Oi, thought I disappeared didn't cha? But I'm back and I have a pretty good idea on where I want the story to go. Yay, I'm so excited. Enjoy!
Chapter 7 : I Shot the Sheriff!
I was lucky enough to get a good night sleep thanks to Grendel, although when I awoke this morning I found myself laying in my own bed rather than the couch, slightly disorienting me when my eyes gazed around the room.
I had to ponder whether or not I either slept walk or Gren brought me here, and soon after it didn't matter. Either way I was grateful to be home.
I sat up, gazing out the window, craving for coffee or anything to get this groggy feeling to go away, so I sluggishly dragged my feet from the bed, rubbing my itching nose and walked out to the kitchen to start the day. After last night, I was hankering for some instant coffee with hazelnut cream, and I was going to get it.
The first thing I saw was Gren, still sleeping lying on his side towards the running television. I couldn't help but smile at him as I walked by hearing the light snore leave him with every breath, continuing to make that caffeine that I oh so desired. Hell, it was calling my name. When I finished with the kettle I fixed it all in a cup and sipped it slowly to let it run through me like a warmth of sunshine. It was fresh, light aroma with just enough of the flavor. I then topped it off and made my way towards my canvases hoping to grab some inspiration for that delayed picture I've been meaning to do for my portfolio. Mr. Manheim, my teacher for the year, told me I could still bring it in regardless, but I insisted being stubborn not wanting him to see my work until it was done. Embarrassingly, timing was never a strong suit of mine, but it didn't stop me from completing what I needed to do. So here I was, sitting in front of my blank canvas and a sketch book to boot and...I had nothing to draw or paint. I felt like I was lacking in effort, I needed something to kick start those juices of that inspiration I mentioned. That's when my eyes fell on Grendel. When he had started to shuffle around to get himself comfortable he laid on his back with an arm over his face and a foot kicked up while the other was flat on the floor. His posturing gave me an idea, and with that I began to sketch with a stencil. Slowly I sketched some shapes, detailing a couch with a lighter pencil before continuing with another. I drew out his head, his body, until finally I was able to work on the details starting with his face. His arm was hiding most of it, but with half of his slumbering face poking it out, I couldn't help but smile at how peaceful he looked. His brows relaxed and perfectly arched, his nose. By the time I'd finished it I had taken a look out side to see the light barely protruding through and the light sprinkles of raining still falling with its song dancing above my head. I wish the sun would shine through...hm, maybe I should pick up a small plant to brighten up the place? I wonder what could grow out here...something small. I had finished the sketch but now I was just sitting there spacing out to give myself a moment to clear my head, but, unfortunately all I could think about was...Henry. There was so much I wanted to say. I wanted to cuss him out and yet...I was starting to worry too. Where did he go? Was Lily still going to tell me what was going on or should I even attempt to leave like before? Now that I was calmer, I could think a little clearer. Maybe when he came back I could coax him to speak to me about his dilemma, I could get more information that way. My affections for him were definitely gone knowing he'd keep a whole identity from me, his constant noxious behavior and environment, I couldn't imagine it getting any better after knowing he left me in territory that was dangerous to me. A part of me at the same time was thinking I didn't need him to lie to me again, that I didn't need his excuses, He lied to me it was simple as that, but damn me, I wanted answers. Deep down, I felt something troubling. Call it intuition or whatever, either way I was staying a bit longer to at least talk to Lily and see if I could leave without any conflict. I didn't want to hurt anybody and vice versa, so-,
"Ha, You like your about to shit yourself thinkin' like that." Gren's gruff voice snapped me out of my thoughts in one breath making me chuckle almost breathless seeing him awake, "How're you feeling?" He suddenly asked.
"Good. Just wondering if I should buy a plant for the window." I giggled.
"A plant?"
"Yeah, maybe...strawberries or marigolds."
"Heh..." He shrugged and yawned before removing the blanket off of him as he laid back against the cushions of the couch. Probably dealing with a hang over from last night, "Whatever you think is best, I guess. All I know is...I got dry mouth like a mother fucker." I stifled a giggle closing my drawing pad in the process to get up and hand him my cup of luke warm coffee, "It's something." He grabbed the cup and sloshed the coffee around in his mouth only to cringed swallow it begrudgingly, "Sorry, Too sweet?"
He laughed under his breath, "A little. I take it that's how you like yours?" I could feel my ears growing hot but gave a smile all the same before walking to the kitchen start another cup. When he seemed to realize what I was doing, his eyes widened, "You don't need to make another one."
"It's okay, I don't mind." Once it was done I asked him how he wanted it. He said regular cream with no sugar. Easy. I brought it over and sat down next to him as he drank it with a hum, "Better." His eyws flicker to me before looking back to the coffee.
"Good." Was all I could say as I intertwined my fingers, sliding them up and down until I squeezed them together.
"So what's the plan for today kid?"
"Huh? Oh, well, I need to go to school later today. Lily also said she would be stopping by to talk for a bit. In the mean time..." I trailed off with my eyes looking to him, "I figured we could hang out for a little longer."
"Heh, do I get paid over time?" His chuckle is what got me before I playfully scoffed at him, "Help sell some of my paintings and maybe that can be arranged."
"Ha ha! nah, don't worry about it." He leaned towards me as if someone could be listening, "Between you and me, Holly and Lily were the only two people I've liked so far, until you came along."
"Mm, yesterday would've told me different. Me and my stupid decisions." I muttered embarrassed.
"Yeah, well, obviously I, uh, over stepped a boundary. I just...I don't know. I was definitely an asshole."
"Granted you did, but I'll have you make it up to me somehow." I raised my brows at him when he said nothing but drink the coffee with a look to the window glaring at it with a frown, "What is it?"
"I feel like a damn idiot for yesterday, that's what. The way I turned on a ya." He then turned his burning green eyes to me, instantly softening as he muttered, "I was wrong for that."
"Yes...and No." I corrected. I had to tell him about my about that night...Back home...Why I had clinged to Henry so hard that I made those careless mistakes and why I was taking medication, "You were right about one thing, I've been lacking in sense, but I think once I've officially packed Henry's shit, I can heal for the better." I took pause as I looked at him with a heavy heart, his eyes still never leaving mine, sending a sense of security. Even though Grendel was very forward and blunt, I sensed he could maybe empathize to a degree...If I actually told him. I closed my eyes remembering it like a vivid memory. "Did I tell you how I met Henry?" He shook his head shrugging his shoulder, "Well, it all started before him really, the whole snow balling thing...I had stayed over at a friends house for weekend. Something I did regularly when mom wasn't taking me to art class or school. My sister was suppose to come with me that weekend, but...She didn't." I stopped to lick my lips and open my eyes again, seeing him gazing curiously, "Is that why you came here?" He asked.
