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Aph put the mushroom caps down on the coffee table, and almost placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder before he stopped himself. He stepped back and blushed lightly, hoping Isi didn't notice. "Well, um... Did you talk to Dr Tsu or Dr Kyou about it?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "They might be able to help..."

Riv frowned. Had he still been under the influence of Lazarus's blood, he would have exploded. "Get Lazarus to go! He can melt the ice and free him! What did you do to him, hunh? What did you SAY to him?!" Riv advanced angrily, fists clenched.

Aph spun and lifted a hand, placing it on Riv's chest and pushing him back softly. "STOP that. I'm sure she didn't do anything to make him do that. Now calm down." His voice had a tone of finality, one that Riv grudgingly respected.

The Frei fumed and glowered at the girl, but shrank back to behind the couch.

Aph nodded to the girl's words; it was normal to think that perhaps she could have brought him out of it, but Kyou was an expert and would probably be able to help much more. "I'm sure he'll be fine... Roux is strong, after all."

Rivener remembered something from the last night he'd seen Roux... "Did he start getting this way after we went for sushi?" the Frei asked.

Aph turned. "What does it matter?"

"Well, he was frosting over that night. Last thing we were talking about was flying, the sky... it seemed to upset him to no end, even though it was something he said he liked very much. That's kind of odd, don't you think?"

"Well, I'm sure everything will work out fine," Aphismet quickly interjected, taking the plate of mushrooms with a smile. "Just be sure to do all you can and I'm sure things will be better. Let's not dwell on unpleasant things, it must be worrying Isi; how about you try one of the mushrooms?" He offered the victuals, trying to lighten the mood with an awkward smile.

Rivener sighed and let his head droop. If only he knew where Chloe and Roux lived, he would fly over right now to see this "cocoon" she's taking about, and he'd talk Roux into coming out of it... He missed his favorite Raevan. He hadn't seen him all winter, and he figured this would be the season when Roux would be his happiest.

Pouting, deciding that this entire month (and everything afterwards) was a load of crock, Riv retreated to his favorite chair by the radiator, and turned the heat up a bit more, skulking.

She nodded, quietly taking a mushroom cap and taking a small bite. She hadn't meant to worry anyone. The taste of the food brought her from her thoughts and she blinked, looking up. "Oh... Th-These.. are very good."

Her hands came together again, wringing together as she reached out to place her cold hand on Isi's arm. "P-Please.. don't worry.. Roux's always.. been a t-trouble for me. I.. I think it was his soul." She looked down, giving a small sigh. "I-I wanted a challenge for myself b-but.. I guess I t-t-took too much of one. H-His bottle also cracked... while his s-soul was in it."

So many mistakes. So many errors on her own behalf that added up and stacked together. But she didn't want to worry the young boy and she gave a kind smile. "I-I'm s-sure your Raeven will be wonderful and m-mysterious."

Isi tried to force a smile onto his face and he said in a half-sarcastic half-regretful tone, "Yeah, there's that, but I lost control of her at that last moment when it mattered most."

Sensing the feeling in the air that he had said something that should've not been said, Isi sunk back into the pillows that were propping him up and he popped another mushroom into his mouth, glancing balefully at the window Rivener had come through. If he had been able to control his grandma, Aphi wouldn't have gotten hurt and he wouldn't have taken that unpleasant trip out of the second story window. If Isi had made such a fatal mistake like that again with his Raevan...? What would happen then?

Isi gulped down the mushroom and gave a nervous chuckle, "Everything's so mopey here! Do you have enough time for a game of dice or story-telling or something like that, Chloe?

Aph sat back and ate another mushroom. "Well, we can tell the story of when we chased Beauregard through the restaurant, that was a nice one! Or maybe you're in the mood for ghost stories, Isi? I know how you like those." He smiled. "I myself don't know lots of stories, personally..."

Taking the cue from the conversation, Aph got up and walked over to the bookcase near the television, pulling the dice game box out and bringing it over to the coffee table, where Isi would be able to reach it. He plopped himself on the ground and began setting it up, moving the snack plate out of the way a little bit by handing it to Chloe to hold; hopefully she'll eat more of them if she holds it.

Rivener began to realize that this visitor wouldn't be leaving any time soon, so he sighed and went to his coat, fishing the camera out of the pocket. He would at least be able to get a few pictures out of this, he thought bitterly.

He sneakily began photographing the group, leaving the flash off. He was startled at how angry he was that Roux hadn't come. Maybe if Chloe had told him where she was going, he would have woken up?

Chloe took the plate awkwardly, picking up another snack before carefully and gently setting it down to the side where everyone could see it if they wanted more. She gave a small smile as Isi burst with sudden excitement, even if it was about... she swallowed the mushroom cap as it suddenly tasted dry.. ghost stories.

She shifted nervously, vaugly registering Rivener behind her as she focused on the game in front of her. Her tongue poked out as she took her turn before she sat back. She figited nervously with her sleeve, thinking. "A-Ah... I guess...the truth." She gave a sheepish smile as she sat back.

She knew the truth was more frightning than fiction, that was for sure. She'd seen some interesting, frightning, and beautiful ghost-like things in her day.

Beauregard looked up with wide blue-eyed hope at Riv as he gave a compliment and the whale wiggled violently underneath the frei's arm until he squirmed free. Then he floated in front of Rivener, Beau straightened his tie and rolled his brow muscles (since he didn't have eyebrows) over his eyes in a seductive 40's manner. It was almost as if he were asking "Does this qualify?"

Isi nodded excitedly and he told the story about the well, using his hands as he talked to express certain motions or actions. It was almost as if he were painting a picture with invisible paint. His face would light up with emotions and his voice would change and mold to the effect and purpose of the story. When he was done with the well story, he immediately picked up with another one.

