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Years, ago, some kid nearly drowned here
Everybody, thought she was a goner
But the local librarian, pulled, her out just in time
You can't drown the dead,
Hollow girl.
Ugh, Penny, really?
You up all night again?
I slept a little bit.
I'm worried about you.
you know um
We could go back to therapy.
Er, no, mom.
i'm fine
Sure you don't want a ride?
Nah, I'm meeting up with some friends before school.
Have a good day. I love you.
Wow, Penny, you look like crap.
Yeah, didn't get a lot of sleep.
I wouldn't either if I lived in your house.
Seriously, your house is freaky.
Do you remember your birthday? We kept hearing all those sounds in there? It sounded like there was someone in the room with us.
Totally creepy, and no offense, but your mom is weird. She wouldn't even let us drink. Because of your dad.
Shut up, Julie.
Are you coming? If you miss any more days of school you're gonna be in trouble.
I know...
It'll be okay. I just need to clear my head.
Well if you want to talk, just text me, okay?
You can see me?
You looked right at me.
Yeah.
You're ghosted, man.
No, no i just dropped my daughter off at school. Then somebody honked...
And then it felt like I got punched in the face...
And I was - standing in the middle of street and no one could see me...
I'm sorry.
Am i really dead?
'Fraid so.
Look, you know, it it's not all that bad. I mean, you'll move on pretty quick.
Move on to where?
I don't know. Never been there. But i'm sure it's nice.
I did all of this.
I tied the stones around his arms, the hex bags around his neck, I spoke the banishment!
I even did the blood binding. Nothing is working!
You can't drown the dead, Hollow Girl...
Mmm, I've always loved the smell of old books.
Did you know that that "old book smell" that we find so pleasing
comes from cellulose and lignin breaking down over time.
That is fascinating, but not particularly helpful.
I'm sorry.
I'm just at my wit's end right now. I haven't had a solid night's sleep in weeks.
It's okay.
Believe it or not, you're not the first person to have been hounded by malevolent spirits. It can be taxing.
Now, i found these older, more archaic books down in the basement.
This one in particular may be of use for you.
What gives? It won't open.
Perhaps you need to try a different approach to get it to reveal its secrets.
Do you remember the book I showed you a while back, the one with the opening charms?
Ah-neek-say.
Odblokovoch.
Nothing's happening.
You're on the right track, but this book is much older than you're thinking.
Itla-kuh serah-hen.
"How to Find the Best Ghost Accomplice."
Well done. You always were a quick study.
Always?
You'll need to kill someone.
Ha ha. Very funny.
You'll need a gun.
I know where you can get a Spectacular Revolver.
I watch the lights in the skyscrapers blink out. Buildings collapse and the tides rise all around me.
Don't close your eyes.
There's no time for sleep.
Because when you sleep, you're closer to death than you would ever believe.
Leave me alone!
Penny can't drown me.
Penny can't burn me.
Penny can't stop me!
Better get used to Hollow Girl, because I'll be with you
forever, and ever, and every night.
What do you want from me?
I don't want anything from you.
Just go away. I'm so tired of you.
Oh, your dearest daddy can't help you now, Penny. No one can.
Nobody is gonna hear that thing but youse. And maybe the ghosts you're making. Hence the name.
Librarian says you need it pretty bad.
Think you can get it back to me in one piece?
I've never even fired a pellet gun.
Ah, it's easy, really.
All you have to do...
Is point it at whatever you want to kill,
and squeeze the trigger.
You's awfully young to be looking for trouble of this kind. Mind if i ask why you need it?
There's this Straw Man.
He hurt anyone?
No. But i'm afraid he might.
This uh...
Straw Man - he's serious business.
If he hasn't hurt anyone yet, it's because he's not strong enough.
But it won't take him long for him to change that.
What do you know about him?
Aww...
Old stories. Probably mostly myths.
But, uh...
Everything's got a price. Even information. You know how it is.
Thank you, for this.
I'll bring it back as soon as i can. I probably won't even use it.
Another thing. This one's my treat -
One of the verses from the stories a tries to forget,
The Straw Man wakes you. Then nightmares take you.
Argh, god, she wasn't kidding, this thing really kicks!
Just point,
exhale.
And hope for the best.
The waters come, and take pets and cars and people out into the dark.
I'm gonna get you!
Go away. I'm done with you.
I've been busy while you were asleep, little girl!
Sometimes the Straw Man's got to fight fire with fire!
Hey, I'm uh...
I'm gonna head to the library. I'll be back soon.
