𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ℂ𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 ➶

𝔽𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕪: 𝕆𝕨𝕟 𝕄𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕖

It was never easy to plan a murder, but it was downright impossible when you were actively being stalked. At the end of the day, it was just plain frustrating.

Morticia supposed that Francoise, her intended victim, was just as frustrated as she was right now, be it for different reasons. After all, she had what the girl had so desperately wanted: all of Garrett Gates' love and attention.

Being trapped in a love triangle was no fun, though. She had been angry when Val first dumped him in her lap... And she was still annoyed, to be sure. Just not with Valentina. Not anymore. Her sweetheart clearly had the best intentions.

No, it was Fran's fault for putting so much pressure on her. And, if Tish had any say in the matter, the girl was going to pay.

Morticia strolled through Jericho's town square, both hunting and hunted. She was following Francoise from a distance, taking in what she was doing and with who. It appeared that she'd moved on from Garrett at a break-neck speed. Recently, she'd been flirting with another normie. This one wore a uniform and a badge, though.

Donovan Galpin, deputy to Sheriff Noble Walker... The same sheriff to whom she and Gomez repeatedly reported Garrett's obsessive behavior. Nothing had been done about it, and she suspected nothing would be done about it.

The Gateses had too much sway over the town of Jericho. She knew from personal experience that enough money and influence could allow you to get away with murder, let alone a little disturbance of the peace.

Fran was walking side-by-side with Deputy Galpin, talking, laughing. Occasionally their hands would brush up against each other's. The third time this happened, Donovan got the hint and took hold of her hand, and they continued down the sidewalk like that.

Look at that. They're holding hands. I want them dead. She thought to herself.

Morticia had a switchblade tucked away in the pocket of her jacket, seeing as all her dresses were too tight to make way for any such utilitarian features. If only the deputy would leave, so she could pull the girl into a dark side alley --similar to the one in which dear Thorpe had been nearly beaten to death-- and slit her throat.

Go away, she urged Deputy Galpin. Go away, go away, go away.

Suddenly, she felt eyes on her, and knew her hunt would have to be put on hold. Again. What a waste.

It didn't take long to find her quote-unquote "hidden" watcher in the crowd. Garrett had just exited The Weathervane, carrying a cup of something in his hand. The moment he locked gazes with her, he hurried over, crossing the street without looking away.

That was one thing she had to give the normie boy credit for... He was fearless. Persistent, too. Too bad he had his heart set on her, of all people.

Normally she would have turned tail and run. But she learned recently that he'd follow her all the way to the outskirts of Nevermore if need be. And she didn't feel like going on another car chase today.

Instead of running away, Morticia heaved a great big sigh and ducked into the antique store --Uriah's Heap-- behind her. She wasn't wandering the aisles long before Garrett found her again.

"Morticia!" He exclaimed, breathing her name as if their meeting itself was a minor miracle. "Hi. I haven't seen you around Jericho lately."

"I was avoiding you," she answered before sitting down on an ornate fainting couch with a huff. She was in the line of sight of the shop owner should he try anything... Whether they would actually do anything, though, she didn't know. "You shouldn't follow me. You'll live longer."

Just not long. Once Fran was out of the way, Gates would have to go.

He flinched a little like a beaten dog after someone just snapped a belt, but quickly recovered. "Here," he said, trying to offer her the cup in his dominant hand. "It's your favorite! Extra strong, unsweetened Chai."

She gave Garrett a suspicious look. "How do you know my order?"

"I, uh, overheard you ordering at The Weathervane once." Liar. He likely saw her leave The Weathervane and dug around in the trash until he found the cup with her name, order, and lipstick stain on it. Trash boy.

"Look, Gates." Morticia tried this before, but she'd try as many times as it took to beat her utter disinterest in him into his thick, Neanderthal skull. "I know what --how-- you're feeling right now. I've felt just as strongly. But I'm telling you right now it'll never work out between the two of us."

"How do you know if you won't give us a shot?" She didn't appreciate the little insights her interactions with Garrett were giving her into her relationship with Valentina.

"You need to move on. I could set you up with a friend of mine. Remember Francoise? She still burns like a red-hot poker for you." A lie, but a little white one.

"I don't want her. I never wanted her. She's the one who kept coming on to me. I've been trying to give her a wide berth... And you should, too."

Odd. "Why is that?"

"She's dangerous..." He murmured, speaking as if she were pulling the words from his mouth like teeth.

"Francoise? She's fragile as a flower." One that she wanted to pick and then pluck all the petals off of. And not in the fun way she wanted to do the same to Valentina.

"No, she's fragile like a bomb! She's not like the rest of you outcasts." Because a girl just loved being lumped into a wide category. Then again, Morticia had no shame... Either about being an outcast or in general. "She's a Hyde."

"A Hyde? Really?" She was familiar with that brand of monster, having studied Nathaniel Faulkner's diary cover to cover. But, really? "No. You're playing with me."

"I wish I was. Any day now she could transform into a monster and go on a killing spree. When that happens, I don't want you to be in her line of fire."

That was good to know. That was new information. Still, it begged the question... "How do you know this?"

"My old man told me. He keeps tabs on every outcast that comes and goes from Jericho."

She thought for a minute in silence before gracefully rising from the couch. "Thanks for the warning. I'll take it from here."

"Wait!" Garrett exclaimed, eyes frantic. "Before you go, at least take the tea. I got it for you, after all." That was news to her. Not surprising news, though.

"If I do that, will you promise not to follow me once I leave?"

There was that beaten dog look again. But, "Yes." Whether or not he kept his word would be another story altogether.

She took the cup from him, careful not to let their hands brush as she did so. It felt like he was always looking for an excuse to touch her. She offered no words of gratitude. That would imply she was in his debt, when she never asked for him to buy her tea. And Gods know she wouldn't drink it. He could have put something in it.

"Goodbye, Gates," Morticia sighed before disappearing out the door and into a nothing day.

For the first time in weeks, she wasn't thinking about the best way to kill Francoise. Just the best way to get her out of Valentina's life for good.