Chapter 103 - Blackmail
After breakfast, Morrigan was quick to start gathering dishes. It felt so stupid to be dragged into this petty game, but at the same time, she didn’t love the fact that they thought they were winning all the time. After depositing the dishes by the sink in the kitchen, she heard Sarah come up behind her.
“Thanks for lending a hand, Morrigan.”
“Uh, yeah. No problem.” Morrigan consciously forced down a yawn. She was feeling quite tired and figured she would go catch up on some sleep.
“So, turns out your case has finally been officially closed with the police department.”
“Hmm, that’s good,” Morrigan muttered. She wondered why they had been so stupid about keeping it open for so long in the first place.
“Therefore,” Sarah continued, “Saffron was able to get your phone back for you.”
Morrigan instantly perked up. “Really?!”
Sarah chuckled. “I have it in my office. Come on, let’s chat for a second.”
Morrigan could tell from Sarah’s tone that there was more she planned on saying, but that was okay. Being able to freely text Emma and Hilda again was a huge weight off her shoulders. It had been frustrating not having any connection to her life outside of reaping and being stuck here, even if Death could arrange a quick meetup once in a while. In light of that, she figured anything Sarah threw at her now would be easy to forgive… or so she thought, anyway.
She followed Sarah back through the dining room and down the lower hall until they reached her office. The room was small, with a couple of cheap chairs, a desk, and the faint smell of lavender from a diffuser on the windowsill. The moment they stepped inside, Sarah gestured for Morrigan to sit.
“Go ahead, take a seat,” Sarah said, her voice calm but with a slight edge of authority. As expected, there was more to this than just “here’s your phone, have a nice day.” Morrigan couldn’t imagine what, though.
Her eyes drifted around the room, spotting a photo of a younger Sarah with two kids, a diploma for child psychology, then a coffee mug she glanced at before registering the words written on it: ‘Balancing Chaos and Order. One sip at a time.’ Morrigan couldn’t help but do a double take and stare at it. Replace “sip” with “soul” and Sarah basically had a reaper’s job description sitting on her desk. It was a weird parallel, anyway.
“So, Morrigan,” Sarah said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “How have you been feeling lately?”
“I don’t know. Fine, I guess.”
“Sure about that?” Sarah pressed, leaving an awkward silence in the air. Morrigan just shrugged. Sarah smiled and continued. “It’s just that you’ve seemed tired lately, even despite taking regular naps in the afternoon. Are you not sleeping well at night?”
“Thanks… but I’m fine. Really.” Morrigan shifted in her chair, just wanting her phone back and to get out of there.
Sarah leaned back in her chair, her gaze carefully trained on Morrigan, as if trying to gauge her response to what she was about to say next.
“Listen, I know you’re probably tired of everyone asking how you’re doing. I know you’re a private person and don’t appreciate it when someone pries. And I just want you to know I’ll respect that as much as possible.”
“Mmmm… thanks.” With that lead-in, Morrigan was pretty sure Sarah was about to do the exact opposite of respecting her privacy.
“Unfortunately, when there are concerns about a resident here, I sometimes have to ask some uncomfortable questions to ensure everyone’s health and safety. Is that fair?”
Morrigan shrugged. “Depends on what you’re about to ask, I guess.”
Sarah smiled. “You’re pretty straightforward, aren’t you?”
“Get it from my mom.”
Sarah’s smile faltered slightly, but she pressed on, shifting in her chair and folding her hands on the desk. “Well, I’ll get to the point then.” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “There have been a few concerns brought up by the staff, particularly about your health. I know we’ve discussed this briefly before, but… it seems your weight hasn’t improved, and we’ve noticed you typically don’t finish your meals.”
Morrigan’s stomach clenched. Here we go again, she thought. She could already sense where this conversation was headed, and it was not something she felt like dealing with.
Okay, I’m thin, I get it! I’ve always been thin! But it’s gotten a little worse on account of the fact that I’m technically fucking dead! I can’t exactly say that though, can I?
“Look, I’m fine,” Morrigan said. “Just trust me on that. Sorry if I don’t always finish my meals, but it’s not like I’m not eating. Right?”
“I know, but it’s not just about not finishing meals. There have also been a few instances where you’ve gone straight to the bathroom after eating and…” She paused, letting the words sink in. “There’s some suspicion that you may be purging.”
Morrigan blinked, momentarily stunned by the accusation. Purging? Does she mean sticking my finger down my throat and forcing myself to puke?