Nope. Penny, you're not going anywhere. I got a call from your principal.
Why weren't you at school yesterday?
I uh... I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before.
I know.
It's not an excuse. You're ditching school?
This is officially a problem.
I'm calling Dr. Nichols. You're going back to therapy.
No! Mom!
It's fine.
I'll go back on Monday, I was just really tired...
No, Penny - you won't go back on Monday because you've been suspended for three days!
i'm sorry.
Sorry is not gonna cut it, Penny. Look i know it's been hard, but
I cannot stress to you, how important it is that you get some sleep. And you go to school!
Do I need to take your phone?
No, mom, it's not the phone.
I'll take you there myself if that's what it takes.
Okay.
Are you listening to me?
Hey, do you understand the gravity of this situation?
Mom, I'm listening! I understand!
I'm sorry. I won't skip again.
Can i go?
Give me one good reason why I should let you go.
I'm going to the library.
To study.
As much time as you spend at the library I think you'd be a little more eager to go to school.
Mom...
Fine.
Go.
But I am taking you there next week! And you will be in class when the bell rings!
I love you.
Fight fire with fire.
What happened?
Fire happened. This was a fire.
You know what I meant.
You're Colton's kid, ain't you?
Hey, I'm just busting your chops. It was most likely kids trying to make a statement.
It's a shame about the librarian, though.
What happened to her?
Apparently she had been staying in the basement.
She probably went her sleep. She never even knew what happened. Smoke inhalation is quick and painless when you're asleep.
Do me a favor? Tell the old man Frank says "hi."
Hey, loser. How much for a good time?
Hey, so Julie's dad let us borrow his car.
So we're gonna go up to the peak, hang out with some college guys, and have a bonfire!
Bonfire?
Yeah! Get in! They're gonna have beer, it's gonna be epic!
You know, I'm not really in the mood to be around fire right now. So...
Maybe some other time.
Why don't you ever hang out with us anymore?
Forget her, let's go!
Hi, Penny!
Some of them don't even struggle.
They're too tired to fight it.
They just want to let go.
I slept most of the day.
It's getting harder and harder to sleep at night, what with the um you know...
I'm sorry, is it weird that I'm talking to myself?
Hon, you could put peanut butter in your hair and dance a jig and it wouldn't phase me.
You have a good night, alright sweetie?
I never got your name.
Names don't matter much when you're dead.
Too soon, everybody's forgetting you, and you stop even being a ghost.
I haven't got that long. Not many people knew me here in the first place.
I know you.
You're the only one i can talk to about my issues.
I'll remember you.
I don't know how long you'll be able to hold on to me, because you don't really know me .
Once you do,
It'll be too late to keep me here. That's just how it goes.
I can still help you with your studies.
Forget about studies, we need to get rid of him! He's the one who did this!
We don't really know who burned it down.
It's not really the kind of a thing a Straw Man does, is it?
Playing with fire is pretty dangerous when you're made of kindling.
I burned him to ash once, when he first came around.
He just comes back.
He left a message outside of the library. He doesn't want to go away.
Are you sure he's the one who left the message?
This morning, he woke me up and he said he'd been busy fighting
"Fire with fire."
He killed you.
And it's my fault, because I can't find a way to get rid of him!
I'm so sorry. It's my fault.
No, this isn't your fault.
What's done is done.
It isn't right.
I can't let him get away with what he did. He crossed a line.
Give me some time...
To think of some things.
I'll be in touch.
What's more beautiful the Mona Lisa?
What?
You.
Oh my gosh.
Cheers.
Will you hold this for me while i take a walk?
Oh my gosh!
How you feeling?
Pretty good, how about you?
I'm good, and you look good.
Oh my gosh...
Hey, Scarecrow, come on! You're missing the party!
Seriously? What are you, Dorothy?
And you're frickin' Todo. Shut up. Gosh...
He's skinny, and obviously depressed.
Uh, no - he's obsessed. And the only reason why he's here, is because he thought she was coming.
Shut up, Julie.
He's our friend too. You know what? I take it back, you're the Tin Bitch.
Damn, it's gonna be a cat fight!
Are you okay?
Yeah, i'm fine.
Sorry i've been so antisocial tonight.
I mean, I get it.
It's not that she doesn't like you, it's just
she's dealing with some really really crappy stuff right now, and
She'll come around.
Thanks.
Come on, you need a beer.
Come on Steven, you're bumming us out. It's time to get your drink on!
Actually I think I'm gonna go for a walk.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
Okay. Don't get eaten by anything.
I thought you'd never arrive. Thought I'd be in here forever, waiting.
