#0.08 : The Mimic //COMPLETE//

0.1 - The Family

Claudia sighed, running a hand through the long strands of dark hair on the right side of her head. She had been staring at her computer screen for hours, trying desperately to finish the accounting for her shop. The numbers had started to blend together, and she let out a long, exasperated sigh.

"You okay back there?" One of her employees voices squeaked it's way through the office door. She had owned and ran the medical marijuana dispensary for five years now, and it had become her life. Besides looking after her beloved friend Klaus, of course.

"Yeah, I just need to make more coffee," she replied, standing up from her office chair and cracking her back.

"Ooh, coffee sounds good," the sudden voice made her jump, knocking over a cup of paper clips on her desk.

"God damn it, Klaus," Claudia laid her hand over her heart. "Stop scaring me like that. And aren't you supposed to be in rehab?"

Klaus reached into his pocket and flicked a gold coin at her. She caught it and flipped it over. 30 days. A sigh escaped her mouth.

"Klaus," she started, but he just shimmied his way over to her and pressed a finger to her lips.

"But we have a reason to party tonight," Klaus smiled. He leaned toward her ear and whispered, "Dad is dead."

Claudia sat back down in her seat and let her head fall into her hands, "He.. Really?"

"If you would get your nose out of the account books back here and check the news for once, you might have known sooner," he chuckled. Claudia looked up at him and noticed Ben standing behind him. "You want to come catch a buzz with me?"

"Not on any of that shit you mess around with," Claudia said. She gathered her things and logged off the computer. After saying her goodbyes to her employees, she met Klaus in the alley behind the store.

Her hand slipped into her purse and she pulled out what looked like a fancy cigarette pack. "Ahh, back on the nicotine again, I see," Klaus tsked. "You know that shit will kill you."

"Speak for yourself," Claudia mumbled between lips closed around a finely rolled joint. She lit it and took a deep drag before exhaling. "And yes, but I'm not smoking cigarettes at this present moment."

Klaus sniffed the air and scrunched his nose. "Skunky," he noted. "I haven't smoked anything in a while. The stronger stuff tends to keep the spirits more quiet."

"And yet, you still can't shake Ben," she replied, blowing smoke out over her shoulder. Ben shook his head across from her.

"You know I try to keep him in line, right?" Ben asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sometimes it takes a village," she answered. After they had finished smoking, she turned to Klaus. "I guess we should go home, then, huh?"

"Ooh it'll be like a great terrible family reunion," Klaus laughed as he linked his arm with hers.

She led him to the car and drove the short distance to the Academy.

The second the two of them entered the house, Klaus vanished into the depths of their father's office. Claudia glanced around the vast entryway. Nothing had been touched since they had all moved out.

She slid her jacket off, revealing a patchwork sleeve of tattoos on her left arm. She had changed a nominal amount since she had left the academy. The left side of her head was shaved to the scalp, leaving only the long locks on her right side. Her style had darkened a bit, most of her wardrobe comprised of thrift store jeans and rock and roll t-shirts.