Entry 8 - A Day Away From the Grinning Moon

I thumbed the skull-shaped key for a moment, staring at the horrid-looking carving on the door. Papa Criol had warned me not to linger, and standing around wasn’t going to get this done any faster. Still, every part of this felt...wrong. Like the air around me was a heavy blanket over my shoulders. A tingle ran up my spine.

Silver honked behind me, and I jumped, cursing loudly. The car opened and shut its doors, almost like she was giggling. I glared daggers at the vehicle before turning back to the door.

“Now or never.” I decided, placing the key into the lock and clicking the door open.

The door creaked in protest as I slowly pushed it open, revealing the innards of Papa Criol’s Budget Hexes.

“Of course all the lights are off,” I muttered.

Thankfully, the light filtering through the slits in the shutters was just enough to let me see to the back of the room. The space was mostly open, with shelves lining either wall, although a couple of tables displaying various goods sat between me and the front desk. Glowing vials of strange substances cast eerie greens and blues that danced across the wooden surfaces. Dolls hung from the ceiling, resting in makeshift hammocks. I scowled, remembering my last visit to Papa Criol’s. Every single one of them had decided to jump me with tiny needles since I hadn’t been properly added to his guest registry. There had to be over a hundred dolls, all lying in different positions and spread across the entire room.

I stepped inside, eyes straining for a view of the front desk at the back of the room. Sure enough, I could faintly make out its silhouette.

My head turned, focusing on a dozen carved masks on one of the walls. They were all similar to the carving on the door, each with different mouth and eye shapes. Some had feathers around their wooden faces while others were draped in leaves and moss.

I fumbled for a light switch or lamp near the door. When my fingers found it, I flipped the switch up, grateful for the newfound light…

Only for nothing to happen.

The soft “click” made my skin crawl. I flipped it up and down several times, praying that I was somehow failing to use the light switch properly. But there’s really only so many ways a light switch can go.

“Shit,” I whispered, taking another cautious step inside the building. My gaze went upward as I held the key Sir Criol had given me slightly in front of myself like a protective ward. “Nice dolls. Good dolls. Your boss sent me; please don’t stab me…”

None of the dolls stirred, their hammocks lazily rocking in the silent room. I took another breath, feeling a little more confident now that I’d fully entered the room. Maybe Papa Criol had just forgotten to pay the utility bill.

As the thought crossed my mind, I was suddenly keenly aware that the light from outside was fading fast behind me. I whipped around just in time to see the door shut with a heavy THUD!

Immediately, I moved back to the door and opened it again. There was no way I was going further into that building without more light. This time, when I opened the door, I looked for something to keep it propped open. After not finding anything in the shop that I felt comfortable moving, I took off a shoe and shoved it against the door at an angle to keep it open. Just to be sure, I pushed the door gently to try and close it. The shoe held firm.

An exhale of relief escaped me inadvertently. It wasn’t much, but the extra light was at least a minor comfort. Then, I turned back toward my objective and walked forward. After about twenty feet or so, I could see the desk a little more clearly, though the light from outside didn’t quite permeate all the way back there. My gait was a little off since I was missing a shoe, so I accidentally bumped a table, knocking over a vial of blue slime. Thankfully, I caught it before it rolled off the edge, wiping the sweat from my brow and putting it back in its original position.

“Alright, no more messing around.” I quickened my pace, steering clear of the remaining tables in the way.

When I reached the front desk, I was horrified to see there were at least a dozen tomes all side by side. I couldn’t even see what was what, so I turned back around and grabbed the luminescent vial of slime to use as a makeshift glow stick.

My hand hovered over the first of the books, and I leaned down to inspect it a little more closely. It was a deep red, leather-bound tome covered in a wet, squishy material. After a few seconds, I realized it was pulsing and I let out a disgusted groan, moving to the next one.

The next book violently shook when my hand passed over it. I leapt back, a flurry of swears flying from my lips. My heart thundered in my chest, and I had to take a second to steady myself. When I neared the tome again, I realized it was bound in thick, steel chains. Whatever it was, I certainly wasn’t going to touch it.

Finally, my eyes set on what I was looking for. Half-hidden beneath a stack of paperwork was a small, rather uninteresting book that looked more like a small notepad than an actual tome. On the front was a sticky note reading, “For Mivara.” The size of the thing had me utterly perplexed; it was just barely larger than my palm lying flat on the table. I picked it up with one hand, a finger on the plastic spiral binding. Doubt set in until I removed the sticky note and read the title scribbled loosely on the front cover, “Lozin’s Spirit Notes and Ritual Circles.”

Alright, so it wasn’t an impressive-looking book, but clearly someone thought it was important enough to keep around.

