I do not own anything related to Lucifer, DC Comics, Vertigo, or Sandman series, either thru television, written books, or film. Everything belongs to Tom Kapinos, Fox, and mentioned above. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!
Chapter Fifteen
Song(s): Anywhere Under the Moon (Dala), Waiting For Superman (Daughtry)
Feeling the phone fall from her fingers, Miriam cursed as she bent down and snatched it up.
"Dad? Sorry, I…dropped the phone" she muttered as she heard the man's breathing on the other line.
"Child, do not apologize."
Taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes, Miriam felt her knees starting to buckle before she moved towards one of the table stools. Taking a light seat, she listened to the details of her brother's impending funeral to take place in Fairfield as she stared at the tabletop under her numbing fingertips.
You killed yourself Aaron
You killed yourself…
"You will come home tonight?"
Hearing her father's voice breaking through her thoughts, Miriam flexed her fingers as she nodded her head.
"I will take the bus."
Feeling her lips twisting into a grimace as her father whispered a prayer, Miriam pulled the phone away from her ear as she looked up at the ceiling of the room.
Why pray to God?
He didn't bother to stop Aaron from taking his own life
And I?
I didn't return his phone calls
And now my brother is dead
Ending the call with her father, Miriam was about to rise to her feet just as Lopez pushed the lab door open, nearly hitting her elbow as she turned around.
"Hey, meeting is in like ten minutes…"
Tightening her fingers around the device as she cleared her throat, Miriam forced a smile as she held up her phone.
"I, just need five minutes. Sorry, it's school" she lied effortlessly as she kept her voice steady.
"Right…five minutes."
Watching the lab door close, her eyes followed Lopez as she disappeared around the corner towards the boardroom.
I'm going to be sick…
Making a quick beeline for the washroom as she felt her stomach lurch, Miriam pushed the door open to the washroom and quickly threw a hand out, hearing the slam of the stall door against the wall as she dry heaved over the bowl. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she blinked slowly as she flushed the toilet, listening to the water refilling.
Taking a deep breath, she backed out of the stall and started to roll up the sleeves of her white dress shirt just as a male throat cleared from the doorway. She knew the Lieutenant would not be so bold as to stalk her in the women's washroom, so that could only leave one man…
"Has the Lieutenant put you in that much of a fluster Lab Rat? Or, have I?"
Twisting on the cold faucet, she ignored the voice of Lucifer Morningstar as she brought her wrists under the cool stream. Letting her fingers get wet, she brought them up against the back of her neck before closing her eyes.
Anyone but him.
ANYONE, but him right now…
Keeping silent as she opened her eyes onto the running water disappearing down the drain, Miriam cleared her throat as she turned off the faucet, twisting it as tight as she could.
Don't let anyone see you down
You are fucking stronger than this
Lifting her head, she caught Lucifer's dark eyes in the mirror just as he slowly pulled out a silver whiskey flask from the inside of his suit jacket. Taking her time to roll her shirt sleeves back down, she left the cuffs unbuttoned before turning around to face her stalker. She said nothing as she slowly moved towards him. Feeling his lips pulling into a wicked grin, his smile only grew wider as he felt the tips of her fingers against his, pulling the flask into her own possession. Taking a deep sip, she wiped her mouth as Lucifer chuckled lowly.
"Well done!"
Shoving the flask hard against his chest, Miriam strode to the bathroom door and yanked it open wide just as a uniformed officer did a double take before glancing at the sign above the door.
"Don't worry, this is the female washroom" she muttered as the officer stared hard at Lucifer. Running his tongue along the roundness of the flask mouth where Miriam's lips had been, the Devil gave a wicked smile before holding out a hand in gesture.
"By all means, don't let my presence stop you."
…
345 E 1st Street, Apt 3, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California…
3:01pm
Closing the apartment door slowly behind her, Miriam listened for any movement and breathed out in satisfaction when she heard nothing.
No voices
No footsteps
"Okay, you have shit to do, and you need to get it done before Dakota gets back" she whispered to herself as she looked at the dirty breakfast dishes sitting in the sink basin.
"But not those."
Turning on the heel of her boot, she walked determinedly down the hallway and pushed open her bedroom door. Marching straight to her closet, Miriam pulled down her white Jansport backpack and tossed it onto the bed before heading towards the bathroom. Grabbing her toothbrush, paste, brush, and face wash, she tossed everything onto the bed before retreating for her makeup and contact solution.
