Tori follows Gary.

Tori rose to her feet, and straightened her shirt. Like a little wand, she stuck her index finger up in the air.

“I'll be back!”

Padman had a goofy look on his face. He was bug-eyed and his lips were sealed as if his mouth was full of pool-water. She almost expected him to spit something out.

But before Padman could respond or spit out anything, she was gone.

Tori came up to the open door of the apartment and peered inside. It was a little dark. Sunlight slit through half-open blinds. The leaves of the large silverbells outside danced at the window; their shadows danced on the carpet inside.

Empty chip cans littered the floor. There was an old sofa with obvious tears. Covered pathetically with a small blanket. There were bookcases, but no books. And a TV was on. Local network. Commercial. The volume was muted.

There was a small hallway beyond the main room.

“Hellooo.”

Tori stepped inside.