THUNK!

The light from the doorway completely vanished, leaving me with nothing but the thin lines emanating from between the shutters. A shiver crawled across my back, starting low and spreading out through my shoulders and neck. I whipped around to survey the entrance, holding the booklet I’d picked up close to my chest.

Somehow, the door had closed. Someone or something must have moved my shoe. There was no way the door could have closed on its own. I’d tested it. I was certain.

I’m not proud to admit I let out an inadvertent whimper. I could barely see. The only light came from the various glowing vials in the room and the slits in the shutters. It was barely enough to make out the shapes of the tables and objects on the walls.

My fist clenched around the vial I was holding. I couldn’t bring myself to move. Everything was perfectly still. So deathly still. I stood in the dark, working up the courage to make a move.

When I finally raised the glowing blue vial I had been using to light the way, I realized every single doll that had been resting in the hammocks overhead was gone. My body quivered inadvertently. The atmosphere of the room had entirely changed. It was suffocating, making my breaths come out in sharp bursts that clouded the air in front of me.

A light pattering sound pulled my attention to the right. I stood frozen in place, peering into the dim room. My breath caught in my throat as the noise moved across the room, starting further away and getting closer to my left.

Slowly, holding the glowing vial in front of me, I crept around to the right. I couldn’t see what was making that sound. But every part of me wanted out of that room. Each beat of my heart was a resounding crash in my ears, echoing in the quiet.

While many would call out or speak, I kept my mouth shut. Not that I could bring myself to speak anyway. By now, every sense I had was on high alert. Every shift of the building, every hanging ornament that clinked softly in the dark. I heard all of it, my eyes scanning the dark.

For a moment I thought I saw something. A swirling mist near where I’d been standing but a few moments before. It twisted and coalesced, creeping over the front desk like feelers. There was a shape there, featureless in the dark. A shape with limbs. A very large shape with limbs. Before I could really get a good look at it, the shape disappeared, fading out of view.

Despite that, I knew it was still there. And whatever it was, it wanted to hurt me. I could feel its rage. It’s hate. A raging inferno in the otherwise freezing room which shifted the air around me.

I took another step toward the door, wincing as the floorboards creaked beneath my feet. The room was growing suffocatingly cold. With each passing second, I felt like the strength was being sapped from my body.

A low, guttural growl erupted in my ear. I sprang into action. There was no scream, no yelp, no sound I could make to convey the terror embedded in my soul. All I could do was run.

My missing shoe forgotten, I took off. I didn’t look back; I didn’t even really look to see where I was running. Adrenaline burst through me and I charged straight through the store, knocking tables aside and booking it directly to the exit.

I could hear something behind me. Something pursuing. Something angry. Icy breath on my neck and the Pat! Pat! Pat! of footsteps quickening to keep up with my pace. The devil himself could not have stopped me at that point. I slammed another table aside with an arm, sending a dozen vials flying in every direction. They shattered in multicolored light, liquids splattering every which way and coating my legs. But I didn’t stop.

When I reached the door, I slammed against it, trying to push it open. For a horrifying moment it didn’t budge and I panicked, screaming and pounding hard on the wooden surface. Then I remembered it was a pull on this side, and I scrambled to grab the knob and throw it ajar. A horrible roar rose up behind me, shaking the entire building. Cold tendrils wrapped around my shoulder, pressing against my collarbone and upper arms.

And then I saw daylight. The door was open, and I was rolling onto the sidewalk, Papa Criol’s booklet held close to my chest. When I came to a stop, I stared up at the sky, chest heaving. But I didn’t stay there long. I panicked again, half-crawling, half-running backward as I turned toward the entrance to Sir Criol’s Budget Hexes.

But the door had closed, and there was nothing in sight.

I sat there for a few minutes, trying to collect myself. Papa Criol hadn’t been lying; that was one hell of a quote-unquote “disturbance” if I’d ever seen one. What even was that?

Silver honked from the roadside and I yelped, the sudden eruption of noise rocking my senses.

“Jhin?”

I could recognize the voice from anywhere.

My head turned as I sat there, one foot up in the air shoeless and the other bracing me against the ground. Glowing liquids of unknown make covered my legs and feet. I hadn’t noticed before, but one of them was starting to melt through my pants, sizzling loudly like a boiling pot.

Nyx stood a little down the street, her feet actually planted to the ground for once. Her visage was slightly transparent, and she looked tired. But that didn’t change how beautiful she was to me, her hair billowing behind her on that quiet road.

I looked down at myself, then back at her.

She laughed, chest heaving as she took in the sight before her. But there was nothing malicious about it. Its ring was enduring, an ethereal echo that even made me smile, even from my abnormal position on the sidewalk.

