Part 15

INT. GOAT MAN'S HOUSE–DAY

RANDI stands in front of the crowd of kids and they all listen in awe.

RANDI CONT'D: Then she walked out! The shop keep said he didn't have a key when I asked about it too!

ERLE: What did you do after?

RANDI: I got kicked out!

VANESSA: Well, it was late. You can't blame the guy wanting to close up.

RANDI: Still, he hurt my feelings!

MIN: Does baby want a diaper?

RANDI: I don't need your comments, especially since you're a child.

MIN (rolls eyes): If you say so.

JORDANIA: A flying letter came in too. It describes what Randi saw so this definitely happened. The question is who is the lady that keeps messaging us?

RANDI: Maybe she's a regular citizen.

ERLE: Someone had to have bumped into her once in this tiny floating city if she was. I don't think she's any ordinary person.

VANESSA: Maybe she's magic.

MIN: Doubt it.

JORDANIA: Maybe there are secret passages underground.

ERLE: And dig where? Floating island, remember?

JORDANIA: Yes because being on a floating island with a magic goat person will limit underground passages. We don't even know where the water is coming from for the river!

RANDI: Let's focus on the lady! I'm not here for a physics debate.

VANESSA: Did you get a clear look at her face, Randi?

RANDI: Kind of. If I saw a picture of her face I would probably recognize it.

ERLE: We should act on search plans for this lady. Maybe she has more answers, especially since she has the glimpsed light mark.

JORDANIA: Um, is anyone going to address the new kid looking lost in the back of the room there?

Jordania points towards the back and everyone turns to look. GINA stands in front of the door awkwardly and gives an awkward wave. Gina soon speaks up meekly and her English accent gains a fair bit of attention from the others in the room.

GINA CONT'D: Hi, can someone help me understand what's happening?

VANESSA (to Jordania): I got this Jojo. (to Gina) You're Gina, right? Let me introduce you to the codex.

Randi continues ranting and Erle nods along with a raised eyebrow. Vanessa and Gina walk to the wall of notes and BELINDA is staring intensely and it slowly morphs into a triumphant smile.

BELINDA: I have a theory on the journal!

Jordania turns her head at the sound of journal. She has a slight smile and she approaches Belinda casually.

JORDANIA: A theory?

BELINDA: Yeah, the lady that walked into the shop could have been the one writing the journal too! I mean she's been sending the letters to Randi and Randi happens to be the one that keeps finding the letters and notes.

JORDANIA: The handwriting of the journal entry looks different though.

Peter looms over the shoulder of Jordania.

PETER: Journal? What journal?

JORDANIA (frightened): Oh my god. Don't do that!

PETER: I heard journal.

BELINDA: Do you know anything about the glass case in the Curio shop? We think we found an entry from the journal. It said uh...

JORDANIA (clears throat): "Do not to trust an insider to the town but an outsider amongst the community." Then it said eyes are watching the writer and he had to leave but will contact us again soon.

PETER: Oh, that doesn't sound like the lady. The journal you found doesn't sound credible.

BELINDA: But it's cryptic and vague.

JORDANIA: Maybe we should get a second opinion.

BELINDA: Maybe we can ask Goat Man!

PETER: He would not like false information in his presence.

JORDANIA: False information? What do you mean by that?

PETER (mutters): Unreliable. Misleading. Fake.

BELINDA: Why do you think it's fake?

PETER: Talks in statements.

JORDANIA: Didn't the other letters talk in statements too?

Peter stares at Jordania for a couple seconds before wandering away.

JORDANIA: That guy freaks me out.

BELINDA: I like him.

JORDANIA: I think any random person can give cryptic clues like him.

BELINDA: He's a clue and you know it.

JORDANIA: Alright, if you say so.

Min walks up to the board and Belinda takes notices.

BELINDA: You have any theories, Min?

MIN: You've wasted your time looking for something that wasn't there, something you were led to believe was real but it was all in your head, all just an illusion of words.

Belinda stares at them for a few seconds and leans in towards Jordania. Jordania looks at her in uncertainty.

BELINDA (whispers): Is Min a clue? Like, do they know something we don't?

MIN: They call me blind, but they are the ones who cannot see.

BELINDA: They know something don't they?

JORDANIA: You can only find out by asking them.

MIN: I need to attend my alchemy classes. I'll be leaving the sleuthing to you. If anything happens make sure to tell me afterwards.

JORDANIA: No worries. Go do your magician stuff.

MIN: I'm not arguing with you today.

BELINDA (excited): Do you know anything?

MIN: I know quite a fair bit of alchemy, now I really have to get going.

Min leaves in a hurry. Jordania turns to Belinda.

JORDANIA: I knew them for a fair bit of time. If they were in with Goat Man I would have known by now.

BELINDA: We've gotten flying letters every time something happens.

JORDANIA: Yeah and they aren't part of it are they?

BELINDA: Curio shop didn't get any flying letters... maybe Min is like that. Like, they'll lead us to more clues.

JORDANIA: The only place they'll lead me to is insanity.

BELINDA: We have to go ask the shop keep!

JORDANIA: Hold on. Why are you here alone?

BELINDA: Conner and Lucy are out doing errands.

JORDANIA: Shouldn't you be helping them?

Belinda pauses for a second and looks down at her feet.

JORDANIA: No, you're not questioning him. Go and help your family with errands.

BELINDA: But I'll miss all the action!

JORDANIA: Everyone misses something. We all have to do errands and you aren't worming yourself out.

BELINDA: Ugh, fine. I get to decide who asks the shop keep then!

Belinda hastily writes on a scrap piece of paper and marches up to Gina and Vanessa. Belinda interrupts the conversation by shoving the paper into Gina's hand.

BELINDA CONT'D: You're asking the old man about the journal!

GINA: Um, excuse me?

Belinda storms out of the room and Jordania watches her leave. Vanessa turns to her with an accusatory look and Jordania raises her hands.

JORDANIA CONT'D: I told her to stop being lazy. No mischief this time, I swear.

VANESSA: Looks like we'll have to really make her catch up on everything.