[h1][color=gray]Harmon Rottlage[/color] and [color=brown]Ruben Tarblatt[/color][/h1]
[hr]
[indent][i]Oh a lady from New Hampshire, name of Mary Alan-Ghoul
Could not have done much better living in that woman’s shoe
She managed fourteen babies like the Catholics often do
And she brought ‘em all on down to my cathedral[/i][/indent]

Time had passed. Not much had changed.

Harmon and Ruben were both seated in the latter’s classroom. Harmon was working on assignments issued to him by other teachers running other classes (mainly math and tech related), while Ruben was adding on to the Cranial Eclipse’s protective layer with the latest batch of plucked head shards. It was after classes, so they had the room to themselves, no one bothering them. The radio was sitting on the same table they were both occupying, playing another strange song.

[indent][i]Now Angelique was broken, when she came out of the box
She tried to run away but wound up stickin’ to the docks
And Lazy Ann got restless while Rene reset the clocks
But they all came down to my cathedral[/i][/indent]

It was nice.

[indent][i]And they all came down, yeah they all came down
Oh they all came down to my cathedral
From the youngest to olden, they knelt down just like I told ‘em
And the sisters never spared the rod or cane[/i][/indent]

Suddenly, there was a pause in Harmon’s jotting down numbers and letters. He raised his head a bit as he began to speak. [color=gray]“What… [i]did[/i] happen… to that, that… [i]thing[/i]?”[/color]

[color=brown]“Speaking. Of the matter. Is ill. Advised.”[/color] Ruben responded, as he ran some kind of welding tool across the inner layer of the Brainvault with one tendril.

[color=gray]“I understand, but… everyone just, just seems so… [i]dismissive[/i], about the experience…”[/color]

[indent][i]Jimmy-John was just a baby when his suicide was planned
And Christopher was never dealt one single winning hand
The old man hated Latin, so he signed ‘em up for band
And he practiced what he preaches, in a way[/i][/indent]

[color=brown]“It. Is not. Surprising.”[/color] Ruben replied, [color=brown]“They. Are simply. Passing. Through. The interval.”[/color]

[color=gray]“But…”[/color]

[color=brown]“Harmon.”[/color]

[indent][i]Now Giselle could see me sideways, and she filled me with desire
She would tease me in confession, ‘till I feared the mortal fire
And I know that there were others, but my mind is old and tired
But trust me when I say
That I remember to this day
How they all came down to my cathedral[/i][/indent]

[color=brown]“You. Took. The proper. Course. Of action. You removed. Yourself. From the situation.”[/color] Ruben said, setting down his tools, turning towards Harmon. [color=brown]“Leave. The matter. For your own. Benefit. As well. Any. Others. That may. Transpire. In. The future.”[/color] There was a bit of a pause as he continued with, [color=brown]“And. They will. Happen. I. Am certain.”[/color]

[indent][i]And they all came down, yeah they all came down
Oh they all came down to my cathedral
From the youngest to the olden, they knelt down just like I told ‘em
And the sisters never spared the rod or cane
And not one kid outlived the family name[/i][/indent]

Harmon simply sat and listened as Ruben finished speaking. [color=brown]“The appropriate. Measures. Will be taken. By select. Individuals. Nothing. You need. Concern. Yourself. With.”[/color]

Harmon slowly turned his head away. After a short moment, he said, [color=gray]“A-… alright…”[/color] He gathered up his papers, mostly done with his assignments, and stood up from his stool, deciding to take the remainder of his work elsewhere. Maybe his dorm, maybe the garden, wherever seems appropriate at the time. He walked towards the door and exited the room, and Ruben simply kept working on the Cranial Eclipse.

[indent][i]And they all came down
To the center of the town
Yeah they all came down to my cathedral
My cathedral
My cathedral
My cathedral
My cathedral
My cath-[/i][/indent]

The radio cut out.

Part of the song.