Chapter 81 - Pepper

Morrigan stared out the window of the police car. The sky was turning dark blue outside, and street lamps were already turning on. She felt like she had been stuck in that police station for far longer than the couple of hours it actually was.

When they finally pulled off the road, they came to a building that looked like a very large house. It was rather bland, though, with brick steps leading up to a porch that was mostly obscured by bushes. “Hang tight,” Grant said. “I’ll be right back for you.”

Morrigan tried to get a better look out the back window as another car driven by Ms. Saffron pulled in behind. The social worker met with the detective on the porch; they talked for a moment, pointed at Morrigan, and then disappeared behind the bushes and presumably into the house.

They came out a couple of minutes later with another middle-aged woman who stood with Saffron as Grant opened the car door. “Alright Morrigan, you can get out now.”

Morrigan stepped out and briefly considered running. It was dark enough now that she could shadow-step at any moment she wanted, but she would have to break into a run first and get to where there were no witnesses. She eyed Detective Grant, who was keeping a noticeably close distance from her, so she suspected he was ready for something like that. Either way, her past attempt already proved he outclassed her in the running department.

“Morrigan,” Saffron said, “Let me introduce you to Sarah.”

Sarah had a tired but warm smile as she greeted her. “Hi there Morrigan, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m the house supervisor. I’ll be taking care of you while you’re here.” She extended her hand, which Morrigan hesitantly shook. Luckily they hadn’t taken her gloves.

“Thanks,” Morrigan said lamely. She planned on not being here for too long, so she figured it’d be better to skip the pleasantries.

“Well, come on inside. I’ll show you to your room,” Sarah invited as she led the way. “The rest of our residents are having dinner right now, but we’ll introduce you to your roommate before lights out.

“Roommate?” Morrigan asked, realizing that might complicate her escape plans.

Sarah ignored the question and continued talking. “Since it’s so late, we’ll do formal introductions with the rest of the house tomorrow. Oh, are you hungry?”

“Not really.”

“Well, I’ll get you a plate anyway. Just as soon as you’ve settled.”

This one’s not even pretending to listen to me.

The inside of the house was well-lit and impeccably clean. Morrigan heard the sound of lively chatter echoing from another room as her eyes drifted up the high ceiling. She could almost imagine a dusty old chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Based on the layout of this house, Morrigan wondered if it was some rich person’s mansion once upon a time but got repurposed. If things were just a little dustier or had a few more cobwebs, this would be the perfect setting for a horror movie.

Sarah gestured around and said, “So, this is the living room. The T.V. is to be shared, and there is another room with some games. Other than that, the backyard is used for recreation, but I hear you’ve been a bit of a problem case, haven’t you?”

Grant, who tailed them, nodded and said, “Yeah, she tried to take off from right under my nose. Keep a close eye on this one.”

“Hmmm, well, in that case, you’ll be confined to the house for the time being.”

Morrigan exhaled with irritation and asked, “So shouldn’t I get my phone back now?”

Grant answered, “Not yet. We still need to close the investigation, and besides that, you’re a flight risk.”

Not taking any chances I call for help, huh? Luckily you never considered I have a magic cat friend... I wonder when Noir’s planning to show up...

“Sorry about that,” Saffron added. “All your things will be returned once we have a permanent residence for you. Even if that ends up being here.”

As Sarah led them toward a stairwell, Morrigan glanced through the threshold of another door with a large archway where she saw a table with at least five girls sitting. There was probably more but Morrigan couldn’t see clearly into the room. Some were laughing and talking as they ate, another just stared at her food, and another glanced Morrigan’s way curiously mid-conversation. The eye contact didn’t last long, however, as Morrigan followed Sarah up the stairs.

“All the bedrooms are here on the top floor.” Sarah stopped in front of a door halfway down the corridor. “This will be your room. Since it’s your first night and given the circumstances of your arrival, we will keep the door locked from the outside as a precaution. However, if you need to use the bathroom during the night or if there’s anything else you need, just knock on your door, and someone will come to assist you right away.”

