"Are you serious about changing? Was that the truth?" Karl asked rapidly, his eyes searching Ruby's face.
Julian quickly pulled him back. "Karl, don't forget she always behaves fine when she wants money," Julian whispered in his ear, making sure Ruby couldn't hear anything.
Ruby glanced at them suspiciously but didn't have time to dwell on their whispers. She had to find her third husband, Milo.
"You two," Ruby called out suddenly. Both Karl and Julian's eyes widened, thinking she might have overheard them.
Seeing their startled expressions, Ruby continued, "Do you have any idea where Milo is?"
Karl and Julian exchanged nervous glances before Julian spoke up, "He's in the market."
"Lead the way," Ruby commanded.
Julian looked at Ruby with a disappointed expression. Milo always walked two kilometers to the market just to make money for her. No matter how much they tried to make him understand, he would never listen to them. If they tried to force him, he would sulk in a corner, refusing to talk or eat anything
"Let's go." Karl said, striding toward the healer's house where he had parked the Ecto bike.
"I'll drive, okay? You both hold on to me tightly." Karl announced, coming back with the Ecto bike in his arms.
Ruby's eyes widened in horror at the thought of Karl driving, and Julian's face mirrored her expression.
"NO!" they both shouted in unison, making Karl look at them with a hurt expression.
"I drive steadily, way better than many! Why can't I drive?" he asked, a bucket of tears ready to spill from his eyes if they said anything else against him.
Julian shivered, his voice soft and gentle as he spoke. "Karl, I'm sure you must be very tired. I even took a rest, but you've been busy all day. I don't want to make you more tired than you already are," he said.
Karl looked at him emotionally, eyes glistening. "Thank you, brother Julian! You're the best." he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
Ruby watched their interaction and sighed in relief.
They had successfully avoided a disaster.
"I will drive," Julian said, taking the bike from Karl's hands. He positioned himself on the skateboard-like platform, gripping the handlebar. "Alright, both of you can stand behind me."
The Ecto-bike was designed for only two people, so when Karl stood behind Julian, there was barely any space left for Ruby. She hesitated for a moment, looking at the cramped space.
"Stupid wife, stand behind me quickly or else we will leave you without hesitation and we will not even regret it!" Karl shouted.
Ruby rolled her eyes but carefully stepped onto the narrow platform. She found herself with no choice but to wrap her arms around Karl waist to keep her balance. As Julian started the bike, it lifted smoothly into the air, gliding forward.
As soon as Ruby's hands wrapped around Karl's waist, he started feeling ticklish. He tried to control his giggles, not wanting to let Ruby know. His whole body shook slightly as he fought to keep a straight face.
Julian, noticing Karl's odd behavior, turned his head slightly. "Karl, are you okay back there?"
Karl cleared his throat, trying to steady himself. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... enjoying the ride."
Ruby raised an eyebrow, sensing something was off. "Karl, are you sure?"
"Absolutely!" Karl replied, his voice a little higher than usual. "Let's just focus on getting where we need to go."
As they continued to soar through the air, Karl's struggle to suppress his giggles became a personal battle.
Ruby tightened her grip slightly for balance, and Karl bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.
Ruby's eyes sparkled with amazement as they reached the market area. Victorian-style cars called cloud carriages, floated gracefully alongside Ecto bikes in the air.
People dressed in exquisite robes moved around the bustling market, adding to its lively atmosphere.
The market was bustling with a diverse crowd, booths and stalls lining the streets. Larger shops, made of transparent materials, displayed their wares inside, including robes, furniture, and perfume shops, showcasing a variety of products to the passersby.
Julian decreased the speed of the Ecto bike, shouting back to them as they navigated through the market, "Keep an eye out for Milo!"
Ruby scanned the bustling market below, searching for any sign of Milo, but he was nowhere to be found. Julian moved towards a quieter area with fewer people, eventually landing the bike. Karl sighed in relief, glaring at Ruby.
"Stupid wife!" he muttered. He was ticklish because of her hands; it's her fault.
Ruby: "..." What's up with this guy?
"Milo! Milo!" Julian called out, scanning the crowd. Ruby and Karl also looked around for him, their eyes searching every face in the busy market.
"We should try looking in different directions," Ruby instructed, pointing to the right. "I'll go this way. You two check that direction, and we'll meet back here."
Even though they didn't like her ordering them around, finding Milo was their first priority. Julian and Karl nodded, knowing this was important.
They split up, each heading in a different direction.
Ruby weaved through the crowd, her eyes searching for Milo. From the original owner's memories, she knew what he looked like. She focused on finding a familiar face with fluffy brown hair.
"Milo!" Ruby shouted, not caring about the curious and judgmental looks from passersby. Her wet robe had dried but was wrinkled, and she hadn't washed her face or combed her hair, making her look disheveled and out of place.
Ignoring the stares, she focused on finding Milo. From the original owner's memory, she knew his condition was very bad. That morning, when he had tried to follow the original owner, she had thrown him hard on ground, injuring his cheek. Julian and Karl didn't know about this incident.
Yet, despite his injury, Milo had still gone to the market, determined to make money. She remembered his words, and Ruby's heart ached. "W-ife, wait for me. I will try to get you more money..."
She pushed through the crowd, scanning every face, hoping to find him.
Her footsteps suddenly stopped when she saw a group of ghosts on Ecto bikes, hovering in the air halfway to the ground, surrounding a familiar figure.
—To be continued...🪄