Present Day: "It is equally offensive to speed a guest who would like to stay and to detain one who is anxious to leave." - Homer
'Hal! Tom! Get down here now!'
Annie was frantic – on a melodramatic level by normal standards – as she had spotted someone coming up the path.
Ten minutes prior to her piercing shout, Annie had been (as usual) keeping look out by the large window of Honolulu Heights which overlooked the main road and the front garden of the building. In her arms she cradled Eve, while holding the warm milk bottle to the infant's mouth. The baby gurgled contentedly, reaching out with her stubby fingers in an attempt to reach a bouncy curl of Annie's hair.
While revelling in the amount of care she could bestow on Eve, the ghost had also been admiring the display of flowers which she took great attention in looking after. Although, every time someone unfamiliar – and even neighbours – passed by, Annie couldn't help but peer through the blinds to take a closer look. She didn't want to think that she had become paranoid, but there was honestly no other word to describe her newly acquired jitters.
It was at this moment the ghost noticed a young woman had paused by the gate. She was rummaging through her bag – a large, fashionable weekend bag, if Annie were to make a comment. The woman produced a phone. Clearly she had heard it ringing, as she pressed a button on the touch screen and placed it to her ear.
Cautiously, Annie put Eve out of sight in her baby carrier on the nearby chair. The next time she parted the blinds to check on the stranger the woman was still on the phone, but now pushing open the gate to head up the path. That was when Annie had shouted to get the guys' attention.
A thundering stampede erupted upstairs, as two pairs of feet began running from the next floor. Tom arrived first, to find Annie watching out the window intently.
'What's up?' he asked, walking over to look too. Hal arrived seconds later, just as someone rang the door bell. The shrill tone of the buzzer attracted all eyes to the front door. Tom reached into the deep back pocket of his trousers, producing a hand carved and well used stake. He slipped it in the front pocket of his jumper. The visitor rang the doorbell again, unaware of the possible attack the friends were preparing for.
Still in the hallway, Hal approached. He opened the inside door, but waited for Tom to come to his side before opening the main door. Annie waited in the living room, fixed in the same spot. She would keep a safe watch on Eve. Tom nodded for Hal to open the door; he was prepared. The vampire did so, acting as casually as possible.
'G'dafternoon,' Tom said curtly, teasing the handle of his stake in his hoodie pocket.
'Hi,' came the polite response from the woman on the porch. She passed her gaze from Tom to Hal. And started back.
Hal had gone rigid. None of his muscles wanted to function. His hand was still gripping the door handle tightly. He would break it right off if he didn't let go soon. He should slam the door shut and turn his back. The woman's face was now an exact reflection of his. Bottom lip trembling slightly. Eyes focused.
Finally, Hal rediscovered his voice. 'Do not let her in,' he said coldly. His stunned expression was now unmistakably one of disgust and distrust. Tom and Annie were equally confused.
'Who is it?' the ghost hissed from her post by the window. Tom shrugged. Hal ignored her. All his attention was focused on the visitor.
'Hal?' the woman questioned. 'Well, isn't this an unexpected surprise.' Her voice was soft, uncertain. It appeared to show her genuine shock at the situation, but Hal was not convinced. She was a master of trickery – a nuisance, Hal would say – just like the company she kept. He took a step forward, using his figure to block the door way completely. Not that she could enter unless someone invited her in.
'What are you doing here?' he demanded, his arms now folded across his chest. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
'Would you believe that this is a genuine coincidence?'
'No.'
'Well it is.' She took a second to glance over Hal's shoulder at Tom. She could see his hand inside his hoodie pocket, playing with something he had there. Her eyes narrowed. 'I'm no threat,' she said sternly. She then sniffed the air and her face creased up in disgust.
'How d' I know that?' Tom retorted. He eased the handle of the stake out.
'You're living with a Lyco?'
Annie had gradually been creeping her way closer to the door and was now listening in from behind the wall which led into the hallway. She was a naturally nosey character. To be in the dark was a serious problem for the ghost. This was one of those occasions. 'Would someone please explain who on earth she is!'
'That's offensive!' Tom exclaimed in response to the woman's derogatory comment. Nothing annoyed him quite as much as insults to his species. His stake was now poised to strike the woman right in the chest. One of Hal's strong arms held him back. He was behaving rather composed considering the current situation. But he was definitely struggling to make sure he too didn't lash out.
'I'll handle this,' he assured the others.
'Hal!' Annie grumbled. But he had already closed the front door behind him. The ghost scurried back to the living room window, followed closely by Tom. Annie parted the blinds, pressing her face as close to the glass as possible. Tom leaned in beside her to watch too. They had front row seats for whatever was about to unfold in the front garden. The only issue – minor for Tom and major for Annie – was that they couldn't hear what was being said.
Hal had forced the woman back down the path. Even the passers-by could see them from that position. She was still scowling from the encounter with Tom. After a moments breath she spoke again, the muscles in her face relaxing.
