“Give Sariel lots of gifts and explain this to him. He will understand once you tell him.” Day nodded as if she was very certain. “If anyone could empathize with feeling powerless, it would be him. But having the freedom to make asshole choices is a privilege he does not have.”
“Yeah, and?—”
“Which still makes you an asshole.”
“Roger that. And thank you. For carin’ enough ’bout me to help set me straight. I’m gonna make it right.” Seymour took a deep breath, more determined now. “Sariel deserves that. He deserves so much.”
“He deserves to be happy. We will find a way.”
“So, about eating Mr. Heiss…”
“We shall come up with a code phrase. A way to signal me that will not draw suspicion. Yes, and when you say it, I shall eat him.”
The discussion of a potential code phrase paused once they arrived at the bakery, and Seymour parked directly across the street to survey the area.
Looked like a city late at night.
Great.
Day took her perch on Seymour’s shoulder as they headed to the back of the building, weaving around stacks of pallets and a row of dumpsters. There was no immediate sign of activity, untoward or otherwise, and Seymour wondered if this was going to be another dead end like so many of the others before.
A door slammed, somethinggrowled, and Seymour ducked behind one of the dumpsters.
“Oh! Wait here!” Day hopped down. “I will go investigate!”
Seymour nodded, mouthing silently, “Be careful.”
“What?”
Seymour tried again.
Day cocked her head. “What?”
Seymour swallowed back a sigh, whispering as quietly as possible, “Be care?—”
“Shhh!” Day hissed. “Some monsters have great hearing! Stay here and be quiet! I’ll be right back.”
Seymour stared.
Day shook her head and then took off, her long tail waving behind her.
Seymour waited for what seemed like forever, his stomach tight, until finally he heard a distant shriek, gunshots, and then silence.
He knew Day couldn’t be hurt, but he wanted to throw up anyway.
“Hey!” Day trotted back up, licking her lips.
“Did you eat someone?” Seymour asked.
“Yes?”
“Okay, just checking.”
“There were two monsters guarding a door! I think it’s a portal like inside the Crossroads.” Day waved for him to followas she turned, taking off toward the rear of the restaurant again. “I peeked and there’s definitely something going on!”
Seymour hurried after her. “What did you see?”
“Bunch of wires all over the floor! Weird lights? Connected to something that looked like the beacon, but mmm,bigger.”
