Nocturne

21. Welcome

It wasn't until after noon that I finally opened my eyes again, only to find that I had the bed to myself and the room was chilly. My limbs were heavy as I sat up and looked around, the sounds from the market outside just barely leaching into the walls around me. I both flinched and recoiled as I set my foot down on the ground, the chill gripping my skin like the hand of a demon. Then again, Murmur's hands were never that cold, so I shouldn't really make that assumption.

I pulled on capris and a yellow crop top, knowing the moment I got outside I'd be enjoying the warmth a lot more than I was down here. I caught sight of myself in the small mirror behind the door, my heart shuddering in my chest as I looked over my body. I had battle scars littering my skin and I'd put on some weight, no longer the slim eighteen year old, I'd filled out my body and looked just a little more like the women I'd envied only a year ago. I reached out and gripped the crystal, nodding to myself as if to confirm something unknown.

The whole marketplace was just buzzing with activity today. Arms dealers were passing out guns left and right and even the people who created things for art were making things for war. I ended up bumping into Aeric along the way, finding that he'd been collecting ammunition from various stores and was now carrying two boxes full of the stuff.

"Hey Agnes, what's up?"

"Do you think you could do me a favor?" I asked him suddenly. "I need to borrow your phone."

"Yeah sure, I'm not sure if we have any bars down here though." He put a box down to dig around in his pocket for a split second before handing it over. Once I got past the lock screen I went on to dialing in a number I'd taken the time to memorize by this point, listening to the tone before it ended on the third ring.

"Hey, it's Kelly."

"Hey Kelly, it's Agnes." I said nervously, realizing only now how long it had been since I'd used a phone.

"Oh, Agnes! How are you doing? Do you need something?"

"Yeah actually, do you think you could meet me somewhere?" I asked, "I just really need someone to talk to right now."

"Where are you at? I'm on a jog, I'll drop by."

I listed off the address before she said a cheery goodbye and ended the call, leaving me staring at the phone screen before placing it in my pocket. I was just about to walk up the steps when I heard a sharp call from behind me, making me pause and turn to find Margo trotting after me. She was dressed in shorts and her usual crop top, barefoot, with a bag wrapped around her hips and her thigh. Her eyes were dark and gloomy, something I knew wasn't right for her. My heart sunk but I relaxed and did my best to smile at her.

"What's up Margo?"

"Are you headin' up?" She asked.

"Yeah, want to come with me?"

"Might as well, there's nothin' for me t' do down here."

There was already tension between us as we trotted up the steps, taking the time to recite the phrase before walking out into the sunshine. I reveled in the warmth as I shoved my hands in my pockets, breathing in the scent of the far ocean air and street vendors not too far from us. I turned back around just to find Margo standing stiffly against the wall, her eyes trained on anything but myself.

"So what did you come up 'ere for?" She asked gruffly.

"I asked Kelly if she could meet up and talk about tonight."

"So you're hangin' out with the humans now, aye?" She snorted. "O' course."

"What's your problem with me?" I snapped suddenly, catching her attention. "You've been acting like this for weeks, it's gotten worse since we left Utah."