She opened the door to reveal a modestly furnished room with twin beds, one clearly unused with neatly arranged bedding and the other showing signs of being lived in, likely by the roommate Sarah mentioned earlier. “Your roommate is eating right now, but she’ll be up later, and I can introduce you two. She’s a bit quiet but quite amiable. I’m sure you’ll get along well.”

Morrigan stepped into the room, taking in the bed and the corner of the room that would belong to her for the time being.

“Oh, you’ll need a few provisions,” Sarah said. “One moment, I’ll be right back.”

Grant cleared his throat. “Well, looks like things are handled here. Mind if I head out?”

“Of course,” Saffron said as she followed Morrigan into the room. “Thank you for your assistance, Grant.” With that, the detective nodded and took his leave.

“Well, what do you think?” Saffron asked Morrigan.

“I’d rather be under a bridge.”

“Oh no, you don’t. Trust me on that.”

Morrigan glared at Saffron from under her hood. “You’re treating me like a criminal. This is basically a prison.”

“That is the other thing we hope to avoid with you,” Saffron said dryly. “But if you think this is as bad as prison, let me tell you right now there is a lot you don’t know.”

Morrigan sighed and walked over to the window. She pretended to just be passively gazing at the view, but really, she was trying to determine how viable of an escape route this window could be. There was a tree branch within reach that could work. As long as it didn’t snap, she could hang from it and then drop down easily enough. Even hanging from the window sill and jumping was viable—it was high but not that high, and there were some bushes to break her fall.

“When can I see my mom?”

“I’ll push to get you an escort tomorrow,” Saffron answered.

“You’ll push? So it’s not a guarantee?” Morrigan asked, looking over her shoulder with a dark gaze.

“Well, nothing’s ever guaranteed, but I’ll do my best to make it happen. See, the problem with being a runner is we have to take extra precautions with you. If you escaped our custody and got hurt, those responsible for you could get into trouble. We could lose our jobs or get sued by your family members, for example.”

Morrigan clicked her teeth. “I only have one family member.”

Saffron gave her a sympathetic smile. “You’re close with your mom, huh?”

Morrigan let her gaze drift back out the window, actually for the purpose of passive gazing this time. She took a deep breath and said, “I used to think not. But now that this happened… I kind of feel like an idiot.”

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Saffron stepped a little closer. “Tragedy has a way of doing that. It can give you a new perspective you didn’t have before and see things that you didn’t realize were there.”

Morrigan didn’t have a response for that. It was true, she supposed, but part of her felt like she should close off this conversation now. She didn’t feel good about opening up to this stranger. Especially a stranger who was involved in her current confinement.

Sarah returned a moment later, her arms laden with a small stack of items. She set down the bundle on Morrigan’s bed. A couple of towels, a basic toiletry kit, an extra blanket, and some clean clothes. “Here are some essentials to get you started. The bathroom is just down the hall, and like I said, don’t hesitate to knock if you need to get out. We’ll always have someone on duty overnight.”

“Alright,” Morrigan said absently, though making a mental note of the fact there would be someone keeping an eye on things overnight. “When my mom wakes up, can you let her know I stopped by?”

“Sure,” Saffron said. “Well, I’ll make sure the hospital staff knows to inform her of your whereabouts and your desire to contact her. Before I head out, is there anything else you need or questions you have?”

Morrigan shrugged a single shoulder. “Not really.”

“Alright, then. Good luck, Morrigan. I’ll be in touch.”

With that, Saffron left, and a moment later, another member of staff, a much younger woman than Sarah, came in with a plate of food. Morrigan didn’t accept it immediately, so she just set it on the nightstand. However, considering Morrigan hadn’t eaten all day, she couldn’t resist for long, even if part of her wanted to deny the food simply out of spite. She sat on her bed and used the nightstand as a table as she enjoyed the simple meal of chicken, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. She didn’t finish it all but ate a good amount.