"Sort of...To tell you the truth Henry wanted us to move here, but it's more than just a let's move to the Big City." I trailed off trying to word it right, and yet when it came to this it was always like trying to pull teeth with me. I never knew how to say it, "Remember last night when I said I couldn't take my meds?"
"Yeah?"
"Well those meds are anti depressant. You see, I-,..." I paused licking my lips and attempting not to upset myself as the words came out, "My family...They were murdered." His eyes widened a bit in shock, he seemed to not believe it, "Murdered?" I swallowed back and nodded, "I was staying over at a friends, and when I'd come home the house...It was as silent as a crypt. It was dark and it smelled of copper..." I remembered me opening the door calling out to them, but no one answered. I had looked away then not to show him the ache it still left, "I found my sister first..." The whole bottom stairs case was covered in her blood, splattered all over the place as if someone had slashed her with something sharp over and over again. Apparently, it wasn't a knife, the police and coroner could identify the weapon used. I couldn't even scream, or call out her name, all I could do was give out an ugly cry as I stepped back out sprinting to the neighbors house to call for help, praying that mom and dad weren't there, expecting the worse. Unfortunately, it was once the police had arrived, "I called the police...and they found my parents upstairs. I guess after it happened I always felt as if the killer was still out there waiting for me, but...they never came after me, and I never understood why they did it." I trailed off stopping there because it was said that my father's was the cruelest and most gruesome...I shook my head and took a very slow and deep breath through my nose to remind myself it happened years ago, I was no longer that helpless girl, I couldn't afford to be, "I'm-, sorry, it still haunts me, but...After that I just started to spiral. I got into drugs, heavily. And then a couple of years later, I met Henry, who enabled my behavior. I had almost lost myself...Something changed though. I met up with that same friend that I had been with on the day my family-, you know. They gave me some encouraging words, worried for me. Even helped me keep out of trouble for awhile." I leaned in scrunching up my nose, "Henry didn't like that. They wanted me to get better so they hooked me up with a community that very much appreciated art...and I loved painting." I smiled widely gazing from the floor to him as I picked up a paint brush and pointed it at him, "I never looked back. I got better, and soon enough, I quit that shit all together. I got a swift kick in the ass, just like you gave me last night." When I said that I felt my face redden, and I bashfully lowered my head with a small soft smile, "I thank you for that. Kitten gloves isn't exactly your way of telling someone they're fucking up last I recall, but it was needed." I said smirking with a suppressed titter. Grendel made a low chuckle and nodded looking down at the cup only to return it back at me with a wider smirk than mine. It never faltered as he put the coffee down on the table and sighed rubbing his hands up and down his legs as he pondered his next words, "You're still more resilient than most dames. A lot of them would've already given up, and you didn't."
"Stronger every day." I said enthusiastically sitting next to him, still smiling in good humour with his eyes somehow softer then before, "Yeah. I respect that." It was murmured under his breath but I heard him regardless and smiled widely to see one of his fingers pinching the edge of the couch gently...His human fingers. I don't know why but as I watched them fidget with the fabric of the couch something urged me to ask something that I was curious about, "Gren, is there a time where you don't have to where your glamour, or do all Fables with a unique appearance have to wear them? Do you have to wear it all the time?" He arched a brow, hesitant, "Why do you ask?" I thought over his question before shrugging, "Because I don't have glamour, so I'm curious, I guess." He chuckled and touched his goaty, ridding of an itch it seemed like when he ran his hand down his chin, "Only when I'm in public. It's either this or the farm, and nobody wants to live there. I haven't decided which is worse, but I'll deal with this stupid shit as long as I don't have to go to that fuckin' place." His eyes told me all I needed to know about this farm, and to lighten the mood I smiled warmly and touched his arm, "Well, I'm glad you're here then." I couldn't help but warmly put my hands over his and squeeze a bit. I was kind of nervous that he'd pull away but surprisingly he didn't, instead I saw him look down at our hands, tensing before he finally relaxed it, "You are more than welcome to be here with or without your glamour, anytime." He ran his other hand through his hair until he began to rub the back of his neck just to look me up and down and chuckle again to say, "You're a real peach." His words caused me blush no matter how hard I tried to hide it. Who would've thought, Grendel, presumed to be vile, complimenting me. Maybe I shouldn't always believe what I read.
"I think you're quite dashing in that form." I said nudging his shoulder. I could've sworn I saw him get red in the cheeks, but before I could see he'd turned away out of view and coughed, "Really?" I couldn't help but laugh seeing his reaction. Usually he would've replied with a sly remark, but not this time, "Really." I replied meaningfully. He raised his brows up and down causing me to giggle more as I patted his hand and stood up from my seat, "I'm starting to believe you've got a little crush on me."
"Or maybe it's you with the crush on me, eh?" He teased grabbing his jacket to dress himself, while me on the other hand needed a whole nine yards, "Well, while I'm swooning over you, I'll be getting my day started. I still have school in a few hours and before I know it it'll be time to go. Are you accompany me or did you want to stay here? I can leave the keys or...I don't know." I felt guilty still about the whole scenario of yesterday just as he did, but for another reason. I didn't want him to assume he had to go with me, even if I was paying him for protection, "What the fuck you payin' me for if I don't go?" He laughed turning back towards me as I walked to my room to grab some clothes for the day.
"I know but still, I'm stewing it over in my head and it just...Feels wrong to bribe you into it. This whole thing is silly." I replied irritated, running through every outfit I had in my closet until I grabbed some normal jeans, a flowy white t-shirt and a black casual waistcoat vest.
"Henry?" His name almost didn't reach me even as I grabbed for my ebony necklace and put the long elegant chain on top of the attire set up on my bed, "Yeah, to be honest I don't know if I'm over reacting, or if something just happened to him-,"
"Did he say where he was going?" All I could think of was Lily and what she was hiding, it made me anxious to wonder about what she'd say, "No, but if I look hard enough I might." By this time I had left the door slightly open while I prepared the bathroom, that's when Gren asked me, "I thought you were done with him?"
"I am, but-, I can't help but worry. Did he leave, or did he get hurt? I don't want to just assume. It's been going on a week and I'm use to him being away for maybe three days tops before at least a phone call...He hasn't even done that." I sighed holding onto one of the faucets before I turned it shaking off the very thought, Lily would've told me if something dangerous happened...Wouldn't she? I thought to myself while walking to the door to peak my head out. I would've told him don't worry about it, but before I could he suddenly said, "Well, until he does I'll do you a solid." He then came to the entrance of the tiny hallway and leaned against the wall, "I mean, I'm already here, right?" His sincerity was so touching I couldn't help but fluster as placed my hand on the door and gently bit my lip.
