The Worst Christmas Ever

Lady dumped me. She called a while ago, saying she was sick of how much time I was spending looking for Sophie and that she wasn't going to put up with being ignored. I feel like an idiot. How could I neglect here like that? She was crying so hard and it sounds like she's already found someone to replace me. There was some man whispering to her in the background.

I can't believe I've fucked up the only adult relationship I've ever had. I'm such a fucking failure.

Still think you can get away with your fuckery, Pankaja? Think again. Have a Merry fucking Christmas.

The Pursuit

I found a member of the writer's circle who knew the old lady and found out that she lives in a gated community in the suburbs. I tracked her down there and, using my job as a cover, asked her if she knew anything about Sophie's disappearance. She acted like she had no idea what I was talking about. I have to admit that if I didn't know she was lying ahead of time, I nearly would have been fooled.

I waited around after talking to her and when she left the estate, I followed her through the snow. I followed her a good way across the city, then she disappeared down an alleyway and when I pursued her, she was nowhere to be seen. What really worries me is that the alleyway was a dead end and there were no doors into the adjacent buildings, no steps or stairs.

Ever more questions. Never more answers.

The Next Step

I used the phonebook and the Internet to track down Sophie's address, an apartment on the other side of town. I went there earlier but there was no sign of her and her landlord said he hadn't seen her since the day of our meeting. She'd returned from the park with an old lady, they'd gone up to her apartment for a while, then they left together as well. I pretended I was Sophie's brother and asked to see the security footage of the front door camera for that day. I fast-fowarded to the footage of Sophie and the old lady and realised that I recognised the old lady, though it took me a while to realise from where.

It was the old lady I was talking to that time I went to the bar with the writer's circle. I don't know what to make of this. Sophie was talking about me being targeted by some cult; is the old lady part of it? Are they the ones who broke into my apartment? I think that someone from the writer's circle knew the old lady, so I'm going to see if I can find out who she is and track her down. I'll keep you all posted.

The Lead

I've got a lead on the Girl. Her name is Sophie Stevens. I found an article about her in the paper's archives. A few years ago, she was rescued almost unscathed from a fire at a church in the suburbs. I recognised her from a photo in the article. There doesn't seem to be anything else on her in anything I can find but a name is a start. Hopefully I can start getting to the bottom of this.

OH, SO THAT'S YOUR GAME, PANKAJA!? YOU THINK MY FRIEND IS GOING TO LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THAT!? THINK AGAIN, ANDY-BOY, THE GAMES HAVE JUST BEGUN!

The Lack of Success

I haven't been able to find the Girl since whatever happened in the park. It's like she's disappeared from the face of the earth. Lady's not happy about how much time I'm spending looking for her either but something important obviously happened at the park and I can't remember it! I know I should be more grateful about her wanting to spend more time with me but I need my space too, I need my own time to do my own things!

Speaking of my own things, the insurance company had made its decision about my puppets and it's not coming through with the money. Even with the job I have, I don't have the money to replace them, so it looks like I'm going to have to retire from puppetry. At least I have that job with the newspaper to fall back on but it's going to be hard to turn my back on my art after so long...at least I still have Harvey and the other puppet (I still haven't unravelled the secrets of its control mechanism, by the way). I guess I can still get a booking now and then when I'm missing it, but it looks like I'm going to be focusing a bit more time on the newspaper for now.

Well, the newspaper and this whole situation with Girl. Whatever it takes, I'm getting to the bottom of this. I have questions that need answers.

The Meeting

Dammit, my head is pounding. I don't remember what happened.. Well, I don't remember everything. I remember meeting the Girl at the park. I remember her telling me that she used to be a member of some weird cult and that she was following me because she thought the cult was targeting me or something, it's all fuzzy. She was trying to tell me something important and then she saw something and ran away and I turned around to see what was there and then darkness.

I need to find her. I need clear answers.