Specularis (The Order - Vermish)

4.5: 'til you're here beside me, 'til I'm touching you

Vera

It was upsetting how chaotic the fight we had was. Coming up with the right words was difficult. I admit that there were things he had correct, but I still found it to be gravely unfair that I was being compared to a dead girl. I understood his fears. I empathized with him, but I still had the life I had. I had things I had to put first before myself, and it was disappointing that I expected him to understand when he didn't.

But he told me later, so once that comes, we're gonna be able to sort this out. He was such a kind, patient person. Most of the time, I was unsure why he still wants this. But he does and so do I. And although there might be things I was never ready to admit, he makes me feel like everything is possible and I'm not gonna lose that.

A ring interrupted my daydream. Jack Morton? "Mr. Morton, this is a surprise."

"Vera, there has been a situation."

"A situation?"

The very first thing I noticed was Hamish's limp and unconscious body, and there was nothing else that I could say other than, "What happened here?"

"Well, Lilith was acting up, and at first we thought Hamish succeeded at taking her down, but then she attacked him. And then..." Ms. Carpio trailed off. And then indeed.

"What kind of attack?" I had to ask, investigate in some way. I had to know something that had any use to figure this out.

"She touched his forehead?" Ms. Birch brought up.

Mr. Carpio scrunched his nose at that. "Was that supposed to mean something?"

"Probably."

Ms. Dupres interjected. "-not. Probably not. We don't know what Lilith is capable anymore, we have no idea what her limits are. For all we know, she only did that to mock us- mock Hamish for doing the same to her."

"And after the attack?"

"They just passed out." The reply caused me to look back at the unwanted truth lying by my feet.

I inspected his body for something- anything, but instead, "He doesn't have a heartbeat." It was that reality that turned everything into a blur. A blur of words, voices. My eyes were blinking uncontrollably, my heart was pounding. But there was no good in feeling, so I resorted to what I always do: think.

"Yeah, we checked earlier." Mr. Carpio responded with regret. What could I do?

"Any idea, Magus?" Ms. Birch asked with hope in her eyes. Hope that I could not bear to look at it because there was nothing but disappointment that I could offer.

"So they're just dead? Just like that?" Mr. Carpio yet again sputtered out. Dead. The word had been said to me today more than once and still, this was the only time that had me losing my breath. His hand I touched with urgency, my fear much more ignited. It was cold and that alone almost had me lashing out, because he was, to me, the epitome of warmth. The loss of that- it didn't feel right.

There must be something. That's what I keep wishing for.

"That can't be possible." Ms. Dupres stated defiantly. Her confidence easily snapped me out of my trance, but barely. And it seemed like I wasn't the only intrigued by her notion.

"Gabrielle, do you have any suggestions?" Mr. Morton furrowed his eyebrows in her direction.

"Not really. I'm just saying, no one just dies like that." She was right and yet that still lead me to nothing.

"You sure your memory's fine? You're in The Order. Magic exists. Anything can happen." Mr. Carpio fired back.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious. What I meant was motive. What could Lilith have planned?"