'Sorry.'
Hal had never heard her voice sound so sincere, in all the time he had known her. She tucked some stray hair behind her ear. As the Old One standing in front of her remembered, her hair had been an untameable mane and even now it was trying to escape from the side-plait which bound it. Ignoring her apology, he went straight back to business.
'You never answered my original question. Why are you here?' His arms were still folded defensively and the glint of anger was evident in his eyes. She scuffed a foot on the path and took a moment to stare at the blooming flowers.
'I was looking for Fergus. Where is -…'
Hal rolled his eyes, huffing. It should have been obvious. 'I should have known,' he stated obtusely.
'I don't know what you mean,' she denied instantly.
'You know exactly what I mean,' Hal interjected just as quickly. Now it was her turn to demand answers. She had turned on the offensive and was leaning into the other vampire's personal space. Hal felt discomfort scratch under his skin.
'Now you're not answering my questions.'
'If you're so desperate to know, Fergus is dead.' Hal was so nonchalant on the subject that he didn't even flinch when the woman's words choked in her throat. Not outwardly at least. He didn't want to be heartless – it was downright unsavoury to upset a lady - but in showing sympathy he might be drawn back to her. She was dangerous territory.
'Since when?' She did not seem as heart-broken on the subject as Hal had expected. However, her composure was most likely a front. She was just never this docile. Then Hal reminded himself: people change. He was a perfect example of that fact.
'Just over a week ago.' He decided to explain the full details now and save further questioning. 'He attacked us here, so I staked him.' Her gaze snapped in his direction. 'Does that bother you?'
'Would I draw some sort of emotional response with my answer?' she sneered. 'You've been strangely tame since I arrived.' Hal's skin trembled. She made him sound like such an animal.
'Things have…changed.'
She scoffed bitterly. 'Clearly.' Then she let out a long sigh and once again played with the strap of her bag. Was she trying to hide her feelings or just genuinely indifferent? Hal had a second long flashback as he recalled the time in 1855 when she had noticed him in the cellar. Her expression was as blank then as it was now. He wanted to be able to read her. But even now he couldn't. 'My flight is not for another two days,' she muttered.
'Flight?' Hal cocked an eyebrow in confusion.
'Back to America,' she clarified, indicating her tightly packed bag. 'You don't think I carry this much around with me all the time do you?' The most partial smile came to the edge of Hal's mouth, but vanished as quickly as it had appeared. 'If you don't believe me on that fact I could show you the tickets.'
Hal waved his hands in dismissal. 'There's no need.'
'I didn't come here to start an argument, Hal,' she assured him. He was still wary of her. 'Honestly, I didn't…'
'As I remember you were rather skilled in causing disagreements.' The poison in his voice grated on her, as the Welsh wind picked up and began playing with the loose ends of her hair. He watched the sway of her hair and his gaze soon picked out the details on the rest of her figure. Modern dress was far more becoming of her, not that he had paid too much attention to that. He inadvertently corrected himself. 'What I mean to say is, it is better that you do not linger here. For both our sakes.'
'And what do you mean by that?'
Hal didn't want to go into detail on the matter. Not with her. It would make things more complicated than they were already becoming. 'It's dangerous.' He felt a sweat breaking out on his brow. He could feel his resilience beginning to crack. He just couldn't keep his lips sealed.
'Everywhere is dangerous, Hal,' she pointed out. 'What with the Old Ones – you being excluded – currently heading towards the beautiful, British coast.' Her features had become lined with an undeniable look of grimace. 'Why d'you think I'm heading back across the pond so soon?'
Hal gave up the crossed arms he had held in place for their entire conversation. His arms sank to his sides and he slipped his hands into his trousers pockets. There could have been so many things they could have talked about. Why she was living in America. What she had been doing for the past century. Small talk. That was the realm of humans.
Then he considered: Honolulu Heights – what a stupid and obnoxious name – was possibly one of the most secure places in Wales. As long as he steered clear of her, she could stay for a couple of days. He could do that. Easily. He had a routine to upkeep.
'Just, wait here a moment.' Hal walked back to the front door and let himself in. The woman stayed on the path, and only then noticed the pair of spectators at the window. Tom quickly moved away and Annie was distracted by Hal. The vampire spoke quickly to the ghost and Annie replied with a frown of contempt. However, a few seconds later she had conceded. Hal ventured back outside and held the door open for the woman. 'Please, come in.'
'Seriously?'
Hal nodded and backed up against the wall so she wouldn't touch him when she entered. He didn't even want her bag to so much as brush against his shirt. As she crossed the threshold, Hal spotted that she still carried herself with the same decorum of a Victorian lady. Her posture was quite impeccable.
He directed her into the living room, where Tom and Annie were waiting. The ghost was cradling Eve in her arms once more and gave an expectant look to the vampire to introduce his acquaintance properly.
'Tom. Annie. This is Elizabeth Jefferson.'
