After asking Jimmy to repeat himself, he did so and I wrote the same message out to JB. I texted him that he should feed the monster in Jimmy’s closet. A few more messages back and forth and Jimmy soon gave instructions on how to do just that.

I was shaken from my short but intense journey through the wormhole, down the drain. My vision finally cleared and the whole world stopped spinning. All things normalized as I got my bearings once again.

I didn’t think that I read the last text correctly, so I asked for them to clarify. When the text came back the same, I was confused and surprised and, to be honest, the slightest bit worried. Then, a quick followup text:

I pulled out the phone when I felt it vibrate, not feeling the need to hide it this time.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

My panic increased so much that I stopped even feeling it. I went numb. Cold. Like I had antifreeze in my veins. I watched as the doctor smiled, his lips and gills stretching as he did so. His rows of teeth clacked and dripped when he spoke.

I made myself as flat as a pancake. By spreading my arms and legs out, I dispersed my weight wide and evenly, giving me stability. Like a snowshoe. I learned that from The Hardy Boys. I think that Lizzy needs to read more books, as she kept swatting at my hands and pushing my feet away from her as I spread out and went into her space.

Every single time I felt that buzz, every time I got a new message, my worry deepened. One after another, all seemingly bad news.

I felt another vibration and snuck the phone halfway out of my pocket. It was another text from JB.

“And then, if needed, I would obviously seduce her. Which would lead to Prong Eleven, which I am too much of a gentleman to explain. So, that’s the gist of the plan. You know me, I always have a plan; but without JB here to be a worry wart all the time, I feel like I can improvise a bit more. Really test my skills as an undefeated lead detective, you know?”

I don’t think that I have ever ridden my bike so hard and so fast in my entire life. I made it to the club in just under nine minutes. I had only a couple minutes to spare so I looked around quickly, trying to determine the best spot. The most obvious one. The fool-proof one.