construct," Isabella said. "It only has one continuous surface, so if you started at any point and moved along the band, you'd end up at the beginning without crossing any boundaries."
"So it's an infinity sort of thing?" Maryann asked.
"Sort of. It's a loop, basically. I don't know if it means anything," Leah said. "It just looks cool."
"Oh, okay. Hey, wasn't it weird what that thing said about us returning?"
"Yeah, but it was probably lying," Nora said.
"It seemed kind of surprised when it said that. Maybe it wasn't lying."
"It had to be lying. We'd never met it before. And if it wasn't lying, we'll worry about it later, okay?"
"Okay, ladies, let's not worry about it anymore," Isabella said. "It's been a long night and we should probably be grateful we didn't end up losing time in Fairyland."
"Yeah, we actually gained time," Leah said. "It's all wibbly-wobbly." Then she sat straight up in the seat. "Maryann, let me see that notebook." She handed it over and Leah re-read through the prophecy.
"Nora, do you really think I'm stupid?" Maryann asked hesitantly.
"No. I do think your boyfriends get us in trouble. And they do," Nora said. "Look, we all have doubts and think mean things. That's why we write them in our journals or diaries; so we don't say them out loud and hurt anyone's feelings."
"That thing just knew what we wrote and was trying to turn us against each other. And when it worked, you got tangled up in those shadow tendrils," Isabella said.
"So you don't think I ruined your lives with this band?" Maryann asked.
"Of course not. Don't let that thing get to you now that it's trapped. We all made our own choices," Nora answered. "We knew the odds. We knew the consequences. If we never make it, it's not your fault. I'll have no one to blame but myself."
Isabella nodded in agreement.
"Leah?" Maryann asked.
"What?" She closed the notebook. She thought she understood exactly what the weird prophecy meant, but since everyone still seemed on edge, she decided not to mention it to the others. "Oh, yeah, right. Like I didn't know all that stuff about my family. Nora's totally right. Don't let that thing get to you. We'll make or we won't and that's the way of it. No matter what that thing says or does, we own our choices and the consequences of those choices, okay?"
"Okay," Maryann replied, looking relieved. "Hey, it was pretty cool listening to ourselves, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. I think I need to tighten up that drum solo though," Leah said.
The band continued to talk about their show until they got to their hotel where they gratefully went to bed.
The Lyrics:
Don't put words in my mouth
Don't twist what I say
Don't spread silly gossip
And lead people astray
Hyperbole goes too far
Lies have no humor
You're causing trouble
And spreading rumors
Refrain: That's not what I said
We'll never agree
Repeating it doesn't make it so
Don't quoth me
Why did you say that?
Are you just bored
What makes you lie
And use words like swords?
You exaggerate my anger
And make me look plain mean
People know I'm not like that
But you still made a scene
Refrain
I'll just be patient
They'll figure out what's true
Given enough time
They'll see through you
You can't fool them forever
No matter the lies you repeat
The truth will set us all free
And expose your deceit
Refrain x2
Track 5 - Cathedral of the Soul
The Interview:
Bryan: The next track is the big hit of the album, “Cathedral of the Soul.” It's like soulful pop ballad.
Anna: Excuse me; I'll be right back. [leaves]
Kelly: We can take a break.
Lenore: No, it's fine.
Bryan: Why did she leave?
Lee: Her contacts have been bothering her all day. She probably went to take care of that. We can continue the interview without her.
Bryan: It's not a problem to wait.
Belle: It's fine.
Lee: So what do you want to ask us about our breakaway pop hit?
Kelly: What was your inspiration?
Lee: That's a really common question.
Bryan: That you are notorious for not answering.
Lenore: I think everyone has done things they regret and would like some way to move past that. People want to be forgiven and sometimes they either don't know how to ask or know the person they've wronged won't forgive them.
Kelly: So it's a metaphor for finding that forgiveness?
Lee: Sure, that's as good a theory as any.
Bryan: And judging by the cover art, if it was a real place it would be full of rainbows and butterflies?
Lenore: You make it sound like a fourth-grade girl's art project.
