Earlier.
Martha had an epiphany after she visited the shores of Gallingthine. She was back in the car while Emilio drove her back en route to Palindrome. Outside, the weather had its usual mood of its own, letting a few hours of sunlight, and moments later, the sky would turn dark and howl with a series of lightning and thunder. Martha clutched the black stone in her hand. She was quite sure this is her passport back. Somehow, she remembered hearing the voices inside her head-so faint and eerie-yet comforting enough that this time will come and that the stone will give her that feeling of comfort when she laid her hands on it.
They passed through a diverging road-one going to the main town while the other road leads to the Tavern. Emilio tapped the odometer and realized they were almost out of gas, so he approached the nearest gas station. An older man went out of the convenience store to attend to their needs.
