31: Exhumed Remains of a Reanimated Nature
“I was just thinking about stuff,” she said, “Doesn’t this feel familiar to you guys? Like we’ve broken into a place like this before?”
“Yeah,” said Theseus, taking a break from his attempts at ceiling demolition, “Reminds me of that time Phoenie thought she’d unmask a local ‘vampire’,”
As if he was bringing that up again! “It was a case of mistaken identity and Chinese whispers,” she said with a huff, “But now I think about it, Katrina does have a point,
There was an eerily familiarity about Veritas breaking into a mansion on a failsafe quest for the truth. Or maybe Phoenie had spent too long dreaming of infiltrating Godhand’s manor and deposing Bishop Wotan. Those were good dreams – except for the one where they’d been caught and almost burnt at the stake!
Hold on…
“Dante’s mentioned it before,” said Katrina, “He thinks we forget things that really happen, like someone—”
“Kat!” Phoenie had to interrupt before this got out of hand, “How many times have I told you not to listen to that schizophrenic? He’ll do you no good!”
“Now there’s something supernatural,” said Theseus, “How’d you explain Mr Broody down there?”
“I told you, he’s a para—”
“What I mean is why he’s here, lady,” said Theseus, “Get over your little vendetta for a minute, will ya?” He stabbed at the ceiling some more, ignoring the sneer Phoenie was trying to chastise him with. “Hey, John, you’re in his tutor group, what do you think?”
“It’s certainly out of character,” said the diminutive technician, “Dante has never shown an interest in our work before, mainly because of Phoenie’s vendetta but—”
That was enough! “I do not have a vendetta!” How could they think—
“Whatever, lady,” interrupted Theseus again, “John, you were saying?”
“Well, I have noticed Dante opening up to Phantasia recently. The two seem to get on quite well,”
“Aww, Dante’s got a crush?” said Andromeda, “Kat, does Dante have a crush on Phantasia?”
Katrina looked thoughtful (as if such an absurd idea required contemplating!). “He’s never said anything to me, but he spends so much time shut in his flat these days that I don’t know what he thinks any more…”
But Phoenie knew exactly what he thought. “This is ludicrous talk! Ms Celeste is too clever to fall for that freak’s stalkerish ways!”
“Too clever? You not noticed how naïve she is, lady?” Theseus, for all his usefulness, was reaching that line of insubordination he liked to dance along, “Phantasia’s always talkin’ to everyone with a smile. I’d say there wasn’t a hint of distrust in her, like she’s some kind of pure maiden who’s not had her back stabbed before, ya know?”
Phoenie smirked. Time to put him back in this place. “Sounds like Theseus has a crush!” she said.
The ceiling came down with a sudden crash, covering Theseus with dust and plaster. He was gripping the pole tight with shaking hands and his teeth were grit so hard it looked as if they could shatter. For the briefest of moments, Phoenie cowered away from him, fearing he was about to lash out at his friends, but then the pole clanked to the floor, his posture relaxed and he wiped the dust from his face.
“There’s your hole, lady,”
***