Belle: Rainbows are a classic symbol of promises and renewal. Butterflies are symbols of spirits. But that's just our interpretation.
Lenore: Clearly your idea of a cathedral of the soul would look a little different.
Lee: But hey, whatever works for you. What works for us is people liking our song. And considering the album is probably going to go gold, I'd say people don't mind the cover art.
Kelly: They've got a good point there Bryan.
The Inside Story:
Nevermore and the Ravens were on the road again, this time in Louisiana. Isabella, as usual, was driving and the others were in their usual places, but this time they were joined by their agent's son, Dave, who was sitting in the back between Leah and Maryann.
"The show was good, right?" Dave asked.
The four women were busy with either driving or playing games on their mobile devices.
"I mean, the venue was bad."
"Really? You think?" Leah snapped, not looking at him.
"Okay, look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't realize it was in such a bad neighborhood."
"It wasn't the neighborhood," Nora said tightly.
"I also didn't know it was like bachelor party central," Dave sighed.
"Yeah, that was the problem," Maryann said.
"Well, I'll know for next time. Usually Dad puts black marks on the list when a place is just too bad," he said. "Guess he must have missed that one. So, um, are you still cool with me tagging along with you to visit your grandmother?"
"Oh, no, that's no problem. She loves guests. Southern hospitality and all that."
"Okay, good. But hey, at least the food's been really good, right?"
The rest of the band had to agree with that.
"Are you sure this is the right place, Maryann?" Isabella asked as they parked along the street next to a faded red beat-up truck.
"This is the address Mee-maw gave me," she replied, getting out of the van and putting on a hat to keep off the sun.
"But this is a church," Dave said. His black t-shirt was already causing him to start sweating.
"Your abuela lives in a church?" Leah asked.
"I guess," she replied. "Mee-maw always came to visit us."
"So you never got invited for Mardi Gras? That's a shame," she said. "My quick Internet searches indicated New Roads has a good celebration with a lot less drunk people than New Orleans."
“Any other Mardi Gras celebration would have less drunk people than New Orleans,” Dave replied.
Maryann shrugged. "I guess Mee-maw had her reasons."
Isabella adjusted her hat slightly and stared at the small structure.
"What is it?" Leah asked.
"I-I don't know. The spirit world feels close here but I don't see any weaknesses or doors."
"Is that becau
se it's a church?"
"I don't think so. I'm sure it's holy ground, but I've never felt anything like this." She cast a spirit sight spell on herself. "And I've never seen anything like this either. This place is very liminal."
"Translation, please," Dave said.
Isabella kind of sighed. "It just means a place on the edge. Doors, weaknesses between worlds, that sort of thing tend to happen on edges. This place is on so many edges it's like a nexus, but I don't know exactly what edges."
"Is Mee-maw in danger?" Maryann asked.
"I don't know. How long has she lived here?"
"Years and years as far as I know, but I didn't know she lived in a church either."
Nora fanned herself with her hands and her lilac skirt. "Well, it's hot and muggy out here so if this isn't immediately dangerous, let's find out if this church has air conditioning."
Maryann knocked on the double doors of the small, Gothic-influenced cathedral.
A plump but frail-looking woman in her nineties opened the door. Her thin, gray hair was cropped short; she was wearing a plain, button up blouse, linen pants, and thick glasses. Her complexion was also several shades darker than the band expected based on Maryann's pale complexion. "Hello, Maryann," she said in a thick, native accent. "Come on in."
The band and Dave walked into the church and stared. There were no pews but there were crude wooden tables and benches as well as some sleeping bags along the walls. The original stained glass windows had long been broken but had been replaced with mosaics of recovered pieces of the original windows and colored bottles. The sunlight shining through them produced a rainbow effect that illuminated what was once the nave. Even though it was hot outside, and there didn't seem to be any sort of air conditioning, the temperature was quite comfortable inside the building.
"Are you goin' to introduce me?" the old woman said.
"Oh, I'm sorry! It's just so pretty in here," Maryann replied. "This is Nora, Isabella, Leah, and Dave. This is my grandmother Grace Parker."
"You can call me Mee-maw, if you want or you can call me Ms. Parker,"