Later, when Sarah came to retrieve the plate, Morrigan asked, “Can I use the bathroom?”

“Of course,” she said. “Right this way.”

Out in the hall, Morrigan could hear more chatter echoing from downstairs. The bathroom itself had a few shower stalls and a few toilet stalls. She cringed at the fact there wouldn’t be much privacy. Where was she supposed to dry off and get changed after showering? Or was she supposed to walk back to her room in a towel, which also had a roommate and was therefore not totally private? She even hated getting changed in gym class, so she was not looking forward to this at all. Well, as long as Noir came through for her, she wouldn’t be here long enough for it to be a real problem.

After relieving herself, she stepped back into the hall where Sarah was waiting with another girl who was younger than Morrigan, maybe fourteen. The girl kept her eyes low and scratched at her arm. She had long blonde hair that draped all the way down to her waist, and her face was spotted with freckles.

“Morrigan, this is your roommate, Pepper.”

Morrigan nodded, not really in the mood for introductions. Pepper barely lifted her gaze as she said, “Um… n-nice to meet you.” Though, it was enough for Morrigan to see Pepper’s eyes were very blue—the kind of bright blue you couldn't help but notice.

“You too,” Morrigan muttered.

Sarah smiled and said, “Well, it’s about time for—” She turned as a few sets of footsteps came bounding up the stairwell.

Three girls ascended the stairs, led by a tall girl with a ponytail. The tall girl stopped and eyed Morrigan, then after a moment her mouth parted into a full face smile. “Hey, it’s the new girl!”

Sarah gestured to Morrigan and proceeded to introduce them: “This is Morrigan. And Morrigan, this is Jenna, Livy, and Tyler.” Jenna was the tall, pony-tailed girl leading the trio. Livy had red hair and a loose green sweater that looked just a little too big on her, and Tyler had sleek black hair.

“You can call me Jen,” Jenna said as she held out a hand.

Morrigan nodded and reached forward to accept the handshake.

“So, rooming with Pepper, huh?” Jen added, and Morrigan took particular notice of the look she flashed Pepper’s way and, more particularly, how Pepper seemed to flinch away from the tall girl’s gaze. Pepper did seem timid, but there was a very subtle smile twirking Jen’s lips that told Morrigan all she needed to know about her.

“Yeah, looks like it,” Morrigan responded.

“Lucky you. Fair warning, she’s going to completely talk your ear off.” Jen chuckled as she continued down the hall. Her two lackeys followed her, chuckling as well. “Well, see you around.”

“Nice to meet you, Morrigan!” Livy added over her shoulder. Their whispers and laughter continued until they disappeared into their respective rooms.

Bitches, Morrigan thought. There were certain people you didn’t need more than about twenty seconds with to know.

“Anyway,” Sarah said, continuing where she left off. “It’s lights out soon, so you two better get back to your room. Sorry for such a quick introduction, but you did get here a bit late today.”

“I don’t mind,” Morrigan said. She didn’t plan on still being here in the morning anyway, so it’s not like it really mattered.

Pepper and Morrigan returned to their room, the door clicking shut behind them. Morrigan reached back and tested the knob softly, just to confirm they were locked in. There was something disconcerting about that. Being locked up somewhere was certainly a new experience for Morrigan, and the simple idea of it seemed to tug at her anxiety. Her changeling didn’t seem to like it either, or rather, it was reacting to her mood as it bubbled agitatedly under her skin.

Oh, don’t you start now.

Pepper seemed to sense Morrigan’s mood as she kept to herself and pulled a book from a small shelf and sat on her bed. Morrigan appreciated that, and sat on her own bed with her back against the wall, looking toward the window at the dark shapes of the tree swaying slightly in the night breeze.