I drove us to the school on time, the ride was peaceful as we played music that Gren had picked, the soft beat of electric blues, which I actually really enjoyed. It made me feel everything, deep and poignant, with a feeling of ease, and left a hot tether running through my veins. It was wonderful inspiration before class, and I became even more excited the closer we came to it. I could make out the facility just over the freeway exit, it's one story large grey structure poking out amongst the many other colorful buildings. It had a large diamond shaped field hugging the side of it and the parking lot was slightly smaller than that already nearly packed and with little room towards the entrance. I found it best to park towards the back near the way out so that when I was finished we could just leave without hassel, and with a turn of my keys I turned to Gren, "You sure you'll be okay by yourself?"
"I'll be fine, I can find ways to keep myself occupied. What time you off?" I looked at my watch and gave a look of uncertainties, "Three?"
"Damn. Ngh, alright. I'll be around." I then lifted my keys to him and extended my hand to give it to him. He hesitated first but then opened up his hands to take them in his grasp, "Don't ride off with it."
"Oh shut up." He laughed, "If I wanted it I would've already taken it." I just stuck my tongue at him and giggled as I opened up the back of the car to grab the back pack and my portfolio, making sure to squint back at him through the back seat before I left, "Just stay out of trouble and enjoy the peace and quiet." I said optimistically, "I'll be back in a flash."
"Sure." He replied before I closed the door. I know he could be a hot head but when he was relaxed he was actually kind of-, a decent guy to be around. Well, maybe to me he was.
Now, it was time to focus! Throughout the period of class I found myself hearing that blues melody in my head. Even as I began to brush away and attempted to listen to what Mr. Manheim was saying, I found the rhythm flowing through me and onto the canvas. Blues, yellows, oranges, black, copper, and gold. By the time I was halfway finished with the abstraction I hadn't realize he was standing behind me, scanning over with his brows furrow in thought, until he smirked and touched my shoulder, "That's very good. Keep it up." He praised patting my back making me blush and nod with a smile, feeling good and spontaneous.
All in all the session was wonderful, better than I had hoped for...Until after I got out of class that was when I saw Lily sitting outside the school near the cemented planters in front of the main gate. I was actually shocked to see her, I didn't even know how she knew where I was, but then again, I'm sure she was about to tell me. Her eyes looked over everyone that passed by her, all with a dead pan gaze until she saw me. Her tired eyes went wide before she smiled standing up to wait for me to approach. It's funny, I had been thinking about what I might say a few times today, but now that the opportunity has arisen I had nothing. Except, "What're you doing here?" With a snip in my tone.
She cocked a brow at me with her hand on her hip, " Really? Is this the way you're gonna be now? And here I thought we were on good terms." She replied with a chuckle.
"Not until you tell me where Henry is." I never lost sight of her eyes, seeing annoyance, and irritation run through them as she sighed and lit up a cigarette, "We can't smoke on campus, Lily." She gave me a deadpan look as if to say Are you fucking serious? To which I merely nudged my head towards the car and began to walk slowly to make sure she would stroll beside me, "So where is he? What is he doing?"
"I can't say it here, but what I can say is he won't be back to get you."
"What? Wh- what the fuck does that mean? So he isn't even going to come and get his shit? The stuff I found was pretty important. Stuff he didn't want me to find." Guess he thought hiding it in plain sight would've been the safest place, but... Lily suddenly held out her hand with a small shining square bottle. Two of them that looked awfully familiar. When she placed them in my hand I came to realize it was nail polis, "Before I forget. It's a wonderful color by the way. Faith's in love with it." I could see she was really persistent to not say anything, and for now all I could do was appease her sighing with frustration and grasping those bottles tightly. "Thanks..." Was all I could reply through clenched teeth. I didn't like being pulled around like this, it was demeaning, humiliating. It was like the police station all over again, keeping me occupied with something else while they figured out a way to sugar coat what was to come. God, I wish she wouldn't, I guess I had no choice though because we were at the car before I could say another word.
Unfortunately, Gren was no where to be found, until he was again coming up from across the street with what looked like a six pack and a sandwich, "Lily? The fuck you doin' here?" He sounded happy to see her, though surprised all the same.
"Nice to see you too. Was takin' a walk when I saw this one here, and I decided to drop in. So! How's the day been?"
"Same shit as always. You comin' with us then?" Gren's question left us both looking at one another before I answered with a straining smile that I hoped they didn't notice, "Yeah, I don't see why not."
"Good to hear, Lily needs a friend." He laughed.
"I'm not the only one finally getting the stick out of their ass." She retorted with a menacing grin.
It was settled then, we all hopped into my car and we were out before the traffic got to ridiculous. The sound of electric blues was the only thing keeping me from feeling so tense. I had so many questions about what was going on, but for now I was going to have to deal with being antsy and be patient. I hadn't realized I took an exasperated sigh, and when I did Grendel scanned me over causing me to look at him, "What?"
"What's eatin' you? The teach say somethin'?"
"Huh? Oh, no, just...The music is pure inspirational gold! My assignment will attest to that. Once it's done I'll show it to you. I-If you want to." I didn't know whether or not he'd even appreciate it, but regardless I wanted him to be a part of it, and when I turned to him, he seemed a little taken back before leaning settled into his seat, "Sure, why not." I was excited about that, my work-, my paintings were everything to me. Sometimes I would have dreams that were so lucid you could reach out and touch the wonders and beauty of it, and when I'd awaken I was left with this sensation of wanting to be there, like I belonged there. Well-, I guess technically I was already in a place where magic was real...It was just not what I'd expected.
Suddenly I heard the mutter of an 'Ah shit.' coming from Gren as he rubbed his face, irritated, "What's wrong?"
"Ngh, I forgot to swing by the Woodlands. I need to check back in to see if they have any work for me still. Money's tight, and I need it." A part of my heart dropped but I tried not to show it, "Oh, okay. Do you want me to drop you off there? I-I can wait for you outside while you do that." He looked over at me almost reluctant to do it, but he knew he had to, and I knew he couldn't depend on my fifty a day, "I should..." He trailed off slumping his shoulders, muttering something along the lines of, "although I rather not."
"It's alright Gren, I'll take care of your little friend here, okay? Shouldn't take more than, what? Two hours?" Lily said leaning over his seat with an around dangle around the neck of it.
"Ha, I wish that were a joke." His teeth were barred, his humour on the boarder line bitter.
"Why so long?" I asked curiously.