Shoving everything into the front pocket of the bag, she grabbed her black framed glasses off her bedside table and gently laid them on her writing desk, next to her cell phone. Staring down at the dark screen, she felt her stomach sink as she remembered deleting her brother's voicemails.
"And one that I have not listened to" she whispered, feeling herself getting choked up as she took a heavy seat on the edge of her bed.
"Hey, it's me. Can you call me? Hope everything is going well with your summer job at the police station."
Closing her eyes, Miriam felt the tears falling down her cheeks as she sniffed and wiped the back of her hand against the wetness.
I'm so sorry Aaron" she breathed before bending over at the waist to hold her head between her hands.
Twenty minutes later…
Tossing her towel aside, she quickly gathered up her damp hair into a bun before pulling on a pair of black tights, a beige t-shirt and a black zip up sweatshirt with a hood. Stuffing her feet into her old white Converse Chuck 70 low top sneakers, she stuffed everything remaining on her bed into her backpack before moving back over to her desk.
She wouldn't need to bring her laptop or anything school related which would save room in her bag and as she stared down at her Blackberry, she took it up and thumbed in her password.
No new messages
No recent calls
Spying the notification for one unheard voicemail, Miriam swallowed hard as she powered down the device. Setting it face down, she moved it to the center of the desk before taking a piece of white printer paper and a pen. Scribbling down a quick note to Dakota, she left it beneath the phone as she gave her room one last look.
Hearing the silence of the apartment around her, she was just about to close her bedroom door when she moved her eyes to her work bag. Staring hard as she felt the draw, Miriam walked back across the floor and ripped open her bag, grabbing the notebook she had flipped through earlier that held the elegant written scrawl of Lucifer Morningstar.
Tucking the notebook under her arm, Miriam slammed the door behind her before striding back down the hallway towards the front door.
…
Greyhound Bus Station, 1716 E 7th St, Los Angeles, California…
Tucking her legs beneath her as she nestled in on the fabric double seats at the very back of the bus, Miriam started to arrange her surroundings for the seven-hour ride that would take her back home to Fairfield, and to her parents farm on Williams Road.
Setting her notebook down on the seat beside her, she was careful to not kick her Starbucks grande coffee over onto the floor as she dug out her headphones and ipod. Turning on the music, she set the device onto shuffle as she felt the bus starting to back up. Looking down to her notebook, she slowly picked it up and allowed the pages to fall open as she stared down at Lucifer's added questions.
Would you like to know what the forbidden fruit was that Eve ate from my hand? Or are you asking to see my Devil face?
"The face of the Devil?"
Hearing her own whisper, she thought of goat horns, pitch forks, and red eyes with fire as she shook her head.
And the fruit that damned all women since the beginning of time?
Folding the spine of the book, she reached into the front pocket of her bag for her glasses and as she settled them onto the bridge of her nose, she focused on the written scrawl.
Why not ask the man himself to run a kitchen knife through his chest in front of you and watch him rise?
Get the blue eyed, square jawed tapeworm to take off his shirt
Licking her lips as she thought of marching into Pierce's office and demanding that he remove his shirt, she remembered the taste of his lips from his crushing kiss that had buckled her knees in the hallway of her apartment building.
"Would you have come inside my apartment at my invitation?" she muttered to herself as she felt butterflies deep in her stomach imaging the Lieutenant following her down the hallway towards her bedroom.
Hearing the song that had been playing softly in her ears, she tucked the ipod into the front pocket of her hoodie as the lyrics started to sing…
She's watching the taxi driver, he pulls away
She's been locked up inside her apartment a hundred days
She says, "Yeah, he's still coming, just a little bit late
He got stuck at the laundromat washing his cape
She's just watching the clouds roll by and they spell her name
Like Lois Lane…
"If he is Cain from the Bible, he would have…some kind of mark. The mark of Cain. He would come back to life, over and over, and over again."
Grabbing her pen out of her lap, she felt the question forming on her lips as she quickly scribbled it down in the book.
Four, let me see your shot gun wound
…
Los Angeles Police Department, North Hollywood Division, 11640 Burbank Blvd, CA…
"Good night Lieutenant."
