Professor Layton and the Memories Of A Time Gone By

13: Moonlight Madness

"The oldest thing we can see is the sky, with its stars, billions of years old."

"No way you could have solved it that fast!" Albert protested, stamping his feet in agitation. "You must have heard that puzzle before. You didn't even look outside to see the sky!"

Hershel merely smiled but then turned to Clive.

"Uh... Oh, I see. You want me to explain. Just like Luke. Alright then... Well, whether he heard it before or not is irrelevant. While we are not outside, the moon's light is shining into the room around us." He smiled triumphantly, but then stopped. He gasped and ran to the shop door and stared outside, towards the sky. "Wait a second, it can't be night already!"

Flora, Dimitri and Albert quickly joined him in the window and stared towards the sky, dazzled as they saw indeed that it was night and the moon was shining bright. Hershel and Laurel joined them shortly and both frowned as they observed the sky.

"We left the Anderson residence a little before noon, and then we went straight to the Trinket shop before coming here. That would make it midday now. Am I right in assuming this?" Hershel pondered, turning to face Laurel. The old woman was standing as still as a statue and did not seem to notice what Hershel had said. "Laurel?"

He followed her gaze, to the moon outside, and Dimitri and Clive turned too, Clive raising an arm.

Flora glanced slowly at the Professor, her face white as snow.

"Professor!" she cried, running past the others and throwing her arms around him. "What's wrong with them?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"They're all frozen like that!" She stared past Laurel and at Albert, both figures as still as statues.

Hershel's face dropped and he quickly went to examine the others. Clive and Dimitri remained paralysed, watching with open jaws, as if about to say something. Then it became clear they were deadly rigid. Hershel poked Dimitri's chest, and he wavered back and forth on the spot.

"How curious..."

"Professor, I'm scared!"

"I know," he muttered, gripping Flora's shoulders. "It is quite frightening, but do not worry. There is a perfectly logical explanation for why-"

The light emanating from the moon disappeared, a flash of blue light devouring the sky in an instant, and then darkness. The frozen members of the group began moving again, as if the whole bizarre incident hadn't occurred.

"What happened to you?!" Flora exclaimed running to Clive, throwing her arms around him. He frowned, not used to this sign of affection.

"What is... worrying you?" he wheezed as the young girl squeezed him tighter. "We were staring outside and then you just hugged me."

"I see..." Hershel muttered.

"Something happened..." Albert observed, taking a step towards Hershel. "I can see it in your eyes."

"It wasn't just you, or Dimitri - or Clive. It was also the witch." Flora gasped as she realised what she said. "I mean Laurel..."

"WITCH!" The old woman exclaimed, her face growing increasingly red.

"I'm sorry... I-it was just a mistake. A slip of the tongue..."

"I'll show you what happens when I slip and cut out your sweet little tongue with my kitchen knife, dearie!"

"I think it is best if we leave..." Hershel stated.

"But-"

"Now!"