"You've never been to the office?" His question left me shaking my head with furrow brows unable to come up with an excuse as to why, "A Little Fish indeed." I heard him say with a chortle, "How are able to get by them without knowing?" I froze for a second, but quickly recomposed myself and I licked my lips with a shrug, "I moved around a lot, and since the Woodlands are only in New York I haven't had a reason to come here until now. Hell, my parents never informed me there was an office, so I guess you could say it's my first time." Gren laughed out loud and lit up a cigarette just as we hit the street, inhaling with an irritation not held towards me but the Woodlands, I guess. I couldn't imagine how bad they were but if it's like a lot of corrupt places, it's not a new story to tell. I understood his and the others anger and mistrust towards the Woodlands if that was the case. The same people that were suppose to help you or at least keep the peace, were doing the opposite. At some point you feel like you can't trust them at all, and feel as though you have to watch your back to protect the ones you really cared for, because no one else would. I could only sympathize when I saw the pissed off look on his face when we arrived, "This fucking place, doesn't it just tickle you pink?" Was the first sarcastic thing he said seeing making made me titter, "Don't worry, the sooner you get it over with the better chance of you getting what you need." He glanced back emotionless only fueling me to chuckle louder, "What?" I asked smiling, "In times like this you need to be optimistic." I then showed him my crossed fingers as a sign of good luck.
"Optimistic, huh?" He lifts himself out of the car, and looks up at the heavy clouded skies that had been daring to rain whole afternoon, "Ain't lookin' too optimistic." He pointed to the sky for reference and then proceeded to walk. I sighed, blowing air into my cheeks and out through my mouth to leaned my head back against the car seats cushion and closed my eyes softly before hearing Lily behind me shuffling around, the next thing I knew she was making her way in to the passenger seat, leaned it back and looked over at me as she placed. Her expression was hard to read, since the last time we talked she'd removed her glamour in front of me, "Looks like you and him have been hitting off pretty well." She said suddenly, "The last few weeks have been less then stellar, so it's nice to see him-, actually relaxed. Funny, that rarely ever happens now a days...Usually he's tense, bruting and waiting to kill someone, figuratively speaking." She was watching Gren stroll into the big metal gates, hearing them screech and bash behind him as he walked inside until slowly turning to me, "I want to apologize...for last night. When you started askin' me about that shit at the bar I just...Lost my temper." She sighed hard through her nose with her lips pursed together. I sat there turning off the car, and leaned my seat back like she did and watched her closely, "I can't...tell you what you want to know. It's not as easy as to just come out and say it-, when I have this..." She pointed to her ribbon, and slunk her shoulders with a pained expression. It made me rethink and evaluate the situation from last time when she and Faith replied to my questions with these lips are sealed. I must've been making a face because Lily then nodded seeming to notice that I was getting the picture. But how would a ribbon be able to silence someone? Then I had to remember, This was Fabletown, they probably had abilities I didn't even know they had. Like magic maybe, "A warning for the wise, you may be in way over your head. Do you think you can handle it?" I was flabbergasted, but gave a nod. I had so many questions though and I need something to go off of. Nothing made sense, so with all my bravery I said, "Back at the bar, I asked why you were doing this..." I trailed off feeling a sense of dread when I asked, "Why am I being brought into this? You haven't gone to Aegeus and his posse, or the Woodlands since they're the ones supposedly in control, right? So why?" She gazed around the semi busy street, some walking up the side walk and into the same building as Gren, and others just passed by with umbrellas ready when they heard the sound of a light rumbling coming in through the distance, "Where is he? Aegeus." Her lips began to quiver, purse even tighter as if wanting to say something, but instead she smiled, "Who says that the Woodlands are in control?" Her statement left a chill up my spine. What did that mean? Before I had the chance to ask Lily continued with a sour scowl, "To your first question, I have no choice...and the people I work for also tell Aegeus what to do..." She hesitated only to say, "...To tell you the truth, I want out."
"Out?" I asked her to make sure I heard right.
"Of the business." She interpreted it with fear in her eyes and desperation cutting through words and pupils, "Everything's gone to shit, and I'm tired of being used. Faith feels the same way, but we can't make a move. Not without someone that can help us. If we try...They'll..." There was a short silence as we sat there hearing the start of the sprinkles beginning to come down upon the roof. I even rolled down my window to feel it come down on the palm my hand, and the smell the lifting dirt off the ground to be replace with the fresh scent of clean air, "They keep us all on a pretty tight leash and we have to do as they say. Kind of like what I'm doing now."
"Wait, I thought you were just-, stripping? What is this strip club actually a-, a-, a front?" She paused, and immediately afterwards closed up with her lips and pursed them tight, "We're here to talk about you, not me. I would advise forgetting about Henry. He's coming back." As frustrated as I was I felt my heart pounding in my ears staring stunned by her choice of words as my heart sudden dropped into my stomach, "Is-," I felt my throat swell as though some one was choking me, my eyes watering as I withheld a shake I haven't felt since the tragedy of my family, "Is he dead?" Her eyes closed tightly away from me as if to keep it from me, and I could see she didn't want to tell me, or couldn't, I really could tell which, but I was becoming frightened, "Lily, please." My voice pleaded with a quiver, my emotions being held back by an invisible wall inside of me. If she didn't tell me I was sure that wall would cave. I had to know, "Just tell me. I don't care how you tell it, but I have to know." When she looked at me, her eyes were all I saw, and I felt my body try to catch up with my brain as I processed this. I cupped my mouth when I couldn't find my voice, and attempted to keep my composure in front of her, but-, I think I already knew the answer, because I had gone through this once before, "Sweetie, I..I'm sorry." Guilt race through her voice, and it was in her eyes too giving me all I needed to know. It took me awhile to find a coherent sentence and when I did it was like I had forgotten how to communicate, "H-how..." I had to clear my voice to find it, "What happened?" I asked with a throat so tight it felt as though I was being strangled by an invisible force, "I can't tell you." She whispered remote.
"Then who did it?" I hissed smacking my hands on the steering wheel gripping the leather around it as I glared. Her body and voice shook as if trying to resist, fighting to tell me what I wanted to hear, but it was just no use when I heard the words come out struggling, "These lips-"
"Are sealed... Fuck!" The curse came off as a wisp in my throat, panic and anxiety setting in, "I can't leave without being watched, I have to lie in order to get help and now Henry's dead!" There was a lump in my throat threatening
to make itself known but I swallowed hard wanting to cry. I ran ma hand up and down my face to hold back a wave of anger and madness, only, as I laid my head against the steering wheel in dejection, my world feeling as though it would fall apart once again, I closed my eyes to get a moment of pure darkness, to ponder my options of what I could do when suddenly a peculiar thought came to mind, one that Lily could possibly answer for me "Hey Lily, if the Woodlands are suppose to be the authoritative figure of the town, what happens if they were to know about me? What are the percussions when a Mundy stumbles into Fabletown?" Since this didn't pertain to anything that could jeopardize her or me I hoped for the best, "Well," She petered off looking out at our surroundings, "They use magic. A purge spell that makes it so you forget what you saw. Why do you ask?" Magic confirmed The moment she said this it all seemed to click for her as well as me when she gazed back at me knowingly.
