to hear him.

He repeats, “S-s-s-sorry…”

She doesn’t understand…is he apologizing to her?

Faith glances at the face of the pocket watch…11:59 PM…

He says again, “S-sss-ss-s-s-s-”

…12:00 AM…

…midnight….

A ROTTING ARM ERUPTS FROM THE STONE!

“I’m s-s-sorry M-M-Mommy! Don’t get upset with baby!” he begins crying heavily.

Faith is frozen in place.

Another rotting arm comes up. The fingertips claw against the rock until they shred…

…the corpse from within rises from the rubble!

Faith doesn’t need to concentrate on staying still! It’s second nature! The terror unfolding before her very eyes…it is enough to do the thinking for her!

Jacques is trying to apologize further, only for the decayed hands to seize him by the neck!

He weeps and whines loudly, “MOMMY PUT ME DOWN! DON’T HURT YOUR BABY! PLEASE! PLEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSEEEE! DON’T HURT YOUR BABY!”

She CHOKES HIM MORE INTENSELY than before!

He mouths words…but nothing comes out anymore…

…

…

…

“My precious baby, Mommy forgives you. Mommy doesn’t mean to scare you. Let me hold you again. I’ll be more gentle.”

Ah…

As beautiful as the last time he saw her...

Her fair skin…

Warm and loving gaze…

Always eager to hold him close and spoil her baby with affection…

He is in bliss…

His Mother is pulling him into an embrace…

He can feel her breath…

Looking deep into his eyes…

Nudging his nose…

Her lips pressing tightly against his own…

Faith can’t watch this disgusting reunion…

Jacques is in ecstasy at the sounds of love!

Meanwhile, this entire time, Faith has been in hell at the sounds of…

*CRUNCH*

His whole jaw is being mangled…and torn right OFF…

The delusional fantasy Jacques dreamed of was certainly more peaceful than the reality Faith is being subjected to...

Having to witness a loving mother feast on her son the moment she laid her hands on him…

Faith feels a bitter breeze! The lamps on the walls go out!

But it is not entirely dark…

A soft, almost peach color is glowing from the corpse…

It grows more skin, repairing the dead parts.

The corpse’s back is becoming full…

Faith squints…as the skin on the back binds together…she recognizes a shape…

…a poker Spade?

The corpse stops glowing and drops the remains of Jacques onto the floor.

Silence.

Faith gulps as quietly as humanly possible. But, in a way, it felt too loud…

The woman with the Spade on her back turns around…

Faith cries…

She shuts her eyes, empties her mind save for one goal, and dives down towards Dee!

…

Opening her eyes and hoping she’s close to her brother…

…only for an all too familiar claw to swipe her face…

…

…

…

…

…

Drip…

…drop…

……drip……

Water drops…

Birds chirping…

Soft sunlight…

…

Faith slouching in a chair…

Another water drop hits her nose…

She sniffles and slowly awakens.

Straightening herself up, she looks forward.

A game table…she recognizes it…the same one from Jacques’ study. Wood tiles, cards, and playing pieces on the floor…

No stone walls…no strange lamps…

She stands up feeling lightheaded and looks up at the ceiling...

It’s so bright! She covers her eyes.

The roof has a large hole in it, with plenty of sun shining through.

Faith holds out her palm to catch droplets and wonders, ‘Did it rain again?’

She doesn’t see Jacques…Hobbes…anyone…

…

Faith is alone…

‘ALONE?’

‘THEN WHAT ABOUT?’

“FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHH!” a heroic voice bellows!

The large doors behind her swing-open!

It’s Dee!

He marches towards her. He is furious!

“Looks like you had a nice cat nap! Do you have any idea how worried sick I was!?!?!?!?!?” he scolds her.

Faith has a dopey expression on her face as he gets closer to her.

He rattles on about, “First, I try to say this might NOT be the RIGHT house!”

*poke*

“And then, in a weird trance, you enter this NOT RIGHT room!”

*poke*

“And then I try to hold you back with my raw untapped strength!”

*poke*

“And then SLAM! The door shuts itself!”

*poke*

“And then I had to think fast! Leave for help or push? Leave or push? LEAVE OR PUSH? Gosh…I couldn’t just leave you behind…”

*poke*

“And then-”

*poke* *poke* *poke*

Faith keeps poking his chest…where his gunshot wound should be…

Dee, annoyed, stops talking as she continues to poke…

He fakes a cough, grabs her poking arm, and rolls back her sleeve…

Out fluffs the ribbon tied around her wrist…

He says, “Still there! Exactly where it should be! HMPH! HMPH!”