“I’m… not doing that,” Morrigan said dryly. Then, it clicked. She mainly used the bathroom in the upper hall, where staff wasn’t typically around to observe her habits during the day. Therefore, this suspicion must have come from somewhere else—and the answer to that little riddle was painfully obvious.
That fucking bitch, Morrigan thought, seeing things crystal clear now. It was obvious she was thin—reapers weren’t exactly known for their herculean physiques—but for Sarah to take it this far, there must have been a rumor spreading. Morrigan could just see Jenna innocently sharing her concerns, and Livy or Tyler confirming her story.
“Listen,” Sarah continued in a calmer tone, no doubt seeing the anger in Morrigan’s eyes. “I’m not accusing you of anything. I just want to understand what’s going on, and I want to make sure you’re okay. We’re all here to help.”
Morrigan took a deep breath, trying to reel in her frustration. “I get it, but I’m telling you, I’m fine. I’m just… not that hungry sometimes. That’s not a crime, and it doesn’t mean I’m purposely starving myself to death. Why the hell would I even do that? It’s stupid!”
“Eating disorders have a—”
“I don’t have an eating disorder!” Morrigan interrupted sharply and then took a moment to calm herself down. Think about your cellphone, Morrigan. Just put up with this for a few more minutes, and you’ll be able to text Emma and Hilda again.
Sarah watched her, not flinching at the outburst but clearly trying to approach the situation carefully. “I’m not saying you do, and I don’t mean to imply you’re in trouble. It’s just that when things like this come up, I can’t simply ignore them. You understand that, don’t you? Especially since you’ve been through so much recently. I’m only worried about your well-being. Can you at least understand why this is something I need to check up on with you?”
Morrigan sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Yeah, I get it. But I promise, I’m not doing anything like that. I’m just not sleeping very well, and sometimes I’m not super hungry. That’s all. And the purging thing—ever hear of a rumor?”
Sarah nodded, leaning back in her chair and softening her tone even further. “Alright, I believe you. But if anything is going on, just know there are resources to help you. Whether it’s me, or if you’d like me to get someone else to talk with you, it’s all fine.”
Morrigan bit back another retort. Maybe she’d start making a big deal of asking for seconds during the next couple of meals… well, she probably wouldn’t be able to force that much food down anyway. She was never a big eater, and since becoming a reaper, she’d become even less of one.
“Soooo...” Morrigan hesitantly began, almost as if she thought this were a trap. “Can I have my phone back now?”
Sarah smiled and slid open her desk drawer, retrieving the cellphone and placing it gently on the desk between them. “As promised.” Morrigan moved to grab it but was slowed by a few more words. “Now, just as a warning. If there’s any reason to believe the phone is being used inappropriately, we’ll have to take it away again. Understood?”
“Uh… Like what?”
Sarah smiled, “Nothing you won’t know is wrong. Typically using it to contact someone to bring you something you shouldn’t be getting.”
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“Like drugs? Are you going to accuse me of being an addict now too?” Morrigan winced at her own tone. She didn’t mean to snap at Sarah—that time, anyway—but sometimes it had a way of just coming out of her.
Sarah took it in stride, though. “No one’s accusing you of anything. But we do have to be careful, and it’s just a reminder.”
Morrigan sighed. “Sorry. And yeah, I understand. Um… so, can I have my phone back now?” She really hoped that was the end of this conversation.
“Well, I also wanted to say if you continue to have trouble sleeping, I can get some medication to help with that. But for now, let’s see how you do. You may just need a little more time to adjust.” Her smile softened. “Go ahead, you can go now.”
Morrigan exhaled as she reached for her phone and slid it back into her possession. “Thanks,” she said as she got up, not looking back as she left the small office, her phone clutched tightly in her hand as though it was her lifeline. Finally, she wouldn’t be cut off from the outside world anymore. She could easily get updates from Emma and Hilda, and even coordinate more meetings with them during her nightly outings.
Thinking of that, she let out a long yawn in the hallway as exhaustion crept back over her again. She figured she’d just go ahead and nap for an hour or two—that usually fixed her right up. There wasn’t much else to do around here anyway other than sew.
She had agreed to teach the other girls how to sew, but it didn’t take more than a couple of minutes with Cersi to realize keeping her focused on something so tedious was an exercise in futility. Beth likewise only seemed moderately interested and not likely to stick with it. Pepper was the only one who actually finished any sewing projects and seemed genuinely interested. That only left the three bitches, who of course, Morrigan wouldn’t teach even if they were interested.