"The Woodlands aren't the only ones with magic in this town, obviously, your ribbon proves that. So if I was such a problem for the people you're working for, why haven't they purged me yet? There would be no need to watch me. The real question is, why do Fables want to keep a Mundy in Fabletown?" Lily raised her brows and furrowed them as she sat up to wonder the same thing, yet she could only shrug and shake her head in response, "I don't know, but that's a good question." As she gazed back at me she smirked, running her fingers through her hair to lay her head back, looking up at the roof and through the window above. It was shut tight, but I did the same thing seeing as I came to realize that we both may have just ended up in the same boat, and we needed time to stew it over. A small smile crept onto my lips, but it was gone within a second as I wished the droplets above my car would wash away this nightmare. Lily spoke already seeming to read my mind when she turned to me, "We might just make it out of this. The fact that you have some wits about you is reassuring." Her blue eyes held something stone cold deep in the pools of them, like a head of caution, "Just don't get yourself killed. Fabletown is filled with scarier things than me or Gren." There was a hint of concern behind what she said and I took the deterrent very seriously knowing she meant well.
"I believe you, it's like an anvil being placed over our heads, and one wrong move could kill us both." I turned myself to see Lily fidgeting with her leg itching the side of it and then fixed the hem of her skirt. She began to shiver grinding her teeth, so I reached into the back of my seat to grab an extra sweater, luckily it was one I had recently put there just for an occasion like this, "Here." I tried to hand it to her, but when she looked at it she looked away as if repulsed by it.
"I'm fine, kid. I don't want to owe you nothin'." She said.
"You won't owe anyone anything, Lily. You're cold, and I'm offering because I care, regardless of the circumstances." I then extended it out to her again but this time I placed it in her lap giving her the chance to take it, "If you need help, then I'll help, but we need to trust each other if we want to make this work." I waited, still hoping she'd take my jacket, and when she finally did the jacket fit her perfectly, "I've already had to lie to Gren and Holly, hell even to other Fables at the bar in order to save my hide, and I don't like lying, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don't want lie to anyone else. This isn't me." She was suspicious, even zipped up the jacket with a quick zip before letting her defenses fall, "You want this to stop? Do as I say and we'll get out of this in one piece, and then maybe you won't have to."
"Don't worry." We both heard the sound of underlining curses and the sound of a lighter being flicked as the person came out stalking towards us. It was Gren, "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."
"That's good to know." He took a few puffs of it and continued to walk towards us, he even gave a hand of acknowledgement and I returned it with a smile to cover up whatever I was truly feeling: guilt, shame, fear, anger, you name it. "Hey." Lily's voice called me back to her, a dejected expression taking her face pausing to hang her mouth open as if she was going to say something, but froze to mold it over before coming out and saying it, "Just know that I don't want to do this. I don't even want to be here. This is part of of the job."
"I know." A small sympathetic smile took my face, and placed a hand on her arm, "We'll figure it out." She studied me for a while, studying my face, my body language, though I had no doubt she could tell that I meant it, "Gren was right." She said, "It ain't looking too optimistic, yet here you are. I don't know how you do it."
"Well," I said thinking of a small memory with my sister. She pat my back so hard I felt it in my chest and her grinning with a thumbs up to tell me in that bright confident voice of hers, Only a mile to go! Come on you can do it!" She said this every time she'd coax me into one of her routine morning runs, encouraging me to breath, to keep going, to pace, to not give up. After her death I stopped hearing it for a long time. Depression set in and I just wanted to be with her. I wanted to be with my family, and yet, here I was, feeling the same thud in my chest. I felt her presence in that moment and a blooming glow of warmth enveloped me, as if a sense of protection, "It's kept me alive so far." I watched Gren walk out pass the gate, knowing I only had a few more seconds to ask any question I may have wanted to query. The only thing left that popped into my head was, "Lily, Henry never told me his origins...Any way you could ease my curiosity and tell me what is Fable was?" I had risen my seat up and turned on the ignition as Grendel made his way around the side of the car to where Lily was sitting, "Augeus did use to have a different title back in the Homelands..." She wasn't looking at me as she said this but kept her eyes also on Gren who pulled out the cigarette box from his back pocket to put out the one he had in his hand. He snuffed it out with his tongue and placed it back in, "He was The boy who cried wolf." I couldn't hide my shock, my eyes were wide and my brows raised. Was she serious? Had I really been dating the literal Boy Who Cried Wolf?! I was quickly brought out of my stupor when Grendel knocked on the window to get our attention leaning over to cock an eyebrow at Lily and motion her to the back seat. She merely flipped him off getting him to do the same before forfeiting and hopping in the back himself with a grunt, "Everything go alright?"
"Yeah." He groaned, "The shit's still up in the air."
"What is?"
"My application..." He growled and rolled his eyes, "Fucking Snow said she'd look it over, and then attempted to shoo me out, saying I have a lot work to do. What fuckin' work?" Lily was shaking her head in disbelief but gave a malicious chuckle, "And What did Bigby have to say about it?"
"Heh, he wasn't there." He said.
"Oh yeah?"
"Nowhere to be found. Could be in his little hovel apartment or out fuckin' up someones night." I felt the tension between the both of them, Gren sighing loudly and Lily eeriely quiet. So I attempted to clear my throat and come up with a solution, "You still have that six pack, Gren?"He looked up at me through the rear view mirror bemused, "Yeah?"
"Well, I need to stop by the store for some things to make for dinner, want to make it a twenty pack?"
"Heh, you got enough?" I raised my brows up and down mischievously only to grin and shift in my seat, "Absolutely, and maybe afterwards we can head home and have a good meal and head to work for some darts." I smiled at the prospect and gazed back to Grendel hoping he'd jump at the offer, "What kind of dinner did you have in mind?"
"Spaghetti. I've been craving it for two weeks now, to be honest...It would be nice to have someone to share it with." I said with a chipper tone, looking to Lily and then Gren before it fell quiet again. There was no objections to it, so we headed to the store first, and then mini market so I could pick up the items I needed. Lily seemed reluctant to go in though when we got to the market, even headed to the bathroom in a jittery fit that I actually began to worry if she was alright.
Even as Gren and I agreed to meet her at the car, I couldn't help but sense she might be... "Hey, Gren?"
"Mm?" I had my back to him scanning for the basil I needed for dinner, and when I found it I set it in the basket I had in my hand. I then began to walk with him slowly so we could converse on the way to the next aisle, "Is Lily-, does she seem..." I trailed off not sure if it was appropriate to ask, hell I felt like I shouldn't have really cared, it was none of my business...and yet, the little voice in my head told me something was wrong. She was grinding her teeth, biting her nails, and still itching her legs and sweating bullets with the shakes. I've seen this before and lived through it myself...But I couldn't assume anything until I could prove it was true. I leaned into Gren to make sure no one could hear me but him, "Is she okay?" I finally asked. He took a deep breath looking back with soft eyes, eyes of frustration and care for his friend, "I hope so...She's...been goin' through a lot."
