The Magpie's Death

Sam, the Magpie (1)

Ellie stayed close until they hit the staircase, but halfway down, he realized she was still at the top watching.

Is three too young to walk down stairs?

Climbing back up, the Magpie used a hand to coax her toward him. She moved reluctantly, placing two feet flat on each step before proceeding to the next. Sighing under his breath in frustration, he walked with a short, uneven pace backward. His eyes stayed fixed on her wobbling body to be sure she didn't fall.

"So cute," Jack commented through an amused chuckle as the two finally made it to the landing.

Jade was gone and the rest of the house was quiet. Leaving the counter to join them in the foyer, he crouched down to her. Her big eyes grew a little wider as she stared.

"How old are you, Ellie?"

"Three," the Magpie answered in her place.

Jack nodded and smiled, petting her wavy blond hair. She didn't react, unbothered by his touch. "Ready for your tour?"

They wandered through the house and in each room, the Magpie took note of every advantage and disadvantage he might have in a fight. Their first stop, the kitchen, sat opposite the desk wall off the entrance. A door led in from the foyer and one out to the dining room at the back of the house.

Two entries, two exits.

Entering from the foyer, cabinets and appliances ran down to the left, then continued along the far wall past the dining room door. A large kitchen island surrounded by mismatched stools sat in the middle. Of all the rooms in the house, this appeared to be the most modern.

The island blocks the view from both doors.

"Are your appliances gas or electric?" he asked, running a hand along the stove.

If something happened, this might be the best place to hide out, but not if it could explode. Though blowing things up did create a good distraction.

"Everything's electric." He unintentionally bobbed his chin at that, making a note in his mind. Jack smiled. "A gas range would be nice, but it's not worth the cost."

The dining room was set up as a separate space, but it was actually the end of a large, open sitting room. Floor to ceiling glass windows ran the full length, overlooking the back deck and lawn. Like the foyer, it had a random cluttering of old furniture and a handful of plants hanging or seated in the dwindling light.

Too open. Everything from here to the front door is exposed.

"It isn't original to the house," Jack explained. "My great grandfather named it 'The Glass House' after himself and his family. Apparently, before it was a bed and breakfast, most people in town liked to call it that." He smirked. "But, after countless disappointed guests, it was easier to just renovate."

"Your great grandfather?" The Magpie tapped on a window, then leaned in close to examine it. "When were they installed? Is it tempered?"

Jack hummed, raising an eyebrow at him. "I don't know? Maybe the late sixties? Before my time."

Probably not safety glass then. At least it might provide a quick escape.

They continued through the house this way. A two-story sun porch sat off the back corner, built in the traditional Victorian style, then a locked door leading to a hallway beside the stairs. Down this was Jack and Jade's bedrooms, separated by a bathroom and small living space. The second floor was a long hallway of guestrooms and the third was the attic, used only for storage.