chapter word count: 620
noir heart: sixty-five
"I know, right?" the young woman says as she turns the key into her house's front door, the one she shares with her housemate Ariel. "Professor Tremaine's given us this massive thesis to do. I don't know if I can get it done in time! At least, not without intravenous coffee…"
Phone held tightly to her ear, she switches on the hallway light which immediately bathes the cosy, summery yellow walls in a healthy glow. She drops the bag of shopping on the floor - usual accoutrements, but with the added spice of fresh oranges for some home-made juice tomorrow - so she can slide out of her coat with one hand.
"Exactly. I don't like to talk behind her back, but she really doesn't like us. Oh, by the way, how're things going with your father?" she asks as she decides her first stop is the kettle - she knows she shouldn't have coffee after ten at night as it keeps her awake, but given her college workload that's kind of the idea.
Coat hooked up, she bends down to pick up the bag and walks to the nearby kitchen down the hall, all the while glued to the phone. There's a weird, muffled sound coming from the living room, but she's too focused on what Belle has to say to really notice it. "Aww, I'm glad to hear he's doing okay. Say, when are you back in the city? We so need to catch up - when your father's okay, of course. Monday? It's a date!" she continues, flicking her golden hair off her shoulder as she drops the bag on the counter, and then makes her way out of the kitchen towards the living room. "Totally. Hey, tell Adam to keep his hair long, it suits him. The beard makes him look like a bit of a beast, though…okay, I've got to start the thesis anyway. Take care, and give your father my best...yes, my date with Phillip went great...alright, I will. See you next Monday!"
She swipes across her phone to end the call just as she rounds the corner into the darkened living room, chuckling to herself. She misses Belle, but considering it's been only her and her father for many, many years, it's not surprising that as soon as he had a heart attack, Belle was on the first plane back to Virginia.
The muffled sound appears again, and this time she's all ears. A chill shoots up her spine at the unknown noise, and she reaches out for the light switch to her right, feeling her heart race. Briefly, she debates hitting the speed dial for her godmother.
The living room is instantly bathed in light. The brown leather armchair is there, so's the television and the full-to-bursting bookcase near it. Everything is just as she remembers.
Except the man tied to one of her dining chairs in the centre of the room. She gasps, frozen in place, her hand over her mouth. His eyes are wide with terror, his skin is slick with sweat, and he's yelling something she can't understand thanks to the wad of cloth in his mouth as he strains against his bonds.
But then his eyes snap to something behind her, and he yells something unintelligible while the writhing renews. Her heart stops. Slowly, she turns around...
The last thing she sees is a figure dressed in black, a cherub mask, and the glint of a taser as it darts to her neck.
She doesn't even have time to scream before the world goes black.
dun dun dun. happy with the reactions to the last chapter! muahahahahaha. you'll like the next update, or is it the one after that, I'm not sure. We shall see!
special thanks to: stefalove, lunasnoir, doomstone, hornedgoddess, heartonfire, oninoko, whimsical acumen, rainbowcolorw0w and jpbake for the reviews!