Helena watched her laughing with the others. She was so normal and fragile. Helena envied her. She envied her thoughts and her memories, for they were different than her own. Then Myka smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. Helena knew she didn't deserve her friendship, but she couldn't help but cling to it. Sweet, innocent Myka didn't know she could rip Helena to shreds with a single glance.
Helena placed the new artifact she was supposed to be cataloging onto Artie's desk, for Leena to shelve later. Artie had burdened the agents with the tediously boring task of inventory and they had been slowly working their way up to it.
Helena spun in the swivel chair, grazing the unsuspecting Myka with her legs. "I'm sorry!"
Myka laughed and it sent tingles through Helena's body all the way to her fingertips. "It's alright! I actually wanted to ask you if you would accompany me to town."
"Of course!" Helena spoke too quickly. "I mean that would be lovely, but aren't we supposed to be doing inventory?"
"Well… yeah, but Pete and Claudia said they would cover for us. There is something I want to show you."
"Okay." Helena got to her feet and extended her arm to Myka. "Lead the way."
Pete and Claudia watched them with knowing eyes and grinned at each other after they left. They would start inventory… eventually.
The market place was filled with people going about their business. Carts and stalls lined the streets, some selling fresh fruits and vegetables while others carried handmade clothes and knick knacks.
"I didn't know there were this many people living in Univille?" Helena glanced at the nearest stall and smiled at the row of hand painted cat figurines.
"Ha. Ha… well there aren't. They've been advertising the farmer's market for weeks. People from all of the surrounding towns come together and sell food and crafts…" Myka picked up one of the cats and examined the detail in the whiskers. "What do you think?"
"About the cat? It's…" Helena searched for the right word. "… tasteful."
Myka giggled. "No, not the cat! It's a bit too tacky for me." Her comment prompted a glare from the older woman who ran the booth. "I meant the market."
"Oh. It's lovely! I'm glad to be out of the Warehouse." Helena grinned at her friend. "Come on" She grasped Myka's hand in hers. "Let's explore!" She dragged Myka down the rows of stalls behind her, commenting on the more interesting crafts.
Helena paused at a cart that was owned by an Indian couple. It was filled with embroidered cloth. The rich colors caught her eye and reeled her in. "Oh Myka, look at this! It's beautiful!" She ran her fingers over a deep red piece. It shimmered in her grasp. Helena was entranced by it.
"You should get it! It would look great on you!" Myka nudged Helena with her shoulder.
"No…" Helena blinked, dropping the cloth in a daze. "No. I don't need it."
Evening
Everyone else had gone to bed already. Helena sat in the living room with a book cradled in her lap. She had been reading the same sentence for the past half hour. Her head bobbed, throwing her raven hair in front of her face like a sheet. She could barely keep her eyes open. She flipped her book closed and wobbled to her feet, placing the book on the coffee table.
Her body felt heavy as she trudged up the stairs. Finally she reached her room. It was very simple. She had no personal possessions to decorate with. She paused. There was a thin package resting at the edge of her bed. Her name had been printed on the top in marker.
She sat cross legged on her bed and pulled the package to her. It was wrapped in neatly folded newspaper with crisp edges. She ripped up the tape with her nail, keeping the paper neat and unfolded it. Inside was the red cloth she had admired at the Farmers Market earlier.
"Myka…" Helena smiled to herself, feeling a warm rush in the pit of her stomach. She flicked the cloth out and laid it across her body, relishing the way it felt against her skin. She turned off the light and her eyelids grew heavy, as the shadows overtook the room.
Helena was too tired to notice the man standing at the end of her bed. He appeared from the shadows and watched her with coal colored eyes. He smiled, leaning into the moonlight, revealing three long jagged tares across his face.