Come in. Take a load off. Look at the picture of your once upon a time happy family.
You've been fiddling around with things beyond your comprehension.
When one makes so much noise playing with the fabric of reality -
One should expect unwanted attention. You've got my attention, Penny.
Who are you?
Listen to me, Miss Palabras,
Listen to me good now, because I'm going to give you a nickel's worth of advice, and make it a dollar.
And make that dollar into a million more.
And then I'm going to buy you a mansion in heaven.
And then I'm going to burn it down.
Burn it down like your little library.
Burn it to the ground, like the city in your dreams at the end of days.
Scorch it like the sun beating down on the back of your persistent friend the Straw Man.
You can't drown him.
He's got no fear of fire.
Once, long before you were even the whispering glimmer of a forgotten notion -
I tied a mountain to his heel, and threw him into the abyss.
But even the deep dark ocean can't keep him down.
You, my little dear - you gotta think deeper. And much, much darker.
Even more in the shade then he'll let me get away with,
the way things are now.
You know what?
I've had kind of a rough week. I got suspended, my mom is freaking out. And the Straw Man killed one of my friends.
So, what's your angle?
You listen to me, listen! The Straw Man is making his own rules and I cannot abide this!
If you cross me girl,
I'll hang you upside down and out to dry.
One side rent the meat from your carcass, I'll tear your soul to bits and scatter it from one kingdom's end to the other!
Please leave me alone!
Tell me you want me to get rid of him, girl!
Say it!
Say the words!
Please!
Do not test me, child!
Say the words!
Go away!
SAY IT!
Please... Please help me get rid of the Straw Man.
The pact is sealed.
I'll make sure you have what you need to get rid of this - man made of straw.
But you will owe me.
From those who owe me debts -
I always collect.
Listen!
Say it!
But you will owe me.
From those who owe me debts -
I always collect.
Hi Penny! I brought you something.
Hey, Stevan...
Today's not a really good day.
Oh, but it's your favorite, peanut butter cups!
Look, you've been acting really weird lately and I...
I found something interesting.
And I'm not leaving until you let me in.
I uh...
I found this last night. I thought maybe you might want to have a look at it.
An old metal bell.
You've always been interested in old things like this.
Maybe it's worth something.
It's in pretty bad shape. The ringer is busted off...
Where did you find this?
Up at the Peak. It got pretty boring with Vanessa and Julie flirting with those college guys all night,
so I decided to take a walk.
I know where you're talking about.
I mean, it's pretty cool, but I don't think it's worth anything.
Well, it's yours.
You haven't been in school much lately, which is fine, you're not missing much.
I just wanted to check on you.
My family's having dinner tonight if you want to tag along?
Maybe some other time. I'm really not feeling up to it today.
Yeah, no problem.
Um I know things have been rough for you lately,
but I just want you to know that I'm not giving up on you.
Text me if you need something?
I'll see you later Stevan.
Yeah you will.
The Detachment Bell.
Well, he's lucky it's broken.
One ring of that would have permanently shifted his perception. But...
what was it even doing there?
A better question is -
What are you going to do with it?
You going to leave it here for your mom to find?
Maybe she will ring the bell.
Maybe then, she'll be able to see me too.
You!
You, killed my friend, you son of a bitch!
Yes, my little Pen-Pal,
let me feel your anguish...
Feed me with your impotent rage!
Oh no, Miss Palabras, you're not tuning, me out that easily.
No!
No, no, no no no no!!!
I told you I'd find a way to get rid of you. Now get the hell out of my life!
Just kidding!
Silly, stupid, hollow girl!
You're so foolish to think that trinket could have an effect on me!
Perhaps I'll pay a visit to someone else you care about.
Hmm, who should it be?
Vanessa?
Julie?
Stevan?
Oh, I know...
What about daddy?
Yes.
Yes, dear old daddums.
Who left Penny behind,
Abandoned to a life with a cold mother who is so numb from her own pain,
she can't empathize with the fruit of her
formerly
passionate
loins...
You stay away from my dad!
This is Colton. Leave a message.
Hey.
I wish I could hug you.
What happened?
A lot.
A Tiger Devil cornered me said this was all pointless and impossible, and forced me into a pact.
A friend of mine found the Detachment Bell.
I tried to use it against the Straw Man, but it only made him mad.
He said he's gonna go after my dad next.
Oh my...
I'm on my way to his place right now to try and warn him.
Penny, you don't need to worry about your father, he'll be fine.
How do you know that?
Did you know my dad?
Colton Palabras? I know of him.