“Hi, Nyx.” I finally managed, trying to stay somewhat composed.

“What are you doing?” She half-floated, half-walked to me, her strides long and deliberate. “I got back to the Grinning Moon and you were gone.”

“You got here quick if that’s the case,” I said, hastily trying to fling the sizzling potion from the fabric of my leg.

She motioned toward Papa Criol’s Budget Hexes. “I asked Mivara where you were heading and she said this place. I’m surprised Papa Criol gave you a key to get in.”

“He said he was busy making sure the arcade was good to go.” I finally managed to wipe the rest of the steaming liquid from my pant leg with my hoodie’s sleeve, grumbling under my breath, “Sorry about the mess.”

Nyx offered me a hand and I took it, her cold fingers growing more solid as they came in contact with my skin. When I got to my feet, she put her hands on her hips and looked me up and down, her smile widening. “Now how did you lose a shoe?”

I held up the booklet I’d retrieved from inside Papa Criol’s business. “I tried using it to prop up the door to keep the light in and something moved it.”

Nyx’s expression turned more serious. She looked back at the building, her glowing eyes dimming slightly. After a few seconds, a look of concern turned her smile into a deep frown. She glanced at me. “You were in there?”

“Papa Criol said as long as I didn’t linger it was fine.” I shrugged. “He did mention needing an exterminator for...something. Although after what I saw in that room, I wish I’d asked exactly what for.”

“There is an old presence there. Something angry. I can feel it from here.” Nyx gently floated up to the door, placing a hand on it. “These wards and runes on the building are for protection. I can’t get through the walls. Do you want to go back for your shoe?”

I raised my shoe-less foot, shaking my head. “I...don’t think it’s worth it.”

She adjusted her dress, tugging her arm warmers up. “I really don’t mind. I don’t know what’s in there, but I guarantee I can get it for you.”

“Nyx,” I stressed, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You look tired. It’s just a shoe. Papa Criol can get it back for me when the exterminator is done there.”

Nyx’s sigh echoed around me. Her shoulders relaxed, and she nodded.

“Still, I have to wonder what Criol is getting up to to have something take over his store like that,” I muttered, folding my arms. “I doubt he just got unlucky with some haunt or hob infestation.”

Nyx walked away from the door. I noticed just how translucent she was in the light as she responded, “A lot of people we know have a very bad habit of poking things they shouldn’t. Yourself included, you know.”

My concern was more about her lack of solidity. She noticed I didn’t respond and glanced over her shoulder at me. “Jhin?”

“Your last job took a lot out of you, didn’t it?” I finally asked.

She paused. The specter considered me for a moment, her hair flowing as she turned to regard me. But eventually she gave a small nod, although I could tell she wasn’t happy to admit it. I wanted to ask what they had her do, but even if she wanted to tell me, I didn’t think that was important right now.

“Let’s get you back to the Grinning Moon.” I pointed at Silver. “I brought my car.”

Silver honked in reply, opening her side door like she was beckoning for Nyx to get in. The car had always had a fondness for Nyx.

Nyx gave a smile. “I’ll be fine, Jhin. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

“Well, tell you what.” I pointed at my car. “I brought all my spirit photography stuff. Maybe we could go take some pictures?”

She agreed immediately. “I’d like that very much.”

“Alright. But if you get tired …”

“I’ll just leech energy off you,” Nyx said with a wink.

“Of course.”

She stopped, staring at me somewhat incredulously. “I was joking.”

“I’m not; just warn me. It wouldn’t be the first time, and it won’t be the last.”

Nyx regarded me. Then, she shook her head. “You’re too good to me, Jhin.”

“Someone has to be. Now come on.”

The two of us walked to our sides of the car. Before we entered, Nyx added, “So, Jhin...since you’re feeling so generous, is that lunch or dinner offer still on the table?”

“You saw that?” I rubbed the back of my head. “Of course it is.”

“Good. And for the record, I missed you too.” She entered Silver and closed the door. I paused, realizing she had somehow read the part I scratched out of the notepad on her doorknob. My face flushed, and I cleared my throat before sliding into the driver's seat. Without much thought, I tossed the booklet I’d found into the back.

Nyx leaned back against her seat, resting one leg over the other. Silver turned on the radio by herself.

“So where are we heading, exactly?” Nyx asked.

“There’s this building by the Centrifuge Tower. I think it’s called Pictogram Plaza. You remember the place, Silver?”

In response, the car revved down the street, breaking any semblance of the speed limit and taking the corner with screeching tires. I cursed and braced my hand against the door, still keeping one hand on the wheel just to be safe.

