They kept going anyway, taking more turns until the shouts started to thin. Juli pulled Eli to a stop in the shadow of a low alcove and listened through the stone wall.
Eli listened with her.
After what felt like a long time, both of them let out a slow breath.
"…I think we lost them," Juli whispered.
Eli turned to her in a panic.
"Juli! Don't say things like that. Do you know what a jinx is?"
She blinked.
"…Jinx?"
"It's when you say something good out loud, and then the universe goes 'oh you think so?' and immediately makes it not good."
Juli covered her mouth and held in her laugh.
"Elise… that's just not a real thing! I never expected you to be the superstitious kind."
Eli grabbed her shoulder.
"It is VERY real, Juli, and you have just done it, so now you have to apologize to the universe. Do it now."
Juli stared at him in disbelief, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
"Apologize!" Eli urged on.
