Arcane Sequence: 1994: Never Stop Running... (WLW)

Chapter Four: Boca Raton, Florida, May 25th, 1994

After showering for the better part of around forty-five minutes and feeling as though she shed ten pounds, Kirah stepped out of the bathroom. She was soon met with her best friend Tina and followed her into the next room, that being the living area, then glanced around. There sat on the same armchair as before was Berry. She stared down at what appeared to be files on all manner of things, but Kirah was sure she shouldn't pry.

As much as she desired escape, she couldn't deny the limit to which she was stricken right down to her gut blemishing with butterflies as she eyed Berry from afar. In her own element, she was quite lovely. Berry leaned a bit further over her files and groaned before sitting back all the way, outstretching her arms along the back of her couch. Really getting a look at her surroundings, Kirah recognized a TV, a radio with some kind of scanner and some VHS tapes in the corner of the room opposite her host. They were labeled with dates and as curious as she was to know their significance, she was hypnotized by the way Berry tipped her head back along the backing of her seat. She groaned, longer this time, and muttered something inaudible under her breath as she thread her fingers through her long brunette locks.

It was entirely too enticing a sight. Kirah eyed the front door and tapped her side, feeling Tina against it in a second.

Tip-toeing her way through the single bedroom, very small apartment, she journeyed toward the front door and spotted her shoes there. On the table at the entrance sat her clothing from last night and she nibbled on her bottom lip as she peeked over her shoulder. Startling as a curious face met her, Kirah yelped with a step backward and realized it was Berry as she clutched something nearby in her hand. She smirked with one perfectly sculpted lifted eyebrow and tilted her head to the side as she regarded her. Her eyes trailed down to Kirah's hand and she focused them there.

Dropping the single shoe she'd grabbed, she felt herself crumbling as if she was still in the days of being caught by her parents when she snuck out of her highly religious house in her youth. Kirah gulped and Berry's eyes went to her throat. She inched closer and Kirah finally registered that she'd managed to sneak up behind her, now standing right in front of her. There was no escaping undetected by those knowing eyes and Berry took yet another step nearer.

"Going somewhere?"

After clearing the thick lump from her sore throat, Kirah found her raspier than usual voice and replied, "Just thought I wouldn't bother you and slip out." She reached down and set her shoes in front of herself, placing some distance between them as she did. Kirah wasn't a fool and remaining here would only cause problems down the line. True, she'd seen someone completely different in being around Berry in her own habitat, but that was what worried her. If she let her guard down, Berry would see that very thing she fought so desperately to squash and that couldn't happen. "Thank you for looking after me, but I really need to get going home and--"

"How?" At this Kirah cautiously lifted her eyes to find Berry squinting as she clenched her jaw. Finishing with her shoes, Kirah stood up straight and reached out behind herself for the front door. As she took a step backward, Berry followed and took another. Kirah found the door and searched for its nob, but before she could locate it, she was trapped in place by two arms on either of her sides. "That man from last night, who was he to you? Can you confirm that you won't seek him out? Can you at least tell me if you're feeling better before you run away again, Kirah?"

The sternness in Berry's eyes was paralyzing and she fell completely still. "I'm fine. Really." Kirah couldn't look away as she dipped her head and her eyes traveled along her face. Berry finally settled with her gaze and waited expectantly. "My stomach feels better after the meal you cooked and a shower. I'm... I'm really okay to go home on my own now."

"Why do you do that?" Berry removed her hands from the door behind Kirah and took a step back. "Why do you avoid questions and lie so much?"

"I... I'm not lying, Berry." Now Kirah was growing quite perturbed and remembered precisely why this woman drove her crazy.