The coffee blurred in her sight. Unsteadily, Cul placed the cup on the counter and blinked back the tears, that had gathered beneath her contacts. Not again... A word of gratitude reached her from the other end, then mingled with the background of the cafe. Cul lowered her head. Her annoyance grew into anxiety, and a familiar stream of vomited thoughts. Who's watching her? Is anyone watching her? Are they listening, counting her tears, her ragged breaths? Did they know? They knew... Somebody had to figure it out by now. It had been three months, since she'd started working in the Anemone cafe and she still couldn't control her emotions. Somebody had to draw up suspicions, light them like matches, and distinguish the truth... From an edge she saw abysmal figures, swaying impatiently near the cashier, waiting to buy coffee or tea etcetera. Blank faces became ghastly grimaces. Their forms held guns and daggers, similar to the gruesome ancestral statues in her hometown.
"Cul."
She twitched, knees shaking in frustration. It was Yowane Dell, who stood behind her with a pityingly wrinkled nose.
"Let's take a five minute break. Haku will fill you in."
With a few quick words, handed to the back of the cafe, Yowane Haku appeared, or rather floated in. She sluggishly dragged her feet, while they mixed between her long ember skirt, making he look similar to a traversing ghost. Behind cheap perfume wafted a thick stench of booze. Disheveled hair and sleepy eyes betrayed her further. Haku was most likely still fighting a yesterday's hangover, as she usually did on Tuesdays, and thus barefacedly slept through her shifts, unless called upon. With this inherent passivity she had lost numerous jobs. It was a good thing, Dell took her in. At least that was what Cul had heard. He was her older brother and as the owner of the cafe, he selfishly flexed Haku's schedule to fit her needs. On paper she was a part-timer. In reality she sat in the cafe every day alongside her workaholic brother, but worked only on brief occasions...
Cul gave a thankful nod to the woman, then slipped into the grey corridor alongside Dell. An emergency exit shone in the back. It acted like a heavenly gateway. When Dell opened the door, Cul bounced outside, greedily inhaling the fresh, crispy air.
It was the end of November. Winter was shuffling on a metaphorical doorstep and as a result their surroundings were scraped off color. An unused parking lot met them up front. A pair of communal trash cans stood to their left. Scraps of withered leaves waltzed around, while a mountain of cigarette buds were ceremoniously stacked behind one of the trash cans, as a testimony to Poiyo's and Dell's mischief. Cul leaned back at the grey wall with a shiver. Longingly, her eyes skipped behind the parking lot towards a patch of trees - a park. Those stood bare, exposed to the foggy sky and a cold, merciless soil. This will be the sight, she'll greet for the next three months. It pricked her as unbelievably depressing... Mindlessly, she started to wipe dried tears off her cheeks, before Dell pushed a pack of cigarettes to her.
"Dell, I don't smoke."
"Suit yourself." He shrugged and lit one himself. Long fingers shook and clenched the cigarette, as he slowly inhaled the first fume. The tip burned into ash. It was mesmerizing in a sense - Cul thought - the grace with a pinch of sincerity, that had been emitted during these little cigarette breaks. That was the reason, why she tagged along, despite not smoking herself.
Slowly, Cul took out her eye contacts.
Her irises were a spiral of crimson, inhuman, never satiated and thirsty. The masking contacts remained on the tips of her fingers.
"I have another pair of contacts in the office, if you need them," Dell offered. His own red eyes were as much of an imitation... "Cul?"
"Huh. Maybe. God, I'm so tired."
"I know..." He exhaled. The smoke dwindled in the murky sky, rendering the man's words obsolete. "I know."
"I wish we'd be normal."
"I wish society would finally accept us." Dell quipped.
"We're a piece of folklore to them."
"That's still a step forward. At least they don't hunt us down like witches and vampires, as they did in the Middle Ages..."
"So you think, it's possible, they'd accept our kind one day?"
"Let me have dreams, Cul. I've read too much to hope for a better future..." He tapped the ash off, then cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uhm, then again not everything is that that bad. The workload in the cafe is stabilizing."
"Stabilizing?" She raised an eyebrow. In Cul's honest opinion, they were still short on staff, and most of the employees ended up working overtime to keep the cafe steady. She could not voice this to Dell. The guy worked himself to the bone... Disappointed, her eyes delved at her feet. He continued.