Nyx murmured from beside me, “I suppose that’s a yes.”

“Silver, I swear if you don’t slow down and we get pulled over, I’m sending you to the scrapyard,” I grumbled, letting the wheel turn on its own in my grip.

“Glad to see she’s still wily as ever.” Nyx glanced back at the booklet I’d picked up. “What is that exactly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s sweet of you to help Mivara out. But Criol should know better than to send you into danger.”

I shrugged, “I guess he thought I could handle it.”

“He’s lucky he’s undead,” Nyx muttered.

“To answer your question, I’m not sure.” I took my eyes off the road for a moment, casting a suspicious glare at the small book. “It doesn’t look all that impressive, but Papa Criol mentioned it had something to do with that case…”

Nyx’s mood immediately grew noticeably more sour. “The same case I told you not to open?”

“I didn’t open it.” I said defensively, “I took your advice and left it alone.”

We turned a street corner. Nyx thought for a moment, her glowing silver eyes locked on the booklet.

“I need to tell you a story.”

Reflexively, I sat up, looking at her curiously.

“A while ago, I went on a job in the forests around Nultock. Not the Grinning Moon’s area, although I suspect this happens there, too.” Nyx adjusted herself so she was gazing at the car roof, obviously lost in a memory when she spoke. “The night was dark, and the trees loomed around us. A wicked cradle holding tight the fear and the suspicion of those I worked with had both for one another and the things that go bump in the night.”

I was already hanging on to her every word, listening intently. Silver had lowered the radio on her own, as though the car itself wanted to listen in.

“Now, obviously me being what I am, the men and women didn’t have much of an interest listening to me.” She motioned down to her spectral form, her blue skin glowing gently. “A lot of people don’t trust spirits or ghosts. For good reason, mind you. Plenty are looking for a suitable host or have some ulterior motive. I can’t blame them, of course. There are quite a few mischievous specters.”

“You included, sometimes.” I teased lightheartedly.

Nyx managed a smile. “Depending on the day.”

But immediately after, her tone grew more serious again. “When the night fell, and the shadows crawled on the edges of our campfire, a rustle in the bushes pulled the attention of one of the men. Of course, thinking it was nothing but a small animal, he ignored it. But then he heard another sound. A splitting crack, like a large branch being snapped in two. He started to scan the treeline and was certain a large creature was slowly circling the camp. But every time the man saw whatever the creature was, it darted behind a tree or a bush and kept just out of sight.”

Nyx sat straighter and looked at me. “When the man asked the rest of the camp, nobody else had seen it. But I did. I saw it. It stood in the dark, a clawed hand wrapped around the trunk of the tree, standing at almost twice the height of your average man in the blackness of the encroaching forest.”

“What was it?” I asked, enthralled by the tale.

“I’ve always heard of them referred to as hidebehinds. They’re rare creatures in these parts, but I’ve been told they live in every forest to a small degree. Anytime you see something in the woods that just happens to scamper out of view at the last second? That’s a hidebehind. I don’t know much about them myself; they allude even my senses. But I know one thing, and one thing that is always true. Whenever someone decides to chase after a hidebehind, they don’t come back.”

I blinked. “What happens to them?”

“Oh, nobody knows, Jhin. That’s what makes them so curious to the average person. Everyone who goes into the woods has seen something dart out of view before. And it’s hard not to want to investigate or call out.” Nyx shook her head. “But I think you see where I’m going with this.”

“He went to look, didn’t he?”

She adjusted the ribbon above the keyhole in her dress, her gaze returning to the booklet in the back seat. “He did. He thought I was messing with him when nobody else could corroborate the sighting. Took his gun and walked straight out into those woods and away from the safety of the fire.”

“And…?”

“Not a soul found him again. There was no sign of a struggle. No trail to follow. No sign the hidebehind had ever even been there” Nyx clenched a fist. “So sometimes, Jhin, when you see something in the forest, and you can’t quite see what it is...it’s better to just let it be and get on your merry way.”

The metaphor was not lost on me. But I had a feeling we were past the point of simply “moving on our merry way” regarding that stupid case. So I asked the next obvious question, “What happens when it’s too late for that?”

An ethereal sigh echoed from the woman, “Are you about to tell me something upsetting?”

“Is now a bad time to mention other people showed up asking about the suitcase?”

Nyx muttered, “That’s what I was afraid of.”

“Does your story still apply?”

“To a degree. But …” Then, she picked up the booklet, glancing at me. “Do you mind?”

“You’re going to read it?”

“I am.” She replied, “And I’ll tell you whether I think it’s safe for you to read. Many of these old books are protected by various seals and the contents within may be cursed. Until I can verify the contents and have a little discussion with Mivara and Criol, you will not look at it.”

