Sam

She hadn't spoken to Tanya yet about the date. It was odd; she had expected her to call her the minute she got in the door and chatted with her until her ears bled from all the corny happenings of the night. Part of her expected Tanya to pull yet another disappearing act and not bother to talk to her for the next couple weeks.

A couple days later, though, her cell phone began to ring. She had just finished eating lunch and was placing her dishes in the dishwasher. She looked over at where it was lying on the coffee table.

"Huh?" She walked over and picked it up. "Corbitt residence, Samantha speaking."

"It's Tanya. How about you come over right now? We haven't hung out together for a while."

"Uhh, sure. I'll be over soon."

Tanya hung up without saying goodbye and Sam frowned at her phone. Her voice had seemed off. However, she paid it no mind and pulled her coat on, leaving the building and heading to Tanya's apartment.

She got to the door and knocked. "Tanya, it's me." She called.

"It's open."

Sam paused before slowly opening the door. "Tan, you feeling okay? You sound like you have a cold or something."

She turned to face the apartment and looked around. Tanya was standing before her, eyes red rimmed and swollen. Sam frowned.

"What's wrong? Were you crying? Ugh, what did that guy do?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Tanya sniffled. "Oh, no, he didn't do anything. I had a really nice time with him; he's polite and charming. Sorry, it's just that time of the month."

"Oh...well, okay. So, what do you want to do?" Sam walked closer to her.

Something was weird about the whole situation; Tanya never cried when it was that time of the month and she certainly wouldn't admit to it, either.

"S-so, how've you been?" Tanya asked.

She's trying to distract me...Can she sense my wariness? I'll play along for now.

"Fine. I'm almost done with the poems. I just need to do ten more. What about you? How did the date go?"

"I had a lot of fun. The movie was good. He's good company." Tanya smiled shakily.

Liar. Tanya, what's going on? This isn't like you. I should think of a way to get out of here.

"I have errands I need to run; I'm starting to run low on groceries. We can hang out later." Sam began to back off, smiling apologetically.

"W-wait! You can't leave yet!" Tanya moved too quickly toward her and Sam leapt back from her, but she kept her face puzzled.

"Huh? Why?"

Tanya paused, arm outstretched toward her. "B-because...Umm, because I want your opinion on something!"

"I'm sorry, but I should really get going; before it's too late, y'know?" Sam turned around and began to walk toward the door.

Something struck her in the back of the head. Her brain rattled inside her skull and she fell forward, unable to catch herself. She sat up a little, gripping her head as she brought her knees close. She stared up at Tanya incredulously. She was holding a baseball bat that seemed to have manifest into thin air. She looked horrified at what she had done, but there was something wild in her eyes that caused Sam to scramble back from her like a frightened animal.

"T-Tan, w-what'd you do that for?" She asked, too astounded to sound angry.

"I-I'm sorry you can't leave yet. And if I have to use brute force to keep you here t-then I will!" She held the bat up in warning.

Sam struggled back to her feet, using the wall for support. "Why are you doing this?"

"H-he's making me do it. I-i-if I don't, he'll kill me!" Tanya exclaimed, tears beginning to spring from her eyes.

I can't tell if she's going to kill me or not...And who is 'he' supposed to be? No...there's just no way-

The door opened to her left and both women stared at the newcomer. It was Garrison. He looked surprised when he saw the bat.

"Please tell me you didn't hit her with that thing. I don't want her brains scrambled!" He scowled disapprovingly.

Tanya ignored the scolding and stammered, "I-I did what you asked...please...don't kill me!"

Sam watched the exchange with wide eyes. I-I think I see. She's swapping me in exchange for her keeping her life.

Garrison laughed, an odd chilling noise. "Sorry. You're expendable."

Tanya's eyes widened in fear, but he paid her no mind as he watched Sam.

"Forgive me, Miss Leroux, but I'm going to need you to sleep for a bit." He knelt in front of her, shoving a white cloth into her face.

She let out a shocked noise as she breathed in the chloroform before she slumped against him, unconscious.

Inclementia

Ryuk had stayed at the house, deciding to play video games while he waited for his human to return. Video games were much more interesting than following some psychotic human around, he reasoned. Besides, there was only so much he could take with Garrison constantly mumbling about Saxon Leroux.

I don't even see the appeal. Apples are way better than some author. Reading is boring anyway. I don't know how humans have the patience for it.

The door swung open and in waltzed Garrison, carrying a body. Ryuk paused the game and followed him upstairs where he laid the body on the bed. Ryuk hovered over the brown haired man and saw it was a girl. She's kinda cute.

Garrison tenderly dressed the woman. Her eyes were closed, but both could still see her name and lifespan, though the numbers on her lifespan were slightly lowered. Huh. Does that mean he's going to kill her, or did something happen before he kidnapped her? He didn't really care, but he liked speculating, a habit he had picked up from Light.

Ryuk tilted his head to the side when he couldn't guess who the girl was. It certainly isn't that fat one he went out with a few days ago.

"Hey, Garrison...who's the girl?" He asked.

Garrison pulled out lipstick, carefully applying it to the girl's lips. The color reminded the Shinigami of McIntosh apples; his favorite. "This is her."

It took him a minute to figure out who "her" was. "Huh? But, before she had-"

"It was a wig. At first, I was disappointed, but when I saw her...she is even cuter without the wig. And her eyes are naturally purple. Can you believe that? Purple!" He fixed the strap to the gray dress.

Ryuk didn't say anything, contemplating if she would look cute in an apple suit.

Garrison stroked her bangs lovingly out of her face. "Isn't she beautiful? I just couldn't wait any longer. I had to have her."

"Does that mean you're going to stop killing?"

"No, no. I'm going to continue. You know what my goal is. It hasn't changed just because I have her." He took a step back to admire his work before nodding approvingly.

"C'mon, Ryuk; I got you some more apples. They're in the kitchen." Garrison beckoned, walking out of the room, and closing the door behind him.

Ryuk went through the wall and followed Garrison to the kitchen. There was a pile of apples sitting on the table, which he hungrily set to work on.

"So, what are you going to do when she panics?" He asked, voice muffled from the apples in his mouth.

Garrison frowned as though he didn't understand. "When she panics? What do you mean? She's not going to panic; she'll be ecstatic she finally gets to meet her best fan!"

"How do you know that for certain?"

"Since when do you care, Ryuk? It doesn't benefit you in anyway, so why bother asking?" Garrison snapped, beginning to grow impatient with the shinigami's uncharacteristic prying.

Ryuk backed off and couldn't help but think, She isn't going to like waking up in such an unfamiliar environment...Hyuk, hyuk, this might make things a little more interesting...