Hearing Ella's words as he gave a quick glance towards his open office door, Pierce remained silent as he moved his eyes onto the closed door of the Evidence Lab.
No lights on, door closed, empty
She is doing her damnedest to avoid me
Folding the file closed with his index finger, he sat in silence behind his desk as the flat screen television mounted on the wall on mute, switched over programs as Anderson Cooper populated the screen. Reaching into his pant pocket, he pulled out his mobile phone and scrolled to the text message thread of conversation with Miriam Tyler. Running his thumb down, his eyes read every word and took in every call received and every call dialed out.
You've been stringing her along
Showing interest, then pulling away
Getting her hopes up, then extinguishing them in the blink of an eye.
Dropping his phone onto the desk as he let out a low groan, Pierce rubbed at his tired, dry eyes before grabbing the remote for the television. Shutting it off, he reached out and clicked off the table lamp, before sitting in quiet darkness.
It's Friday night
Moving his thumb over the screen of his phone, he closed Miriam's conversation and brought up the call log before selecting a phone number that gave a sour taste in his mouth. Pressing call, he took up the device and brought it up against his ear as he heard the rings.
"I just saw you thirty minutes ago Morningstar…"
"Cain! You will excuse the noise of the Los Angeles rush hour traffic as I hold the phone to my ear…"
Rolling his eyes as he listened to the pompous accented drawl of the Devil coming through his receiver, Pierce leaned back in his leather office chair as he sighed.
"This isn't a social call Lucifer. Have you spoken to your Father yet?" he asked with an impatient tone as he heard Lucifer's chuckle.
"Such impatience my dear fellow. Perhaps one round with Denise wasn't enough to keep your appetite at bay for the little Lab Rat."
This isn't about her
"And don't you dare tell me that your desire to have your mark removed has nothing to do with Miriam Elisabeth Tyler. Because, it does."
Holding the phone tighter between his fingers as it let out a cracking sound, Pierce closed his eyes as he remembered the thunderous words of God as if his punishment had happened just yesterday…
"Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over"
Moving the Blackberry into his other hand, he reached his fingers up and gently massaged the permanent mark on his upper bicep that had been a constant reminder of his immortality and the physical realization that anything and everyone he would ever fall in love with, would be taken away.
"Do you honestly think Cain that if my Father were to take pity on you and remove your mark, that you would have a normal love life with the Lab Rat?
Who said anything about having a life with her?
Hearing the words in his mind, he felt his stomach sink.
Can you really say that with complete confidence Cain?
"What is taking so long Lucifer?"
Hearing the blasting of car horns as he heard the Devil's loud chuckle, Pierce knew he was not going to get any answers tonight from the Prince of Darkness and as he ended the phone call, he closed his eyes and heard the phone dropping from his fingers and onto the desk with a loud thud.
"Fucking…impossible."
Rising to his feet, he threw his eyes once more onto the darken lab office before glancing back down to the phone.
Call her
Talk to her
Show her…
Picking up the Blackberry, he thumbed through his list of contacts and settled on Miriam's name once more before hitting the green call button. Hearing the rings, he narrowed his eyes as it clicked to voicemail. Ending the call, he brought up a new text message composition and typed in a simple request.
Can I ask you to dinner please?
Breathing through clenched teeth, he erased the message and thumbed in a more direct sentence.
I am on my way to see you
…
Tyler Acre Farms, 7241 Williams Road, Fairfield, California…
Watching her Mother all dressed in black as she finished drying the last plate from dinner, Miriam reached her thumb and index finger out and pinched at the fiery flame of the beeswax candle as Moses whined to go outside.
"Alright boy." Rising to her feet, she ignored the soft sniffling of her Mother as she pushed open the door, stepping out onto the porch as a soft rain started to fall. Watching the black lab run out into the dark yard, Miriam laid her hands on the wetness of the wood porch rail and took in a deep breath.
"Why in the hell is it always raining here?"
Whistling between her teeth as she watched Moses running up the stairs through the darkness, she winced as the dog shook off the raindrops from his coat before licking her outstretched fingers.
"I hear you, not a nice night to be out."
But the weather sure does match my mood
Closing the door behind her as she heard the wind picking up from outside, Miriam headed straight for the wooden staircase when she heard her Father's throat clearing from the living room to her right.
"Miriam?"
