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└➤ moorgate mill 。✑ ───┐
SHE WOKE UP TO GENTLE HANDS SHAKING HER. Ziggy opened her eyes to see Lucy towering over her, tawny locks falling in her face. "Luce?" she asked, groggy with sleep as she turned to look at the red alarm clock that rested on her black nightstand that sat next to her bed. The clock read 6:30, which meant that she didn't have to be awake for another hour. Brown eyes found their way back to Lucy, confused. "Why are you waking me up?"
Lucy grinned and climbed into Ziggy's bed, sitting towards the end of the bed and closest to the wall. "Norrie, she's up, grab the box!" Lucy called, not answering Ziggy's question.
Ziggy huffed as she moved to sit up, brushing her chestnut hair out of her face. "Lucy, we should still be sleeping, we have an hour before we have to get up and I don't know about you but I love to be sleeping."
Lucy laughed. "Sorry but you'll forgive me once Norrie hurries up," she told the younger girl.
Ziggy huffed as she realized that she wouldn't be getting any answers from the older girl. "Fine," she gave in. Lucy gave her a grin before she looked over at Norrie's side.
The eldest was searching her dresser before she pulled out a plain small black box, slamming her dresser shut before Norrie raced over to the bed, jumping onto it. She fell into Lucy slightly but all it did was cause Norrie to laugh before the two sobered up, both in sync turned to Ziggy which freaked Ziggy out slightly as she eyed them. "What? What is happening?"
Lucy broke out into a smile. "Okay, so we couldn't help ourselves so Norrie and I got together and we bought you this," Lucy said as Norrie held the box out.
Ziggy eyed it before she reached out, taking the box gently. "You got me a gift?" she asked, smiling. "But why? I haven't done anything and it's not a holiday."
Norrie chuckled. "Don't be silly," she said. "Of course, we're gonna get you a gift for your birthday."
Ziggy's smile fell as her eyes widened. She had completely forgotten that today was her birthday, she wasn't used to having people who cared. She gave the two girls fond smiles. "Thank you," she said. If she were ever asked about her family, Norrie and Lucy would be her answer. They were always there for her and they always suck up for her when the other kids picked on her for being shy.
"Well, go on then!" Lucy urged. "Open it up."
Ziggy nodded and Topaz eyes focused on the box as dainty hands lifted the lid off. Sitting in the center was a simple silver butterfly charm, so small yet so gorgeous. it enraptured Ziggy's attention as the young girl fell in love with it immediately. She looked up at the other girls, a large grin split on her face. "I love it, thank you!"
"We know that you always lose attention when you see a butterfly," Norrie said. "So it felt right to get you a butterfly necklace."
Ziggy carefully set the box aside before she lunged forward, pulling Norrie and Lucy into a tight hug. "Thank you both so much."
The two hugged back instantly. "Happy birthday Ziggy," Lucy said quietly.
✎
SHE couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. There was a sense of energy that Ziggy couldn't get a handle on like this Moorgate Mill was going to end in a disaster. Her birthday was going splendidly, not that anyone knew it was her birthday besides Norrie and Lucy. But that was fine, Ziggy didn't want the attention anyways. Jacobs had them going to this mill but everything he was saying only made the feeling worsen. He stopped the gate, turning to look at the group. "Alright, find the visitor and locate the source. Contain it and get out," he said, sounding bored. "I don't want to be here all night."
Ziggy took a deep breath as she peered up at the building that felt like it was looming over her. It's only a type one, we'll be fine, she thought, trying to calm herself as she followed her group in.
"Anyone getting anything?" a boy asked, though Ziggy couldn't remember his name as she walked to the closet wall near her, placing a hand on the freezing wall. Instantly, she was met with anger, amusement, power, and death. A gasp left Ziggy as she realized that it wasn't a type one. She ripped her hand off the wall, staggering over to her teammates. "We have to go," she said softly, moving to stand next to Lucy.
"It sounds like a child," Lucy said, opening her eyes as she stopped focusing, pointing ahead. "Down there."
Her teammates started walking to the end of the hall. "Wait!" Ziggy cried, causing some heads to turn to look at her. Norrie started walking back to her and Lucy. "There's something wrong, it's not a type one."
"We'll follow it, you or Lucy go report to Jacobs," the boy from earlier said.
"No, we should all leave, get more equipment, make a plan, then come back," Ziggy told him.
The boy shook his head. "If we leave, we'll lose it."
"I'll go," Lucy spoke up.
"Okay, go then, Lucy, please," the boy said. "Everyone else, come with me. Stay close."
Ziggy shot Lucy a pleading look. She no longer had to feel the walls to sense the buzz of death of approaching. She was right about this going wrong. They were going to die.
"Be careful, you two," Lucy told Norrie and Ziggy before she ran out of the building.
Ziggy grabbed her rapier, pulling it out of its sheath as she followed her teammates. She so desperately wanted to leave, but she knew that she had to stay and fight. It didn't take long before her teammates started to scream, slowly getting picked off one by one. This thing was taunting them but it was clearly more powerful than they were expecting. Norrie and her stayed by the entry of the hall, Norrie standing in front of Ziggy.
The thing ignored them as it played with the others, but Ziggy could tell that something was wrong with Norrie from the way Norrie's hand that was holding her rapier fell. Ziggy grabbed Norrie's shoulder, pulling her back. "Norrie?" she asked, a gasp leaving her when she saw Norrie's eyes were glazed over. "Norrie!" she shouted, shaking the older girl but it was no use. Norrie was ghost locked and she wasn't waking up. Ziggy felt tears prick her eyes as she turned back to the scene, a couple of her teammates were dead but it was still playing with them.
A scream ripped from Ziggy's throat when the thing popped up in front of her, clawing at her. Hot pain burst at her side, causing her knees to buckle. She knew that death was near, but she didn't care. She would be at peace and unfortunately, Lucy would be the only survivor.
