The Poltergeist

[Shakune]

Shakune chewed her lip intensely.

She was torn: of course it was better for Bridie to move on, to join her family in the world that lay beyond the realm she occupied now. But nevertheless, the courier felt an urge to stop Richard, in anyway possible. Her hand gripped the metal bowl from the merchant scales that the ghost had flung at her mere moments ago. Maybe if she conked the Spiritist on the back of the head, it would knock him out long enough for her to hide Bridie away...?

The ghost watched Richard through narrowed, suspicious eyes. It was quite obvious that she was tempted to follow her husband, but something seemed to hold her back. With one hand on her swollen belly, and another hanging limply in the air before her, she asked quietly, "darling... the children are alive, though. Roseanne and Lark are, but of course not little Declan."

Her voice drifted away with the memory of her dead infant son, and Bridie suddenly seemed distracted by the skinny gold band that embraced the ring finger on her left hand. She moved her hand to her stomach, patting her pregnancy with maternal fondness, "and I have yet to give birth, darling. The baby will be here in mere days. Please wait for me, my love."

Just a few days. Shakune prayed, eyes half-closed and fists held together. More, now than ever, she felt desperate to find out what fate befell the oldest Salt children. The prospect of losing Bridie, the last thread that connected Shakune to her beloved father figure, was utterly terrifying.

"Just a few days, please Richard. She'll never forgive me if I give up looking for her surviving children. They're my family as well." Her voice was barely whisper, a breath placed upon Richard's ear quietly enough so Bridie would not catch it. "Give me a few days, and then she can move on. She deserves it, I know. But she deserves to know what happened to her children."

[Richard Blow]

This request made the Spiritist feel conflicted. On the one hand, it was obvious how much these children meant to both Bridie and Shakune, and how instrumental Shakune felt the ghost's continued presence was to finding them. On the other hand, he knew from his profession that being a ghost was an awful thing, and prolonging it felt morally wrong. Indeed, this dilemma was so difficult that he forgot to keep focusing on Pa Salt's name, causing the Lie to crumble like the oldest, stalest cheese upon being picked up. Richard realized his error a tick after it took place, which was unfortunately exactly one tick too late to do anything about it. His expression as he looked up at Bridie could best be compared to that of someone who just farted while giving a eulogy at their own father's funeral. For what felt like the longest two ticks in the history of Mizahar, the room was silent. "... All right then." he said awkwardly, not taking his eyes off the ghost as he backed up towards the door. "Looks like we may as well look for some kids. Sooner they're found sooner this can be done with. None of that was lies by th'way, Bridie." he added quickly with a defensive jab of his finger at the phantom. "You just... Don't break anything else, okay? That's people's money going down the drain, y'know." And with that, he motioned with his head for Shakune to follow before making a break for the street. OOCWell shoot. This took... A while to resume. Hopefully you're still game for kid hunting.