"Yeah, it's somewhat manageable now."
"If you say so." She muttered and raised her head for a breath of fresh air. All she got was a mixture of tobacco and nicotine. Throughout that thin layer of smoke, like some kind of a deity, a violet-haired girl appeared. Her soft smile widened into a genuine grin.
"Oh, Yukari!" Dell started. Cul's eyes momentarily jumped between her boss and the cheerful youngster. The violet-haired girl was wearing a black wool sweater over a white blouse and a scarf. Her face seemed friendly enough, but her eyes were a thin shade of purple... Human... Cul stiffened.
"I haven't seen you in a while, Yukari. How are you?" Dell leaned his weight on a single leg comfortably, once Yukari stood beside him and Cul.
"I'm fine, but the studies are killing me."
"It was your choice to study in a medical field."
"I know..." Yukari whined. "But it's not easy. I've come to miss my leap year."
"Hey, now, don't say that." Dell paused after noting Cul's prolonged gaze. He turned to her sideways. The cigarette was raised as a pointer. "I failed to introduce you two... Cul, this is Yuzuki Yukari, she worked in Anemone last year."
"Oh. I see." Cul smiled absently. How odd, for a human to work at the Anemone cafe. Poiyo had mentioned a certain 'Yukari' once, but Cul figured this 'Yukari' had been one of them - a red-eyed anomaly. How come Dell hired human to an anomaly swarmed cafe was beyond comprehension. Why hadn't he weighted the risks, the chance of exposure, or the sheer discomfort of his companions? Cul turned away confused, listening to them with a single ear still.
"If I'm not mistaken, Yukari, you left at the end of summer." Dell reminisced. "Cul started working in September."
"Ah. I get it. That's why we haven't met. It's rare, seeing newcomers." Yukari tilted her head at Cul. The latter twitched on impulse.
"What?"
"I see Dell's still hasn't quit making those funny contacts."
Contacts. A cold scurry ran down Cul's back. They were still resting in her fingers. Careless to that, Yukari added with a chuckle.
"Why do you keep torturing your new employees, Dell?! Those things look so weird!"
"It's a stupid habit, I agree." Dell nodded, as if they were discussing something as simple as the weather. Cul on the other hand felt faint. Discreetly, she hid the old pair of contacts inside her pocket and leaned back at the wall. Her legs shook. If Yukari mistook her eyes for fake ones, better not to oppose that idea. Maybe Dell wasn't completely nuts. This lie of his had a well-structured background. It wasn't fault proof, but it gave a good explanation for their eyes and the mountain of contacts stashed in Dell's office - two birds with one stone. Cul looked back at Yukari, who was still conversing with her boss.
"Talking about habits, you don't seem to have changed, Dell."
"The age of thirty is a dry decade - stagnation at its finest." A string of bitterness rose, then faded with his last tone. In the next instant Dell was smiling again. "You'll see what I mean in due time, Yukari."
"I'd rather not."
"You'll see, you'll see..." As quiet settled between the two, Dell inhaled the last fume of the cigarette, like sucking the marrow off his victim. His fingers were close to getting burnt - a risk he was willing to take. That last bliss was cut short.
"Hey, Dell, are you looking for employees right now?"
"Not at the moment, Yukari." The man eyed the burnt filter in-between his fingers wearily.
"I see... I kind of... I could use a part-time job until Summer."
"Sorry... I don't think I could hire you..."
"It's okay. I understand, if you're full."
"I could look up, and give a few references to other cafes, if you'd like."
"Thanks, but... I was kind of looking for a familiar place." She smiled sadly. "You know?"
A familiar place... The Anemone cafe had given a safe haven for the anomalies, Cul wondered, a sense of belonging, and a stable income. It never occurred to her, that this feeling could have been so easily perceived by others without understanding its root. To her dismay, Dell nodded absentmindedly.
"I understand..."
"Dell-" Cul started.
"We should head back now." He snuffed out the cigarette and patted Yukari's head. "Stay safe and stop by more often, okay?"
"Sure."
That was the end of their conversation. Yukari gave them both a languid wave, before Cul silently followed Dell. Once they were inside the building, she bore at the man questioningly.
"Why didn't you hire her?"