Yeah, right. I guess i was all over the news, wasn't it?
Indeed. Quite a tragic story.
Now, about this Devil...
That still doesn't really explain how you know he's going to be safe,
I mean, the Straw Man killed you, and he said he's going after my dad next...
Penny, you have to trust me. Now this Devil is a far more pressing issue...
I should have been more cautious with your training!
I trust you. Okay?
I'm really glad you're still here. Not many ghosts can stick around for this long.
How much more time do you have?
You don't need to worry about me, I bought myself some time.
You bought time?
You perceive time as linear, like a river.
Moving in one direction. A one-way street.
Think about time - like the ocean.
Take the air around us -
Think of every moment and event like a particle in the sky,
moving with the wind,
Clumping into clouds, condensing into rain. Eventually falling,
Joining a river, and flowing to the sea.
The sea feeds the sky,
and the cycle is everywhere.
We are like atoms in the water molecules, and the whole system is bigger and more complex
than we can comprehend.
You found a way to move time from one place to another,
just so you could stick around and help me?
Kind of.
But like I said, that's not important.
This Devil, though, that's what's got me. I'm going to look into this.
Now, you said it was a tiger?
It was wearing a tiger mask.
Oh dear, that's not good.
The bell - I assume you found the book on bells at the library?
You should take it to the Pawnbroker. I bet you he'll trade you something useful for it.
I'll see you later.
That bookworm told you what?
Listen, I loaned you the Spectacular Revolver as a favor to the Librarian, before she got dead and ghosted.
Look, you got nothing to bargain with here. Ain't nothing I need in some poor kid's pockets.
When's the last time you're able to get a good night's sleep, kid? You look like shit.
It's been a while.
Have, you ever tried to sleep the whole night when a Straw Man's picked you as his new best friend?
"Straw Man wakes you. Then nightmares take you."
Have they started yet?
The nightmares?
The flood dream I've been having - the one where I watch the lights in the skyscrapers blink out.
Where buildings collapse and the tides rise all around me. The dream where the waters come,
And take pets, and cars, and people out into the dark.
Some of them don't even struggle.
They're too tired to fight it. They just want to let go.
They just want to let go. Released from the pain. Taken by the undertow.
Taken to where the waters recede.
Where the waters recede.
Where sharp black rocks lead out as far as I can see.
Rocks littered with cracked bones.
Marker stones.
For the countless masses of lost lives.
No.
No nightmares.
Just the Straw Man.
He's killing now. He killed the librarian.
Oh, you think he killed the Librarian, that's rich!
You're lucky the nightmares haven't started. It's a good sign.
But they'll come.
Eventually. It's just a matter of time.
You ever wonder why the Straw Man chose you?
I guess I'm just unlucky.
I will let you keep the Spectacular Revolver for a bit longer in exchange for the bell.
I'll keep the revolver indefinitely. And you gotta throw in something else.
I know what the bell is worth. If you sell it to the right person you'll never have to work again.
Oh, ho, kid!
I don't have to work! I do this 'cause I enjoy it!
Oh, but I likes that you're trying to play hardball with me. It show you got spunk.
And listen, you're in for a bad time. I mean a really bad time,
if you're unlucky as you think you are.
but, uh...
I got a soft spot in my heart for hard luck cases.
Tell you what,
I'm gonna give youse a number.
But that is all the extra you're going to get.
Damien Flux?
Damien Flux. You ever heard of a "Sleep Mechanic?"
That name there's worth a couple of bells, by my reckoning.
How is a Sleep Mechanic gonna help, me get rid of the Straw Man?
Oh, kid. This just ain't about getting rid of the Straw Man.
He's really a symptom of a bigger problem.
but, uh...
This fellow here,
He'll help you out, if as you say,
The nightmares haven't started yet. Early intervention is the key to an effective cure.
or uh...
So they say.
Sharp black rocks lead out as far as I can see...
Get out of my life!
I'm not done with you yet, Hollow Girl.
Who is this? You better not be talking to anyone else, Penny Pen-Pen,
You're mine!
Give it back!
Damnit!
Maybe you'll lose control and kick me out.
Maybe I'll starve, and die, and you'll be alone forever.
Maybe you'll put poison in our food and this can all be over for both of us.
I dropped you off myself.
I can't believe you ditched again! We talked about this.
What is going on with you?
You're expelled. You're not gonna graduate on time!
What happened to you?
You used to be such a bright young kid.
Penny!
Talk to me.
Okay.
You ready?
School has nothing to do with this.
School is easy.
Too easy.