“You think someone would curse a notepad like that?”

Nyx nodded. “Papa Criol doesn’t pick up books for no reason, Jhin. There’s something in here he thought was worth something.”

“Mivara was asking for it, specifically.”

“That woman is going to get herself possessed, killed, or have her soul trapped in a prison at this rate.” She complained, “I swear every time I see her on her days off she’s looking for some book or another that has trouble practically written on the front.”

I shrugged, “Well, I don’t care if you read it. But uh, I think I’ll take your advice and steer clear for now.”

“To answer your question, there are dangers to curiosity.” She opened the booklet, eyes narrowing as she read through the first page. “But there is also danger in ignorance.”

“How are you supposed to know when to be curious and when to stay the hell away, then?”

Nyx glanced at me. “That’s one of the fun parts about life. A lot of times, you don’t. Caution above all else, Jhin. Especially here in Nultock.”

We turned onto one of the busier streets, a massive, open stretch of road with skyscrapers and apartment buildings rising on each side. Massive, flowing banners covered in religious texts flowed from one of them – a superchurch for the church of the One True God, a popular sect in these parts. Another was an advertisement for a puppet show proudly stating it used real, living puppets.

Our destination was off to the left. Three towers, the largest in the middle, were connected by glass sky bridges. Elevators that used runic lifts - glowing pillars of ethereal light marked in sigils – rested on the exterior of each building in pairs, sitting on either side of the double doors. All three of the towers were similar in architecture. White and black obelisks that pierced the sky, adorned in stone gargoyles and ornate carvings of one-eyed men and great serpents. Coiled around the center of the largest tower sat a massive sculpture of a black snake. The mouth of the statue opened and closed on its own, and the eye bulged in its head as though it was watching everyone in the street down below. On the right tower sat the words “Pictogram Plaza.”

The plaza itself was a large space with three fountains and a large clearing made of stone tiles. Throughout the plaza were humongous sculptures, all of which were of immaculate make. Some were of famous people and leaders of Nultock, although to be honest, I was never much of a history guy, so I never remembered their names. Others were of magnificent beasts and monsters that had come through Nultock previously, some benign and some less so. Every twenty or so paces, a few stairs inclined toward the three towers.

Silver pulled up into a parking spot on the curb and stopped.

“It’s been a while since we’ve come here,” Nyx said, looking up from the book. “Isn’t this where that one burger place is?”

“Well, I figured we could go somewhere nicer if you wanted. There’s that fancy steakhouse on the bottom floor.” I offered.

Nyx sounded flattered, but she reassured me, “A burger sounds wonderful, Jhin.”

“Are you sure?”

She reassured me, “I’d like to get a view of the city and we can’t do that from the steakhouse. It would also be a good place for you to test your spirit photography lenses out a bit, right?”

We exited Silver. I grabbed my camera and photography bag, then glanced down at my bare foot. “You know, I might as well just leave my other shoe in the car at this rate.”

Nyx walked around Silver, glancing at the shoe-less foot with a small smile, “If that’s what you want to do.”

“Well, I currently feel like I’m waddling more than walking.” I took off my other shoe and tossed it into the driver’s seat. With both feet planted on the ground, at least I could stand normally. After testing a couple of steps, I gave her a thumbs-up. “Much better.”

Silver honked her horn and closed her doors.

“We’ll be back in a bit.” I told her, “Don’t go anywhere.”

Nyx and I walked through the plaza, making our way toward the towers. It was fairly busy, with large groups of people walking in either direction. Some sort of art class was going on in front of one of the statues. A bunch of men and women were painting a sculpture of a massive, winged lion while their teacher lectured them on anatomy and how to ensure their paintings looked authentic. We passed by a small wagon where a radio was playing, going over the news and events in the area. I briefly heard mention of the wendigo predation incident I’d seen the sign warning passerbyes about, but we didn’t linger long enough for me to listen in much.

“Do you want to just take one of the exterior elevators?” I asked Nyx.

She was still buried in the booklet. “That sounds good to me.”

We stepped up to one of the runic lifts, a glass capsule with sliding doors that floated in a pillar of glowing blue light. A few men in suits stepped off the elevator together. I noticed one stared at Nyx as they left, but I didn’t say anything. We entered the enclosed space together, and I pressed the button for the twentieth floor where the food court was located.

The doors slid shut with a soft hum, and a rune flashed to life on the floor. Silently, the elevator started to rise.

I looked out over the city, admiring everything that was Nultock. The Grinning Moon was visible in the distance as we rose over most of the buildings, its silvery logo glowing over the river.

