Where the Light Ends [on hold]

☼ 30/04/2021 ☼

Becca, 
Thank you for your post on 
my wall. 

30/04/2021

ADRIAN WAS GOING TO BURN ARIANA'S OFFICE DOWN. It seemed like the only solution. Despite the cramped space, there seemed to be an endless supply of nonsense. In the past couple of days, he had made no progress in untangling the web of paperwork and junk.

He heard the knock of a gentle fist before the door was opened. Adrian didn't understand the point in knocking if you were going to stroll in regardless.

Karishma peeked into the office through the gap. Her gaze dipped to where Adrian sat on the floor. "It's twelve."

Out of habit, Adrian glanced at the white and black clock. The red hand was stuck and had been stuck ever since Adrian had moved into the office. Maybe even before that. Despite Ariana being a hoarder, it unnerved Adrian that she had still kept the clock.

A broken clock was never a good omen and Ariana clung to superstitions more than a mosquito to skin.

"Okay," Adrian drawled, looking at Karishma again.

Karishma sucked her cheeks in, forming a duck face. "My shift is over."

Adrian smiled tightly. "Have a good rest of the day."

"Cora hasn't come in."

The pieces clicked together like a puzzle. Adrian grimaced. It was the second time this month that Cora hadn't turned up late to her shift.

"I'll give her a call; do you mind staying on until I can get her in?"

Karishma smiled politely, like she was unsurprised by the outcome. "No problemo."

She clicked her tongue against the roof of her tongue, closing the door to Ariana's office behind. Adrian turned back to the box he was organising. He printed out another label and stuck it onto the container. He eyed the records his sister had been holding on to. Adrian considered throwing them away. If the dead could read minds, he figured his sister would be doing a somersault or two in her grave.

Adrian finally turned away from the box and reached for the landline on his desk. Cora's employee information in one hand and his fingers pressing the buttons with the other, Adrian held the phone between his ear and shoulder.

He waited.

One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi.

Cora finally answered. "Hello?"

"Hey Cora, it's Adrian." He straightened, his fingers holding up the phone. "You were supposed to start at twelve."

"Oh, shit!"

Adrian heard something clatter. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, yes," she rushed out. "I'll be there asap!"

And then the line died.

Adrian wasn't quite sure how to handle employee tardiness, he had never been around the café long enough to witness Ariana interacting with everyone.

Another knock sounded against the wooden door. Adrian peered over his shoulder. "Come in."

Oliver stepped inside. "Hey boss," he said, pausing to rub the back of his head, "someone's here to see you."

Adrian furrowed his eyebrows.

Oliver only grimaced like that when there was an extremely unhappy customer.

In hindsight, maybe he shouldn't have left Oliver out front alone while he cleaned up.

Adrian stood up, uncrossing his long legs. As he moved passed Oliver's broad figure, he felt like a noodle.

Adrian Steele stepped out onto the main floor of the Café. Even from behind the counter, amongst a sea of people, Adrian knew exactly who had requested his presence.

A girl, somewhere in between the ages of eighteen to twenty-two, stood near the counter. She didn't stand in line, but close enough to demand attention of any worker.

Behind her circular frames, a bruised eye peeked out. Her hair was dark and pin straight. Her narrow eyes scanned the café, bouncing over him dismissively.

Adrian's mind conjured the Facebook profile picture he had perused a few days ago. He knew exactly who he was looking at. He just didn't know what Maebel Frost wanted from him.

He also couldn't believe that the girl who disappeared two years ago, was standing in front of him, in the flesh. Adrian looked around, searching for any surprised reactions. Did people know Maebel Frost was back? Did they know that the girl standing in front of them was declared missing and presumed dead?

Adrian stepped around the counter, approaching her. As he stopped in front of her, towering over her small figure, she tightened her hand around the paperback in her hands.

"How can I help you?"

She blinked. "I'm looking for Ariana."

Adrian's body stiffened, every muscle halting as if the world had stopped spinning.

"Excuse me?" he almost spat out.

She wet her dry lips and looked at him as if he were a bothersome fly. Slowly, she enunciated, "I am looking for your boss."

If it were anyone else, Adrian would've thought he was being pranked. But as he gazed down at Maebel Frost, he realised that she had missed out on Ariana flinging herself to death. Wherever she had been holed up the past two years, must not have given her access to the news or social media.

"I run this café."

Maebel's brows furrowed. "I am looking for Ariana Steele."

Adrian crossed his arms against his chest, jaw tightening. Her name felt like a paper cut but on every part of his body and several times.

"What do you want from my sister?"

Maebel's eyes narrowed into slits, her eyelids almost closing. She studied him with pursed lips. 

"You do look a lot like her."

It wasn't the first time someone had told him that. The words washed over him like he hadn't even heard them. He may not have become desensitised to her name but being compared to her was like breathing.

When Adrian didn't respond, she heaved an exasperated sigh. "What am I going to have to do to see her?"

"Die."

Her lips parted in surprise, jaw moving back. "Excuse me?"

"She's dead," Adrian said, curtly.

Maebel blinked furiously. "How?"

Adrian's jaw tightened, the vein in his neck bulging. He was getting sick and tired of this game of twenty-one questions. He had a café to run and office to tidy up.

"She killed herself."

Maebel's eyes grew wider. She stumbled back like Adrian had slapped her. She looked stricken, like her whole world was crumbling to pieces. Adrian wanted to tell her to join the club.

"I need to go," she murmured, whirling and practically running out of the café. Adrian didn't protest or try to stop her.

His fists were clenched as he saw her get into the lift, her hand shaking.

He didn't move for a good few minutes, eyes frozen on the spot that Maebel Frost had stood.

Even as he turned away, her reaction stuck with him. When he slipped into his office, he realised that he had never asked her what she needed from Ariana. 

Update schedule: Fridays

Any crackpot theories? Any characters you really like
or don't like?