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"Lottie!" There's a cluster of beetles on the lip of the font. "Geez, I-I-I-I wasn't expecting you so <span class="mu-i">soon!</span> I-is everything alright? I—"
You squint against the light. "Where's the rest of you?"
"...My, uh, manse... um, I-I'm really sorry, I just— i-i-it's kind of gone all creepy in here, no offense, and I, um— well— I thought I-I could make more progress on—"
"I don't care." You wet your lips. "Can we go there instead?"
"Oh! Um, sure, I— i-i-it's probably nicer in there— not that i-it's not nice in here, but, um—" You stare at him. "Okay, um, I-I'll just lead you..."
He does, though he pauses frequently to make sure you're following. You're not sure why, since your footsteps boom against the empty ceiling. One of the inexplicable doors in the back wall is propped slightly open, and Gil waits for you to enter before darting in over your shoulder.
Gil's manse is not red. Gil's manse is a hill and a large leafy tree and the sky at dusk. And Gil, of course, up the hill, against the tree, sledgehammer propped up next to him. There's nothing left but a few chunks of concrete and a lot of dust to indicate there ever was a house.
You want him to know you're here without having to yell up at him, and somehow, miraculously, he does: gets up and cracks his shoulders and ambles a little ways down the hill. Behind him, beetles rain from the tree and gather up and zip past him. "Hold on," your Gil says, his voice going a little smeary— then he darts past you to join them. The beetles bunch. Gil, singular, walks through them.
He's wearing a sweater, for some reason. "Hey, Lottie," he says. "...I-Is everything alright?"
"You already said that," you say. "Why are you... why are your beetles out?"
"Huh? Uh..." He rubs his nose. "...I-I-I always thought it'd be too tough to split my attention, um, but I... but it works, actually. I-I-If you think it's weird I can, um—"
"It doesn't matter."
"Oh. Uh... alright. Are <span class="mu-i">you</span> alright? Did something happen?" He's trying to study your face. "...Did something happen to Madrigal?"
Yes. Something happened to Madrigal.
(Choices next.)
