Sorry for not updating sooner. School has been hectic
Disclaimer: I don't own them
John and the demon-man, Hellboy, left the base four days ago. Myers' had told her that they'd be gone a while, 'but not because it's anything dangerous,' he'd assured her, 'only because it's so far away.' Since then, Sparrow had felt dejected and reclusive. She rarely left her room. Two of the only people she knew in this strange underground prison were gone, leaving her to the traps her mind laid for her. She would often find herself thinking of what those nameless people in the hallways had said that day in the food court. They talked as if she were a monster, and their eyes had been so hateful. Her chest gave a horrible lurch forward, wrenching her up from her afternoon sulk. She had to get up, move around. She'd always been able to sort things out better on her feet.
Myer's had told her about Bruttenholm's private library before he'd left, telling her she was welcome to it if she got bored while they were away. Deciding to take him up on his offer, she grabbed her crutches(though it wasn't nearly as hard to move around anymore) and headed of into the halls of gray. Perhaps an excursion through the base would do her some good.
Sparrow followed Myer's directions to the tee, except for a quick detour to peer into a jar of what seemed to be pickled fairies on display down one hall. She eventually found herself in front of an ornate door; one that seemed very out of place situated within the lifeless grays of the concrete stronghold. The oak along the door was polished to a slick gleam. It seemed homely, welcoming almost. Funny, she'd never felt welcome anywhere before.
The Inside of Bruttenholm's library gave Sparrow a warm feeling. It looked lived in; nothing like the sterile, lifelessness of the rest of the building. Soft chamber music added to the comfort the room embodied. Almost all available space along the walls was lined with bookcase after bookcase. A spiraling staircase led to a second floor that seemed to be filled with even more old tomes. The most dominating feature of the room though, was what seemed to be a large fish tank. The aquarium spanned the whole wall, and contained nothing but cerulean blue water, with four golden podiums situated a few feet from the glass.
Sparrow hobbled forward, interested in a closer look. She gazed inside, noting the terrible blandness of the tank She peered closer, her nose nearly touching the glass. What fish in its right mind would want to live in a tank full of nothing? Maybe it wasn't a fish tank at all. Her thoughts were halted as two giant eyes appeared in front of her face. She let out a squeal of surprise. Stumbling back in shock, her right crutch caught on the bottom of one of the podiums, wrenching it from her grasp and leaving her floundering for a moment before losing her balance completely and landing squarely on her backside.
She now knew why the doctor had been so adamant about her not putting much weight on her pelvis. Sparks of pain licked up and down her torso, leaving her gasping for breath.
The creature in the tank placed a webbed hand over its mouth in shock.
"Oh dear, I'm terrible sorry," it said apologetically.
Sparrow's pain seized body wouldn't allow her to pull herself up, so she dragged herself into a sitting position with her back against one of the four podiums. She viewed the surprisingly human-like being inside the aquarium through teary eyes. Its body floated as fluidly as the water in its tank, and its baby blue face held a look of worry as he gazed back at her.
"Wha-What are you?" Sparrow asked, still wheezing from her recent accident.
The fish-man's face brightened with an amused smile. He flipped his legs and floated closer to the glass. He was very animated, never still. Even as he observed her, his body moved with the current of his confinement, head bobbing up and down leisurely.
"I refer to myself as a, who, if you don't mind," Sparrow's face flushed in embarrassment, "but I believe that in proper etiquette, if one wishes to know another's name, one must offer theirs first." The creature extended his hand forward until it was touching the glass of the aquarium. The fingers of his hand distended passed anything humanly possible, stretching the thin green webbing between each of the digits taut. "Let's see...Sparrow R. Wilson. Never knew your father. Mother died giving birth to you in a back alley. The hospital staff named you after the street the paramedics found you at. Hmm. Rather dreary thing to be named after isn't it?"
Sparrow stared down at the carpet. That was a bit more than just her name, and his accuracy unnerved her.
"It doesn't really bother me."
"Yes, it does." The creature said matter-of-factly. Sparrow frowned.
"Don't get angry. I know what it's like, being named after something horrible. Look, there, on that scrap of paper."
He indicated to a small piece of parchment with an elegant wave of his hand. It was nailed to a pillar next to his aquarium. From her sitting position, Sparrow could make out the gothic text:
Icthio Sapiens
April 14, 1865
"I was found with that bit of paper. Professor broom named me after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, which occurred on that date. He was shot in the head. Quite gruesome, really," he contemplated this for a moment, difting languidly in the water. He sighed and continued, "Hence, my name, Abraham. You may call me, Abe, if you wish."
"Abe, huh?" She said quietly as moved to sit Indian style. She wondered why she wasn't more weirded out with the whole situation than she currently was. Oh well, she thought, at least she was beginning to enjoying the conversation. "That's a better name than Sparrow any day."
"Perhaps." Abe mimicked her sitting position while floating upside down. "You are not as shocked as most when they first see me."
"Yeah," Sparrow laughed shakily, "it's a bit hard to be unnerved with you after meeting Hellboy!"
"Ah," he replied, "so you've met the giant monkey then, huh?"
There was a pause, then, "He's a monkey?!"