Teachers give me extra work to make up for missed time, and I've always gotten great grades on anything I've done.
Mom...
I love you, but you don't understand. You can't understand what i'm going through right now.
There's just no fucking way.
Look behind you! There's the Straw Man right now!
He killed my one real friend in this whole world. He burned her alive while she slept.
No one gets it. Everybody thinks I'm weird. And they're right. But they don't know the half of it.
I'd trade places with anybody if i could. I just want to be done with all of this.
I have been carrying this weapon around in my bag for over a week now.
Imagine if they caught me with it.
That would be worse than expulsion.
Do you, want me to live with this?
Because if you don't, take this revolver and ghost me like the Librarian.
We'll all be dead before our time.
Penelope? Answer me!
Sorry. I was tired.
What am I supposed to do with you?
You don't listen.
You stay up all night. You're ditching school now whenever you feel like it.
What, you want to go live with your emotionally-dead father?
No, mom.
Is it drugs?
I swear to god, if you are doing drugs...
Mom, I'm not doing drugs.
Maybe you should do some drugs.
Think about how fun that could be - eat some mushrooms and hang with yours truly.
You've never truly been scared until you've tripped with an abomination from the netherworld.
Drugs or not -
You are not leaving this house until I sort things out with the superintendent.
I might be able to get you back in class before you lose too much credit.
If your mommy knows what's best for her, she won't lock you in the house.
Unfortunate things happen to people around you, Hollow Girl.
I'm sorry, mom.
Maybe I'll get a job or something?
I can't stay locked up in this house all the time.
I'm not bargaining with you.
You are grounded until further notice.
Penny's going to run and hide
like she always does.
Penny's going to cry tonight and bury her head in the mud.
Little Penny Pumpkin Cakes, oh so very sad!
Just like dear old daddy...
Shut up!
I love you mom.
You know what it's like to let your mind slip into the darkness.
You gave up a long time ago, Julie, and you embrace it.
Hello?
Released from the pain.
Taken by the undertow.
Takien to where the waters recede.
Where sharp black rocks lead out as far as I can see, rocks littered with cracked bones.
Wake up, Penny.
You don't have to sit out here in the cold.
I can't go back now.
My mom won't understand. If i go back now she'll never take me seriously.
I understand how you're feeling, Penelope, but you're not going to have her forever.
Penelope?
Sorry. I assumed.
Come on let's get you out of this weather.
You can stay at my house. There's a key hidden under one of the cats in the garden.
I thought you lived at the library.
I'd fall asleep there sometimes.
The couch in the basement,
It's one of the most comfortable couches in the world one of the few places I found where I could get some real sleep.
The fireman told me...
Shh! My house is fine.
Paid for years ago by an, inheritance of sorts. You could stay there for as long as you need.
Beats sleeping in an alley.
Plus you'll be able to sort out this whole situation with the Straw Man more effectively in a protected environment.
Protected environment?
Of course. I've taken precautions and countermeasures with the property. No devils, no Straw Men,
No awful things that go bump in the night.
Nothing like that can get past the gate. You'll be safe there.
I can't remember which cat I hid the key under. You'll have to help me find it.
They're not real cats.
No, of course not. Did you expect them to be?
Yeah. I mean I kind of had you pegged for a crazy cat lady.
No.
But sometimes I like to imagine that they're golems, and come to life and protect the house while I'm away.
I've read a little bit about golems.
Ancient Hebrew magic?
Hmm stories get twisted through time. They're not exclusive to the Kabbalah.
They keep rats away. And devils!
Are you sure it's okay that I stay here?
Who's gonna pay the bills?
Oh don't worry about that. The bills are taken care of for as long as you need. I made sure of it.
Okay, so one of these cats has the key?
Yes. They keep moving around.
Clarence, that's his name. He has the key if I remember correctly.
You named them?
Okay, so, which one is Clarence?
The black one.
They're all black.
I don't really know where to begin. Could you come here and help me?
Thing about that, in protecting the house from all the bad things, there's a side effect -
No ghosts allowed.
You banished yourself from your own house?
I can't cross the gate.
The results would be...
Irreversible.
Hey, hey, Hollow Girl!
Where have you been?
He shouldn't be able to do that!
You! You! You!
You're more trouble than you're worth, Hollow Girl.
You can't have her!
I take what I want, and I chose you. In the end I always get you.
You must be Clarence.
Dad?
Why was she following him?
Did she know him?
Come eat with us, daddy!
I love you, Pumpkinkcakes.
Bye bye.
What's wrong with daddy? Why does he never stay with us?
