The underworld office

3

When we woke up in the morning the Guardian flowers were on our bedside table. I stared at the ceiling and was thinking about yesterday. Boss appreciated our work yesterday. But I don't think I did that much... At least Eugene looked happy when we were returning... I was glad that Eugene did well. I got up and grabbed my black sleeveless turtleneck. I checked myself in the mirror and looked at my face. It was something that everyone could remember. There were my eyes - the left one was forest green and the right one icy blue. At some point in my life I tried to wear colored contact lenses but after a while I gave up. Then there was a massive scar crossing my green eye. I didn't mind that one that much but it was unusual. I also had little scars over my right cheek and eyebrows. I didn't cover my scars. It became part of who I am, although I wasn't really proud of them. The story behind each one was just pure pain. No one knew that story. Even Eugene didn't know the whole story. I didn't want him to be worried about me.

When I came to the kitchen Eugene was already at the table.
"So I heard you helped Luke yesterday." I said as I went over to the coffee machine.
"Yeah. I helped him meet with Kitty again." His face lightened up. "And what did you do with Boss?" He asked me in return.
"Oh, just helping some poor man with a nightmare. It was quite nasty but we helped him." I answered and sat at the table. "I wonder what we are going to do today." Eugene said thoughtfully.
"Yeah..." I answered, half of my mind was already in a different spot.
"Hurry up. We need to go!" I grabbed my coffee and went for my jacket.

When we were going around the flower shop we overheard some customers talking with Linda.
"It's so sad... I cannot even eat these days. I just cannot pretend like everything is back to normal when my son is gone..." Said the owner and I couldn't hear rest because we were already too far.
"She must be really sad..." I told Eugene.
"Yeah, I wonder if her son will visit her." He said.
"Wait!" I just realized. "Isn't Sean her son?" I turned to Eugene. "I mean he knows a lot about the flowers and he's selling them just in front of the flower shop..." I continued.
"I mean we could tell ghosts about it. Maybe we'll be able to help Linda" said Eugene.

After the last period ended I met up with Eugene. "To the playground?" I asked him as we walked from the school.
"No, I'll go home. I've got some stuff to do." he said.
"Alrighty, I'll just stop by in the store for some groceries and I'll come home." I turned to him. "Don't do anything stupid!" I called after him as he walked away.

When I come at home it was silent. I wasn't paying much attention to it. I went to the kitchen and unpacked the groceries. After that I pulled out my sketchbook and tried to correct the mistakes on my drawings of the ghosts. When I was satisfied I closed it and since it was getting late I went to the bedroom to find Eugene already sleeping with the snowdrop in his mouth. Oh well, he went alone today. I grabbed my flower and got into bed. When I bit to it my eyes started slowly black out.
When I woke up, there was Boss and River on the parapet of the window. Eugene was also there.
"...I think it will be a rather meaningful experience for you two today." Finished Boss and with that River jumped out of the window. "Wait, River, you have to tell me when you're about to jump." Called Eugene after her and also jumped down.
"Um... hey." I acknowledged myself to the Boss.
"You're here..." he said. "Come on. We've got a job to do..."
"Wait... wasn't I suppose to go with someone else today?" I asked him curiously.
"Am I not good enough for you?" Boss turned to me.
"Um... no. But it's that Eugene got a different partner today so..."
"Hayden had to take care of yesterday's case. And I cannot let him go with Joan. Also I needed to talk to you anyway." He explained.
"Oh..." what does he want to talk to me about?
"You are different from your twin." He suddenly said.
"Your brother is easily readable... but there is something mysterious about you, that I cannot make sense of..." he said and paused. "Like those scars... where did you get them from?" He asked me. I was shocked even though I knew this question would come at some point and I had a feeling that Boss wouldn't be satisfied with just Oh it's nothing, I was clumsy...
"Why do you want to know?" I asked him suspiciously.
"I'd like to know who I have the pleasure to work with." I had a feeling that he wouldn't tell anybody about my secret. I decided to tell him the truth.
"They're from my dearest father." I started and made a sharp breath. I never talked about it before. "When I was little, he hated me and he didn't hide it. He hated every single imperfection on me. For example my eyes. Once when he was drunk he threw a knife at my face... I almost lost my eye. The other scars are from when me or mostly Eugene misbehaved. It was a rule that if one of us misbehaved the other one will be hurt. I didn't want Eugene to be hurt the same way, but also didn't want him to worry about me." I paused. "No one knew this story... not even Eugene. Then my father died. He probably turned into one of those monsters out there. And from then on it's just me and Eugene." I finished. The things I was bottling up in myself finally got to the surface and I realized how bad they were. I looked at Boss.
"What about your mother?" He asked quietly.
"Never met her. Maybe dead, maybe not. She let us be with dad and fled the country." I told him with stoic calmness.
The Boss was speechless. It was the first time I saw him like this. He always seemed so... distant.

"We still have a job to do. Are you ready?" He asked.
"Depends..." I answered.
"Today, we're not going to someone's dream."
"Well that's a change..." I said surprised.
"We will get rid of some of the monsters you met with your brother." Is he serious?
"Do you know I have absolutely no experience in fighting monsters or any other creature including humans?" I asked him.
"Who would have thought... and you look like a street fighter to me..." I wasn't sure if he was serious or just joking.
I didn't answer him to that.
"Of course I know you have no idea how to fight... I'll teach you some basic stuff about how to be at least a little bit able to protect yourself."

By teaching he meant going into the streets and fight whichever monster we met. After a few hours of doing this my muscles started aching but I was starting to get in use of it.
"That would be all for today... come on. Let's get you home." I was relieved and wanted to go to sleep.
When we arrived home Eugene and River were also there.
"Our newbie was really helpful," said River.
"That's good. If I knew you both would be that helpful I would've given you fifteen cases or so," Boss said and patted Eugene on the head.
"You can go..." he dismissed River.
"Bye Newbies!" River called as she jumped out the window.
Boss snapped his fingers and Eugene fell asleep.
I wanted to ask him why he didn't return me yet.
"Thank you for telling me your story, Addie." He paused. "I really appreciate it." I didn't replied.
"Good night, Addie." he snapped his fingers and I fell asleep.