Abe blinked for a moment before flinging his head back and laughing richly at her confused appearance.
"Oh-oh my-ha ha- pl-please excuse me. Ha-ha ha ha!" He calmed himself, twirling in the water and rubbing some laughter from his eyes before he continued, amusement still danced upon his big blue face. "I should remember to control my humor with you! I mean, after seeing us, why shouldn't you believe everything you hear?"
After her initial embarrassment subsided, she watched the movements of the still convulsing Abe. Suddenly the absurdity of the whole situation hit her. Here she was, sitting on the floor having a chat with a talking fish. This was the most surreal moment of Sparrow's young life. Even more so than her brief meeting with Hellboy. Watching him move about the water, almost like dancing, reminded her of something she couldn't put her finger on. Something primal, a natural urge that had been shoved aside.
Sparrow rubbed a clammy hand over her face.
"This is so weird."
The sobering Abe smiled gently at her, but didn't disagree.
She looked around Abe's barren tank.
"It must get pretty boring in there. Do you ever get to leave?" She asked.
"Oh, rarely is it boring. Take now for instance, look at the interesting person I'm speaking to. I'd hardly call this boring. Plus, I have many books at my disposal, all I need is someone to turn the pages," he flitted down settled on the floor of the aquarium, hands clasped behind his head, "As for whether I get to leave or not? The answer is yes...and no. I can leave the confines of my tank for short periods of time, but rarely do I get to leave the compound, and, for obvious reasons," he gestured to his face, "I cannot go outside for an afternoon stroll."
"Do you go places with Hellboy and John? You know, action, adventure, and all that stuff?" She queried.
"Yes, but I never feel like I've really left..."
"Like there's a wall blocking you from everyone else?"
"Yes, a wall not so different from the glass of my home," he rapped his scaly knuckles on the glass of the aquarium.
"Isolated..." Sparrow whispered, more to herself.
"It seems, despite our difference in appearance, we have very similar souls."
Sparrow was no longer looking at Abe, her gaze unfocused on the floor. "Ever since John and Hellboy have left, I've felt so alone. Your only the fourth person I've really met here. Everyone else, they stay away from me. I hear them whispering behind my back...they say I killed someone." Abe was silent, staring somberly at the crestfallen young girl. She continued, "And...that man in the infirmary... They say I hurt him real bad."
Abe cocked his head, "You...do not remember what brought you to this place." Sparrow noticed he said it as though he already knew. 'How can he read me so effectively?' she thought.
"Well, do not fret," he continued, "All will be fine in the end, and you will get the answers you are looking for."
She listened to the sagely amphibian's words and believed him. Him. The third person to tell her that, and he was the person she truly believed. They looked into each others eyes and smiled, both knew they made a connection to each other, a bond that would be hard to break.
The serene moment was broken by the intrusion of a bewildered voice:
"Sparrow!"
It was John, accompanied by Bruttenholm and the hulking figure of Hellboy. John rushed from the entrance of the library towards her.
"What happened?"
"I-I came to the library and I fell. It hurts too much to get up."
Myers helped her to her feet with a grunt. A wave of dizziness swept over her and she had to squeeze her eyes shut for a moment to regain her balance. When she opened them, Hellboy stood before her, holding her crutches out to her in his large stone hand. As she took them from him, she couldn't look him in the eye, for fear she would burst out laughing as she remembered Abe's words. The image of the giant demon, covered in fuzz, performing backflips for bananas danced across her mind.
Abe's chuckle reverberated around her. That proved it. Fish-man could definitely read her mind.
Hellboy was about to comment on their odd behavior when Professor Bruttenholm stepped in and placed a fatherly hand on Sparrow's shoulder.
"I see you've been finding your way around, Miss Wilson," he said warmly, a smile playing on his lips.
"Yes. Yes I have," Sparrow hesitated, "Professor, I have some questions-"
"Which will be answered tonight, rest assured." The young girl felt relief flood through her. She looked over at Myers, who was mouthing a confident 'I told you so' in her direction. She had the sudden urge to stick her tongue out at him, but stifled the
impulse.
"For now, I will ask Hellboy to accompany you back to your rooms. Agent Myers, Abraham, and I have a few things to discuss."
Sparrow craned her neck up at Hellboy. He had a sour look on his face that reminded her of a pouting child.
"Shouldn't I be involved in whatever you guys are talking about?" He asked with a huff.
There was a long pause.
A very long pause.
Myers broke the silence, "We're just going to write up the official report for the case we've come back from. It's no big deal. Plus, you were there, you know nothing important happened."
The demon looked convinced-almost.
"What he means, Red, is that you lack proper group discussion skills and we need you out of the way." Quipped Abe from the inside of his tank.
Sparrow would have never thought it possible, but Hellboy actually got redder at Abe's words.
"Shove it up your ass, Blue!" he yelled. Then turned and stomped off with Sparrow limping to catch up. She looked over her shoulder before leaving the library to give Abe a friendly smile of goodbye, which was returned by her fishy friend.
For the first time in a long time, Sparrow was happy.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. They've really boosted my confidence in my writing. Please keep it up with any suggestions so I can improving myself. I hope to have the next chapter up in a few days, where a plot will begin to form...hopefully! ; )