Speaking of them, as Morrigan crossed through the living room, she realized Jenna, Livy, and Tyler were not in their usual spot dominating the couch. Normally, the trio would be camped in front of the TV, monopolizing the remote and forcing everyone else to suffer through their choices—usually reality shows or something obnoxiously loud. It wasn’t often the other residents of Tiffany Youth Shelter got a say in their daily programming.
She shrugged it off and continued up the stairs but then paused. The faint sound of voices drifted down the hall, muffled but unmistakably coming from her room.
“Oh no…” Morrigan groaned, realizing they probably had Pepper cornered in her bedroom. She quickened her pace, her grogginess completely forgotten.
“Come on, Pep. You’ve been so distant lately,” came Livy’s voice with a thin veil of innocence. “We used to hang out all the time.”
“Yeah,” Tyler continued, sickly sweet. “You don’t have to keep hiding away with Morrigan all the time. We’re your friends too.”
“Honestly,” Jenna said with that irritatingly calm condescension like she considered herself the voice of reason. “It’s not healthy to shut people out like that. You should come watch TV with us tonight.”
“W-well, i-it’s just th-that—” Morrigan imagined Pepper, trapped under their gaze, likely twisting her shirt the way she usually did when she was anxious.
The moment Morrigan burst through the door, it was just as she thought. Pepper sat on the end of the bed, pale and anxious, and the other three girls all looked up in unison. Jenna stood closest to Pepper, one hand on her shoulder like she was offering comfort while Livy and Tyler hovered nearby, cutting off any escape routes Pepper might have.
“Oh! Look who’s here,” Jenna said smoothly, removing her hand from Pepper’s shoulder. “We were just having a chat with Pepper.”
“Yeah?” Morrigan’s voice was low and dangerous. “And what kind of chat was that?”
Jenna’s eyes glinted with something predatory as she crossed her arms. “Just making sure she’s okay. We’ve been worried about her.”
Morrigan’s gaze darkened as she looked at the way Jenna and her crew had cornered Pepper. “Sure you were. Now get away from her.”
Jenna raised her hands in a mock gesture of surrender, her smile never faltering. “Whoa, calm down. What’s with all the hostility?”
Morrigan stepped further into the room, staring Jenna down as she pointed at the door. “I’m not stupid, Jenna. Get out.”
Livy scoffed. “What’s your problem, new girl? We weren’t doing anything.”
“Yeah, why are you so worked up?” Tyler added, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she paced over to the door and placed her back against the wall near the threshold. Morrigan noticed how she tilted her head out into the hallway briefly to make sure nobody else was coming.
Morrigan’s jaw clenched. “Because I know exactly what you’re doing.”
Jenna’s smile widened as if she found the situation amusing. “You know, Morrigan. I’ve actually been worried about you lately as well.”
“Yeah, I heard,” Morrigan said dryly. “Just had a talk with Sarah about a certain rumor that’s been going around.”
Jenna’s grin didn’t falter. In fact, it seemed to grow wider, like a cat playing with its prey. “Rumors? Oh, no, Morrigan. I don’t have to spread rumors. I’ve got something better than that.”
Something about Jenna’s tone made her want to punch her. She could feel it coming—something worse than their usual intimidation tactics.
Jenna casually pulled out her phone, her thumb lazily sliding across the screen before she turned it around and held it up for Morrigan to see. “You’ve been a busy little bee, haven’t you?”
Morrigan’s heart sank as she saw the screen. There, in grainy nighttime footage, was a video of her sneaking out of the shelter through the back door. The timestamp was clear: 11:53 pm. Several pictures followed—each showing her slipping out, alone, and disappearing into the shadows of the street.
She quickly shot a glance at Pepper, who looked horrified, her wide eyes darting between the phone and Morrigan.
“Don’t look so surprised,” Jenna said, her tone almost cheerful. “You’ve been doing your little night-time excursions for a while now. Did you really think no one noticed? I’ve got five days in a row of you doing this.”
Morrigan forced herself to breathe evenly, but inside her mind raced. If Jenna showed those pictures to Sarah or the staff, they’d kick her out for sure. Damn it—stupid! Morrigan cursed herself. She had gotten lazy about using her perception blocking once she made it outside.
“What do you want, Jenna?” Morrigan said through clenched teeth.
“Oh, I’m so glad you asked.” Jenna’s voice dripped with mock sweetness as Livy and Tyler exchanged knowing smirks behind her. “You see, we kind of hate you. But we also like the idea of having someone to do things for us. You know, an errand girl.”