Dee proudly nods and pokes her once…

*YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

Faith is now squeezing Dee in the tightest hug that he is sure will break every bone in his body!

It only keeps getting tighter!

He might die! No, he WILL DIE!

Dee can’t beg her to let go because her cheek is pressing too closely on his! He can’t speak!

But he must try!

…

Dee feels tears streaming down the side of his face…

They are not his tears…

Faith is crying and holding him tighter.

Not being one to interrupt, Dee lets his sister have her moment and patiently waits.

Let her calm herself down…

~Smooch~♥

Faith planted a big kiss on his cheek~

THAT’S IT!

SHE CROSSED THE LINE!

Dee is now inspired to break the hug OFF!

“What was that for!?!?!?” he asks, attempting to sound harsh but is clearly embarrassed.

Faith ties the ribbon on her hair and answers, “Because I love you no matter what? You can say yes~!”

She winks at him. Horror overcomes his face.

‘Who is this strange woman?’ he wonders.

In the corner of his eye, Dee notices something on the floor and runs over to it.

He picks it up.

…

“…you brought this with you…”

Faith walks over to him. Dee is holding a book…

Legend of HEART…

Grace…

“…I thought you didn’t want it anymore…” he says.

Faith can see him shaking…

“…why wouldn’t you read it with me?” he’s crying on the cover.

She pats him on the head, “I’ll read it to ya whenever you want. That’s a promise!”

Dee walks ahead, “NO! That won’t be enough anymore!”

He picks something else up off the floor…

“Grace has you in her story…You have Grace in this card!” Dee holds up The Queen of BurningHEARTS card.

“But…NOBODY HAS DEE!” he says with big sad kitty eyes.

He stops when he notices that Faith is looking back at him with her master-level sad kitty eyes.

…

…

The empty halls of Lenoir Manor…

…

The paintings on the walls…

…

This once accursed estate is now more tranquil in its beauty…

…

Dee can be heard running and screaming, “EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?????? NO MORE KISSES!!!!”

Faith is chasing after him, “THEN STOP BEING SO SWEET!~ ♥ I HAVE DEE!~♥ DON’T CHA WORRY!~♥”

“I MEANT LIKE A CARD OR SOMETHING!” Dee tries to reason with her!

They are gradually making their way out of the manor. No one else to be seen.

…

A broken picture frame lies on the floor of the study…

…

Dee made his way outside first! He catches his breath!

Not far behind, Faith catches him.

“GOTCHA~!” she giggles.

“WHERE HAVE YA TWO BEEN!!?!?!?!?!????!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!!?!” a loud booming voice is approaching them.

Faith and Dee wish for a quick and painless death…

“WELL!?!?!?!!?” the figure demands!

“It was all her fault, Pops! She’s been extra weird! I think she might be possessed!” Dee informs…their father.

Faith makes a pouty face but drops it quickly at the site of their father’s rage.

He pushes further, “And why are ya even here at East Garden Way?”

Faith pushes back, “What do ya mean, East Garden Way? This is Weast, I mean West-”

She notices the placard at the gate…

…13 East Garden Way…

“…Garden…Way…” her voice trails off.

“Ha! I thought as much! I did not know what my friends meant when they called you saucy, but now I do! It’s because your brain is cooked!” Dee boldly proclaims!

Faith pinches his cheeks. Since she released him from holding, he takes the chance to run ahead.

“All yours, Pops!”

...

It’s just Faith and Dad…

“WRONG HOUSE HUH? WHY DID YA NOT COME HOME?” he asks her!

“UmUmUmUmUmUmUmUmUm,” Faith begins to say while twiddling her thumbs.

“DO YA HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED SICK I WAS!!?!?!?!??!?! DAMN IT, FAITH! YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!!!” he grills her.

“Ok. Papa,” she shuffles forward.

He rambles on with more fatherly care and advice.

“I’m sorry, Papa,” shuffling more.

He’s still rambling.

“…I love you, Papa…” she shuffles all the way into his chest.

The fatherly rambling is over, and Faith robotically raises her arms and hugs him.

He pats her head, “…I love you too. How about we-”

*SNEEEEEEEEEEEZE*

“…just…go…home…” he groans.

