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HADLEY supposed it was time to try out the domestic housewife fantasy that she knew she could never have. She thought about it often: how she'd never have a normal life, a normal family. She was pretty sure she could never have children, and she refused to inflict a human that she wanted to marry – if she found a human who would want that with her. While she loved her creator and was grateful for the opportunity she'd been given, normality was out of the question. Hadley couldn't have the simple things in life anymore. She'd live in this cursed hotel for eternity, a damned soul wandering the halls.
But maybe, for one day, she could at least pretend that a domestic future was in the cards for her. She stood in front of a cutting board in the kitchen, trying to chop through a carrot without cutting her fingers off. Not that it would matter – the finger would grow back – but she didn't want to give her contaminated blood to Percy.
She was trying to cook him chicken soup. "One of the easiest recipes in the book," Liz said. But Liz didn't know just how bad Hadley was at cooking. She'd never been able to do it, despite wanting to be a chef when she was younger. As she went through the recipe, she realized that it wasn't as difficult she thought, but definitely not easy. After finishing the carrot, she slid the chopped pieces into a pot of boiling broth, which also contained noodles and bits of chicken. If she managed to not fuck this up, it would be a miracle.
The last thing she needed was some sliced celery. Yanking the fridge door open, Hadley eyed each shelf. She pulled out a stick of celery from the second to last rack, hiding amongst various fruits. Hadley closed the door with her hip, but found another person waiting in the kitchen with her.
"Your efforts are useless."
Hadley almost jumped out of her own skin when she noticed Sally's presence. The older woman's expression never changed: her blackened eyes were narrowed in Hadley's direction, her frizzy hair stuck out in blonde clumps, and her dark red lips curled with maliciousness. Hadley's jaw shifted, but she tried her best to ignore Sally's words as she walked back to the cutting board. The single, bright light above her head swung from side to side.
"God, you're so lucky you're already dead," she muttered, picking up the large kitchen knife. "I know you told Elizabeth about someone staying in my room. Learn to keep your damn mouth shut."
With a wide grin, Sally stepped towards the cutting table, causing the hanging lamp to sway even more. She drummed her long nails against the metal, failing to gain Hadley's attention as she continued to cut the celery.
"He'll leave, you know," Sally whispered. "They always leave."
Hadley set the knife down, arching a brow in Sally's direction. "What are you babbling on about now?"