“An errand girl?” Morrigan echoed darkly, feeling her anger rise.
Livy chimed in, her smirk widening. “Yeah, like, I don’t know... maybe grab us a pack of smokes or something like that.”
Jenna’s smile sharpened. “The choice is yours, really. It’s a win-win for us. We get our errands run, or you get kicked out. And trust me, we’d be just as happy with that.”
Tyler chuckled. “Yeah, especially since we won’t have to worry about you being a bad influence on Pepper anymore.”
Morrigan’s fists clenched at her sides, and she could feel the heat rising up her neck. They were blackmailing her. Getting kicked out would mean getting sent somewhere more secure, most likely, and thus more of a need to abandon her pre-reaper life. Not only that, Pepper would be stuck with nobody protecting her.
“What happens if I say no?” Morrigan challenged, her voice low.
Jenna shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ll just share my concerns with Sarah, along with my evidence. I think it’s important she knows what you’ve been up to at night. It’s against all the shelter’s rules, after all. And with your ‘history,’ I doubt they’d be too lenient.”
“Right, but you’re not concerned enough to keep it to yourself as long as you’re finding a use for me.”
Jenna smirked. “You catch on quickly. But I am curious—how have you been getting out? And what exactly have you been up to?”
Morrigan subtly checked that the skeleton key was secure in her pocket. She’d have to be extra careful not to allow any chances for someone to steal it now.
“Picking locks is easy,” Morrigan answered with a shrug. “And I’ve just been… seeing a friend.”
Jenna’s grin widened. “A boy?”
Tyler whistled a cat-call and Livy clicked her teeth and rolled her eyes.
Morrigan only shrugged. Let them think whatever they wanted.
Jenna chuckled. “In any case, I don’t really give a damn what you’ve been up to. All that matters is that we understand each other.”
She shot a glance at Pepper, who was fidgeting anxiously, her eyes pleading. Morrigan hated that Pepper was dragged into this. She let out a slow, deliberate breath. “Fine. What do you want?”
Jenna’s smile broadened in triumph. “Good girl. I knew you’d see reason. First, let’s try something simple. Livy mentioned that she’d like a pack of cigarettes.”
Morrigan’s lip quirked. “Don’t you know smoking’s bad for you?”
Livy’s face twisted in irritation. “Oh, you think you’re funny, huh?” She took a step forward, fists clenched, but Jenna held out her hand to stop her.
“Cool it, Livy,” Jenna said, her voice calm but commanding. “We got what we wanted.”
Livy huffed but backed down, shooting Morrigan a glare that promised this wasn’t over.
Jenna turned her attention back to Morrigan, her smile as sweet as ever, but her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Now that that’s settled, we’ll be expecting those cigarettes soon. And don’t worry, we’ll keep things reasonable. For now.”
Morrigan knew she had no choice but to agree for now. She gave Jenna a cold stare, her mind already plotting ways to get out of this situation, but for now, she’d just play along.
“Fine,” Morrigan muttered through her teeth.
“Good. We’ll be in touch.” With that, Jenna, Livy, and Tyler sauntered out of the room, leaving Morrigan and Pepper alone.
As soon as they were gone, Morrigan collapsed backward onto the bed, laying on her back and staring at the ceiling as she let out an annoyed sigh. She could feel Pepper’s worried gaze on her, so she sat up with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle this.”
“B-but… how? What are you going to do?”
Morrigan smirked and, in a low voice, said, “I’m a reaper, remember?” Pepper’s face instantly paled, and Morrigan quickly waved her hand. “No-no, I didn’t mean like that. I’m just saying, I can get through locked doors, use magic, and have a demonic cat to do my dirty work. I’m just going to snatch her phone as soon as I get the chance and delete the evidence. No biggie.” With that, Morrigan collapsed back onto the bed.
Pepper remained on the edge of the bed, chewing her lip nervously. “But…”
Morrigan turned her head to smile at her. “Just trust me; I’ll take care of it. There’s no way I’m letting those bitches get away with this.”
She didn’t feel as calm as she was acting, but she was more pissed off and irritated than anything else. Unfortunately, she’d have to play their game in the short term. She wondered how she was even supposed to get a pack of cigarettes. Reaper magic could help her steal one, or maybe she could ask Hilda to buy her a pack.
Sarah’s warning about inappropriate cellphone use crossed her mind, and she had to shake her head at the irony.
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