Faith had sneezed into his chest, “SOWWY!”

She looks up at him again with a big smile

He asks her to, “…go get your brother…”

Faith cutely skips away and whistles along to hunt down Dee.

Mr. Roos tries to wipe his shirt with a handkerchief but realizes it’s in vain…yuck…

She finds Dee and slowly creeps up behind him…

Getting ready to capture her prey…

Readying an inescapable hug…

“Want some?” he flips around, munching on some bread.

Faith puts her arms back down, “Hey! Where did you get that?”

He takes another big bite and, in between chewing, “Aniceladeeegabeittamee!”

“Who? Where?”

He burps and answers, “There!” pointing across the street.

…

…

“Last chance!” he chuckles.

…

…

“OW! HEY! WHY’D YA DO THAT FOR!?!?” he bemoans.

Faith had smacked the bread out of his hands!

She is trembling…

“WOMEN THESE DAYS!” he starts to walk away, but Faith yanks him back and holds him close.

He feels her desperation…

“…Faith?”

She can’t hear him, only her own breathing, and time feels like it slows down…

The townspeople strolling by are silhouettes and shadows…

…all except for one…

‘It can’t be…’

Except for one woman…standing across the street…

…she is clear as day under the sun…

Beautiful…stunning…wearing an elegant dress and hat…

Terrifying…flourishing a Spade-shaped earring…

She looks just like…

Dee is begging his sister to come to her senses already, but she can’t hear him.

Faith can only think to instinctively hold him tighter and tighter, despite his objections.

The woman is staring deep into Faith’s frightened eyes.

‘Go away…’

“FAITH!!!”

‘I WON’T LET YOU HAVE HIM!’

*CHOMP*

Dee bites Faith’s arm!

*POW*

Faith drives her knuckles deep into his skull!

“NEVER BITE A FAIR MAIDEN!” she yells at him!

“It’s not my fault your brain was frying in saucy land again!” he replies.

“…eep…” he squeaks as Faith cracks her knuckles. Dee can see the pearly gates…

Mr. Roos hoists them both up by the shirt collars, “…and here I thought you two were getting along so well…”

He drops them so that they fall flat on their butts, “What’s gotten into you?”

Faith gets up and panics, “THAT WOMAN! SHE-”

“What woman?” he asks.

…

She’s gone…

…

“Ya can tell me about it later, ON THE WAY home,” he ruffles Faith’s hair and starts walking away with Dee.

…

Faith feels the warm breeze blow through her hair, her ribbon and follows them.

They stroll together along the busy and bustling afternoon River Street…

Their father always jokes that there are more people than sidewalk around here!

As usual for the tourist traps, stands are filled with “official” Jacques Lenoir games and guides.

Children are lined up outside a shop that has portraits of him and newspaper clippings…

Annual Preview! Game Theatre 18XX!...

Faith stops and reads it with a depressed look on her face…

Dee and their father have stopped too, “There’s always next year…”

…

Faith laughs it off, “Is that how you comfort a fair maiden? By reminding her of how long she has to wait?”

She continues walking ahead, “Why would I need to wait for anybody? I have a better idea…since I already have the game, and…”

They wait for her to finish…

“Well, what if I talked about the game in my own newspaper…”

“Ya know the perfect ♥~friend~♥ for the job? Don’t you ♥~DEACON~♥?” she gives Dee a playful noogie.

“I can’t waste precious time waiting for other people to make my dreams come true…and I’ll be extra busy with yet another important project…”

Faith reaches into her bag…

…

“…can we visit her on the way back?” as she pulls out the Legend of HEART book.

…

…

The gusts carrying the scents of the river…

It blows a little too strong as a birdcage door swings open at a pet shop, the owner doesn’t shut it in time, and a cardinal with bright red feathers takes to the skies…

Passing by storefronts…

Taffy stands…

The boats…

Turning corners…

Traveling down four different streets…

Taking perch on a stone…

The sun shining a brilliant glow on its wings…

The cardinal cocks its head, ruffles its feathers, and flies away…

…

The sun shines brighter on the tombstone it had flown away from…

…

On the footstone…

…

There is a bouquet of roses…with a poker card of HEART tucked in the petals…

…

Grace Roos…

…

-CHAPTER END-

-GAME COMPLETE-

…

♥~See ya next round!~♥