The radio had never worked properly before. That's why when it miraculously turned on late in the evening, everyone was caught off guard. They had parked beneath a canyon and decided to rest for the night. The knob on the radio had begun to turn on its own, clicking through the channels. Edgar, who had always been a light sleeper, was the first to notice. He was slumped in the passenger seat, arms crossed, and legs held up on the dash. Oren and Jackie began to wake up in the back, lazily lifting their heads toward the sound of static.

Finally, the radio landed on a single channel.

"What's up monstrous monstrosities and rapscallion runaways!?" a flamboyant voice boomed from the radio. Edgar tried to turn down the volume, but it did nothing. "This is your beloved host of Silver Tower Radio, Jonathan Bones! Before we listen to the new single by Space Poltergeist, I have a special message from the Big Boss himself. It's for...Edgar, Jackie, and Oren." This got everyone's attention. "Silver Tower Radio is located five miles away from your current location. We have some special presents waiting for you to pick up. That is all!"

The radio went silent with a pop of static.

"Should we...go there?" Oren eventually asked.

"What if it's a trap?" Jackie suggested.

"The guy said that his orders came from the 'Big Boss', he must be referring to whoever is behind all of this. Whether it's a trap or not, it's a step toward where we need to go." Edgar explained. Oren and Jackie nodded in agreement, determined but anxious.

"It sounds like it's not too far away." Edgar sighed. "I'll drive."

The van came to life, its engine purring loudly, its lights cast out into the depths of the canyons. Outside its circular windows, Oren and Jackie watched the strange, dark landscape around them, large pillars and arches of stone. The sky was littered with color, reds, and blues, and blacks, splattered with strange, shifting stars. They had never felt more grateful for the van, for some small barrier between themselves and the chaotic world they had fallen into. The van was warm and safe, such a simple but valuable luxury.

"I think I'm going to turn in if that's alright?" Oren asked Edgar, who nodded, not bothering to turn his head around. Oren curled into the corner, Jackie slouching beside him.

"It's kinda nice, having three of us here. Makes navigating this place a little easier." Jackie whispered.

"Yeah." Oren sighed. "But it was nice when it was just the two of us v.s the world too."

"Oren...after all this is over...will we still be..." Jackie's lips crinkled with embarrassment. "I mean, we're not just sticking together to survive, right?" she finally blurted.

"Of course not," Oren said. "You're my best friend, whether it's eating snacks, or beating up monsters, we do it together." It didn't take long for them to fall asleep, the slow rock of the car lulling them.

Gently, Edgar glanced over his shoulder at Jackie and Oren slumbering peacefully back to back. Their heads were leaning on each other, softly snoring.

Edgar continued to drive. There was nothing behind him, nothing he could salvage anyway. But there was also no promise that anything ahead of him would be of value either. He had never seen the road curve, especially not in the intricate detail it was then. Exhaustion made his eyes grow heavy and his hands turn numb, but it didn't matter. He knew that sleep wouldn't bring him anything but pained memories. "They need the rest more than I do" was the weak excuse he told himself.

The jacket was more than a jacket. It was the one thing left that proved that Phillip had existed. The sloppy stitching of the patches was done by his hands. His scent had been the savory aroma of an ancient bookstore, and it still wafted off the jacket occasionally when the breeze was just right. He had lived in the jacket, breathed, and ate, and kissed him in the jacket. Edgar tugged at the sleeve so it fit his arm more properly. The jacket was an embrace. A tender, warm embrace, in the absence of the person who had worn it.

. . .

The Silver Tower Radio Station was parked beside a small patch of cacti. The road had managed to stay mostly straight, looping a few feet ahead before branching off into ribbons snaking over the cannons. It was a long, dark building with small square windows, a tall metal radio tower sticking out from behind it.

"We're here," Edgar called into the back of the van. Jackie and Oren stirred, mumbling in lazy reluctance. "Wake up! We don't have all day."

Eventually, they all gathered at the front of the building, staring at it skeptically. One by one they stepped inside. The walls were a dark grey, lined with albums framed in glass. At a counter, in front of a silver microphone, was a man.

He wore a bright, violet vest over a wrinkled white shirt, and torn, leather pants. He had charcoal black hair shaved on one side, and long on the other. His facial features were dull and transparent, his skull vivid. His entire body, every inch of skin, shone transparently, revealing the bone beneath.

"Hey!" he yelled, gesturing excitedly to Oren, Jackie, and Edgar. "It's you guys! The guys from that announcement!" he talked loudly.

"Why did you tell us to come here?" Edgar asked. Bones reached beneath the counter, shuffling through a box of albums by his feet.

"My boss just told me to make the announcement and then give you these." Bones explained, sliding three records across the counter. "There are three rooms down the hall, you can use them," he explained, gesturing around the corner.

"...Thanks?" Edgar said awkwardly, unsure if he would actually be thankful later.

"Rock on!" Bones squealed, giving them a thumbs up. He tossed on a pair of headphones and leaned in close to the mic. "What's up Bone-heads! Guess who just got to the studio!?"

In the hallway, we're three tall doors with golden nameplates leading to identical rooms. Inside each room was a dark, wooden table, and a long, satin couch. On each table was a record player.

"It's like a karaoke bar." Oren chuckled.

"Well..." Edgar began as they each walked to their chosen door. "...good luck."

And the doors closed behind them.