"Hmm?"
"That girl, Yukari. We need more staff and you seemed to know her well. If you hired a human before, what's stopping you-"
"I won't."
"Why?"
"It was a mistake... Besides, Haku would kill me."
"Eh?"
"You see, Poiyo and I adapted to Yukari well, but Haku always walked, as if on eggshell. She became close to being paranoid. I was afraid she'd give us away." Dell paused in the corridor, then peered over his shoulder at the parted common room, making sure Haku wasn't there. "That silly hobby about making contacts, I had to make it up because of Haku. She walked out, when she shouldn't have one too many times..." Cul nodded slowly and Dell emitted a forced sigh. "To this day I don't know, whether that was stress, or whether she wanted to nark me."
Cul stared at Dell afterwards.
"That doesn't sound like Haku."
"Believe me. It wouldn't have been the first time."
"But she's always so passive..."
"Yes, because Haku's always drunk or lost in her own mind... Dear, lord... You haven't seen her paranoid."
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be," Dell shook his head. "We all have hidden faces."
X X X
"Hey, Cul, darling!" A joyous voice leapt at her from the cafe's entrance one evening during winter. She paused. At that time the sun was already setting and its fiery hue was sprayed on the imitated wooden interior through the low windows. Matsuda Poiyo, another one of the cafe's employees, stood by the entrance. He was the youngest of their bunch - only twenty. As always he came in with a rumpled grey shirt, beneath an old jacket and with a stuffed backpack. His colleagues surmised, that he was carrying his whole life in there. Cul smiled.
"What're you up to, Poiyo?"
"An evening shift."
"Wasn't Dell supposed to work the evening shift today?"
"Yeah. Dell asked me to fill him in." Poiyo scratched his head, as he stood beside the counter. "He said something about a headache."
"Figures..." Cul sighed. Dell was prone to ignoring his own health. Angered, it all backfired quite quickly.
"And to think, that I have an exam in the morning... That sucks."
"You haven't studied during the day?"
"Of course not, I had other responsibilities to take care of."
"Like video games?"
"You caught me there..." Poiyo turned away guilty, and that was, when he noticed Yukari. The latter was studiously typing on her laptop at one of the side tables near the window. "Well, I'll be damned. I haven't seen Yukari in a while."
Without another word, Poiyo went towards the girl and ruffled her hair.
"Hey, Yukari, dear!"
"Eh? Poiyo?" She yelped, looking up.
"The one and only! Say, why haven't I seen you here much?"
"I was busy..."
"Really? If you're tired of our coffee just say so."
"No, no." Yukari chuckled between a pair of fingers. "I didn't have time. That's all. You can bet I'll come here regularly this semester!"
"What are you studying?"
"Pharmacology at the Voc. Oid. College."
"Hey! What a coincidence! Stop by the second faculty once in a while," Poiyo drew a chair to sit beside her. "Maybe I'll convince you to join a programming class."
"I'll pass."
"Come on, it's only a few steps away."
Cul smiled warmly at their exchange. The sun shaded Poiyo's and Yukari's features into somewhat of a nostalgic blur. The scene held a certain deja vu: the smell of freshly roasted coffee, a half empty cafe and two old friends, eager to catch up. The light atmosphere might have washed away their fears, along with glaring differences. After noticing that, Cul could not help but wonder, whether this had been a frequent feeling back then. She was about to join them-
Grimacing statues emerged in her mind. They swarmed the cafe, glaring at her from every corner. Mouths gaped in contempt.
'You shouldn't exist... We burnt your kind long time ago... Get out of here! Get out!'
"Cul?"
The woman's shoulders twitched, before she met Poiyo's concerned look from the table, while the wooden floor had spiraled beneath her, like a scrunched up tablecloth. It held Cul captive in the middle, like those demented eyes of hers. With an awkward gulp she finally came up to them. A sheepish smile followed.
"Ah, sorry, what were you talking about?"
X X X
A late evening fell upon them one time. Yukari had to return to her dorm, and Cul offered to lead her back. They stood outside the cafe. While Yukari hastily put on her gloves, Cul happily held the other's bag. The sight had turned into somewhat of a routine.
"Cul, I can get back by myself."
"It's not a bother, besides it'll be safer this way." She smiled kindly.