Letting out a small sigh, she turned and slowly moved to stand just beside the supporting wall. Resting her eyes on the dark silhouette of her Father sitting with his Bible laying open on his lap, she felt her upper lip twitching as he slowly closed it over his thumb.
"How are you feeling?"
Hearing the softness in her Father's voice, she edged closer to the sofa and laid her fingers on the fabric of the arm.
"Better than I thought." Truth be told, she and her only sibling had never been particularly close in later years. His devote attention to God and wanting to become a Minister had soured her desire to even be in the same room, and it was that, which made her feel guilty at her behavior.
"You will speak tomorrow, correct?"
"Do I have to?"
Her words sounded pathetic as she caught her Father's eyes narrowing in disapproval.
"I have faith Miriam, that you will do what is right."
Damn it, he always knows just what to say
"I know, that you and Aaron had your differences. I know that you are having difficulties with your faith and always have…"
"It's a hell of a lot more than that right now Dad" Miriam breathed as she caught herself.
"Would you like to talk about it?"
I know you are trying Dad. I know you feel guilty over Aaron, but my recent problems are nothing that you can help with
"Maybe tomorrow, I'm going to turn in."
Placing a soft kiss on her Father's cheek, she heard him whispering a prayer as she felt her fists balling up at her sides. Climbing the staircase to her childhood bedroom, she passed Aaron's closed bedroom door and kept her eyes straight. Watching Moses jumping up onto the single bed, she closed the door and reached for her backpack that sat on the edge of her dresser. Pulling open the zipper of the large pocket to fish out her white slip, her eyes caught sight of the small wooden cross hanging above her bed as she narrowed her eyes.
Stop fucking hanging this shit up!
Striding across the wooden floorboards, she ripped it clean off the small tac before throwing up the wooden frame of the aged bedroom window and tossed it out into the rainy night, not caring where it landed in the yard. Hearing a low whimper from Moses, Miriam turned her eyes and gave a sad smile.
Looking back out the window, she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the glass as she heard the rain falling all around her.
"Pierce."
Hearing his name falling from her lips, she almost wished that she had talked to him in his office, or at least sent him a text message…until she remembered arguing with him in the penthouse belonging to Lucifer Morningstar at the exact time that she had felt the vibrations of her mobile phone sending her now dead Brother's calls to voicemail.
Stepping away from the window, Miriam shed her clothing and pulled on her slip before grabbing the small bag of pretzels out from her backpack.
"Little midnight snack Moses," she smiled, watching as the dog scooted up close to her. Tossing him a single pretzel, she blew out the small beeswax candle on her sidetable and sat in the darkness, knowing that in a few hours she would have to stand in a house of God.
…
345 E 1st Street, Apt 3, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California…
12:12am
Turning off the engine of the grey Dodge Charger, Pierce stared up at the dark top floor of the red brick building through the windshield and immediately let out a curse.
"You're not home Miriam."
It's Friday night, can you really blame a twenty-one-year-old College student for not being home at this hour?
Were you expecting her to be sitting on her sofa? Waiting for the off chance that her consistent ignoring you all day would drive you mad and have you come to her?
Letting his hands fall off the steering wheel and onto his black dress panted thighs, he clicked his tongue against the front of his teeth as he threw his door open.
"And if you are sleeping Miriam?"
Feeling the warm night air against his face as he walked up to the broken front door of the building, he pulled it open and was immediately hit with the stench of stale urine, no doubt from a homeless individual of whom the narrow staircase had provided a few hours of sleep and protection from the vulnerable, crime ridden city streets.
Reaching the top stair, he turned and slowed his steps as he found himself standing outside the apartment door. Cocking his ear, he heard no sounds from a television or stereo much less conversation. Raising his hand to knock, he took a step backwards just as a man and a young woman came clattering up the staircase, nearing falling into the hallway.
"Oh no. I may have taken pity on you when you bought me a drink, but if you think you are getting into my bed as soon as we get inside…well…maybe."
Narrowing his eyes as he recognized Miriam's roommate, he watched as her eyes went wide before she let out a drunken belch.
"Well, well. For someone who said they weren't relationship material, you seem to want to see her a lot Police Officer."
Freezing in his steps as he heard his girlfriend's words, the young man released Dakota's hand before straightening up his drunken posture.
"Police Officer?"