"Like what?" He gazed over at me uneasy, and patted my shoulder before leaning into me, "Ask Holly." When our eyes made contact it took me a moment to realize it was probably exactly what I had assumed, but like he said, I'd have to ask Holly. All I could do was nod my head and quickly found a way to change the subject, "Okay, then how about we talk about garlic bread."
"I didn't know you were a chef." I smiled at him as I grabbed for a small container of basil. Knowing we were going to have more than just canned goods tonight, I felt as if we were going to have an actual family dinner, something I hadn't experienced in a very long while and having all these ingredients brought a warm hearted giggle to the surface, "I learned from the best...mm, I just need some butter and I'll be good to go."
"Thank fucking God." He muttered, "I need a drink after all this."
"Awe, does my company bother you that much?" I said jokingly, having Gren look to me and shrug as he chuckled, "Who said that? Not me. Now, let's get the shit and go." I had to agree, it sounded nice to have a drink or two to get Henry's death off my mind. If I wasn't thinking about my family, I was thinking about him...It was maddening and all I wanted at that moment was something to stop me from going around in circles. I felt kind of lucky then, feeling Grendel walk next to me and talk with me, it felt as if everything wasn't oh so bleak. Although, I still had so much to say...Maybe someday I could, or, so I hoped.
When we arrived home I wasted no time in cooking. I placed the bag on the counter and started to place everything in a row, like a child lining up their hot wheels and even after my excitement never wavered. It felt good to have a home filled with people for once, even if it was only two. Somehow that didn't matter, and as I washed my hands I told Gren and Lily to relax and help themselves to some entertainment. Lily was quick to grab the remote, plopping down on the love seat while Gren rearranged the fridge for his beers. He even helped with the pack of water I'd bought, "Let's see..." I heard the fridge close from the side of me, but I could feel a said someone walking up behind me and stay there for a good minute before I turned around to see Gren looking down at the ingredients, although...for a second I thought I saw his gaze turn away before I could catch him. Maybe it was just my imagination, "So how long is this gonna take?"
"An hour? Including prep. Would you like to help me?" I asked eagerly.
"I've...never really cooked- I mean not like this. I don't think I'd make it very appetizing if you know what I'm sayin'." His nervous chuckle pulled up the corner of his lip which made smile and bring him closer, "That's okay, I'll show you!" I pulled out two cutting knives and two different proportioned pots. One big round one and a medium sized pot for the sauce. I then came back with a cutting board, a size big enough for both of us to share, "Which do you prefer? Onion or garlic?"
"Why?"
I grinned up at him holding the said onion of choice, "Because that's what you'll be cutting up."
"Ah shit, you mean I got to put in work?"
"You know it." I grinned, while he was contemplating on whether or not to do it. Little by little his face went glowering to moving his head side to side as he nodded, "Ugh, fine...Uh...Garlic." He said. I picked up the four cloves and smiled, "Garlic it is." I extended out the cloves to him, and when I did his fingers touched my palm and grabbed them with ease. I handed him a knife afterwards, and he looked at it edgily, "Have you ever minced?"
"Minced. I barely cook." That made me giggle, so I showed him with one of the cloves, "You just cut it in half and then...Like this, and just cut them into smaller pieces, like this."
"Okay, easy enough...What if I just take off my glamour and used a talon or two? Or smashed them?"
"Gren..." I know I said he didn't have to wear his glamour here, but this wasn't what I meant.
"Just getting your goat, doll." There was no objection to share the cutting board, and before we knew it we stood side by side setting it all in the pot after we were finished. He watched continued to watch me cook the two ingredients together with olive oil, and before long the aroma filled the kitchen with the scent of the garlic and onion, "Already smells good." He said softly, "Mm-hm! I love the smell of the garlic, it makes my mouth water." I replied gazing back at him seeing a smile on his face widen as he leaned over to smell again. I don't think he realized how close he was, his whole presents luring over me with the warmth I felt from him. It made me flush, and my heart was beginning to flutter when his green eye with his white one began to stare from the pot to me with a pause. I knew that pause, it was like before when we were wrestling, impassion flickering through them before he cleared his throat and pointed to the pot, "They're uh..." I'd gotten so distracted that nearly browned the garlic a little too much, but not enough to burn them, yet it was enough to snap me out of it.
"Oh!" He was right, they were ready for the tomato paste, and I was quick to save them before I had ruined our supper. From there I finished up with the sauce, the pasta and garlic bread, all while Gren closely watched merely observing and chatting with me while I did, "You should give some to Holly." He suggested.
"Really? You think she'd want some?"
"If ya want I can bring some to her later while you're getting ready for work." He stuck his finger in the pot when I had finally added the pasta water to the sauce to thicken it, and when I notices all I could do was fake my shock and lightly pat his chest, "Hey!"
"Just taste testing." He laughed trying to miss my silly attack with the spoon, "Only the chef gets to taste test." I joked giggling when he blocked my lazy swipe. When I try to do it once more, but he grabbed my wrist with ease and pulled me into him playfully. I attempted to pull my head down through his arms but all I did was get myself stuck when he squeezed me closer, snickering, "Oh yeah?" I laughed trying to poke him in the stomach but all he did was pat my head, so I took my foot underneath his and brought us both down to the floor, "Ah, fuck!" We were both laughing as we impacted, landing on our sides as his leg laid over my own, until he found the opportunity to get up to straddle my hip and held my hands over my head faster than I could blink, "I win again. You're just too slow, Angel."
"Come on Gren, ease up on the poor girl." I heard Lily yell from her seat, a sound of a smirk hiding behind that statement.
"Yeah Gren, listen to Lily!" I exclaiming trying to struggle my way out of his grasp only for it to be absolutely futile. God his touch was like fire too, hot compared to me, "You know it's kind of cute when you try."
"Oh that's it." When he dropped his guard I wrapped a leg around his waist and attempted to bring him to the ground but all it did was make him chuckle. Shit I forgot...He's bigger than he looks. "Nice try."
"If you were smaller I would've taken you down in a heart beat." I growled.
"Heh, how unlucky for you." I saw a glimmer in his eyes, glossy and heated before he got off my waist and pulled me up off the floor. It was then that Lily walked over smirking, leaning a palm against the island and placing a hand at her hip, "Alright, come on guys, I'm starvin' over here."
