Priscilla

S1 ⭒ Episode Seven

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night..."
♪ Blackbird • The Beatles.

A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE

Blackbird & Blackbirds are all that I hear.

My head feels full of bees. It's heavy as I groan and turn over in my bed, coming face to face with a cloud of cold pillows that dull the ache tremendously. I love cold pillows in the morning. And even more, I love this song.

Wait, pillows?

I slowly blink my eyes open and I'm met with the fabric of my silk floral sheets. I'm in my bed. Why am I in my bed?

I sit up and rub my eyes.

Last night wasn't a dream. I lost the bet. I fell asleep in the sitting room on my cabriole couch. I remember, 'cause I counted the stripes on the back of it twelve times over as I fell asleep.

But, if I fell asleep there, then... how did I get—

The rotary dial phone on the wall in the sitting room rings suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I get up slowly, surprised I'm able to put one foot in front of the other and walk to it, picking up the receiver.

"Hello?" I swallow.

"Pearl?" I recognize the voice as Jane, a woman who lives with the first floor group, "Hey, there's someone trying to buzz in the gate. I told him to say the code, and he said no. I told him 'no code, no entry,' but, he got in anyway, and now he's banging on the fucking front door. I-I tried to call Fox, and he's not picking up. I think he left early this morning. What's the protocol for this? I have no idea who he is."

"What?" I feel a lurch of panic in my gut and I look out of the window at the dim, blue, winter sky.

It's pouring rain. I know it's freezing. It snowed yesterday. And it can't be more than eight o'clock in the morning.

Who on earth would be out in this weather? Even lowlifes and pervs have the sense to wait till spring hits.

"I threatened to call the cops and he's still knocking. I know we get creeps around here, but I think this time it's different. Should I call for real or get Santana?"

She sounds so scared, it makes me upset. I can hear the banging in the background.

"You don't need to get anyone, I'll take care of it. I'm gonna come down right now, okay? Just stay put where you are." I say.

"Hurry."

I hang up the phone and dash across the room to my closet. I pull out a robe and then shove the hangers to the side to get the revolver in my safe.

I'm not a big gun person by any means, but I grew up in rural Arkansas, and I've seen one too many scary movies to take a chance with my life.

I grab my phone flashlight and hurry out of the room.