Nyx planted her feet on the elevator’s ground, a small frown on her lips.

“What?”

“I’ll tell you once we sit down.” She flipped another page in the book. “But I’m not liking the look of this.”

“It’s that bad?”

“I’m not sure how bad it is. That suitcase...is it still on the Grinning Moon’s grounds?”

I shook my head.

“Then I think for now things will be fine. But I definitely need to talk to Papa Criol and Mivara. Mando, too.” Nyx lifted her gaze, looking out over the city. “What a pleasant view.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

The lift’s glass capsule turned in midair so we were facing the building’s interior, and the sliding doors opened.

Beyond was a fairly standard food court for Nultock. By now you’re probably tired of hearing me make mention of the runes and sigils all over the place, but their presence really can’t be overstated. They’re everywhere, just like the hanging charms made of metal or wood and the pieces of paper scribbled with warnings or advertisements. All of that is just part of the Nultock charm.

I’m not sure what food courts outside of Nultock look like, but our restaurants are as varied as they are numerous because of the different creatures living in the city. The entire 20th floor was nothing but restaurants, seating sections, and a large play area for children. Pillars were set evenly throughout the room, each carved to look like a different tall, slender creature. One had no face. Another had long arms that nearly reached the floor. A third had wings wrapped around its thin frame. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined two of the four walls, with the third and fourth containing all the restaurant counters. Glowing letters reading “Pictograph Plaza Food Court” pulsed in vibrant colors just above these restaurants. It wasn’t particularly busy, so we quickly found seats beside the windows facing the plaza.

“I’ll get us food today,” I told Nyx.

“I just got paid.” She replied, “Let me.”

“No, you got the sandwiches last time.” I held up a finger, “Stay put.”

Nyx raised a brow, her tone noticeably amused. “Since when do you boss me around?”

“I can tell how tired you are. Rest.” I didn’t give her a chance to argue. Immediately, I turned away and walked toward the burger joint the two of us liked. I already knew what Nyx liked.

Now, try not to laugh, but the name of the restaurant was MrglBurgers. Apparently it was funded by fish people called planthas a while back who developed a taste for beef instead of human flesh. Some farmer decided to start supplying them beef in return for free meals, and the restaurant blew up from there. The logo of the restaurant was a man with the head of a fish inhaling a burger, the name “MrglBurgers!” in bright red beneath it. It was drawn like a children's cartoon and certainly drew the eye, but make no mistake, they’re some of the best burgers in Nultock. Who knew fish people would be so good at cooking beef?

Anyways, I ordered our usual meals from the man behind the counter. No fish people today, but the human guy behind the register was polite enough – although he questioned me repeatedly about my lack of shoes. I returned to the table with our burgers and a couple of colas, sliding the tray between Nyx and me before taking my seat across from her. She was still scanning the contents of the booklet.

She didn’t speak for a few moments, so I started on my burger. As usual, it was fantastic, and I was happy we’d come. Plus, for the price, it was a lot of food. I was almost full by the time I was halfway through it.

Nyx interrupted my inner monologue, “I’m sorry, I’m not trying to ignore you.”

“You’re fine; I didn’t think you were.” I replied, “Take your time.”

“Thank you for the burger.” Her gaze radiated warmth when it met mine. She put a cold hand on my wrist, squeezing it gently. “I appreciate it. This book is a weird one; I’ll give Criol that.”

“Oh?”

She nodded, taking a bite of her burger. Once she’d finished, she explained, “The book mentions the Grinning Moon by name. And it makes mention of the property’s location and its importance.”

“Its importance?” I questioned.

“Come now, Jhin. You’ve been working there forever. You know even compared to the rest of Nultock, our home is hardly normal.” Nyx replied.

I shrugged, “Sure, I do notice, but... as you said, I try to just let things pass by.”

Nyx debated for a moment, like she was trying to figure out how much to tell me. “My job is in part to protect the Grinning Moon from people who may want to exploit it because of its location. I don’t talk about it with you much because I worry it will drag you deeper into things you should not be part of. But the Grinning Moon is a beacon of spiritual power. Ethereal energy. Mana. All those energies and magics you hear people well-educated on the occult speak on.”

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“I’m not entirely sure, but I know it sits on an intersection in something called a leyline.” Nyx placed a finger against the glass window, causing tiny runes to appear on it. After a moment, an icy fog began to cloud the glass. Small frost crystals formed in a line. She drew a circle with her finger, explaining, “Every planet has its own leylines. They’re sort of a magic undercurrent that runs within celestial bodies. While nobody is quite sure of their nature, the crystals mined from them are used in a lot of magic.”

