Ruby watched as Anthony had run out, how he was nearly tripping over his own two feet. His clothes looked slightly disarrayed, his scarf looking on the brink of being a noose, if it was possible. His feet fell with loud clunks, and as she watched him, Granny decided to appear behind the front desk, rubbing at the wrinkles around her eyes.
"Stop making so much damn noise, Ruby!" Granny scolded. Ruby threw her hands up, guffawing anther grandmother with disbelief- it was so not fair, getting in trouble for stuff she didn't do. Before Ruby could protest, Anthony lunged across the floor.
And promptly crashed to the ground with a loud thud, upsetting the decorative coffee table that sat in the lobby. It wobbled a bit, but thankfully didn't fall along with him. Ouch, Ruby thought, going to help him up. Licking her lips, Ruby held out a hand.
"You okay?" she asked sweetly, putting on the megawatt smile she usually reserved for the hot guys that came to the diner late at night. Of course, she was fully aware of Granny's disapproving stare that was boring holes int her back, but she ignored it. if she couldn't get him to talk at the diner, she was surely going to get him to talk now.
His face was downcast, his shoulder shaky as he tried catching his breath until after a few minutes he finally looked up. Ruby could only widen her eyes, furrow her brow in confusion.
A stripe of red was on his face, dried and crusting. Refusing her hand, he pushed himself to his knees, the bones in his legs clacking together as he trembled. The werewolf could only watch in disoriented confusion as he managed his way through the lobby and out the door. Stopping, he turned around.
"I do apologize for everything, Miss," he stated. Swiveling on his heel, he barged out the door. Ruby shared a look with her grandmother.
"Granny," was all she could say.
"What?" the old woman shrugged, obviously annoyed that she was awakened from her nap and obviously oblivious. Just by looking at him- no, smelling the blood, really- she could tell that something was definitely up. But what? she thought, tucking her brown hair behind her ear. He had seemed somewhat amiable at the diner- and his singing was just phenomenal. The fan on the ceiling whirred to itself, humming an unrecognizable tune. Sighing, she fixed the contents resting on the coffee table.
Why the boy had apologized was definitely weird. He hadn't knocked anything over, he hadn't broken anything valuable. It was possible he had stolen something, but Ruby highly doubted it- he didn't seem like the type of person to do so. Her heels clicked on the wooden paneled floor and she suddenly pick dyer head up, a dog pricking its ears.
"Ruby?" Granny asked.
Ruby ignored her grandmother, instead focusing on the sound.
A scratching noise- she could hear it.
Upstairs, someone was sharpening something- But what? Ruby tried to focus. There was a sickly Clorox stench bombarding her nose, and she wrinkled her face, squeezing her eyes shut as a new spun came into focus.
Whistling.
A bright, happy whistling accompanied by a scratching… something.
And then it stopped. Disappeared. Ruby cocked her head, hair falling in her face.
Silence hung in the air for a moment before the noises started coming again: footsteps, the creaking of wood….. By now, Granny had turned back in, the door to her room shutting softly behind her. Ruby turned her head towards the stairs.
An older man was carefully climbing down the stairs, holding something preciously in his pale hands. In fact, everything about him was pale- his face, his clothes, his hair…. Black bags shadowed his bloodshot eyes, black hair sticking out like he had just stuck his finger in an electrical socket. Ruby focused on the single white stripe he had- possibly dyed to offset the deep black.
He nodded in greeting swaggering forward.
"Miss Ruby," he said. Ruby felt her eye twitch as a creepy smile tugged at his thin lips.
Forcing herself to return the sentiment, she grinned back, "Hello- Mr. Todd, was it?" He nodded.
"Please, call me Sweeney," he said coldly, then, "have you seen Anthony?" Ruby opened her mouth to answer, pausing before she shut it instead. What was she supposed to do?
Tell him where the kid went- duh! she scolded herself internally. Clearing her throat, she replied, "He just went out- to the barbershop, I think." Smirking, Sweeney clutched whatever it was in his hand. Ruby could smell the faint taint of blood on something- assuming it was on what he was holding.
She jutted her chin at him, "What's that?"
Mr. Todd held one up for her to see, "This, dear Ruby, is my friend." Ruby felt a shiver run down her spine. What he was showing her was definitely not a friend- it looked like a butter knife. At her confused- and slightly disgusted- look, he clarified, "Shaving tools, my dear. Tools of the trade, if you will." Ruby nodded, crossing her arms.
A moment of silence.
"If Anthony's at the shop, then i must meet him," Mr. Todd stated, striding out the door. before he opened it though, he craned his neck over his shoulder, so he was staring at Ruby. "And Miss Ruby?"
"What?"
"Please don't distract the boy any further than you already have," he warned darkly, "it may interfere with his schedule. Ruby scoffed- as far as she knew, the kid didn't have a schedule. Nor did she care. Before she could reply with some witty retort, the barber gave her a salute before opening the door, the sounds of honking cars and chatting people invading the hotel lobby.