The concrete was cold, but almost relaxing on her feet as she walked out near the edge of the roof. She was close enough for studying but not close enough to fall off. She stared up at the moon, it's milky light, pouring over her face. Such a curious time this was, it was fascinating how so many things went unnoticed now days, despite being literally right in front of their face.
The roof of the hospital was one of her favorite places to observe her subjects, because it was the most quiet and she quite enjoyed the serine feeling the night brought her. She closed her eyes, only for a moment until September spoke.
"I notice you come up here often." the bald man stated rather than asked, his voice monotone as always.
She opened her eyes slowly, then directed her attention towards the nicely dressed man. He appeared older than her, by about twenty years or so, it would take a lot of convincing to tell another that she was in fact, much older than him, only appearing to be in her mid to late twenties, her pale flawless skin is usually what convinced people otherwise.
"Observing seems to have a toll on us, as we witnessed before, they can sometimes cloud our judgment and insight, I find...comfort? In coming up here at night. I fear my studies are at risk and may affect my theories. We may have been in this timeline for far too long."
"You are my superior, but time keeps us here for a reason, many things are occurring that are important, this is why we are here," September reminded her.
"I am aware, but you, yourself should feel the changes as I do...as August had," she paused again, "Do you know what doubt is?"
"A human emotion when one is uncertain if what they're doing is the proper thing to do or say or think. Are you suggesting that you may have doubt?" September inquired.
"It is a possibility, however I am uncertain. Perhaps my close observations of their interactions have affected me, I've been noticing these...feelings...lately."
September glanced over the horizon, it was still quite late at night, but there was the slightest hint of sunlight, just beyond the buildings, "Perhaps it is time for a transfer...a different form to study," he looked back over. What is it...you are... feeling?" he asked as he remembered, just before August died, he claimed to have been in love. He found it hard to understand the whole situation at that time, even now he couldn't piece the whole situation together, curious as it was.
"It's hard to say, let alone understand," she paused briefly, "I find myself wondering about their affections towards one another, mostly...or recently at least. I try to understand the meanings behind most, but I do not understand. Even at the hospital, most of the children in my wing, they are aware of their soon to be fate, they will all die very soon from their terminal diseases and yet they insist on forming friendship bonds. Then one of them may steal another's toy to upset the other, just to return it so they can apologize. Why do you think that is?"
"I do not know," September retorted bluntly.
"But there is the display of affection, that captures my attention the most. They call it a kiss and it comes in different varieties, often shared between a man and a woman, but that is not always true. Sometimes it's shared between two men or two women, different types have different meanings and sometimes deeper meanings than others."
September remained silent as he listened to her explain her findings.
"Just recently, we watched a movie, called The Princess Bride, this is what one of the nurses called a romance film. In the film, the older gentlemen, the one the boy called grandfather, told his grandson, that there are five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. And when they did kiss, the man and the woman the grandfather was speaking of, the young girls all giggled while the boys made sounds of disgust. But as older people watch it, they were obviously full of different feelings. How is it, you suppose, that something so singular, so simple, could have so many different effects on so many different people?"
"I do not now," September repeated.
She lowered her eyes. Perhaps she'd never get the answer. "I would like to test a theory," she added, glancing over towards the man, who was still watching her, no meaning in his eyes, just as he always did when he listened to her.
"Why do you tell me this?" he asked, tilting his head, with just a hint of curiosity.
"Because I require your assistance in testing my theory, you may refuse if you wish."
September remained, but said nothing.
"Close your eyes."
September did what he was told by his superior and remained still, never questioning her.
She approached September examining his suit then straightened up his tie. He only reacted slightly to her corrections, but kept his eyes shut, as she asked. Reaching up, she removed his bowler hat, dusted it off and held it at her side and still his eyes remained closed. Hesitantly, she rose her hand towards his face and lightly touched his skin, gently gliding her fingertips, over his check and traced the line of his jaw. It was soft despite their years and almost as flawless as her own and so very warm. Raising to her tippy toes, her sight was barely at level with his lips, but it was just high enough for what she was about to do. She lightly rested her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer as she pressed her lips to his own. She had done enough studying to have a decent idea how to do such a thing, but never had the chance to practice.
His lips were somewhat dry and nowhere close to sweet as she had read they were supposed to taste. And they were fleshy and soft. She still didn't understand the whole interest in such a task, but at the same time, she found it hard to stop although September put no effort into it, on his part, not that he knew he was supposed to. Slowly, she broke the kiss and stared up at him. As far as she was aware, she learned nothing from the act, aside the fact that lips are not sweet, they are fleshy.
"You may open your eyes now," she concluded.
September did as he was told, and remained as he was, staring at her with no meaning, "So what is your test?"
"That was it," she replied, sounding a bit...disappointed then held his hat out to him.
September took the hat and placed it back onto his head, "Is that all you require of me?"
The woman walked over to the edge and looked down, watching the few cars drive by, that were still out so late at night, then spoke, "We are lacking in numbers, as you recall, August is no longer with us."
"I remember," he answered, remembering August's last moments as September drove him in the car.
"We are in need of a new eighth, to keep things as they should be, perhaps one that will not stray from his job," she turned back to face him, "This is my main reason for calling you here."
"It is true, we are not at our best if we do not have all twelve and all seven, are you suggesting we find another?"
She shook her head, "No, finding another is too difficult of a task, it would be more efficient to create one," she added.
"But, Wednesday-"
She shook her head again, "I have thought of this for a long time, even as August was slipping away."
"It has not been done that way, that we are even aware, how do we know that it will be better that way?" September prodded.
Wednesday tilted her head, "The choice is yours, September. I chose you because I thought we could make the perfect August, one that will stay on his course indefinitely, and never make the mistake the first one did. But if you wish not to, you may walk away now."
September stared at her, for a bit longer as if weighing his options, just what he was weighing, he wasn't too sure. Closing the gap between them, he placed an open palm onto her abdomen as a golden light emitted from his hand. After a moment, he pulled his hand away, and stared down into Wednesdays eyes as she shuttered for a moment, "It is done, August will be here shortly and our numbers will be complete again," with that, he turned on his heels and walked into the shadow, cast by the rooftop exit.
Wednesday stared at the spot he had disappeared into for a long while before she placed a hand on her stomach, where September's had been. It was time to change her alias, tomorrow morning when the nurses come to wake her, she would be dead, lost to her cancer, or so they would think.