When you love somebody sometimes you just have to let them find their own way home.
Daddy's gonna be back really soon, okay? He just needs some time to himself.
Have you seen your daughter?
Hi, Val.
Don't "Hi, Val," me. You don't answer your phone? She's been missing for days!
Why don't you have a seat, I'll buy you a drink. Uh, Marvin, get my wife a Captain and Coke, please.
Doesn't look like she's here to drink, Colton. Besides, your tab is way out of control.
You know I'm good for it, I'll get you back on the first.
I know, and you'll give it to me and we'll start this cycle all over again.
No, Colton. I don't want a drink. I want you help me find Penny.
I'm leaving one of these here with you. Call me if you hear anything.
Hi dad.
Dad, I gotta, ask you something.
Penny. Hey.
You got I.D., kid?
Give me a break, will you, Marvin? She'll be gone in a minute.
Make it quick, if she's caught in here I'll lose my license, and you'll be eighty-sixed for damn sure.
Looks like mom was here. I'm sure that was fun for everyone.
I miss you.
I'm having a really difficult time right now.
Sweetheart, you'll be fine. You're a good kid.
I've been trying to get ahold of you a lot lately.
I know, um, you want to be left alone...
but...
I found some pictures of you.
Did you know the librarian?
Librarian?
The library burned.
Burned to the ground.
It did.
The librarian was inside when it happened.
Did you know her?
I was too late.
The librarian...
She was lost.
She was lost in the fire.
She burned to death.
I was too late.
Marvin, get me another!
Dad?
She burned to death.
She burned to death...
I love you, dad. Mom loves you too.
Hi, this is Penny. Leave a message.
Penny,
I am tired of the sneaking around.
I'm tired of the hiding things, and the disappearing, and the lying, and...
I'm just tired.
So I am going to bed now.
And if you are not here by the time I get up I'm throwing away everything your principal gave me.
You're going to have to make up the entire semester at Summer school. You will not walk at graduation.
And you're grounded until you're eighteen.
Or for as long as you live in this house.
Penny...
Just come home.
Please?
Now!
I'm up here mom.
Pernny?
penny
Where are you?
Down here!
Penny!
Penny?
Mom! Mom, I'm in here!
I'm not playing games, Penny!
Penny?
I'm tired, it's late. We need to talk.
Down here, mom...
Penny!
Down here, mom!
Oh, for Christ's sake!
Mom! Down here, mom!
Up here, mom! Down here, mom! Mom! Up here! Down here!
Penny?
Down here!
I'm up here, mom! Down here!
Mom!
Damn it, Penny, I am not amused!
I'm up here, mom!
Get in here now!
The bartender -
He's your best friend in the whole world.
But even he can't stand you!
No, that isn't right, is it?
This is your only real friend. The only thing you give a damn about!
This is your bride now, Hollow Man.
Your loving daughter. Your entire soul!
You thought you'd be safe here with your friend, but she's gone now!
It's just you, and me!
I bet you thought you'd gotten rid of me for good! You'll never be rid of me Hollow Girl!
We'll do this dance forever!
Oh really?
'Cause I found a way to banish you. I found what I'd been missing.
Did little Penelope have a nice chat with her crazy daddy?
Your father can't save you. Your father can't save anyone!
He tried saving someone once,
And guess what? It broke him! No, no, no, no, no, little girl!
It's just you and me!
And i know you're lying.
You've got nothing!
I spoke to a devil.
Very interesting. And what did you in this devil talk about?
Did you give him something that you'll never get back?
Devils always want a pound for a penny.
Get it?
Penny!
Seems like we're not the only ones out and about tonight.
Hear them? They'll kill you.
And bury your bones where only they know where to find them.
They're not after me.
Besides...
I've got the Spectacular Revolver.
Eh, you're right.
Animals. They don't like me very much. And I used to be such a nice guy...
Stay back, or I'll shoot you!
You know this isn't a normal gun.
Penny, little Penelope, why do you fight me? You'll never win. I always get you in the end.
Let me give you a glimpse of your future, Hollow Girl.
Easy!
Try coughing some more to clear the water from your lungs!
The Straw Man is coming...
You're lucky I was here today, Penny! I pulled you out of the waters just in time. What are you doing here, anyway?
You're alive!
Of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be?
The library - it burned down.
Burned down?
It was still standing when I left this morning.
Burned down...
Strange.
There seems to be more going on here than either of us realize.
Definitely!
The last time I saw you, you were a ghost!
A ghost?
I came here today to try and catch the Straw Man. He came out of the waters today right where you did.
