I want to clear this up right at the start and prevent any assumptions to to contrary; I DISLIKED season 7. Fire was a wast of Emily and Naomi as characters and Kat and Lily as actors. Pure was disaster, unless you liked Hanna's portrayal of Cassie post lobotomy. And while Rise did have a story about a character named Cook, if he was really smart enough to stay out of jail and some how make a life of sorts, how could he be so dumb?
All that being said for this one shot we will let Fire and Rise exist. If you are reaching for the back button I understand. This is not a happy story, and focuses on anger and regrets, so again if you are heading towards the back button I understand.
"STONEM! Get in here."
Three years, eight months and twenty one days had not changed her appearance that much. Her hair was still brunet and shoulder length. And her eyes were still cold and piercing. She might have lost a little weight, but it only gave her a harder more dangerous look. Effy stood up from the bench where she had been told to wait, crossed the hallway and entered the small interview room. There was no chair so it was obvious she was to remain standing. She looked down at the guard seated behind the old wooden desk and tried to hide the mix of disgust and disinterest she felt. This person, who had yet to acknowledge her presences in the room, stood between her and freedom, no need to let her know what she really thought.
"Have you met with your Offender Manager?"
"Yes." She tried not to roll her eyes at the obvious answer she was forced to give, not that it mattered the guard still has not looked up.
"Miss Stonem, a little respect would do you well. If I can not find a pen, you can not sign this paper. If you do not sign this paper you cannot leave our lovely establishment, and as your bed had already been reassigned, I will have no where to put you other then a holding cell until I can find a pen. And that might be days..."
"Sorry Mum. Yes Mam, I have met with my Offender Manager."
"So you understand the conditions of your release, and which infractions will get you sent back to visit me?"
"Yes Mam."
"And which infractions will get you sent back?"
"Any."
"Any?"
"Any, Mam."
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"No Mam. But I have been given a list of shelters." It was all like a scripted performance. Her manager had told her how the exit would proceed, and the guard was not really interested in her response other than an opportunity to get in one last dig.
"Very well sign this, that you understand the condition of your release, and that your possessions were returned to you."
Effy leaned forward and picked up the pen, the one that had been visible on the desk since she walked into the room, and signed the release document. She sat the pen down and stepped back from the desk.
"Very well Stonem, take this down the hall to the front desk," she handed Effy the release paper, "and do us both a favor, don't come back."
"Yes Mam."
After being ignored for another half hour, her release was official and she exited through the front door. Three steps out the door and she was in the sunshine. Three years, eight months, twenty one days, and almost every one of them she had been sent outside, in the rain, in the sleet, the wind and the sun. But all of those had taken place behind the massive stone walls behind her. The time "outside" intended to be a relief from the confinement, but it became a form of torment. A reminder of what had been taken away. She had stopped feeling the warmth of the sun, the cold of the rain, and simply endured the change. But now she felt the sun, and the warmth it brought.
She took a slow look around, her eyes coming to a stop on the figure standing across the road from her. Three inch heals, and an animal print skirt, there was no mistaking Katie. "Took you long enough, bitch. Do you have any idea how long I have been standing here?"
Rather then answer, Effy crossed the road to stand right in front of Katie and deliver a stare that would cause most people to look away if not recoil in fear. Katie simply returned the look and then rolled her eyes. "Come on. Cabs will drop fares off but they wont pick any one up within a mile of this place. It's ten bloody blocks to the bus queue. If I had known that I would have worn a lower shoe. If I break a heal I'm sending you the bill." Katie took a sideways glance to see if she was still there. "Back to Silent Effy? Whatever."
Silent was easier. No need to think of a response, no worry it would be misunderstood. And "inside" the silent ones were scary. If you were always talking or yelling or ranting everyone around you knew your mood and your state of mind. They learned just how far they had to push to send you over the edge. But the quite ones were hard to read. They didn't give clues to their state. Were they board, were they sad, or were they on that edge ready to explode in a violent outburst? Silence had its own power.
