Now You See Me

Fourteen: Toilet Voodoo

I thought that Leia had gone into a state of asphyxiation when I described my most recent memory to her that evening.

We were sat in her office on either side of a massive table that had originally been bought for artistic purposes. Now, it was covered in all kinds of dubious looking objects and many vials, the contents of which looked dangerous.

Leia's chair was massive and heavily cushioned, but for once she wasn't lounging in it.

"She had...claws, then?" she said.

"She must've, or at least some really sharp nails," I replied. I shifted in my chair, and couldn't keep my gaze from straying to the door. "You know, to make that kind of mark in the window."

"But you didn't see this woman's face properly?"

"No."

"Okay." She ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, I'll do some investigating. Thanks for telling me, Damien." Despite her shock, she smirked at me. I couldn't help but think she knew I had been reluctant to come at all.

I nodded a brief goodbye and left, relieved to close the door behind me. When I turned to make my way down the corridor to my room, I spotted Marilyn lounging against the wall beside it. My heart sunk like a stone. I'd been doing so well in avoiding the weirdness today.

"Whadda you want?" I grunted, forced to stop next to her so I could get in. The time it took me to unlock the door seemed to stretch forever.

"I smelled human. I got curious."

"She left a couple of hours ago. Snack bar's closed, sorry for any inconvenience caused," I drawled, stepping into my room and leaving the door open, because I could tell she planned on coming in to bother me. "But don't get any ideas."

"You're an idiot," she said. When I glared at her, she just sent back a level stare. "What? It's true. Why would I go after one specific human when there are so many more convenient victims about?"

"Cause you're a creeper," I told her honestly. She frowned, as if pondering that, and came up with no objections.

"I'm not here for my transition," she said, and gave a genuine smile that was scary because it was real. She looked like she expected me to ask why she was here if it wasn't for that, but I had my suspicions and I didn't want them confirmed.

"If you're going to drop a few snarky comments, insult me and then leave, is there possibly a fast forward button I can use? I'm really not in the mood."

"You're never in the mood."

"That sounds almost accusatory. Why, did you think I might like it?"

She just rolled her eyes and, predictably, moved to the door. "At least I'm not sitting on your windowsill."

I went cold, stared at her hard. She offered a perfect poker face back, but her dark eyes danced with what must have been a kind of sadistic delight. She knew what she had said; it had been deliberate, that much was obvious, but how she knew...how could she? Leia and I had spoken in whispers, and besides, Leia's door had been open and facing down the corridor. We surely would have noticed if Marilyn had been listening the whole time.

"How'd you know that?" I murmured. I felt my heart beating in my throat and at the corners of my eyes. "Were you listening again?"

"Know what?" She ground her toes into the carpet and clasped her hands behind her back. "Did I hit a nerve? I'm terribly sorry." Her cheek pinched as if she was trying not to grin. "I didn't mean to scare you. See you at dinner, Damien."

She drifted out, leaving me with just enough energy to stumble forward and close the door before I sank to the floor with my back against the wall. I wanted to shrug it off – I tried – but there was a dark certainty roiling in my stomach that whoever, or whatever, the woman in my memory was, Marilyn either knew her or had heard of her.