Strange Times and Strange Gifts

It has been three days since the last time I saw the strange blonde, dangerous man. Life goes on and I just put his memory in a place in my mind that I will ignore forever. When I moved out the old tools to clean them by the beach I noticed a box with a note on top with cursive writing on top of the note. I looked around and ignored the gift. Sometimes the Unstable men would pick a gift for girls to pick up and sort out the best scent.

By the time I got to my favorite bench in the Park there was a large wrapped present with the same cursive writing on the note as the one outside my door. You learn not to believe in coincidences after living in this kind of world. I got a bit scared and ran into the bar leaving all my stuff near the bench.

I had to stay low for a while so I drank some tea and had some conch (pronounced as 'conk') balls with some alligator meat from what use to be Miami and Alligator Ally. As I munched on the delicious food I looked at the clock on the bar's wall and yelped. I had to go to the old Diamond Dust store to pick up some pelts for the mechanical wards of mine. And I was almost late. I paid for my meal with 23 key limes that I had in a bag tied to a belt loop. For a Provence like ours we mostly barter. And I ran as fast as I could to the old store.

When I got there I found something right out of a horror movie. My pelt guy, Don, was murdered. There was a hole where his heart would be and he was hanging by his own entrails in a hangman's noose knot. I ran out and threw up my lunch. When I was done I screamed for the village men who normally clean up after things like this. The men used to be police and we all respected them as the real police instead of Umbrella.

I was in the café part of the bar when I heard Brian walk to me. You can tell when Brian was coming. He had a limp and a cane. "Sorry about Don, Joe. I knew he was a good guy, but these are strange times and no one respects the good fellas." I nodded still in tears as Brian continued, "We found lion pelts, beaver, and all sorts of different furs. All of Don's usual wares were covered in blood and are probably unusable. Whoever did this must have been an Unstable."

I looked up confused… if it was an Unstable then… was Don's sister, Janet, alright? Was she being taken and probably raped? Or did Don sleep with a random girl that just happened to be claimed? Fear for the villages in the Provence flared up. Or was it that we were all going to be claimed… and that's why they switch out the officers every summer.

Because of the emotional stress I had to take a nap. So I napped in the café until I heard a strange noise from the other end of the counter. When I looked over I saw both gifts on the table where my head was just laying. The waitress that Jacky likes to flirt with was pointing and screaming at the gifts.

"They just appeared out of nowhere!" she screamed. Her racket brought the attention from the whole building over to where I was. I paled when I realized that they were addressed to 'Lorelei'; besides my real name this was the only female name that I am called. And even then it is a hushed whisper from one dear friend. I felt I was going to be sick again. Brian and Bill – one of Brian's sons- walked over to me and looked at the gifts.

"Joe," Bill started to speak while Brian was trying to keep me from running away. "Did you see these gifts before?" I nodded and then immediately I was taken to the basement of the café; for privacy in what will be one of the darkest times in my life. Brian held me while Bill was carrying the gifts. Bill handed the smaller one to me and told me to read the letter. I shook my head.

No chance in a snowy Miami would I read that letter!

After an hour of sobbing and fighting the letter away did I finally relent. I knew what this meant. I was going to be claimed. Not to seem selfish, but this took precedence over mourning the death of an old friend and fellow businessman. The letter itself freaked me out. My hands were shaking so badly and I could barely read, but I had to read it out loud. For some reason when a man becomes one of the Unstable he can smell who has read the letter aloud and if the female didn't read it, he would kill whoever did read it.

Dear Lorelei,

You probably don't know me, but I know you. I know you love to sing on the rocks that break the waves at Sunset Park. I know that you don't mind getting your hands dirty when protecting a child. I know that you smell so delectable that I just want to drink you dry. You have been named after the mythical German temptress and so you have become. You stare into the heavens as if that is where you come from. If I were a less learned man I would believe that you came from such places.

Yet, the fierceness in your eyes has caused to erupt such insanity from my mind. Your ferocity rivals even my own. And thus I will have you. I will take the angry ocean of your soul, tame it, and thus you will be mine.

You will be forever mine.

W.

Bill looked pale as I read it. And when I was done crying some more over my freedom he gave me the gift, as if it was my last meal and I was on death row. I looked at the box and opened it and found a golden chain with a note on it.

To put that purity ring on

That was it. I became a wild woman. I ran out screaming. I ran outside and ran and ran and ran all the way to the Old Route. I ran for miles until I fell from exhaustion into mangrove branches just under the beginning of the old Seven Mile Bridge. I was in a blank state for the rest of the night. I felt as if my mind was becoming undone. When I fell asleep John found me and brought me back to his house.

How was that? I know that she doesn't seem as strong as the girl in the summery, and seems like a crybaby, but we are getting there. And the note I know is OOC for Wesker… but I want you to remember… Wesker's viruses are telling him to do things that he would NEVER do. So bare with me… and Wesker will be dropping in to check out the chickie that he claimed.