"Right, who's first?" Once I brushed myself off, I pulled out three bowls and filled them with the noodles, meat, sauce, and parmesan and then placed a piece of garlic bread each as I handed them out to the others. We all sat in the living room with beers and food eating in silence until I heard Lily say, "This is great. I haven't had a meal like this in years." I smiled bashfully, and nodded as I took a sip from my drink, "Thank you. I'm glad you like it."
"I say it needs more meat. I can't lie though, it really hits the spot.You think there's more for seconds?" Gren asked nearly already done with his first helping. It did give me a little bit of pride to know that I was slightly good at cooking. I hadn't lost my touch, "Best thing about spaghetti, there's always enough for seconds. Just make sure to leave some for Holly." I reminded him.
"Sure. After I'm done I'll go and drop it off."
"I'll get you a container to put it in for you." My voice had faltered to a softness I hadn't realized I used until he look back to me with a gentle smirk, a smile I was getting to...I don't know, it just made me giddy even if it was just for a moment. I froze realizing how this was all coming off and shook my head to snap myself out of it. How could I be smiling at a time like this? It's as if I was disrespecting Henry, even though he had done so much more. Why was I feeling guilty? It hit me then, even though he was gone, I still...missed him. I didn't get any closure, no last good-byes, and now...all I could feel was heartache, deep utter heartache. I stared into my bowl then, half emptied feeling my appetite leave me with every passing second, until I sighed putting down my food on the coffee table to stand up from my seat, "I need to use the bathroom. I'll be back." I tried to get my voice to steady, but my mind was racing on a thousand things as I made my way there. I didn't bother to look at the others, I was afraid if I did they'd see an expression on my face, the face is always a dead give away. When I got in I closed the door behind me, and pressed my back against the door, hitting my head against the soft black robe hanging from the door before I closed my eyes and slowly sunk to the floor as if gravity was pulling me down. My head was spinning now and my heart was pounding, with emotion and my adrenaline wanting just to release one big ugly scream, a cry, something, but I couldn't, Gren and Lily would hear me. So, as I felt that sting hit my eyes and the lump in my throat, I grabbed a towel from the rack that was just in reach and rolled it up to hide my silent cries. I didn't know what came over me but at this point I didn't care. I just wanted to let it out. Inside I felt so broken, my heart laid in two and I had no way of fixing it. My family was killed, I had lived in fear for years thinking the murder would find me too, even after Henry came I always clung to him because I was frightened, and now...The same had happened to him now, and I was being held captive against will without the perpetrators having to tell me themselves. I was muffling sob after sob until I came to my senses. I had to get a hold of myself once again, and held the dampened towel to me like a teddy bear looking up at the ceiling as if some kind of entity would save me. I just wanted it to be over, but I knew that was childish thinking. I had to be strong, I couldn't let anything get the better of me. I slowed my panting breaths, and let one big breath out before wiping my cheeks and lifted myself off the floor. I turned on the sink, seeing my eyes were a little puffy and pink, so I washed my face and flushed the toilet just to make sure they didn't assumed something happened. Drying myself I grabbed my prescription and took my dosage for the night, like I tried to do. I wasn't very good with keeping up with it but if there was a good time as any, it was now. After looking over my face I patted my cheeks and walked out with a soft sigh to compose myself. "Sorry about that. Came out of nowhere." I tried to play it cool, smiling the best I could but my lips were trembling. Lily was already giving me an odd gaze but seemed to look back to her bowl. Gren on the other hand...I couldn't seemed to hide it from him either, "What happened?" He suddenly asked.
"What? What do you mean? I had to take a piss." I nervously chuckle and went to grab my bowl, "You look like you're about to cry." He said chuckling. I tried to do the same with a pfft and nah, "I may have washed my face, but everything's fine. Fit as a fiddle."
"You sure?" He cocked a brow at me obviously skeptical, but I stood my ground regardless if he could hear my heart beat or otherwise, "I said I'm fine, okay? It's...Just been a long day." We had a stand off then, his eyes glaring to the point I heard a low growl slip from him before he crossed his arms and looked back to his empty bowl and the TV. Great, way to go me, I pissed him off again, "Whatever you say." This left a bad taste in my mouth, like a metallic bitterness that was ready to turn to vomit, but all I could do was run my fingers through my hair and and breath through my nose, trying to think of a way to get myself out of this funk, until I noticed Lily trying not to look in our direction, but I had already caught her attempting an awkward smile, "How much long till you head to work?" She suddenly asked. I shrugged putting my hands on my sides and took a look at the time, "I start at eight. So, four hours."
"Well, if that's the case, I'll be heading out soon."
"Oh, y-you don't have to leave, if you want to stay you can." She seemed surprised by my notion, but then smirked and began to walk over to the sink to drop her plate in, "I'd love to, but...I can't." I remembered then why she probably couldn't stay, and became suspicious of how many hours she actually worked. Didn't she have time off? Hours to relax? How many hours did she work? "I see. Well, if you-," I stopped in mid sentence, knowing what I was about to say. We had agreed earlier to work together, but a part of me resented her for what happened to Henry. Well, my resentment quickly subsided, because my empathy for her situation was much greater. That's when I gazed back at the troll woman and smiled with remorse in my heart, "If you need help or find some time off, I'll be here." There was a silent pause but she smiled genuinely none the less as she fiddled with her bag and itched her leg again, "I'll keep that in mind, Sweetie." She then took a pack out from her purse and headed for the door, "Thanks for dinner by the way."
"Don't mention it." I replied softly.
"See ya around, Gren." She was half way out the door waving her fingers to him, but he was still watching the television. She didn't seem to mind it. Maybe it was just the norm for them, "Yeah..." He mumbled.
"And stop pouting. You're guilt tripping the girl." My jaw dropped shooting a stare at the door that was already closing, "Hey!" She more than likely heard it, but decided to laugh it off as I heard heard walk down the hallway, "I hate it when she does that." Gren said rubbing the side of his head before going to the fridge for another beer. I didn't know what else to do but play it cool, "She's...Very blunt. A lot like you." I gave a nervous titter, but he only frowned and grunted as he opened up the drink and gulped it down, "In a good way. You both are truthful...Although I wish she wasn't in this case." I muttered that last part hoping he didn't hear me but...Who was I kidding, Gren had good ears, "I just don't like being lied to. It pisses me off!" I knew he was referring to earlier when I came out of the bathroom, but...What was I suppose to say? I was crying like a baby because I'm terrified and I didn't want him to see me? Henry was dead and I didn't know how to take it? What was I going to tell him? I didn't even know where to start! "I-,...I-,"
"I, I, what? What happened within the three minutes of dinner and the bathroom?"
"Nothing! I just...needed to pee Gren, Jesus."
"You know," He suddenly strolled up looking down at me, which only made me angry. I didn't know why but it did. Why did he have to do this? "I'm not as stupid as you think I am, I could hear you, so why are you lyin'?"