I thought for a moment, then raised the camera that had been resting around my neck. “My spirit camera uses them sometimes in a powder. I know a bit about leycrystals and leylines.”

“That makes the explanation a bit easier.” Nyx drew numerous lines across the circle, letting them intersect. “It’s said that where these leylines connect, great acts of magic can occur. A lot of countries end up building monuments and other important works of art on them because of that. The Grinning Moon?”

She intersected almost a dozen lines, letting the frost dance across the glass. When she was finished, she drew a huge circle. “Unbeknownst to most, it sits on top of a spot in Nultock where dozens, maybe even hundreds, of these leylines intersect. It’s why simply being in the Grinning Moon helps magic users recover energy. It’s why the land around the Grinning Moon has so many strange anomalies and paranormal activity is so rife. It’s also where I woke after I died.”

I looked out toward where the Grinning Moon was visible on the horizon. “Just how old is that hotel?”

“The building was around even when I was alive,” Nyx admitted. “It’s your day-to-day job, but the land around that hotel seeps with power. It’s just a fairly guarded secret. There’s a reason the Grinning Moon is only really talked about via word of mouth here in Nultock. No network presence. No external advertisements beyond the city. But word spreads eventually, and I worry the wrong people may have learned a little too much. To be honest, I worry Mivara may be the wrong person to even be working there.”

She stopped drawing on the glass, removing her spectral finger. The circle she’d drawn was now full of numerous landmarks. The Grinning Moon, Nultock itself, the Centrifuge Tower. All of them had icy lines drawn straight through them, intersecting in multiple locations.

“What about me?” I finally asked.

Nyx seemed surprised by the question. She turned away from the diagram, cocking her head to one side, her hair flowing as her head moved.

“I mean, I’ve had suspicions the place isn’t exactly normal for a while, obviously.” I said, “You kind of just learn that working there. Most buildings can’t randomly change their rooms locations on a whim. But you don’t seem worried about me knowing about all of this.”

“Oh, Jhin.” Nyx’s voice was soft. She took my hand in hers, clasped in an icy grasp that was part tenderness, part warning. “I worry about you every day you work there. My work outside the Grinning Moon puts you in far more danger than I think you realize. Hell, even working the desk there is more dangerous than you understand. But that’s why I only tell you what I think you need to know. And I need you to continue to place your trust in me in that regard.”

I thought for a moment. “Do you think I’d be a good successor to Mando?”

“Mando certainly seems to think so. I mentioned this last time, but he’s clearly grooming you to take over. If that’s what you want, I think in time you will get it.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Nyx looked me up and down, considering her next words. “I do. You’re pragmatic. You’re braver than you let on. You can handle pressure that would make most normal people here in Nultock run for the hills. But I’d always hoped for more for you.”

“I don’t have to run the Grinning Moon forever, but my condition…”

“Makes you reliant on the medication from the building owners. I know.” She sighed, leaning back in her seat. “That’s part of the reason why they like you so much. They can keep you there, and you can’t leave.”

I shrugged. “I don’t hate my job, you know.”

“At the end of the day, if what you want is to run the Grinning Moon, I fully support your decision.” Nyx sounded worried. “I just don’t want you to be tied down there against your will.”

“Will you stay until I end up leaving?”

Heartwarmingly, her response was immediate. “Yes. And I will go with you when you leave.”

“Then trust me when I say if I really hated the Grinning Moon, I wouldn’t be there anymore,” I told her.

“Even if it puts you in danger?”

“That’s part of the job, my lovely specter,” I said with a humorous wink, raising the cola I’d grabbed from the counter.

She sounded exasperated, but she couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips. “I really feel you don’t grasp just how dangerous your position is. But I can’t argue with you when you look at me like that. Fine, fine, I won’t press the issue further. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

Nyx raised her cola, and we clinked glasses.

“So what’s the plan?”

She thought for a moment. “I think I’m going to keep this booklet in my room for now. I’ll talk to Papa Criol about it.”

“Mivara won’t be happy.”

“Yes, well, she and the deer head can whine and moan in the lobby about it.” Nyx waved a hand dismissively. “This is for their own good, and I’m just trying to keep everyone safe. Now, all the serious talk aside...let’s see those new lenses.”

While she ate, I undid my camera bag and showed her the set of lenses I’d bought. She listened with interest, watching me closely while I explained what each of them did and what they were for. One was for far-away shots, one was a wide-angle lens, and another was designed specifically to see ethereal energy more clearly. I also showed her a normal lens I bought just for taking regular pictures.

“Don’t tell Billy about that one, though,” I told her with a sigh.

“Why?”

I grumbled. “He always says photography is a girly hobby, and I tell him it’s spirit photography, so it’s different.”