"You keep saying that," Yukari finally snatched her bag from Cul, "when you're the one, who barely knows her way around town."
"Well..."
"Either way, I appreciate your company." Yukari sighed. In the next instant Cul joyously lined her steps with hers. In a way Cul was determined to keep Yukari close, if Dell was too stubborn to employ her, then Cul will find other ways to preserve their new found friendship. Yukari was special. Her presence was a ray of sunshine during these gloomy months.
They walked through the busier parts of Vycia, quickly reaching the more communal district. Grey walls and bare trees guided them from both sides. There was a tiny library, squeezed into one of the apartment buildings. Beside it stood a statue of a woman with billowing twin-tails and holding a flute. The statue's lips were tight and eyes set upwards, showing fancied determination. Unknowingly, Cul paused. Yukari followed her gaze, before breaking the quiet.
"That's Hatsune Miku. You haven't seen this statue before?"
"No."
"Hatsune had been a prominent cultural figure. There are a couple of memorials dedicated to her in the town square. We could go see them one day."
"Ah..." That breath lingered in the cold air. It gave Yukari time to inspect a growing frown on Cul's face.
"You don't like it?"
"No, it's okay..." Cul said. "I don't like statues in general, they had these hideous ones, where I grew up."
"Really? Do you have pictures?"
"No way." Cul cringed.
"Sorry, I was just curious. It's odd to hear of statues being purposefully disgusting."
"They were used to guard off evil, I suppose that's why they looked that way."
"Ah. I see, like scarecrows, that protect crops." Yukari tapped her chin, before childishly spreading her arms, and spinning around.
"Not exactly." Cul reluctantly followed Yukari into a shaded parking lot. Her shoulders hunched and palms hid inside her coat's pockets. Memories began swarming her mind. Cul's throat felt dry... A bitter smile rose up on accord, before she purposefully stabbed an old wound with her upcoming words. "There was this legend, passed down in the Cowslip village. Long time ago a disease had spread there. Those born with it were abnormal beings, prone to witchcraft and able to bend blood... Some villagers believed, they slaughtered livestock, others, that they had feasted on human blood. Hunters were gathered to form a council... The statues... They represent old times of hostility." Cul's lips tightened. "To this day, those stony men guard Cowslip. The villagers say, the statues' eyes turn at night, hunting those, who don't belong there..." A pause. "But that's only a silly legend."
"Sounds scary."
"Yeah. It's a scary one..." A bare nod. Throughout the fog, clouding her vision, Cul saw an enraged masked figure. Motherly hands were deathly clenched, disrobing fingers off their initial love. How quickly that mask of hatred fell, leaving behind petrified tears.
'You shouldn't exist. Get out!'
Similar tears fell. Cul quickly wiped at her eyes. She was scared of being seen, after all, it was her fault for gauging memories.
"Cul," A gentle voice. Frost-bitten fingers rose to her shoulders. Cul clawed at those tentative hands, unsure at first, whether to accept or tear them away. They smelled of lavender. They were human, in the same breath – foreign and completely dreamlike. How she wished to attain that sense... To be human... And yet this was probably as far as Cul will ever reach to becoming one... She buried her face in the embrace, savoring the given warmth. Yukari's voice drifted by her ear in the meantime. "Those scary statues aren't here anymore."
X X X
Their uncle used to tell so many stories. There were tales of beautiful mermaids, devils and Red Witches. A queasy expression would venture in and lips would draw to a close after a mandatory breath... Dell, as a child, hardly minded that change. Neither did he question the same things Haku did. Why did they share those crimson eyes? Why were the Red Witches banished and why were people hunting them?
Fairytales were always false. Any and all similarities were coincidental...
"Be wary of strangers." Their uncle used to warn.
One time, as the three of them sat at their kitchen table, where a single candle flickered warmly, Haku turned back with, as Dell had guessed, another one of her juvenile questions.
"But who are the strangers, uncle?"
"Everyone."
"Are dad and mommy strangers too?"
"Yes, because your mom and dad are human..." He paused. "You two are not. Humans cannot be trusted..." Outside of the candle's radiance a closed crimson eye emerged. Their uncle faltered with his next words, "and neither can I."
