▷ The Spider Cliff Mysteries
▷ Story 4: The Wednesday that Wasn't
▷ Chapter 7: Things we do for friends
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Transcript of this chapter:
crystal: It's a little late for coffee, don't you think?barlow: I have to stay alert... lots of work to do tonight.
barlow: I gotta meet Alex after midnight. We're going to set some traps for that zombie or whatever is stalking about. I'll be up all night.
crystal: Oh. Is that so? We'll see about that...
barlow: You have that look... What is it? What do you know that makes you so smug? What do you know?!
crystal: I don't know anything...
barlow: Demon-girl! If I find out that you're hiding something about this...
crystal: What would I be hiding?
barlow: You always get so smug when you think that you know something I don't. I KNOW you think you know something.
crystal: I know you'll never stay up all night.
barlow: Oh, so you're so smug because you think I can't do it? Ha!
crystal: You should just leave this up to me.
barlow: Oh, so you think that just because you're a demon you know how to handle this? You shouldn't be so smug about that... after all, I AM a trained demon-hunter!
crystal: Don't rush into things before you know what you're dealing with!
barlow: So you think you know better than me?
crystal: Well, duh.
barlow: I'll have you know that I won't rest until this new villain has been properly dealt with. What do you have to say about that?! Not so smug now, are you?
crystal: That's not what's making me smug.
barlow: Then what is it?
crystal: Well... as it turns out...
crystal: I put a sleeping potion into your coffee. This is not a night that I want you roaming around and setting up dangerous traps. Someone's liable to get hurt...
crystal: ....you're liable to get hurt. I hope you won't be mad at me in the morning... but hey, you're going to wake up feeling great.
crystal: And it looks like I'm going to be the one who doesn't get any sleep.
crystal: Well, things certainly look quiet out there. I saw Turnip go by a few minutes ago, but that's the only movement out there for the last hour.
crystal: So... sleepy...
crystal: But I have to stay alert. This is important. If Annabelle doesn't come out tonight, I know that she can be trusted. And I've got Barlow safely tucked in so he won't feel obligated to kill her.
crystal: I guess it's just a matter of waiting...
turnip: Hi Crystal. Is Barlow still up?
crystal: Uh... no, he turned in a bit early tonight.
turnip: Alright. I won't trouble him...
turnip: So what are you watching for?
crystal: I'm waiting for a friend...
crystal: .... or actually, I'm hoping my friend to DOESN'T show up. It's kind of complicated.
turnip: You don't want to see your friend?
crystal: Not right now. I need time to figure things out... how to keep her as a friend. If I see her tonight, I know she'll betray me.
turnip: Betray you?!! That don't sound like something a friend would do. What makes you call her a friend?
crystal: Nothing! It's just such a beautiful night tonight.
turnip: So you're not waiting up for some specific reason?
crystal: No... not really.
turnip: I don't believe you.
crystal: What makes you think I'm waiting for something?
turnip: You're not the only person staring out windows tonight. Rebecca is doing the same thing right now. I wager you're waiting for something to happen.
crystal: She's not really a friend yet... but she needs to have a friend.
turnip: Don't you mean YOU need to have a friend?
crystal: Yes, I guess that's what I mean. There are not many people here that I can be friends with, and I'm starting to get lonely.
turnip: Well, I know how you feel...
crystal: Well... we have a similar background... but there's not much else that we have in common right now.
crystal: It's just that there's not really anyone else here who's got the same background, the same outlook, even if we aren't a lot alike right now.
crystal: I don't know how to explain it so that you understand.
turnip: Oh, I understand...
turnip: Barlow has always been my best friend... but lately we haven't been so close. There's not a lot that we have in common anymore. I hang out with him, but it's not the same.
turnip: I guess in the future, I might not be able to depend on him like I used to.
turnip: I hope that you can depend on your friend.
crystal: If she stays put tonight, I know I can depend on her.
turnip: You shouldn't let your friendships hinge on tests like this. People change, you know. She may be a friend to you now, but will she always be?
crystal: I... I really don't know.
crystal: Well, I don't know how dependable a friend she would be, anyway.
turnip: Friendships do take effort, you know. But you have to know when to let them go. Maybe things will work out okay for you.
crystal: In any case, my problems will be over tomorrow morning.