This is the day he first appeared.
What? No, no ,he's been pestering me for months! I was just talking to him, he attacked me and...
And the next thing I know I was in the river...
That's the thing Penny, he hasn't been around. Not yet.
You're obviously an older version of yourself.
Your present self?
Is in school today. Fourteen years old, and only just now realizing for the first time...
that she's tuned in to a different wavelength than anyone else.
Are you, saying the Straw Man sent me into the past?
So it would seem.
Why would he do that?
Things are unfolding differently!
In my history -
He was the one who was supposed to come out of the waters today.
Wait...
Wait so that girl who almost drowned in the river a few years, ago...
Was that girl me?
Whatever are you up to Straw Man?
It was so weird. It was just like so much fun. Oh my gosh I can't even explain...
Oh my god, what is going on? What the heck is happening?
Wait, you were chasing him even before you met me?
Penny.
I was eighteen years old when he sent me back. I have been waiting for this moment longer than I ever thought I could.
And all you got was me.
Sorry to disappoint you.
I never told you my name, did I?
No.
I asked you, after you were ghosted. You said it wasn't important.
There's something you should probably know, Penny, if you haven't puzzled it out yet.
The Straw Man is out to get me too.
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Penelope Palabras.
Wait, what?
You always were a quick study.
Always?
Colton Palabras? I know of him.
I understand how you're feeling, Penelope, but...
Penelope?
Sorry, I assumed.
In the end, I always get you!
Wait, what?
How?
We're not exactly the same, obviously. I don't know all that you know.
Things have shifted since I was in your place. None of this happened to me when i was you!
We need to get you dried out.
I can't go home!
Well, you'll have to stay at my house. I haven't been sleeping there, though.
Yeah, I know. The nightmares...
Look, I think I might have a plan.
I lost the Spectacular Revolver, so you'll have to go talk to the Pawnbroker.
I don't know any Pawnbroker.
Playing with fire is pretty dangerous when you're made of kindling.
She probably went in her sleep.
She burned to death.
He said he's going to go after my dad next.
This Straw Man, he's serious business.
Better get used to it, Hollow Girl.
What did you and this devil talk about?
Say the words!
Go away!
Say it!
I'm done being a victim. I think I know how to fix this.
I'll show you where to go.
Do whatever you have to do, okay? Just get the Spectacular Revolver from the Pawnbroker, and meet me back at the house.
We have a lot to talk about.
Astvatsnery tsovy. Yerknk'um,
Yev yerkri vra. Ugharkel mardaspan e ognel indz. Astvatsnery tsovy. Yerknk'um,
Yev yerkri vra.
Ugharkel mardaspan e ognel indz. Yev yerkri vra.
Ugharkel mardaspan e ognel indz.
Desperate and foolish is the call that summons me from the pit of darkness.
You're out of time, girl.
You want me to take you home, don't you?
Take you out of this place where no one will understand.
But I've already done you one favor.
It's only a favor if you follow through.
You test my patience.
You lack faith.
The Straw Man is bound. He won't come back to bother you for a long time.
Oh, and what did you do to bind him? Because he's stronger than ever now. He's strong enough to send me here just a few hours ago.
A few hours ago, a few years from now...
I abhor your mental limitations. It's all the same to me.
Once I trapped him, I selected the purrfect vessel.
A sul to bind a soul. A container you'll never think of again.
One that can never bring you harm.
Shush, child...
No, it won't hold him forever, but it will hold him - long enough.
So don't worry about the Straw Man. He can't touch you now.
But I can.
You've no longer got the means to pay for my help.
You owe me.
And the debt is growing interest.
Please.
I need to get home...
I don't want to stay here and end up like...
Like her.
Listen to me.
Flee this city and live your short life. Free of the Straw Man but plagued by your dreams.
You can't afford the fee to get home.
But it's four years in the past!
The blink of an eye! A whisper. Forgotten.
I'll give you anything you want.
You have nothing I want.
But I do owe a favor to an associate who works on credit. And he prefers special cases.
So, what's it gonna take to send me home?
I want you to kill yourself.
Kind of defeats the purpose of meeting you, doesn't it?
How did you?
How did we what, Penny?
Penny.
I've been watching you.
And you...
Amuse me.
I can take you any where you want to go.
If you think about it in a certain way,
You're already dead, aren't you?
I'm not ghosted...
Yet.
All you have to do is start...
A little fire.
The library's gotta go.
So? What'll it be?
No.
No. No way!
You dare summon us, only to play games?
Fine. I'll do whatever it takes.
