EXT. "CURIO SHOP" RUN DOWN STORE-DAY

MIN, BELINDA and LUCY walk in silence as they hold the letter. Min looks at the river before turning their head to see an old building. The sign is broken as all the vowels have disappeared. It says, "C R SH P". Min is carrying a cage with a crow inside and it squawks noisily. Lucy glances at the animal every so often, uncomfortable with the animal. Belinda skips alongside the two and hums to herself.

LUCY: I've never been here before.

MIN: I've been here once. The place looked abandoned and I never bothered to check.

LUCY: You did a lot of exploring in Elgin?

MIN: Yeah, but I eventually got bored. I never fully investigated everything.

LUCY: Oh.

BELINDA: What's the bird for?

MIN: It's a message crow.

BELINDA: Is it happy?

MIN: What do you think?

BELINDA: Will it attack us?

MIN: It won't if you aren't annoying.

BELINDA: How come there isn't other people coming?

MIN: They have work and chores too. We aren't living freely here.

BELINDA: Why don't they skip?

MIN: Because they have lives.

BELINDA: How come you're here then?

MIN: Why are you here?

LUCY (awkwardly interrupts): We were sent to buy ingredients. The people who took us in knew we might take all day to buy the things.

MIN: Ah. Their way of letting you get used to the city.

BELINDA: I'm going to be here for every second of this mystery! I don't want to miss a thing.

MIN: We'll see about that.

LUCY: You really think this is the place though?

MIN: The river is there. I don't know what "ancient powers" is but there's almost nothing over on this side of the bridge. My best bet is that building.

BELINDA: The sign looks like letters that would spell Curio Shop too.

MIN: You're right.

LUCY: Only one way to find out.

CUT TO:

INT. "CURIO SHOP" RUN DOWN STORE-DAY

MIN, BELINDA and LUCY walk into the small shop. There is a shelf of orbs, metal boxes and collars with bells. The rest of the store is filled with tattered, old furniture and other gothic style décor. The floors creak with each step the group takes and a layer of dust can be seen on the items. The room is poorly lit and the shadows of the room seem to take up the same amount of space as the items. JORDANIA is already there talking nonchalantly with the old SHOP KEEPER. The crow has quieted down at this point leaving the others to glance at it in nervousness.

JORDANIA: So have you got any maps?

SHOP KEEPER: Maps? Been a long time since we sold a map. Usually, people follow them and end up here. That's what it means to be curious, right? (Chuckles) But I'm afraid we don't have any we could sell.

MIN (outraged): What the hell are you doing here, Jordania?

JORDANIA (waves Min dismissively): I guess I'll just have to take the orb while I'm here then.

SHOP KEEPER: Are you sure? You already are on a path. You may lose that curiosity.

JORDANIA: I'm fine with it.

BELINDA (whispers to Lucy): What is going on?

LUCY (whispers back): I have no idea.

MIN: I need to send a message to the others. Told them what we found so far.

Lucy walks over to a sign on the counter while the Belinda wanders off to explore the shop. Lucy admires each item she observes and suddenly stops at a tiny statue. The statue is of a man on his knees with his arms reaching towards the sky while his expression is of a strange mix of agony and fear. It's as if the man saw something he shouldn't have.

The shop keeper suddenly appears next to Lucy and his facial features are distorted due to the lack of lighting.

SHOP KEEPER: Welcome.

Lucy jumps at the presence while giving a small gasp. She spins to face the shop keeper and fear is seen briefly in her expression.

LUCY (regains composure): Hi.

SHOP KEEPER: Have a look around the store. Take your time. See where curiosity takes you. That's our motto here. Let me know about the prices. I'll see where I can help. Things on that shelf over there though, they're free. (Points at the shelf with the orbs, collars and boxes) Like a beginner's step in curiosities. You're welcome to take one. But I'm afraid we ask only one per customer... Just let me know which one you take.

LUCY: Uh...thank you. Uh, where's the girl that you were talking to?

JORDANIA: I'm right here.

Jordania is sitting on a couch off to the side and Lucy sighs in relief. Ambrose gives a smile before walking away and Lucy walks towards her. Jordania is tapping on the orb and carefully analyzing every section of it. The glass is dull and nothing happens.

JORDANIA: Trying to figure out what this damn orb does.

LUCY: Can I see?

Lucy walks towards Jordania but suddenly halts as her eyes are fixated on her shoulder.

JORDANIA: What?

LUCY: Your mark...it's not a goat anymore.

Jordania's shoulder now has a black swirl for a tattoo.

JORDANIA: Oh, crap. You're right.

LUCY: Um, how?

JORDANIA: I have no idea. Maybe it's because I bought an orb?