"You were listening? What the hell is wrong with you?!" I felt violated now, how dare he listening in on me! What if I really was going to the bathroom!
"Wrong with me? The fuck's wrong with you?! What the fuck you cryin' for?" He rose his voice so I rose mine back in reaction, my temper getting the best of me. God I could be such idiot, "I don't want to talk about it! It's none of your business! That was an invasion of my privacy by the way, you can't just do that!"
"None of my business...?" He came nose to nose with me now, I could feel his breath on my lips, and for a moment there...I thought he would kiss me, and my reaction must've said it all because the next thing I knew he was looking between both of my eyes with a clench jaw, debating, stewing, whatever he was about to do, I was more ready than the last time he got like this. I wasn't going to let him win either, "I wasn't even trying to hear your wailing. You were the one makin' all the noise, poor muffling by the way! I'm the one you paid to keep you protected, remember? Sorry that my hearing is so Goddamn sensitive," He pointed an accusing finger at me, "It's not my fault I can hear shit from a mile away, so don't be gettin' your panties in a twist because I was actually worried about you!" I had nothing to say after that. It was all such a weird argument, and at the end of it, I just felt drained and guilty, even if I felt slightly violated. By the time I opened my mouth to speak he walked away from me and began to grab a container and fill it with the leftovers, "What're you doing?"
"I'm taking the leftovers to Holly." My heart sank. He was leaving? "Wait, I-I'm sorry, okay? I-, just don't want to talk about-,"
"Yeah, yeah I know. Tell ya what, you figure yourself out and you come get me at the bar. I'm not dealing with this shit." I wanted to tell him to go, that I didn't need him here, but honestly, I didn't think I could handle myself alone, and I was so speechless that when he grabbed the container and headed for the door, "Gren...wait!" He didn't listen. He had already made up his mind and closed the door with a slight slam. I ran after him, and I called him again, and nearly started to cry then and there, "Please, I'm sorry! Gren!" He wouldn't turn around, he completely ignored me. He didn't even take the elevator this time, but went towards the stairwell, leaving me by myself, alone. There was nothing left for me to do but close the door behind me, lock it up and attempt to keep busy. I washed the plates, swept and mopped the floors with shaky hands, anxiety and distress running all through my body until I tried to paint something, but all I did was stare at the empty canvas with paranoia and guilt of how I treated him. I really should've just told Gren I was upset about Henry. I could've masked it with him leaving, at least something. Instead I pushed him away. The only person that I could consider somewhat of a friend and I blew it. I started to feel like I was spiraling like yesterday, so I spent the next few hours cleaning until I was ready to take my shower, feeling even more and more anxious because I wanted to make amends. I didn't want to lose a friend over this, so as I rinsed myself to finish up, I replayed what I would say to him in my head. Unfortunately, it was stopped abruptly when I heard a knock at the door. I was immediately startled by it, hoping it was Grendel coming back, but something about the way they knocked was...off. It was loud, and urgent by the first. I rinsed off quick, and quietly before I heard a second knock,this time much louder, almost causing my heart to pump out of my chest as I wrapped myself in a towel and bolted to my room. My head was screaming to get protection, just in case it was someone else. Gren hadn't called me, and neither did Lily to let them in, so, it had to be someone else, right?
By the third knock they were banging, and I had already pulled out Henry's gun box to get the gun inside. It was a small pistol nothing big, but I knew it would slow them down long enough for me to get away. Why now...Why while I'm taking a fucking shower?! It was loaded and ready, I pulled the hammer back and waited with it pointed at the door with the lights out so that the shadows of the room could cover me in its darkness. Then there was a loud crash like an exploding coming from the front door. My heart pounding in my ears, my mouth dry fron panting, trying to keep calm. I swallowed hard and kept my aim on the door as I heard the sound of footprints move along the living room. It sounded as though they had a sniffle, or were smelling something before moving with the sound of their heavy footsteps booming against the floorboards. This sure as hell wasn't Grendel that I was certain. He would've already called my name or something, not lurk around my apartment.
Step by step they got closer, and closer until they ceased between the bathroom and my room. I wanted to shoot already, but I stayed in my spot between the other side of my bed and the night stand while staying hunched down with my fingers repositioning my grip on the handle just as the person started to walk towards my door. They cautiously opened it with slow light creak. This was it! It was either me, or them and I wouldn't let the fuckers take me without a fight, no matter who it was. Just then, a dark figure stepped forward and sniffed the air like some weirdo, and looked directly to where I was. At this point I didn't realizing how hard I was squeezing the gun, and pressed the trigger hearing a loud bang from the gun that popped my ear drums. I heard a loud grunt, a thud against the frame of the door. The next thing I knew the person was leaning up against it sitting up off the floor.
"Don't move! Or I'll do it again! This time, I won't miss your head!" My voice quiver with authority and adrenaline.
"What the hell..." Was all they said before trying to sit up more, "I said don't move!" They listened them and grunted as the turned to me. I stood up with gun still pointed to them, attempting to find my grounding as I walked closer and turned on my lights. This time, I could see them...
It was a man, well built, about 5'8 with shaggy brown hair, brown eyes and a five o' clock shadow, handsome in his own right and seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face. He wore a loosened tie over his dress shirt which was in itself rolled into sleeves, minus the dark redden spot that was left from where I'd shot him. If this was one of Henry's 'friends', he seemed very out of place from the guy that had the tattoos and bowler hat in the picture I found in Henry's other box. After examining him, and finally finding the courage to speak I demanded to know, "Who are you?" The man was catching his breath from the sudden surprise, looking to me before taking a gander at the hole I had left him. He seemed unfazed by it, something that threw me off when I saw how casual about it. It made me wonder if I had injured him at all. This shifted from bad to worse when I heard him speak, "My name is Bigby. Bigby Wolf." He said in an deep, harsh, brusque voice.
"Bigby..." I knew that name. Gren and the others from the bar had mentioned him before, and when I realized who he was I felt my veins turn cold, my face growing pale as my stomach jumped into my throat, "I'm the Sheriff." My eyes widened in shock and I threw a hand over my mouth in horror. Oh God...I shot-, I shot the fucking sheriff of Fabletown! He inspected the damage of his shoulder one last time and then raised a hand up in defense, "I take it you're Aegeus's girlfriend."
"Ex." I corrected meekly. He eyed me curiously and grunted as he moved himself off the ground still using the door frame for support, "Well, regardless...We need to talk."
Next- Chapter 8: Swimming with MonstersSo much writers block...But I finally finished! I'm sorry if this was kind of bland but the next one will have more uh...amory to it, if you know what I mean. Hopefully the Big Bad Wolf won't be too hard on you as well huh? I guess we'll see! Take Care!