Dell recalled Haku's wide curious eyes. Her ears must have soaked up the words, as usual. Now that Dell thought back on it, Haku looked pallid, even back then, like a sheet or a fidgety ghost. The crusted eye remained hanging on the wall. It mirrored her growing distrust.
'It hasn't changed...'
That thought brought Dell back to the present. The last cup was placed in the cabinet, he overlooked the empty kitchen after. Most lights had been turned off, in order to conserve energy. The dark gave an easy entrance to loneliness... As if summoned, an eerie silence waltzed in, complete with the buzzing of the fridge, or an occasional tick of the clock. Dell listened in, cautiously. He was waiting for the silence to swallow him one day. Not yet... The menace ate his mind away like poison, slowly.
Thank god, he wasn't alone tonight...
Haku must have finished cleaning up by now.
A cling was heard from the front door, followed by familiar voices, and memorized footsteps, which gifted Anemone a pinch of liveliness once more... They had closed the cafe earlier than usual today and decided to do their monthly meet up.
"Dell! Are we starting already?" Poiyo's voice echoed from the front.
"Yeah! Coming!" He answered, quickly rounding the kitchen towards the guest area. He saw Cul, Poiyo and Haku, sitting by one of the tables, which had flush cushion seats. Their coats were routinely draped on the next table in a heap. Poiyo smiled, once Dell was close enough.
"Are there any croissants left today?"
"They're by the fridge. Help yourself."
"Perfect! Dinner!" Poiyo left his seat, the moment Dell sat down beside Haku. Cul pouted.
"Hey, Poiyo, maybe we should get through the meeting first?"
"But I'm hungry."
"It's okay. He'll catch up." Dell sighed, rubbing his temples. With those words Poiyo was gone, while Cul's returned her attention at Dell.
"Is the headache still bothering you?"
"Uhm. It's manageable..."
"They're more frequent now, aren't they?"
"So?"
"Shouldn't you go see a doctor or something?"
There came a dismissive click of teeth. Dell entwined his fingers on the table, as if caging them after that. Formality has taken its hold once more.
"Anyway, two new coffees will be introduced. Specifically, Mazagran and Irish coffee. I'll post the information on the board, also we'll have a discount for Machiato next week." He sighed knowingly, noticing Haku's stare. "What is it?"
"The new coffees will need rum and whiskey, right?"
"Ah. Those will be out of reach and locked with a key. Any more questions?"
"None." Haku lowered her head, Cul's lips drew into a smile after. That was a typical argument between the Yowanes. Right at that time, she saw Poiyo come back with a paper bag of croissants.
"What did I miss?"
"Nothing much..." Dell smiled, when Poiyo squeezed in beside Cul. "I can move onto the important stuff now. There's been a series of odd deaths around the area. Dogs were found, drained off their blood and thrown into an unused cellar near the Fuschia alley-"
"That's somewhere around Voc. Oid. college, isn't it?" Poiyo interrupted, drawing out a croissant from the bag. As accusing looks circled him, he raised his hands in defense. "Hey, it wasn't me! That alley's popular. A lot of college preps smoke there. It's perfect for anonymity."
"You're well-informed."
"Don't point fingers, Dell, as if you never smoked that stuff in your thirty three years."
"I won't comment."
"So..." Cul swallowed uncomfortably. "An anomaly's lurking somewhere nearby, is that it?"
"You want us to take care of a Red Witch again." Poiyo added with a mouthful.
"Ah. You know the drill." Dell nodded. He refrained from adding - 'for all of our safety'.
Cul was never fond of their side-job. It was messy, but ultimately required, so to keep their anonymity in Vycia. Anxiety always seized her, when these kind of discussions arose. Someone would eventually see them, if they kept using their blood powers. In Cul's mind they were only evading the main problem... All of them should move away from Vycia, separate and try to live as quietly as possible... No... That won't do. They should disappear, all of them should disappear... A shiver wrecked Cul's body. The smell of lavender - Yukari, the warmth of the cafe, those sun-kissed afternoons. No. She didn't want to fade... Cul clasped her palms together, so to stop them from shaking.
There was a gasp.
Cul noticed Haku, sitting frozen opposite her. The woman's eyes were bloodshot and face set into stone.
"Someone's here."
Dell's eyebrows twitched unsavory.
