Tristan's eyelids were heavy with sleep. He blinked several times to clear the haze, and for a split second he couldn't remember where he was or why Mary was with him. Then the memory hit him as his soul crashed back into his body, making him sick to his stomach.

Tristan: "How long have I been sleeping?"
Mary: "Hours maybe? I don't know. But I think this is our stop."

Tristan sat up and looked out the window. It was still dark out, but the darkness seemed to shimmer like moonlight reflecting off of a lake.

Tristan: "Why? Where are we?"
Mary: "How am I supposed to know? The last six stops just didn't feel right."
Tristan: "The last six stops? Why didn't you wake me?"

Mary shrugged.

Mary: "I didn't think they were our stops. Don't worry, I'm sure I'm right about this."
Tristan: "Says the dead girl with no neural synapses."
Mary: "Just look. This is where Emily would go."

Tristan cast a dubious look toward Mary before turning back to the window. He felt an undeniable sense of peace and passion at the same time.

Tristan: "Okay."

They waited until the bus came to a full stop before getting up and moving toward the door. The bus driver held up his wrist as they passed, pointing to Tristan's watch and grinning. Tristan nodded at him curtly, and Mary blew him a kiss, winking before hopping off the last step.

Tristan: "Are you okay?"
Mary: "Sure, why?"
Tristan: "I don't know. You don't seem yourself."

Mary shrugged and took a bite of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that had suddenly manifested itself in her possession.

Mary: "Maybe I'm not such a bad person after all."
Tristan: "What? Who said anything about you being a bad person?"

Mary shot him a look that was clearly meant to question his sanity. Tristan decided not to continue down that particular line of questioning; he was already lost enough.

Tristan: "Never mind then. Shall we?"

Tristan nodded toward the field before them, and they started walking. After a few paces, Mary handed him half of her sandwich.

Tristan: "No thanks, you eat it."

Mary brought the remaining half of her sandwich to her mouth and wrinkled her nose in disgust. Without taking another bite, she shoved the sandwich into Tristan's hands.

Mary: "Really, take it. I started feeling bad that I was eating in front of you, and then I started thinking about what you eat, and now I'm pretty sure this half is a peanut butter and blood sandwich."
Tristan: "That's... erm... I do eat regular food, actually."
Mary: "But you can live without it. You'd die without blood."
Tristan: "Well, yes, but... I don't really like peanut butter?"

Mary looked at him doubtfully.

Tristan: "I'll tell you what, when you get thirsty, conjure us some cherry Kool-Aid and I'll take the last half of that."
Mary: "Deal."

Tristan grimaced at the sandwich before allowing it to drop to the ground. They were approaching a stone wall of some sort. Beyond it, traces of music floated to them on the light breeze. Mary stopped and pointed, squinting through the darkness.

Mary: "There. That must be the entrance."

Tristan followed her gaze and saw a gap in the wall. They quickened their pace as they approached it.

Tristan: "Well this is..."

Tristan wasn't able to complete his thought as the two of them stopped and stood in front of a set of turnstiles. A woman on the other side smiled at them.

Caitlin: "Do you have your passes?"
Tristan: "No, I'm afraid we don't."

Caitlin: "Oh! No problem then. You can buy passes just over there."

Tristan: "I'm fresh out of watches."
Mary: "What else have you got?"
Tristan: "The shirt on my back?"
Mary: "I don't think that will go for much. These Velvet Curtains aren't that famous yet."
Tristan: "This Velvet Oblivion."

Mary: "Right, whatever."
Tristan: "Didn't you design the sleeve for our next album?"
Mary: "Yes, but then I got fired."
Tristan: "Can't imagine why."

Mary rolled her eyes as she grabbed Tristan’s hand and led him to the ticket office.