The room was quiet. Morrigan sat there, listening to the occasional sounds of footsteps creaking through the old house, inaudible conversation coming through the walls, and Pepper occasionally turning a page in her book.

Pepper glanced her way a couple of times, but Morrigan pretended not to notice until Pepper timidly said, “Um… I-I don’t have to read… if you… want to turn the light out…” Morrigan practically had to strain to hear her because of how small her voice was.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind,” Morrigan answered. “A little light won’t stop me from sleeping when I’m ready.”

“Okay… but if you… change your mind.”

“Yeah, no worries.”

This really is awkward… I’ve never had to share a room with anyone before other than a few sleepovers, but that’s a totally different vibe. Morrigan glanced at Pepper through the corner of her eye. The girl had her knees curled up to her chest with her book on top of them as she read. I can’t really leave while she’s here unless I go out the window. It’s probably not great if a human witnesses me using the skeleton key. Once Noir brings it to me, that is.

Morrigan stretched and got up, her movement drawing Pepper’s eyes away from her book. “Mind if I open the window? It’s a little stuffy in here.”

“I don’t mind,” Pepper answered.

Morrigan walked over to the window, flipped the tabs on top to unlock it, then opened it but—

It only went up about three inches.

“What the hell?” Morrigan muttered, trying to force it, but it refused to go any higher.

“Um… it doesnt…” Pepper’s voice lowered to almost a whisper as she stated the obvious, “...go any higher…”

Morrigan brought it down an inch, looking along the frame for whatever was blocking it, but as far as she could tell, the only way would be to rip the entire thing out of the wall. “What the hell? They think we’re going to try to escape by jumping out a window or something?” Granted, that’s exactly what I was planning to do, but still…

Instead of responding, Pepper tensed up and returned her gaze between the pages of her book. As Morrigan watched her for a moment, she realized something… Pepper seemed scared.

What? Did my complaint upset her? Morrigan wondered. She sighed and went back to the bed, lying down with her hands behind her head. Right… she’s probably used to getting bullied. I could tell she was scared of those other girls. Besides that, I’m wearing all black and fingerless gloves and I’ve had my hood up this entire time. My wardrobe isn’t exactly by choice, but still, anyone who doesn’t know me would definitely think I’m some kind of delinquent.

Morrigan thought about attempting to build some rapport with her new roommate, except she wasn’t exactly a social butterfly herself. Even at school, she was always a pretty closed-off introvert, and it’s only thanks to being socially adopted by the notorious extrovert that is Emma that Morrigan had a social life at all.

Besides all of that, she’d be leaving pretty soon either way, so it didn’t really matter.

She rolled onto her side with her back facing Pepper and pulled the blanket over herself. Now that she was lying down, the exhaustion of the day finally caught up with her. It was hard to believe how much had happened today. It started out as a normal day reaping, then she found out Death’s stalkerish ex-apprentice had it in for her (and the power to do something about it), then she found out about her mom, and from there, the rest of the day had just been one punch in the gut after another. It seemed impossible that so much crap could happen in just one single day.

As she closed her eyes, an image of her mom lying on the hospital bed came back to her, along with the blood-stained bathroom. If she wasn’t so tired, there would be no way she could sleep with everything swirling around her mind.

Then, there was a knock on the door. Morrigan lifted her head just to hear someone on the other side call, “Lights out, girls.”

“Okay…” Pepper called back so quietly Morrigan doubted she could be heard from the hall, but a moment later, Pepper turned the light out.

Morrigan laid back down. The pillow felt impossibly comfortable against her head. She wondered if she should try to force herself to stay awake until Noir showed up. She wondered when and if he would show up, but the if put too much of a knot into her stomach, so she tried to cast off that thought.

Though, the decision of whether to sleep or not resolved itself because a few minutes of dark silence was all it took before sleep grabbed hold of her.

However, she would not sleep for long that night because the little sleep she did get was about to be horribly disturbed.

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