"Haku, what-" He didn't get to finish, as an array of bloodied eyes appeared. A million of them swarmed the walls and the ceiling, crowded and climbed over one another, pettily. The cafe reeked of iron. "Stop that!"
"It's that girl again..."
"Yukari?" Cul's eyes darted at the locked door. A shaded figure could be seen through the roughened glass. Thoughtlessly, she ran towards the entrance.
"Cul, get her away from here!" Poiyo's shout could be heard through the buzzing in her ears.
"R-right." Cul faltered with the lock. The door was opened to reveal a red-nosed Yukari, a white tote bag filled with assignments and her fist raised, ready to knock. Cul noted the surprise on the girl's face.
"Hey... Are you closed already?"
"We're closed. I'll lead you home, Yukari." She snatched the other's hand.
"Eh? Cul?"
"It's not safe this late in the evening. Let's go."
"Cul... Did something happen?"
Cul's heart dropped at that.
"Nothing happened, what makes you say that?"
"You look shaken."
Silently, Cul spared one last glance at Anemone, before quickening their pace through the snowy pathway. She needed to get away. Still, fear gnawed at her, despite the growing distance between her and the cafe. She held Yukari's hand tightly throughout. A straw of peace, the final one...
It started snowing, once they had reached Yukari's dorm complex.
By that time the grey buildings loomed at them, morphed together with the snow, imitating timeless and haughty pillars, praying for unity. Cul released her hold, when they stood at the apartment's entrance. To her dismay, Yukari did not seem to hurry.
"Hey... Can you smell that?"
"Yukari, listen, you need to get inside."
The violet-haired girl parted her mouth. A swirl of crimson dots emerged from behind her, thirsty and desperate. Cul's eyes widened.
"Stay back!" She pushed Yukari to the side, as an anomaly lunged at them.
"What-"
The girl landed into a bush beside the building. Cul stood opposite her, near the parking lot, arms frozen and knees buckled out of fear. She could only imagine, how petrified Yukari felt. The hooded anomaly stood to Cul's left. They quickly stabbed into their elbow with a pocket knife and on accord the blood coagulated into a scimitar.
Cul bit into her lip.
Damn... She was done for... If Dell or Poiyo would be here, they'd know, how to deal with this. Furthermore, how was she supposed to defend herself in front of Yukari? She'll be exposed to someone she thought she could trust, and... Someone-
The blade struck.
-Someone, that could make her feel human...
Cul barely avoided the slash, as she side-stepped, and tripped onto the edge of the pathway. As the anomaly turned around, Cul braced herself.
A searing pain took over. She receded, holding onto the gash in her forearm, cursing under her breath. Shakily, her fingers clenched into a fist. A bloody bow began to manifest in hesitation. That stood as proof - Cul wasn't human... She would never be, and humans would never accept her... That did not mean she had to extend that courtesy, even if she was a beast from an old folklore.
Those thoughts corresponded with her mother's disgusted expression. Cold blue eyes pierced her unnatural ones in the distance. The anomaly lunged at her again. That illusion was broken, and the bow had yet to materialize properly. Cul jumped back.
"Watch out!"
Suddenly, Yukari's bag hit the anomaly, making them stumble backwards. By that time the bow was set. Cul aimed an arrow at their stomach. The anomaly leaned back from the impact, and Cul quickly shot another one, this time it hit their heart. A gurgling wail erupted, before all went silent. Blood began to turn into dust on the snow almost instantly. Cul figured, their whole body will start to disintegrate. If she would have paid more attention to Dell's stories, she would know, how long it would take. For now she'll have to wait it out. Dull, dead eyes stared back at her from the snow's bedding. Cul turned away upon contact, unnerved. They probably attacked them solely due to Cul's presence, if they were in fact feeding on stray animals up to this point, Yukari would have been safe. It was Cul's presence that provoked them... The woman's shoulders stiffened in guilt. As she stood frozen, there came a gentle tug on the side of her auburn sweater. Yukari's fretful eyes met hers.
"Y-your arm..."
"It's not as bad as it looks. Dell will patch it up..." She smiled bitterly, while clutching the gash. "I'm sorry, you had to see this..."
"No, I-I'm sorry..."
"It's not your fault, Yukari... Huh. None of us are human, you see."
