Our Newfound Paradise

Safe Place

Alastor opened the front door, holding the door open for Grace as she ran inside. He slammed the door behind them and the two of them stood there panting for air. 

Mercy was standing by the kitchen counter, cutting up something for lunch. The sharp aroma could be smelt from the other side of the room. She was humming quietly to herself when she noticed the two of them rushing in. 

"What's the matter with you two?" Mercy asked. "Did ya find a monster in the woods?" 

"Not exactly," Alastor said between breaths. "There was a knife-wielding maniac in the woods." 

Mercy immediately stopped what she was doing, getting placing it back in a nearby wooden knife stand. She exchanged it for a cleaver. Then she started walking towards. "Well, just point me in the right direction and I'll take care of that lickety-split," she muttered.

Grace stopped her in front of the fireplace. "Whoa, calm down, he's already gone," Grace reassured her. Alastor was about to say they didn't really know that but Grace pleaded with her eyes for him not to say anything.

Mercy put a hand to her forehead. "Oh, duh, the coward's probably long gone by now," she said. "You two ready for dinner?"

"You're not worried he's gonna come back?" Alastor asked Mercy. 

Mercy patted down her apron. "I wouldn't worry, I can deal with him if he does," she winked. 

She carefully placed three plates on a small rectangular table. Alastor carefully sat at the nearest chair. He was still sore, so he tried not to sit on his bandages. 

Mercy placed three fancy ceramic bowls on the table. There was some sort of green, noodle-like food in each bowl. Alastor grabbed a fork, starting to twirl it around. Whatever this stuff was, it looked disgusting. 

He put a bit of it in his mouth, biting off a bit to try it out. The warm meal gently slid down his throat. It was hard to place the flavor. It was fresh and filling. The warmth of the food filled every inch of him. 

"Wow, this is really good," Alastor complimented. A hint of a blush appeared on Mercy's cheeks. "Aww, thanks," she said bashfully.

He briefly noticed that she was putting down a fourth bowl of food. The food inside was different too. There was some sort of jerky inside. 

"Who is that for?" he asked skeptically. Mercy's eyes widened a bit as if she had only realized there was not a fourth person at the table. 

"Oh, that's for pa," she remarked, taking the bowl in her hands and starting to walk towards the locked trap door near the right wall. "That old coot never remembers his breakfast. I always have to bring it down."

This was more than a little confusing to Alastor. "Your father is here?" he said. "Why haven't I met him?"

Mercy was busy unlocking the chains over the basement door when she finally heard what he said. "Pa's old. He never comes out of his lab for anybody. That's why I gotta bring his food down," she muttered. "You can meet him if you want to."

Alastor perked up at the idea of this. He was ready to follow Mercy down to the basement when Grace spoke up. "I advise against it," she coldly stated, still purely focused on the food before her. 

"Why don't you want me to meet him?" Alastor questioned. "He's rather intense," Grace explained without much emotion behind the statement. She seemed almost bored. 

"Oh, come on Grace, Pa's a great guy," Mercy tried to explain. Grace was silent for a while and some sort of understanding passed between the two of them. He was locked out of their silent communication.