“It’s not really that different,” Nyx replied. “Spirit photography just focuses a bit more on seeing the unseen, no?”

“Well, that depends on the person and what you’re trying to capture,” I explained. “Some ghosts and spirits only show up on normal lenses, oddly enough. It’s like they’ve visually masked their ethereal energy. Others only show up on the spirit lenses. They all have purposes. If I were to ever go ghost hunting with a group, I’d probably take pictures with every single one of these.”

Nyx gave a shrug. “Well, I think it’s good you have a hobby, Billy be damned. All that deer does is watch trash television and complain.”

“I think his lack of hands makes it a little difficult to have a hobby,” I replied, putting on the ethereal energy lens. Once the lens was in place, I raised the camera to my face and snapped a photo of the cityscape beyond the window.

When the picture printed, I showed Nyx. The entire city was bathed in whirling wisps of ethereal energy, from the streets to the horizon. In the distance, the Grinning Moon was a beacon of light that shot high into the sky.

“You can actually see where ethereal energy is more concentrated.” Nyx sounded impressed, hovering a finger over the image and pointing toward the Grinning Moon. “Obviously here, but look.”

She moved it across the picture, halting over a few buildings in the image that were glowing a bit brighter than the others.

“It’s super cool,” I said, leaning to look at what she was pointing at.

“Very impressive.” She agreed, “And very beautiful.”

“Can I get some pictures of you with the different lenses?” I asked, “If you’re alright with that, at least.”

In response, Nyx took the camera from me and turned it toward herself. A cold hand grasped my arm and pulled me over the table, pulling me so our cheeks were against one another, her cold skin pressed to mine. I was so surprised that I didn’t have a chance to smile when she snapped the picture.

She released me, watching the printer with interest and taking out the picture once it was done. Laughter followed, and she showed me the photo, still holding my camera in the other hand. “You look so surprised.”

I had to join her in laughing. In the picture, I looked completely surprised. On the other hand, Nyx was giving an enormous smile, her arm wrapped around my shoulder. We were certainly the strange duo. The lines of deep, mascara-like lines that ran down her eyes. My pale skin against her blue form. My scarred visage.

A hand inadvertently went to my scars as my laughter faded, tracing the line from my temple down my left cheek. I’d had them for so long now I barely thought about them, but sometimes when I saw myself in the mirror or in a picture it was hard to ignore.

“We’re quite the duo,” Nyx said, handing me back the camera, “The dead girl and the Grinning Moon’s groundskeeper.”

“We are.”

“Anyways, take as many pictures as you want.” Nyx motioned outside. “We have plenty of time, and I don’t mind.”

So I did. Nyx and I spent at least an hour there trying out different lenses and snapping photos. I had her stand in front of the glass windows and took pictures from different angles. By the time we were done, I had a thick stack of pictures. Most were at least decent, but a few really stuck out to me. The first one Nyx had taken of us together, of course.

The other that really caught my attention was one of Nyx looking out the window, her hair floating behind her as she gazed out over the city. I’d taken two, one with the spirit photography lens that made her look like a painting. The other, though, was a normal picture. Her ethereal form glowing gently against a setting sun as the city of Nultock bustled beneath us. And both were…

“Beautiful.” I breathed, setting the two pictures down beside one another.

Nyx readjusted her chair so she was sitting properly at the table, going through the stack of pictures. “You know, as nice as the camera is, I suspect these pictures wouldn’t look as good from here without you choosing the angles.”

“I’ve taken enough pictures to know what looks good. I also have very pretty subject material.”

“The city is gorgeous, isn’t it?”

I stared at her. “I wasn’t referring to the city.”

She scoffed, turning her face away indignantly. But I could tell I’d flattered her. “Don’t go saying that to just anyone, Jhin.”

“I’m not saying it to just anyone; I’m saying it to you.” My reply was absent-minded as I sifted through the stack of pictures. She responded, but I didn’t register the reply. Something had caught my attention in one of the photos. Something I had hoped not to see again.

My gaze narrowed. I pushed the other photos aside, reaching for one in the center of the pile.

“What the fuck.” I breathed.

“Jhin?” Nyx put a hand on my shoulder and shook me gently. “Did you hear what I said?”

But I was focused on the image in front of me. The picture was taken from a downward angle, framed over Nyx’s shoulder to view the plaza below. You could see all the parked vehicles and people milling about. And sitting in an alley almost directly across the street from us was a truck. A white truck with a pair of speakers and an ice cream cone sitting on top of it, the pink logo catching the light of a nearby streetlight.

It was the ice cream truck that had pulled up to the Grinning Moon.

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