"You're some kind of an organization?" The violet-haired girl tried to brighten the mood.
"I wouldn't say that. We're just a group of anomalies, trying to live by."
"You know... I had a hunch..."
"We figured. That's why Dell refused to hire you." Cul winced, while Yukari held her hand. "Come on, we need to head back to Anemone."
In time the falling snow buried any remaining ashes.
X X X
Light still shone inside the cafe, even though it was well into the night. Cul motioned for Yukari to open the door, while she stood back, holding onto her injured arm. The moment the door parted, a broken off chain flew out, dissolving into dust. Cul's eyes widened.
"Dell?"
The man stood by the entrance, his back facing to them.
"Didn't we tell you to keep Yukari away?!"
"Dell... I-" Cul's voice got stuck in her throat, once Dell turned his head. A pair of hideous eyes suppurated on his cheek - an infection. Cul shivered. In the next instant she heard Haku's shriek.
"Why is she here?! She gave us in, didn't she, didn't she?!"
"Stay back!" Dell bit into his already bleeding finger. A string of chains erupted and coiled near the walls, while Haku stood beside a bedding of pulsating eyes, pale as a ghost.
"We'll die! Don't you understand?! Humans cannot be trusted!"
"Haku-" Cul was about to interrupt, but Dell extended his arm.
"Stop. She's at her limit. This won't take long." At those words his chains trailed against the wall, destroying a line of eyes in the process. Haku hissed in pain, before the chains enveloped her, resembling a penitent embrace. She wavered, then fell. In correspondence, the infected eyes closed and sank into the walls of the cafe, as if falling asleep themselves. Dell released a heavy breath after that, wiping the corrupted blood from his cheek. A scent of rot persisted.
"It's over."
"Will she be okay?" Cul stepped inside the cafe with Yukari in toe.
"Yeah..." He crouched in front of his sister, softly cradling her frail body in his arms. Cul sucked on her lower lip.
"I'm sorry."
"What's done is done..." He sighed solemnly. "She'll be fine. She just needs rest..." A bitten lip. "Cul, why is Yukari here, didn't we-"
"I just..."
"Nevermind that..." Falteringly, he met Yukari's eyes. "I'm sorry... This is unexpected... And you know, how terrible I am with explanations."
"In time. Let me help you now."
X X X
A snow storm ravaged Vycia that day... Wind could be heard inside Anemone, as it melded with an old jazz melody. Together they waltzed around the empty tables, like a pair of extravagant guests, or star-crossed lovers. Cul stood beside the window. She looked out at the snowy street, expectantly. For the first time in a long time, the greyness did not bother her. It promised quiet and peace... All stood in a calm standstill, and even after closing hours, the cafe smelled of roasted coffee and vanilla. Cul swore, somewhere in secrecy, a scent of lavender prevailed, like a reassuring hug. Familiar voices neared from the other end of the cafe in the meantime.
At that, Cul lazily drew the lapels of her coat together. She saw Poiyo giggling together with Yukari, while Dell stood beside them with a calm smile, and probably another old joke, nested under his tongue. Haku's chin rested on his shoulder. Her glass of wine was half-empty and swayed in between her fingers, before Dell drew her attention, patting her head. Haku steadied her glass reluctantly at that. Out of their collective chatter, Yukari's voice flew out.
"Okay, we'll be going now. Cul, are you ready?"
She quickly went back to them, after having woken from her observations. Dell remarked on her drained bearing.
"You look tired. You know, you can sleep upstairs in the apartment."
"Thanks, Dell, I'll manage."
He nodded.
"So who's taking the morning shift tomorrow?"
"Me." Yukari beamed.
"Will you be okay?"
"Don't worry, I'll be just fine. Besides you need a day off yourself, Dell." Yukari gave hugs to both Dell and Haku. Warm farewells followed.
Cul saw Poiyo wave back to the siblings one last time, before the three of them exited into the chilly street. Yukari's bare palm nested into Cul's, the moment they were outside. Her warm presence felt heavenly and Cul wished to whoever could hear her, that she could hold Yukari's hand for an eternity.
Snow mounted on both sides of the pathway and was scarcely illuminated by the passing lampposts. Like guardian statues, the lights guided their way home. Anemone faded from sight not long after. It became an undistinguished flicker, amid thousands of others...