The Hunter and The Butterfly

Chapter 1

A proper man knows exactly the time to get out of bed, exactly at the right moment and the right time. A proper man knows the outfit to pick out for work, colors matching, pants and shirt neat and ironed, shoes buckled just to the ankles. A proper man locks the door behind him when he is done tidying up the bedroom, eating breakfast, and on his way to work. And that is exactly what James Keziah Delaney does in the morning.

James heard the alarm of his iPhone ringing on the dresser next to his bed. His eyes tightened and his hears rung at the sound of the annoying thing, but he knew exactly when to turn it off the minute it was meant to. After three more beeps and rings, he slid one finger across the screen and the large bedroom was filled with nothing but silence. Once his mind was cleared of the annoying sound of his clock alarm, James groaned and yawned, his blue eyes squinting before they slowly opened to the fresh sunlight peeking through the blinds of his bedroom window. He rubbed both hands over his eyes and sat up, stretching his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders backward to make himself feel refreshed and ready for today's work. Once he ridded himself of his tiredness, Delaney slowly unveiled the sheets from his lower body and kicked his legs over the side of his bed.

James picked up his phone and read the time: 7:30 AM. Having to be at the law firm no later than nine, he immediately dove into the morning's routine. He kicked on his slippers and headed towards his dresser, where he opened one drawer to reveal an assortment of neatly folded pants and underwear. He settled on a plain pair of brown khakis and pulled them out, slipping them over his legs and around his waist. He changed out of his nightshirt and headed towards his closet, opening it to reveal an array of dress shirts and other comraderies. He shifted in and out, trying to find a shirt that best suited today's work hours. His eyes settled on a nice long-sleeved grey and white stripped collared shirt, a small pocket just above the left breast. He slid it off the hanger and buttoned it over himself before he knelt down and grabbed a pair of brown derbies.

After he was done getting himself ready for the day, James looked at himself in the mirror that hung above the vanity. He looked devilishly handsome, to his satisfaction and pleasure. His attire did not perfectly match, but everything in the Delaney household even had the little flaws that he could deal with just finely. He tied the ties to his brown derbies and walked over to a small jewelry box that was set in the middle of his dresser. Once his hands reached for one of the tiny drawers, he suddenly hesitated. His one hand clenched into a tight fist before he mustered up enough courage and pulled out the drawer, revealing a single silver watch with a black face, silver hands, and a small leather brown band. He flipped it over and read the engraving on the back.

To my pride and joy, James Delaney. You are God's greatest creation. Horace Delaney.

Sighing, James quickly fastened the watch around his left wrist and took another look around his bedroom before walking out and closing the door behind him. If today was going to go as he planned, then there would be nothing that would get in his way. Walking down the large staircase, the sound of his shoes echoed through the hallway until he reached the bottom. He turned his attention towards the kitchen and sat along the countertop on a stool, tapping his fingers on the counter impatiently and checking the time on his watch. He did not like it when he had to wait for breakfast, but saw there was already a plate set out with food and a drink for him. Getting off the stool, he walked towards the kitchen. It was a plain plate of pancakes with a side of strawberries and a glass of orange juice. To the cup there was a note attached that read: Breakfast is served. Sleeping in late today. Have a good day at work. Brace.

Smiling, James took the cup and the plate of food towards the dining room table and took a seat, digging in and ready for a day's work. So far, everything was looking up today, and if he was right, there was indeed nothing that would stand in his way.

Brring-brrring-brrrrriinnng! The loud sound of an alarm clock filled the air as Lorna Bow groaned in bed. She was lying flat on her stomach and she had both arms tucked underneath her pillow, covers flung all over the place and pillows scattered chaotically on her bed. She groaned in her sleep and rolled on her side, covering her ears to the sound of the annoying alarm that was filling her room. She even put another pillow over her head to try and block it out, but everything proved to be fruitless. Groaning tiredly and only a quarter awake, she rose out of bed and pressed the alarm button, finally silencing the darned thing after several minutes of chaotic ringing. Lorna let out an audible yawn and stretched her arms over her head, her eyes glazed and half open. She looked around her bedroom a full three hundred and sixty degrees before flinging the covers off herself. She saw herself in the mirror that hung on her bedroom door. Her curly red hair was in all directions and her dark green eyes were glassy and bloodshot, almost as if she had woken up from a severe hangover from a night of drinking in town. Shaking her head and repeating her yawn, she opened her bedroom door and walked out of the living room.