"This one," Isi said with a malicious grin, "I have not yet told in front of you Aphi. I have been saving this one for a long while now...

*In a place, not that far away from here, there was an old home where two brothers and their mother lived. The youngest brother was a cripple and he was the target of all his mother's affections. The eldest brother, Ken, was constantly forgotten. He was quiet, very quiet, and he seldom did ever show his emotions. He rarely smiled. So during a young age, he developed an anger towards his younger brother. And when he grew, so did it. Anger turned into frustration, frustration turned into an undying hate. When he went on runs, hate was his running companion. They would talk, scheme, gossip and hiss with eachother in silence. It was only him and his running companion.

When they were older and still living in the same home, the mother died of old age and left the two brothers alone. Every day, the older brother would go out in the morning for a jog, come back, make breakfast, get ready, and leave for work while the younger brother stayed home. The younger brother would go about as he wanted around the home. He could move anywhere he pleased, but he always did have difficulty using the staircase. He had never fallen once though.

The walls of the home were sturdy and thick. The neighbors could never hear anything that went on inside the home. They would've never been able to hear a frightened cry, "-Ken! No!" Or a heavy body falling down a staircase.

Later, policemen said as they inspected the home, that there was something wrong. There was something that was off about how the young man's crippled and mangled body lay in a grotesque twisted bundle of flesh at the bottom of the stairs. It looked like he could've fallen, that was true, by the way he had snapped his neck in two. But...It just didn't make sense. If Ken went for a run in the evening, he would've had to step over his brother's mangled corpse to get up to his room and get his gear. It just didn't make sense...

A day earlier, Ken walked out of the home with a smile on his face and went around his daily routine. Then he came back home later in the evening and decided to take a run. So he geared himself up and left the home in all its silence, a grin on his face.

He decided to take his usual route. Ken was having the time of his life, the cold evening wind in his hair, a bubbling joy in his stomach, an exploding feeling of freedom! As he ran he felt as if he was flying and he could run the edge of the earth. He had gotten into the calm stride, the one that fit him most and it felt like he could go on forever.

It was then that Ken heard footsteps running behind him. They were very far away, just out of ear's reach. He was so peaceful that at first he hardly even noticed. After a while, he began to focus on the sounds of the running footsteps behind him and they seemed to be getting closer. He at first thought it could've been an echo...But it wasn't. They followed almost exactly like his but just miliseconds apart. Then he thought it must've been another runner. So he changed his route and started for the subway. He could hop on and take it back home.

When he changed routes...The footsteps followed.

Alright, he thought. So maybe it was a person running late for the evening bus. Ken changed routes again and ran right past the subway and started for the park.

The footsteps still followed.

Frowning now, Ken was very much disturbed and he felt his heart begin to pick up speed. As his heart picked up speed, so did his legs and he increased his pace to outrun the pursuer. When he changed paces, so did the footsteps. Faster and faster his heart beat and faster and faster did he run! As he crossed into the park, he took a sudden swerve off the concrete path and onto the grass. The soft moist grass padded his footsteps and the pursuer behind him was no longer heard. After a few moments, he made his way back onto the concrete and he was relieved to hear that the footsteps behind him were gone.

They he heard them once more.

Whoever, whatever, was following him had cut across the grass as well. Now, they were nearer than ever!

Ken felt his heart steadily beat faster and faster as he heard the footsteps slly gaining upon him. He started bolting across the park, zig-zaging every which way as he msde his way to a huge steep hill in the center of the park. That hill was the highest of challenges for runners. Only Olympic runners would dare tackle that hill. But Ken made his way towards it nonetheless. At this time in the evening, people would be there on top of it to watch the sunset. If he were to get to the people...Maybe he would be safe. That was his reasoning. So he gave all that he had to his legs and ran as fast as he could. Sweat beaded and dripped off his forehead, the heat of his moving body stuck to him in a thick haze, and the crisp air was so cold that it burned in his lungs as he panted and gasped for breath.

The footsteps were getting nearer...nearer...! They were almost upon him! Ken threw himself up the slope and he felt himself slowing and he felt the footsteps nearly upon him.

The people on top of the hill, one by one, began to notice the strange running man. One man commented that he looked like a crazy rabbit the way he bolted to and fro. It almost looked like someone was chasing him, but there was no one there. Another man shouted as he began up the hill. A woman gasped, "He's going to kill himself by running up this!" In awed frightened fascination, the crowd gathered and watched in quiet.

The footsteps! They were moments away! Ken had to keep running, that was the only thing that could save him. Running! Running! He had to run faster! Then Ken could hear the breathing of someone running up just behind him. Then he heard a voice say in a voice so softly, so tenderly...so lovingly!

"...Ken!"

Stumbling to a halt, Ken turned around, his heart beating loud in his ears and shrieked.

The people upon the hill said that the sound that emited itself from that poor man's throat was the most terrible thing to hear. It still haunted them years after, they could still hear that scream from the soul, from the gut, of complete dreaded horror fill the air and resound off the hilltop. It was the most terrible sound they could've ever heard.

After he screamed, the people broke off and ran to him. But it was too late. The doctors said that he had died immediately of a heart failure.

However, the doctor's word didn't ease the witnesses. The death mask of Ken was something that couldn't be explained by a heart failure. His face was twisted into a grotesque visage of complete and utter horror, his eyes frozen as wide as they could be, his mouth open and hanging to the side as if his jaw and broken from the ferocity of the shriek. It looked as if he had seen someone he had not expected. A face that he had feared, had been horrified of when he turned around and came face to face with...

...His running companion."

* This story is a condensed version of Philippa Pearce's "The Running Companion" from her novel of short scary stories, "Familiar and Haunting"