The Hunter

To the Crux

Back in the house Finn opened the door to the demonic holding cell, as Gloria was beginning to think of it, and shook her head at the carnage and mess that was in the room. Where it had been a nondescript grey before, now it was dripping in viscera that Gloria didn't want to identify. The Hellhound had his teeth firmly locked into the flesh of the leg of the demon and both creatures seemed to have started to run out of energy for the fight. Finn gestured for Gloria to deal with the Hellhound.

"Bub," Gloria remembered his name and he met her eyes when she called him. "Go home." Both the Hellhounds ears perked up and it released the demon, who lost his balance and fell to the floor with a yellow ichor oozing out of the bite wound. The dog leapt at the book and disappeared into it without so much as a sound. Finn shook her head and left the room, Gloria following behind her.

"I want answers." Gloria said.

"I want sleep." Finn answered, but although she kept her back to Gloria she didn't walk away. "And food." Gloria waited.

"What about you? Are you hungry?" Finn asked. Gloria opened her mouth to say no and her stomach growled, reminding her that it really had been a long day and she really hadn't eaten much. Finn only nodded. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Chinese?" Gloria offered, thinking about her favourite place to order it from back home.

"That works." Finn went to the door and opened it to a Chinese market. Gloria blinked. The smells weren't right. The sounds weren't right. She stepped towards the door where Finn waited for her and then stopped.

"Are they speaking Chinese?" She asked incredulously.

"Cantonese and Wu mostly, a bit of Mandarin." Finn turned her head and looked at a group. "German. Tourists most likely." Finn turned to Gloria.

"I meant ordering in Chinese." Gloria murmured. "This is too much."

Finn blinked and moved back towards Gloria and the house. She was intercepted by a tiny vendor with some sort of sticks. A brief conversation later and Finn was in the house with two of the sticks. She offered Gloria one with a brief explanation. "Chicken. A bit salty, but she saved my life once so I don't complain and I always let her talk me into paying too much for them."

Gloria took one and nibbled it. It was very salty, but the chicken was perfectly tender. "I was actually thinking about the shop we used to get Chinese from back home. I don't suppose that would be an option?"

Finn nodded. "A good way to teach you to move the house. I can't remember the house not just responding to my wishes, but I was born here so I've been doing it all my life."

Gloria held up a hand. "Can I just use the book? I think I need a moment to think."

Finn nodded and chewed her chicken, waving Gloria off towards the library. The instruction manual for the house sat beside her favourite chair and Gloria sank into it, staring into the fire and slowly bringing a pillow to her face. Once she had it in front of her she pressed it to her face and screamed. That felt good so she did it again. As she put the pillow down, movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention and she turned to see Finn walk away from the library.

Gloria picked up the book and started to read. It had been hand written, and the penmanship was difficult to read. After a few moments though Gloria thought she had the general idea. She closed the library door and opened it after a moment. Finn sat at the kitchen table and looked up when Gloria opened the door, one eyebrow raised in a silent question. Gloria closed the door. She opened it again to another room. Inner doors could open up anywhere in the house. She found a bowling alley, terrifying in its dim silence, and then opened the door to the hallway again. She went to the front of the house and tested that door. The same thing happened, with a different view every time she opened the door. After a pause, she opened it a final time and peered into the darkness. Satisfied, she nodded and closed the door before going to the phone.

"Anything in particular you want?" She asked Finn, who shrugged.

"I'm not fussy." She answered, and Gloria ordered. Once she hung up she went to her room and dug through her bag. It felt like years had passed since she'd gone through it. It held every single thing she possessed, including her last bit of cash. She brought that into the kitchen with her and Finn frowned at it.

"You don't need to pay for it."

"I'm the one that made us come here for it, you brought us to China." Gloria sat across the table from Finn.

"That your last dollar?" Finn asked, pointing to the cash on the table. Gloria glared at her, but Finn only waited.

"Yes." Gloria finally ground out.

"Then hang onto it. I can feed us. Call it an apology for having you here for what, a week now? And not stocking the fridge, cupboards, or pantry." A knock at the door made Gloria jump. "You alright?"

"I'm suddenly realizing that I may know the delivery person and my family might find out."

Finn stood and moved towards the door. "Find out what?" She asked. Gloria sat still as stone, trying to answer that question while Finn paid for the food and brought it into the kitchen. She laid it out on the counter, pulled plates and utensils down, set a jug of water and glasses on the table, and still Gloria could only frown in concentration.

"Don't worry about it for now. You wanted questions, I have food. You have until I start yawning to ask." Finn lifted the first mouthful up and chewed, staring patiently at Gloria.

Gloria blinked, her mind a blank. "I need to work on that." She muttered as she stood to get food.

"What?" Finn asked, curious.

"My mind is a blank. I've had nothing but questions all day and now I'm just nothing."

"Or you're thinking too much." Finn pointed out. "Too much to know which to pick. You wanna start with the Hellhound? He seemed to like you."

"Yes! You know what? Let's start with demons in general. They're evil so why wouldn't you just destroy them?" Gloria sat down with her plate of food and dug in, watching Finn intently.