Her pink and white striped pajama bottoms drug along the floor as she made her way towards the kitchenette, grabbing a random bowl from one of the cabinets that hung over the stove and pulling out a spoon from one of the drawers, flinging it on the countertop. She grabbed a box of cereal from another cabinet and rummaged through the fridge until she found a carton of milk, pulling a bar stool against the white marbled counter and crunching down her bowl. She rested her head against the palm of her hand with her elbow on top, the tiredness only half fading as she sighed. Once her bowl of cereal was finished, she took it to the sink and rinsed it out, sitting it in for another day of dishes to wash.

After she was done eating breakfast, Lorna walked back into her bedroom and began rummaging through her drawers. She pulled out a pair of grey jeggings, a half sleeve red blouse, and a pair of black boots. Today, she was starting her first day at a new law firm she had applied for over two weeks ago, and only was it three days ago she had been informed of her job offer. Through her tiredness, excitement bubbled in her lower abdomen, creating the sensation of butterflies fluttering. She walked into the bathroom and combed the knots from her red hair, wincing as some were a little bit more painful than she realized. Once her hair was softer and more tolerable, she tied it back into a curly bun atop her head. Smiling at herself, she opened her medicine cabinet up and pulled out a toothbrush and toothpaste, brushing her teeth before preparing her makeup. It was basic mascara and eyeliner for today, as she did not want to stand out on her first day of work.

Once she was finished preparing herself for her job, Lorna threw on her boots and walked out of her bedroom and into the living room. She turned and stared at the clock above the TV stand. It was eight already? Sighing, she plopped herself on the couch and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. The TV hanging on her wall clicked on and she began to flip through random channels before settling on one of the news channels.

"This just in today police are still looking for a suspect caught on surveillance robbing a 7 Eleven at nine o'clock in the evening last Tuesday…" the news anchor reported.

Lorna sighed in boredom as she kicked her legs onto the couch cushions. "Boring news, as always."

Fortunately, the sound of the phone saved her from her boredom. Turning to her left, she saw her cellphone light up and ringing and vibrating loudly. Hopping off the couch, Lorna hurried over and grabbed it, flipping it open to see who the contact was. Smiling widely, she pressed the phone against her ear and happily greeted her mother on the other end.

"Good morning, my dear! I know it's early, but I wanted to congratulate you on your first day of work," Mrs. Bow cheerfully chipped on the other end.

"Thank you, mother. It feels so nice hearing you this morning," Lorna said.

"What time are you supposed to be at work?" her mother asked.

"Not until nine. I have about thirty more minutes," Lorna informed her.

"That's great! Your father and I don't know how proud we are of you, sweetheart. We know you wanted this job for a long time now," Mrs. Bow mentioned.

"I know. I can't believe it's happening. I just hope my boss likes me. From what I've heard, he's not easy to work for," Lorna frowned and gulped.

"Well if there's one person I know who can handle anything, it's our dear Lorna Bow. Isn't that right, Bradley?" Mrs. Bow asked.

"You bet, honey!" Lorna could hear her father's voice for a moment and she giggled.

"Well, I should probably get going. I don't want to be late for work."

"Of course, of course. Be careful sweetie, and remember, your father and I love you very much. Call us if anything happens today, ok?"

"I will, mom. I love you." Lorna heard the line click and she sighed, flipping her phone shut. She took one last look around the living room and she nodded in determination. Grabbing her workbag that lay against the door and her car keys, she walked out of her apartment and headed down the hallway.

To Be Continued

This is my first attempt at a Taboo story. I saw the show on TV and it's the only show I reblog on Tumblr! But anywho, if you all haven't noticed, this story will be set in modern times. I will do my best to portray James's character as true to the show, but I kind of wanted to give Lorna a livelier side. In her introduction, she was introduced as a sort of "gold digger," but we all saw how amazing she turned out to be. If this story isn't your style I understand, but I just couldn't help myself.

If you all think this could use some work, is great as it is, or just plain terrible, let me know! I welcome all sorts of criticism, flames and all. :)

See you all next chapter! :)