Min walks back into the store with an empty cage. Belinda is now staring at the shelf with the rows of free items with intense curiosity.

JORDANIA: Should we test out the theory?

MIN: What theory? Actually (turns to Jordania) why are you here? You weren't supposed to be here.

JORDANIA: I am here because I can be. I can go wherever I want, whenever I want. It's a free country after all.

MIN: I still don-

LUCY: Can we uh...focus on the knick knacks?

MIN: Fine. What were you two discussing?

JORDANIA: I was trying to investigate if this orb was anything special and Lucy here noticed that my mark had changed. We think that me buying it did something.

LUCY: Yeah, there can't be anything else that triggered it.

MIN: Are you fine with purchasing an orb?

LUCY: I guess.

MIN: Where's your mark?

LUCY: It's on my leg.

MIN: Can you expose it before getting an orb? I want to see the changes in action.

LUCY (hesitant): Sure.

Lucy slowly hikes up her skirt to reveal her leg. The bright blue wandering soul mark rests on her calf.

MIN: Alright, you're good to go. We'll keep an eye on your mark.

JORDANIA: Why aren't you doing it for yourself, Min?

MIN: Because I want to see it for myself, I can't stare at my shoulder the whole time. (Pause) I also don't trust you.

JORDANIA (gives a side eye before relaxing into her seat): Fair.

Lucy approaches the shop keeper awkwardly and the man looks at her curiously.

LUCY: Can you help get an orb off the shelf there? I'm interested in getting an orb.

SHOP KEEPER: You can take it if you like, but you can't go back from where you came once you do. Are you sure?

Lucy looks to Min and Jordania and they both give signs of approval.

LUCY: Yes. I'm sure.

The man picks up an orb before handing it to Lucy. She awkwardly takes it as her hands are holding the hem of her dress. The blue mark transforms into a black swirl.

JORDANIA: At least we know it's the receiving of the orb.

LUCY: So it worked? (She lets go of her skirt)

JORDANIA: Seems like.

Min stands up and approaches the shop keep. They point at the shelf with an eyebrow raised.

MIN (sarcasm): Are there any glass orbs left for me to stare at? I can see you're nearly out of supply.

SHOP KEEPER: We have an...infinite supply of those curiosities. But if that's what you'd like, you may lose what you already have. Are you sure?

MIN: I am indeed.

SHOP KEEPER: Here you are.

Min takes the orb from the shop keeper and their tattoo changes from a box into a black swirl.

JORDANIA: Great. Now we have matching tattoos. How will I explain to my future spouse about this?

Min gives a frustrated sigh and Belinda pushes Min out of the way to stand in front of the shop keeper.

BELINDA: I want a box! I can put all my notes in there!

SHOP KEEPER: Here you are then. (Hands her a box)

JORDANIA: Where's Belinda's mark?

LUCY: On her back...

Belinda's blue wandering soul mark turns into a grey box with two circles in it.

MIN: It looks like the machine mark but different.

JORDANIA: Looks almost like a robot's face. Just with no mouth.

LUCY: What do these marks mean? I never saw them before.

JORDANIA: Oh, I have no idea either. I thought it was going to be the false prophet badge when I got the orb.

LUCY: Why the orb?

JORDANIA: Because it was the most ominous and scary looking thing there.

MIN: How did you know it wasn't going to kill you?

JORDANIA: I didn't.

MIN: It could've.

JORDANIA: But it didn't.

MIN: So irresponsible.

LUCY: I think we should explore this place later. It feels weird here.

BELINDA: What? This place is great!

Belinda runs up to Lucy with two black notebooks and a pen in her hands. She energetically shoves one of the notebooks to Lucy. Lucy holds it unsure what to do and Belinda opens it. There are some squiggles on the page already.

BELINDA: Look at this! It's a notebook that when you write in one of them (scribbles into her own notebook) it appears in the other!

LUCY: What the hell are you doing? We didn't buy that!

MIN: She's right. Look.

Lucy looks down to see that the scribble Belinda had made can also be seen in her copy of the notebook. Belinda continues to scribble and more lines appear in the notebook. All of them look at it in awe as Belinda excitedly presents her drawing.

BELINDA: Mister, can we buy these notebooks please?

SHOP KEEPER: I'm afraid the cost may be a bit steep for one with your means. That which is free always remains, unchanging. Like nature. You will have to return what you have found.

JORDANIA: I think that's cryptic talk for "you children have no money."

MIN: We should go anyways. I used my only crow so if they want an update on the marks then we have to tell them in person.

They all prepare to leave and Belinda happily walks alongside Lucy.

BELINDA: I can't wait to come back again.

LUCY: I...I don't know. I just get bad vibes.

MIN: This probably won't be the end of us visiting this place.

A crow squawks noisily in the distance.