"Did she kick you out? Pity she allowed you time to put your pants back on," Dakota questioned with a smirk as she took her keys out of her jean pocket, trying in vain to separate the one that would unlock the front door.
"I haven't knocked yet" Pierce replied as he stepped aside, giving the intoxicated couple a wide berth as he had no desire to catch any of them if they fell or puked all over the floor.
"Dakota, right?"
Looking down at the Lieutenant's outstretched hand, the young girl grinned as she stabbed her key into the door lock.
"I see what she means by those big blue eyes of yours" she burped, placing her hand in his as he lightly squeezed in a greeting.
"I'd make you wait out here for her, but it smells like piss. Therefore, you may wait just inside" Dakota purred as she pushed the door open. Giving instructions for her bed guest to wait inside her bedroom with the door closed, Dakota pointed to a spot by the sofa and gave a firm eye as Pierce nodded his head.
Was she even here?
"If she's sleeping, you're in for a real treat. She usually sleeps naked."
Hearing Dakota's words, Pierce cleared his throat lightly as he remembered seeing Miriam's naked back the month previous when she had noticed her tank top inside out.
Flawless skin
"You know what? Fuck it, her room is down the hallway. Help yourself."
Catching Dakota's eye as she winked at him, Pierce breathed in deep as he stared to walk down the wooden hallway, his boots thumping with every step.
How would you react Miriam if you woke and saw me leaning over you in your bedroom?
Stopping in front of the closed bedroom door, he raised his right hand and lightly knocked the back of his knuckles against the wood. Wrapping his hand around the doorknob, he slowly pushed the door open and was met with darkness as he called her name.
"Miriam?"
Stepping over the threshold, he ran his hand up the side of the wall and felt for the light switch. Blinking his eyes as the small room was suddenly bathed in light, he stared at the empty single bed before moving his eyes towards the window. Walking past her desk and laptop, he glanced down into the street before turning around.
Please say that you did not return to LUX
Glancing at her bookshelf, he moved his eyes over the sheets of the made-up bed before reaching out to press the back of his hand against a sitting mug on the side table.
Cold
Probably from this morning
She…hasn't been here for a few hours
"Where are you, Miriam?"
Rounding the foot of the bedframe, he took a seat on the edge of the bed just as his eyes fell on the young woman's mobile phone face down on a piece of white folded paper on the nightstand. Feeling his blood going cold as he stared at the device, he slowly reached over and pulled both towards him as he laid his back against the sheets.
No girl her age leaves her phone at home
Resting the Blackberry on his chest, he unfolded the sheet of paper just as the shuffling of feet sounded at the open bedroom door.
"You two leaving the door…"
Turning his head at Dakota's words, he watched as she moved her eyes around the empty room.
"She's not here?"
Sitting up as he laid the phone on his thigh, he shook his head as his stomach sank.
If her best friend doesn't know where she is…
"She left a note."
Feeling the woman taking a seat beside him leaving distance, he could smell the alcohol coming off her as she tried to appear sober for the sake of her friend's whereabouts.
Rule number one girl, never mix your drinks he thought as he opened the note…
Dakota,
"It's addressed to you," Pierce spoke as Dakota rested her head on her hand.
"Your eyes are probably better than mine right now."
Jesus
"Dakota, my Dad called me this morning while I was at the Division to tell me my brother had committed suici…"
"Wait…what?"
Rising to his feet as he tossed down the letter, Pierce grabbed Miriam's Blackberry and shoved it in the back pocket of his pants as he leaned down and firmly gripped Dakota's chin.
"You're shitfaced right now, but I need you to tell her the address of her parent's farm in Fairfield right now!"
"I…Tyler Acre Farms that's all I know," Dakota breathed as Pierce released her chin and moved towards the bedroom door.
"Wait…you are going to drive to Fairfield? Right now?"
"Yes."
"I think she's in love with you, you know…"
Hearing Dakota burp as she leaned against her own bedroom door, he turned slightly and nodded his head.
"So stop making her fucking upset Officer."
…
Grace Episcopal Church, 1405 Kentucky Street, Fairfield, California…
The Next Day…
Listening to the tail end recording of Amazing Grace as the cassette tape was shut off by one of the funeral home attendants, Miriam shifted uncomfortably in the pew as she stared at her Brother's closed coffin.
Though he hung himself, they still decided to close the casket
Rubbing the palm of her hand over her black panted knee, Miriam felt a hand sliding over her shoulder as she felt a whisper in her ear.
