"John?"

Came a faint sound in the background - like it echoed after reflecting from the various objects and fell into John's ears.

"John?"

The sound came again, this time a bit clearer and louder than before which seems to be coming from behind John.

"John?"

It was a familiar sound but John didn't seem to be moving in the response. He was just standing with his eyes open - without a blink - just staring into a tree that was in front of him.

"JOHN?"

The sound intensified than ever but John just stood there like a statue - like he had lost his control over his reflexes to respond.

"JOHN!!"

It was from Rose.

She called him again and again, but her son just didn't even move a muscle.

Feeling a bit scared, she shook his shoulders.

"John?"

She said slowly but in an alarming tone.

"John, what happened to you, son? Talk to me!"

Rose shook his shoulders again and again but it felt solid like stone.

Even after all that, when John wasn't responding, she got a little bit angry and walking around John, she said facing him directly in his eyes, "Cut it out, John! This is NOT the time or place to play your stupid games!... JOHN?!?"

She gave him a final shook and then giving up, she said, "I don't have all night, your father's in the room with no one near him. When you are done with.. with.. whatever stupidity this is, come inside."

Saying this, - more like ordering in a tired, angry, yet concerned voice - she was about to go towards the hospital building when she heard her son.

"Mom? What happened? Why are we here?"

John sounded weak - like someone who hadn't slept in days.

Rose gave him an are-you-kidding-me look with a raised eyebrow, seeing which even though John was completely clueless how he ended up there or what was he doing there, he knew that it was better for him to go inside with his mom.

"Inside. Now."

Ordered Rose. Even though she was unsure of John's behavior, she thought that maybe it was because of his lack of sleep with all this stress around and even though the thought of her son trying to kill his father flashed in front of her, she knew it couldn't be John. He could never kill his father. She trusted her son.

"And get some rest."

Still confused, John looked around one more time at the empty area with only trees, the wind, him, and his mom, he followed his mom back to the hospital before the weather gets even worse.

- - - - - - - -

"Now what, Clyde?" Emily asked on their way back from the Church to Clyde who was staring in the space like he was thinking something.

"I mean," Emily continued, "I thought that we'd surely find something when Father mentioned Diana - that he had encountered her in the past too - but now all that we know is... is... Nothing on how to stop her!"

"Calm down, Emily," Clyde responded seeing a bit frustrated Emily.

"How can you ask me to calm down in a situation like this?" Emily stared right into Clyde's eyes. "Look around! What do you see?"

Clyde looked around the blocks and the neighborhoods and as far as he can see - the streetlights, the houses, the quietness, no movement - except the wind rustling the leaves, the absence of civilization.

"Exactly," Emily said, "We came here all the way crossing three towns. Three towns! Do you know why? Because of the curse!" Emily's voice started becoming more angrier. "The sleeping curse!"

"I know, but -"

"But what, Clyde?" Emily cut him off but closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Clyde, I didn't mean to yell on you -"

"It's ok, I get it, you are angry," Clyde said, trying to calm the situation down. "I know you wanted to know the solution really bad - we all do. But being angry will get you nowhere. I know we thought that we'd get something on how to end Diana but we didn't get a strong lead. But on top of that, will our detective give up that easily? Just because she had a minor setback?"

His last lines caused Emily to crack a little.

"Ok, ok, you are right," Emily said. "Wait a minute," She continued after a quick pause as if an idea came to her. "I have my doubts about Scarlett."

"Scarlett Swift?" asked Clyde.

"Why?" Clyde asked again seeing Emily nod.

"Think about it, first, she magically appeared and gave John that box - ok, not literally, but someone like her - and then apparently she can talk to spirits and then out of nowhere, she conjured you up and then now, Father told us to meet her to find answers? I don't know, but she seems off to me."

Emily paused a bit and then looked at Clyde who was standing there without saying a word.

"Clyde, how do you even know Scarlett?" Emily asked, raising her eyebrow.

"That's not important. Trust me. And I know her. She has nothing to do with all this Diana thing."

"If you say so, but if I find out she has any link to this case, oh, she's going down."

Clyde smiled looking at Emily's face.

"What are you smiling about, Clyde?" Emily crossed her arms - she meant business. "We have more important things to do. And we have to do it fast before Diana gets a hold on anyone of us. So, as of now, we are standing at a crossroad with four options -

one, the location of Scarlett Swift;

two, the person who can lift this cursed spell ;

three, a way to weaken Diana's powers and her end;

and most importantly four, the final piece."

"But first," Clyde said, "we need to head back to the hospital, get some rest, and then with the first ray, we are going to the Golden Gate Town."

Clyde and Emily looked at the sky - the oncoming of a storm.