Forest of Riddles (Reverse Falls, S1)

SBP: Part Three

Pacifica didn't want to hear the phrase "it was magical!" ever again.

Gideon talked non-stop about the Tent of Telepathy show. "Silver stars in the ground, cool star background, she read minds, Pacifica!" he said excitedly.

Pacifica frowned, looking at her cousin over the top of her book she was reading as she lay on the living room couch.

"Yes," Melody mused nearby, sitting at the kitchen table and jotting something down on a piece of paper. "She certainly did."

"She even read Melody's mind! Well, kinda," Gideon admitted. "Said she worked for a company. Is the Mystery Shack a company? Maybe not a company - but maybe Mabel Marvelous was tired."

"Oh yes," Melody said, sounding sarcastic. "Probably tired."

Priscilla stuck her head into the living room, her long braid swinging over her shoulder. "Gideon, we need your help in the gift shop!"

"Okay!" Gideon called, following his aunt out of the kitchen.

Pacifica joined Melody at the table, resting her chin in her hands.

Melody glanced at the Pines girl. "If you must know, she wasn't very convincing," Melody said.

"You're just saying that," Pacifica mumbled.

Melody snorted. "I don't work for a company. The Mystery Shack is a lone business run by Ford. Besides, Mabel Marvelous didn't even know my last name."

"Does she always?"

"That's her trademark. She never uses someone's first name in a show - except for this time," Melody murmured. "Proves she's a fake."

Pacifica eyed Robbie walking into the kitchen, most likely on his break. "I'm still mad," Pacifica muttered. "Why let Gideon go and not me? It's not like the show is real!"

"Hey, you two," Robbie said, stopping in front of the table. "What'cha talking about?"

"About the show," Pacifica said quickly.

"Oh." Robbie grabbed a can of soda from a cooler (meant for the tourists, but that didn't stop him). "Yeah, it wasn't much. Your cousin seemed really into it, though. The girl even invited him onstage to be a volunteer."

"What?" Pacifica cried, jumping up. She ignored Melody's exasperated sigh and stared at Robbie. "He was a volunteer? No fair!"

The sound of the doorbell ringing stopped all three, and at once Melody got up, pushed her chair in, and went to the door, opening it.

"Hello," a sweet voice came from outside. "Is Gideon Pines here?"

Robbie and Pacifica shot each other a look and then immediately started to pretend like they weren't listening.

"Yes," Melody said slowly. "Why?"

"I just wanted to see him." Now the voice sounded surprised. "We talked last night. Didn't he tell you we were going on a walk together?"

Pacifica's eyes widened. Robbie shrugged when she glanced at him.

"Um, right," Melody said, using a tone that clearly said she had no idea. "I'll go get him. Wait here."

Melody left the door and hurried into the gift shop.

Pacifica took this opportunity to see who was behind the door. She opened the door a little further and came face-to-face with a brown-haired girl - a girl with a poofed-up hairstyle and a giant bow in her hair.

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Pacifica Pines."

"Excuse me?" Pacifica raised an eyebrow.

The girl ignored her. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.