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Melody frowned She opened the door… and was almost knocked back as a wave of heat and humidity washed over her She stood up and a cacophony of insects buzzed in her ears The precious air conditioning escaping from the car was a cool, but temporary breeze

This is crazy!

She earing a gorgeous red silken dress Shoes ain

“Really?” Melody sighed

The driver was already disinterested With the car still running, he pulled out a newspaper and spread it across the steering wheel

“I’ll be waiting here for when you get back,” he said

Melody glanced at the digital display on the dash It was a little past five O’clock She had no idea when the ball would start, or when it would end Or how long it would take her to find an ivory jeweled egg in a tremendous mansion that was probably full of stuff

“But I don’t even knohen that will be,” she said

The driver licked one finger and turned a page “I’ll be here,” theup

Melody shrugged and closed the door Already she’d begun sweating She pinched her dress up and took a few steps in the direction of the little path The ground was soft and spongy beneath her feet

Great, she thought to herself I’ve got the only driver who can’t even find a driveway

She took another few squishy steps, shaking her head the whole tiot started the better

It was slow going, especially at the thick parts

What began as a tiny path had rapidly deteriorated into a squirrel’s run Melody picked her way through the underbrush while using her hands to hold rogue branches at bay Spanish ht on a vine, al her up

Xio sweaty Dirty And I’m supposed to be at a cotillion in just—