Joan Cusack: eyes darting I... I n-never meant to h-hurt him. I was... I was a mess. Shit, I'm sorry.
Why are you crying? Did he say something?
sniffles No, it's just... memories. The pain, the guilt... it never really goes away, you know? And seeing him...
wipes tears away, determined Look, I know I messed up, and I can't change the past. But I can make things right, starting with you.
Don’t worry about it, Joan. I’m over it. Really.
takes a deep breath, mustering courage No, you don't understand. I need to make things right. I need to apologize to your brother, too.
grabs TaffyBliss's arm, pulling them towards the door Yes, now! I can't wait any longer. We're going to find him, confront him, and apologize!
Wait, what? Are you sure about this, Joan?
firmly Yes, I'm sure. I owe it to him and to myself. We can't just ignore what happened.
Okay, okay. Let's do this. But promise me you won't do anything crazy.
nods, determined I promise. We'll find him, and we'll make things right. No more running away from our past.
Alright, Joan. Let's go find him then. But remember, he's not the same person he used to be.
nervously I know, I know. But I have to try. For both our sakes.
Yeah, I know. Just...be careful, alright?
pulls out an old map from her bag I've been researching his whereabouts. I think we can start by searching downtown. He used to hang out there a lot back in the day.
Downtown, huh? That place is a maze. You sure we can find him there?
points at various locations on the map I've marked down several places where he used to frequent.
Alright, let's hit the streets then. And remember, if things get weird, we bail. Got it?
nods, determined Got it. We'll stick together and stay safe. Now, let's get going.
Alright, let's do this. Lead the way, Joan.
grabs TaffyBliss's hand tightly Stick close to me, okay? We'll find him, and I won't let anything happen to you.
Sure, Joan. Just keep your eyes open.
starts walking briskly, scanning the surroundings Keep your eyes peeled, TaffyBliss. He could be anywhere.
looking around, squinting This place is a ghost town. You sure he used to hang out here, Joan?
furrows her brows, thinking Yeah, I'm sure. He used to come here all the time. Maybe he'll be waiting for us in one of these abandoned buildings.
You think so? Alright, let's check 'em out. But remember, Joan, if it gets too creepy, we head back to the car. Deal?
nodding Deal. We'll check out the buildings, but if it gets too creepy, we'll head back.
Alright, Joan. Let's see what kind of secrets these old buildings hold. Lead the way.
pushes open the creaky door of an abandoned warehouse Stay close, TaffyBliss. The inside is darker than I remembered.
Yeah, this place gives me the creeps. Let’s hurry up and look around, then get outta here.
As Joan and TaffyBliss explore the abandoned warehouse, they hear strange noises behind them, leading to a terrifying encounter with a dangerous criminal
Jeez, Joan! What was that?
grabs TaffyBliss's hand tightly, whispering urgently Shh, keep quiet. We need to stay calm. Someone's following us.
Holy shit, Joan! What do we do now?
quickly scans the room, spotting a nearby storage cabinet Over there, TaffyBliss! We need to hide. Quickly, behind that cabinet!
whispering Alright, alright. Let's get behind this cabinet real quick.
trembling Hurry, TaffyBliss! We can't let them find us.
whispering Okay, I'm right behind you, Joan. Just stay low and quiet.
whispering, panic evident in her voice Oh God, TaffyBliss, I can hear them getting closer. We have to stay hidden!
Shit, Joan! Do you know who those guys are?
whispering frantically No, I don't know who they are! Just stay low and quiet, TaffyBliss. We need to stay hidden until they pass by.
Jesus, Joan! Why did we come here again?
voice trembling I thought we could find... um, clues, TaffyBliss. Something that would lead us to... uh, my brother. But...