This game has been lousy with non-participation. Gah. I'm just going to quick and dirty this for now so I can go back to sleep. I'm sorry I crashed out through deadline though, seriously.
After Shasta wigs out and stomps off, the remaining four guests are led upstairs and seated around a table in a small, rather unassuming room.
"Well," Rikae says after an uncomfortable silence, "is this SS person ever showing up?"
"In about five minutes, actually."
The guests jump at a voice from behind them, and Steve turns to see a young blonde woman tugging on her pink top.
"She got stuck in traffic," the woman offers with a shrug of her bony shoulders. "Sorry."
"Um....it's okay?" Lottie replies. "Can we at least know who she is?"
"Sooner rather than later," Rikae adds.
"Hey, wait a minute." Steve stands up and tries to see around the young woman. "I heard someone talking up here earlier. Who else is here?"
"Just me."
Everyone stares at the young man for a few moments, then, in unison, sighs, "I can't believe this."
The front door slams and there is a little shriek of surprise from downstairs. "I'm okay!" a voice assures whatever happens to be listening. "I'm good. I'm not dead."
"That's unfortunate." The young woman clears her throat. "Just a minute."
She rushes out the door and a few moments later she reappears in the doorway, carrying a large, purple box, which she hands to Phantom. Everyone can now see another girl standing behind her, this one with dark hair.
"Um, hi, guys," Sally says, offering everyone a little wave. "Sorry I'm late."
Mac just gawks.
"You're the Tolkien expert?"
"Hardly," Phantom chuckles. "She doesn't even know where the Ent wives are."
"I read the thread about it. And what? I never said I was a Tolkien expert."
"'You've been chosen to meet an expert in the field.'"
"Yeah, and? It was a pun. I'm from Nebraska, remember?"
"But what about the breakfast seminar?"
"I brought cupcakes. And muffins, actually," Sally adds with a frown. "Where's Wilwa?"
"She left." Mac pulls out his phone and holds it out to her. "You told us we couldn't all stay."
"Sorry?"
"You said we were supposed to have a breakfast conference."
Sally just facepalms. "It's so hard to get good help these days."
"So....are you or are you not the expert we were supposed to meet?"
"Well, Steve, that's a funny story...."
"No," Rikae snaps, "it's really not. I want to go home."
"As do I."
"Thank you, Mac."
Sally looks around at the four people, then to the box in Phantom's arms, which contains enough baked goods for over a dozen Downers.
"So," she says, edging toward the door, "cupcakes?"
THE END, THANK GOD
I'm going back to sleep. Feel free to actually talk for a change.