"I am so sorry for your loss."
This is enough
Rising to her feet, Miriam ducked out of the pew and heard the murmurs around her as she rounded the corner and entered into the small kitchen that was packed to the brim with small cold cut sandwiches and platters covered in tin foil.
You aren't going to cry, you aren't going to cry…
"I have to get out of here" she whispered, spying a closed side door that she knew led out to the back of the church, she twisted the deadbolt and pushed it open, feeling the afternoon's warm air hitting her face. She didn't want to go back to her childhood home, and the very thought as soon as it hit her, had her taking a seat on a wicker chair near the edge of the small forest.
"We may not have been close Aaron, but you were my Brother…and you've left me alone" she cried softly, bringing her hands up to her face. Rarely did she show her emotions, but nothing could stop her at this very moment for almost hating her Brother and his choice to kill himself.
"What could I have done for you Aaron? What in the hell could you have expected me to do for you?" she sobbed as she heard the bells of the church starting to ring from above the steeple. Not wanting to be found crying her eyes out, she had no desire to mingle with the poor souls who had sat in the pews around her, silently pitting her and her small family's situation at such a tragic loss. Rising to her feet, Miriam wiped her eyes with the back of hand, sighing as she spied the mascara before turning towards the gravel road that would lead her eventually, back to the farmhouse.
…
Later that day
4:23pm…
Pulling on a pair of dark green Wellington boots, Miriam tucked in the cuffs of her black skinny jeans before grabbing her black sweater. Pulling it up over her head, she gathered up her hair into a ponytail and looked around for a pair of work gloves in the wicker basket next to the wooden handmade bench.
"Where are you going?"
Rolling her eyes as she heard her Mother's voice from the kitchen, the young woman rounded the corner and leaned her shoulder against the wooden beam of the house built by her Father's own two hands. Spying her Mother kneading a lump of bread dough on the counter, she watched as the woman's fingers expertly molded the dough into a rectangular tin.
"Out to feed the animals."
Pulling at the white hand towel that seemed to be constantly attached to her hip, Yulia Tyler rested her hands on the hips of her black mourning dress as she stared at her daughter with puffy eyes.
She's probably wondering why I have not yet cried. Don't you worry Mom, I've done enough in private…
"You are staying for a few more days, are you not Miriam?"
"I can't. I have to be back in the City for Monday. My bus leaves in the morning at nine" she added, catching her Mother's irritation.
"You should be staying here to help your Father out. With…with your Brother gone, you need to be here" Yulia spat as she ripped the towel from her waist and tossed it onto the countertop. "Enough of this Police nonsense!"
Narrowing her eyes as she listened to her Mother's scolding, Miriam scoffed as she turned around to leave for the outdoors.
"I'm not the Farmer in the family. Never have been, never will be!"
Roughly ripping open the wooden front door, she ignored the loud bang as Moses shot out from her right and galloped across the yard towards the fenced in barn holding the Anglo-Nubian goats. Marching across the gravel of the driveway, Miriam kept her eyes firmly planted on the small red structure as the baa's and bleating's grew in her ears.
Moving her fingers along the clasp of the iron wrought gate lock on the other side of the fence, she heard the squelching of the mud beneath her boots as she grabbed the hanging silver bucket. Noticing the sizable dent along the side as she moved towards the barn, she was unaware of the pair of blue eyes that followed her every movement.
Looking down at the toe of his brown Blundstone boot, the broad-shouldered man angled his head as his eyes caught sight of a small wooden cross. Feeling his stomach turn at the sight, Pierce kicked it aside as he returned his gaze onto the young girl.
Filling the bucket up a second time with grain feed, Miriam hummed to herself as she reached out and grazed her fingers along the brown back of the goat before touching the animal's floppy ear. Feeling a smile crossing her lips as she gathered some grains in the palm of her hand, she held it out and watched as two small ewes greedily lapped.
Raising her eyes as she heard a deep male cough coming from the far wooden fence near the side of the farmhouse, Miriam felt the bucket falling from her fingers as she felt her breathing quickening. Staring at the Lieutenant leaning his bare forearms on the wooden post in comfort, she felt her head swimming with so many questions as she opened her mouth to speak.
"What, in the hell are you doing here?"
…
Please read, review, and enjoy!