First, we go see where that smell is coming from. As we re-enter the MAG station I gag and cover my nose with my sleeve. Daisy soon follows suit, wrinkling her nose at the smell, which seems to be coming from a corner partially obscured by a bench. We walk around the bench, look at the object sitting there, then look at each other in confusion. It’s just a plain black backpack. I reach forward to open it, but Daisy stops me.

“How about we not touch it with our bare hands, since we don’t know where it’s been.”

Considering that it smells like decomposing flesh, I agree. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a folded-up sheet of paper, and when she unfolds it I see it’s a letter filled with hearts and cute writing.

“Pffft.” I can’t help but giggle. She whips her head around to glare at me, all the while blushing a deep red. While her attention is diverted, I snatch the sheet from her hand and see it’s a love letter from someone named Skylar. I smirk at her and say, “Seems like someone’s popular. Are you gonna reply? Wait, I know, tell them ‘I used your letter to open a contaminated backpack. Wanna date?’

“Shut up. Besides, I’m not interested.” She snatches it back and returns to the backpack, and uses a corner of the paper to grab hold of a zipper. As she tugs on it, a moldy sausage falls out from the backpack onto the floor. She stops unzipping it, and I lean over to inspect the sausage.

“Why does this look so familiar? Also, why are you not interested? Do you not like them?”

“I’ve seen them from time to time. All I know is that they’ve been following me around for quite some time, and that they almost always wear Harry Potter t-shirts.”

“Oh wow. I wonder how many different shirts they have? Anyways, they’ve had a crush on you for a while and just now got up the courage to confess. Did you at least treat them nicely when they confessed?” I’ve never confessed to anyone before, but I know that it can be pretty traumatic being turned down. Or at least that’s what I’ve read in shoujo manga.

“It depends on your definition of nice.” I’m narrowing my eyes at her now, wondering if she made them cry, when she says, ”It’s always wonderful to dig deep into my private life, but can we not right now? We’re literally solving a murder case here.”

“Fine. But, I want answers later.” Like, did they cry? Why did you reject them? How many Harry potter shirts do they have and are they a size 12? Because I’m a size 12 on top and I would love to borrow a couple.

“Deal. Now, what is this thing?” Daisy leans closer and uses the paper to turn over the molded sausage. She peers at it for a second, then blanches. Quickly backing away and turning around, she races towards the nearby wall and leans up against it, only to start dry heaving.

“Daisy? What is it?”

Panting, she wipes her mouth, then twists her head toward me while leaning her body against the wall..

“Try holding your hand up next to it.” She leans back, then bends forwards again as convulsions shake her body.

Now it’s my turn to pale as I look at the sausage, then at my hand, then back again at the sausage. Holy fuck, it’s a human thumb. I stumble backwards and fall on my butt, which would’ve normally sent Daisy into a fit of hysterical laughter, but now all she can do is just stare at the sausage imposter.

“Daisy?”

“Yeah?”

“I think we’re in some deep shit.”

“Yeah.”

I get up on my feet, dust my sore back off with trembling hands, and slowly turn towards Daisy. I guess it’s the idea of this happening in our ‘habitat’, and not just some place we can escape from, that’s making us react so strongly to this compared to the massacre we saw on layer one. Humans really are self-centered.

“Ok, let’s assess the situation. We know that there are most likely two psychos running around: one on the first layer, and another on this layer. They may have migrated to another layer by now, but let’s assume Psycho #1 is still on the first layer since he seemed kinda brain-dead. Now all we need to do is take care of Psycho #2 on this layer and make sure we’re safe, then take care of the original psycho. Oh, and as a heads-up, if a Psycho #3 shows up I’m outta here.”

Daisy looks at me sideways for a moment, as if wondering if I’ll really abandon everything if another killer shows up, but eventually replies, “Right... but how are we going to take care of them in the first place? Neither of us know any fighting styles, and we only have kitchen knives. We should probably go to the police first, since they’re trained for this stuff...I think.”

“Yeah, let’s first tell them. Even though I don’t think they’ve dealt with anything like this before, I really don’t want to end up running from another murderer without a backup plan.”

Daisy suddenly claps her hands together and says, “Ok! Let’s go take care of this pronto.” Her stomach suddenly growls. “ And, maybe on the way, get something to eat.”

“Let’s. I’m craving some sushi. By the way, you’re paying.”

“What? No, we should at least split the bill. I’m not spending seventy bucks just to get food poisoning and watch you eat sushi.”

“Come on, I’ll let you eat a couple. Besides, you’re the one who convinced me to stay involved in this shitstorm, so you pay.”

“Those two things have no relation whatsoever.”

“I know. You’re still paying. Also because I didn’t bring my wallet, and I see a suspicious bulge in your pocket.”

“Dammit Murphy, you’re paying the next time, ok?”

The next time? Wait, are we food friends now? Or food dating? I want to ask, but now’s not the time. Probably after this mess is over, then I’ll ask what our relationship is. Yeah. Totally not chickening out.

“Murphy? What’s wrong?”

I snap out of my thoughts and look at Daisy, and see she was walking away without me.

“Soooo, do you want to hang out here with the severed thumb, or what?”

“I’m coming, jeez.” I guess I can think about things later. Right now, I need to figure out what I’m gonna say to the police. They’re definitely going to think we’re crazy...unless we have proof.

Hang on a sec.

“Hey Daisy, can I borrow that paper for a second?”

She hands it to me without a thought, and I reach down to pick up the thumb with it.

“Just in case they don’t believe us.”

She shakes her head in disgust, then replies “At least wrap it up first.”

“Sure, sure.” I fold the sides around it. “I would put it in a pocket, but I’m wearing jeans and I don’t want decomposed flesh in them.

“Fair enough. Now let’s go.” Daisy resumes walking, and I follow.