" Mmmm Hello.....meow."
An akward silence ensued as they all started at eachother waiting for someone to make the first move.
" Meow. Ok. I'll fix your ship but it'll come at a cost"
Will stepped out from behind everyone and stood tall near her bellybutton. He gazed seriously at her.
" What's the cost Karo?"
Karo gave a salivating smile. She started deep into Will's eyes and the gears behind hers began to turn. This lasted for a few seconds before she gave up and walked into her store.
Will looked a little tired but he walked in not letting go of the slight leader like demeanor he maintained earlier.
Apathy watched on and thought it was cute. Davie on the other hand was surveying the goods in the store and belle stood quietly in a corner far away from Karo.
Karo on the otherhand was sitting at a desk with Will having a discussion.
Karo : Hello there...
Will: My name's Will
Karo : Oh- meow. I see you've treaded on the path of witchcraft. And so have you have followers.
Will : followers...
He mumbled under his breath. This word sounded meaningful but he couldn't quite understand it.
Karo : Hmmm not bad but not good enough. You wont last a day in the Golden World.
Will : What?
Karo : Meow. Altritghy Ill fix your ship on the condition that i be your soul shipwright-
Someone who had remained silent during the conversation interrupted Karo's speech
Belle : Dont you meal sole?
Karo : How'd you know I didn't say sole?
Belle pointed down to the room they were in.
Belle POV----
A minute earlier
Oh- Oh Dear. Why are the spirits turbulent. Ah- its getting a tad loud up here. I do hope it quiets down soon.
My head has been throbbing ever since last night. I've noticed it now. but the quiet...I can feel the blood pulsating around my head. Oh there they are again..
I want to speak to them. But if i do does that make them real? Does that make the voices real? If so who do they belong to? Who are they? Are they mine? Are they other peoples? Can they stop? I dont like it? I dont-I dont-
Wisp whisper whispers
Soul soul Souls
I subconsciously asked a question." Don't you mean sole?" Huh? What were they talking about?
I point to my feet and returned to my thoughts.
Wait. It got quiet. Could there be something wrong with me? Where'd they go? Am i alone? Hello?
"Belle!"
I snapped out of it Will looked at me with a worried gaze.
" Are you ok?"
I nodded. He stared at me for a few brief moments before continuing his message to me.
" Well your our lawyer and we need you to make a contract. Can you do it?"
I nodded. I didnt really know what that meant or what i was supposed to do but I feared being left out or being trapped but im surrounded by people...
I sat at the table and took one of the stained yellow parchment papers and began writing the contract. This feeling felt almost natural to me. Its as if i did this before. Then again thats how its been with most of these powers.
The spirits around me became visible as they drifted around my body and stared incessantly at the contract. They whispered in my ear to make certain alternations.
MAke it so that shes your pet
Make it so it turns her to a frog as signs
Make her legs fall off
Take her left cheek bone
All these things filled the vaccum of my mind but i still wrote. Writing blocked some of the grafting of intrusive thoughts the spirts seemed to represent.
Using my dagger i etched into the yellow paper the final words.
"Sign Here:________"
I slid the contract over to the other side of the table. Watching Karo read through it made me slightly uncomfortable. It was as if my work was being marked by a teacher.
Why am i so sensitive today?
Karo smiled " Not bad for your first one. Keep it up and you might just be able to sneak hidden conditions into the text. But I'll sign it"
I watched her sign the contract with a blank face. It felt good but not good enough for a smile. She signed her full name on the paper and it crumbled to flakes of dust.
" I'll fix your ship up in 1 month time. In the meantime enjoy your stay at Tillsberry" Karo said enthusiastically.
I wasn't really listening. My head was quiet and i suddenly felt comfortable in the silence.
End POV-----
Will stared at Belle who was sitting down with a blank stare. She was looking at the wall infront of her but to him there was nothing of interest for her there. It was just clay decorations.
Apathy disturbed him from his thoughts. She let out a yawn.
" Where should we start looking?"
Will looked up at her
" Lets start with the dock again and work our way into town from there"
20 mins later...
At the Tillsberry Dock
The bodies of the people they killed or injured were now moved. The busy dock seemed to run as normal as it did the day before. At the sign of a new vessel swathes of people would swarm it trying to get them to buy their goods.
" Hmm ya'know trying right now seems pretty pointlessly hopeless"
Davie muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear. Will ignored his pessimism and pointed towards the floor.
" Their bodies were here. Its as if they've disappeared into the air"
" They weren't moved. It was as if they vanished from the spot."
Apathy added.
Will went into the alley they fought in and looked for any traces of Señor Carlos. On the Wall was the residual blood stains.
Will out this into the back of his mind to return to later. Then then headed out for the town.
Tillsbery