Unless you were Katie. To her it simply meant you would not interrupt her while she spoke. "Here." She held out a key. Effy took the object and held it as if it might bite. A key was power. It was authority. It was forbidden. "My sister took over the flat you and Na..." she choked on the name, took a breath and then continued, "Naomi had. She made it her own private mausoleum slash shrine. She cries at the pictures, and talks to the walls, and I think she still blames you for the time she lost. I convinced her not burn your stuff. You can't stay there, but I got her to go on holiday, so you have a few days to come round and get your things. Just toss the key through the mail slot when you are done."
Effy moved to hand the key back.
Katie waved off the gesture. "It's okay. Em knows I am conspiring with the enemy. As long as she doesn't have to face you it will be alright." Katie stopped and took Effy by the arm turning her so they were face to face. "Look Effy, I know it wasn't your fault. I don't blame you for any thing. Campbell could be a stubborn bitch. And that is saying something coming from me. I miss her. We all miss her. But Em misses her the most and is still trying to figure out how to deal with that. I have to get back to Paris for a show, so I don't have time to get you settled, but I am sure you can take care of that, just don't piss off my sister, please?"
The half nod from Effy was all Katie required as agreement. They turned to resume their trek to the bus only to find the way blocked by a rather disheveled man with his head and face obscured by the hood of the oversized sweatshirt he wore. He made no move other then to block their path, his head cast sightly down, hands pushed deep in to his pockets.
Katie was having none of it, her day already way pasted inconvenienced, "We got nothing for you move along." Katie and Effy tried stepping to the side only to have him move with Effy and continue to block her path. "Enough! SHOVE OFF! While I still have a since of humor." Her hands were balled into fists, not that she would take a swing, it was more an outlet for the frustration.
"Take it easy Katiekins, I just want to speak to Effy."
The voice and the words took the fight out of her and left only confusion. "Cook?! What the fuck are you doing here?"
"I just want to talk to Effy. Run along she will meet you at the bus queue."
Katie looked back and forth between the two of them, trying to decide which was the bigger risk, leaving them alone together or staying. Effy and Cook had locked eyes, she with that unreadable glare, and he with a look of determination and anger. She finally just gave up on both of them. "You," pointing a finger at Cook, "play nice. And you," turning to Effy, "the bus comes in 20. Be there."
"She will be," he answered without breaking eye contact with Effy.
Katie spun and marched away.
They stood and just looked at each other, with stares that went way below the surface into the core of the other. When he did speak he didn't yell, but his voice was such a contrast to wordless communication they had been engaged in, both flinched at the sound. "Why Effy?"
He really didn't expect a response, and Effy didn't offer him one.
"Why Effy, is there somewhere in there this all makes some kind of sense? Fred is gone. Dead trying to help you."
Effy continued to just look into his eyes with no emotion; not agreeing or disagreeing.
"He was trying to help you, he cared or he never would have been there. That loon Foster would never have killed my friend." Shaking his head with a dismissive look, "I know, you didn't swing the bat and it wasn't your fault. But he was there for you and now he's gone. Did you cry for Fred? I did."
"And what about Naomi? With all that money did you get her all the care she needed? Were you there for her or were you too busy enjoying the ride?" Once again looking deep into her eyes, "So where is she Effy? Oh yeah she's gone, dead just like Freddie.
"Just tell me why Effy. Why are they gone? Fred, Naomi... Emma." Cook stopped and seemed to pull back a little. There was a lost look on his face as he relived a memory he would never share with anyone. He took one last deep look in to Effy's eyes, hoping for an answer, or at least a response. She offered him neither. They continued to stand there locked in a stare, each searching the other for something. Cook looked away first.
"I had hoped you had the answer. That the Great Effy would have an explanation, a reason that would explain why we are not horrible self obsessed people." He stepped around her to continue on down the street. As he passed, "I guess not. That's just who we are. Horrible."
She did not turn and watch him go. Blinking a single tear away she continued her walk to the bus. Three years, eight months and twenty one days to think about what had happened to those around her. Tomorrow would be three years, eight months and twenty two days. And not even the warmth of the sun could reach that dark cold place where those thoughts lived.
I know that very few read the "Sunshine" stories, and even fewer review them. I understand they are not Naomily stories so they don't make the read list of most in this group. I can deal with that, but I would still like to know if someone else found interest in them or if they were a total wast of disk space.