One condition.
Speak, child.
I know where I want to go. Backwards. I have to stop whatever happened to my dad.
You would sacrifice your own life to mend the soul of your broken father?
Isn't it precious? Watching them ruin themselves over this chemical delusion they call "love."
Silence!
It is an honorable decision.
It shall be as you desire,
Penelope Palabras. A fire for a fire.
Penny! I've got the revolver!
Back so soon?
Where's Penny?
It looks like she's right in front of me.
What are you doing?
Why, I'm not doing anything, pretty Penny.
Looks like you're doing this all on your own.
No...
Now I know what you're thinking, "did I fire five shots?"
"Or six?"
It's easy, really. All you have to do is point it at whatever you want to kill, and squeeze the trigger!
Looks like it's your lucky day.
Now, what to do with this little toy?
Where are we?
You wanted to change things. This is where your father's spirit sundered.
Help me! Help me!
Please help!
Help me!
Your father's partner. Your father isn't where he's supposed to be. This man will die if you do not intervene.
Help!
Help me!
Please! Please help!
Tony!
Thank you kid! We've got to get out of here!
No no no no no, I'm fine. Okay? You have to go. Call for your partner!
Colton!
Tony!
Colton I'm in here!
Colton!
Tony!
Colton I'm in here!
Colton!
C'mon, let's get out of here!
There was a girl!
What? C'mon man!
Dad.
There was a girl!
Let's go!
Let's go man!
Colton, there was a girl!
He can't see you now.
Did it work?
Because of your actions your father's partner lived.
Your father no longer carries the guilt of the survivor.
His soul is mended.
He is whole again.
A fire for a fire, Penny.
Is she downstairs?
She is sleeping.
She won't feel a thing.
Fulfill our bargain.
That was easy, was it not?
Yes.
Do not yield to despair just yet.
There is more to see here.
Let's step outside for a bit of fresh air.
Hello, Penny! You're right on time. I just finished!
I wrote you a love letter. But then, you've already read my note, haven't you?
We don't really know who burned it down...
Burn it down like a little library...
Tell me you want me to get rid of him, girl!
Say it! Say the words!
A Tiger Devil cornered me, forced me into a pact...
That's not good...
What did you and this Devil talk about?
A few hours ago, a few years from now...
It's all the same to me.
So don't worry about the Straw Man.
He can't touch you now.
But I can.
I'll find a way to end you.
So angry! *tsk tsk tsk tsk*
Your selfless act has touched this withered heart.
I'm feeling generous today, and will grant you an additional boon.
Would you like to go home Penny?
What's it going to cost me this time?
Perhaps one day I will require a favor of you.
Perhaps that day will never come.
Yeah.
Let's go.
See you soon, Penelope.
Mom's happier than I've ever seen her.
Dad hasn't talked about it.
I don't blame him.
Seems they're just not supposed to be together.
That's fine.
Dad and I have each other.
I got home. Things had changed.
I got my dad back.
So, I changed all the batteries in here for all the smoke detectors.
Thanks, dad.
You know, you should really stay on top of that stuff.
Okay.
You know...
I still can't believe the librarian left this house under your name...
You two must have been really close.
She was...
My best friend.
Well, I hate to cut it short. I gotta take off, sweetheart.
Gimme a hug!
I love you.
I love you too, dad. Thanks for stopping by.
I'll take care of the water heater next time I'm here.
Okay.
Don't forget the batteries for the smoke detectors!
Okay!
Dad doesn't know that the house was already in my name.
I haven't seen her ghost since I got back.
I'm still not sleeping.
The nightmares keep creeping in...
Sometimes even when I'm awake.
Stevan, what are you doing here?
Hey, Penny. I just thought I'd check up on you.
How did you know I was here?
Oh, don't get mad! I uh...
Saw you walking around downtown so I followed you.
You seemed sad.
What the hell?
Mind if I come in?
It's the middle of the night, I wasn't expecting you!
So?
So I'm going to bed.
Maybe some other time.
Right. Yeah, okay.
Yeah.
Some other time.
Oh, hey, I uhm... I found this. Thought maybe you dropped it.
Where did you get this?
Never mind. I don't want to know.
Maybe this card is good for something after all.
Hello, Penny. I'm so glad you finally called.
We've a great many things to discuss, you and I.
Are you the Sleep Mechanic?
Damien Flux, at your service.
May I come in?
Taken by the undertow.
Taken to where the waters recede. Where sharp, black rocks lead out as far as I can see.
Marker stones for the countless masses of lost lives.
you