WICKED [H.S]

THREE

***

Harry

30 minutes earlier

"Got your report for the day." Len's cheerful voice cut through the music at the same time I feel her take a grip on my right shoulder and use it as leverage to make a small jump to end up in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

"Oh god." I mutter to myself low enough for her not to hear it over the music blasting from the dancefloor. "Not again." I say louder this time so that she can hear me. My plan when I got here was to go directly to my office without meeting anyone, but things rarely go my way these days.

Len brushes off my rude remark and continues with a big grin. "You're gonna be grumpier than usual, but that comes as a surprise to no one. You're also gonna have 10 more ciggies before midnight and oh, someone is coming to see you soon."

"Len, I told you not to do that shit to me." I argue half-heartedly. Remember how I said that I cannot look into the future? Len can, in a way. It is more predictions than facts, what she sees does not have to come through but there is a high likelihood that it does.

She uses tarot cards or puts herself in a dark room when there is something in particular that she wants to see, but sometimes it will just come to her without her actively trying. I do not know the specifics of how any of that works really. I have some knowledge about using tarot cards, but I am not gifted in that sense, the other stuff I have no idea how it works. I know that it does work though, even if she still has got a lot to learn.

For as long as I have known Len, which is for quite some time now, she has been doing these readings on me just to piss it off. The only reason she does them on me in the first place is because she knows I do not like when other people stick their nose in my business. I have made it clear to everyone around me that I 1) do not want anyone to mess with my head and make me see things that are not real or manipulate my memories or feelings, 2) do not want anyone to look inside my head and 3) do not want anyone to look into my future.

My wishes, or more so demands, have been respected by everyone. The reason for that is probably because word on the street is that the devil himself is going to come and collect my soul when it is my time to leave. That does not stop Len from doing them though, she never listens to what I say. However, she sticks to the lighter stuff, like if I am going to trip up the stairs like I have done a countless number of times or if my drink of choice for the night is going to be whiskey or tequila.

She gets on my nerves, but I go easy on her, I have to.

Len is a couple of years younger than me and to my dislike she sees me as some kind of brother-figure. She, just like me, does not have any family. However, you cannot tell her that because she would be all up in your face telling you that everyone here at Styx is her family.