The Wolf with a Red Scarf

Chapter 4

Miles away, and unaware she was even being searched for, Enigma Ramsey led a hunt of her own. Newly moved to the city of Branchview, just the night before, she was still in the process of unpacking. And somewhere along the line she lost her favored pencil.

It was silly really. At twenty three years old, fresh from college, she should‘ve been focused on much more than a hunk of wood and rubber. But the artist in her always called at times like this; the worst. Leading her to search through the many boxes scattered throughout the small apartment.

Reaching the kitchen, she found a box full of writing utensils, but none were the one she seeked. Some could’ve worked, but Enigma strived for perfection at all costs with her art.

When reaching the living room, she let out a huff at the majority of the boxes stacked in there. Now regretting not labeling them, she grabbed her forehead in a frustrated manner.

“College was so much easier.” She sighed, missing her crammed dorm room.

Most of this stuff was from storage. Remnants of an old life she shared with her adoptive family. And now it was all left to her.

Finding another box with what she seeked, she cleared a bit of space to dump the container. Unable to care about the mess, from the clutter all around her anyhow, she sifted through the pens and pencils in a frenzy. Growing uneasy about her lost implement.

Now, with a name like Enigma, it’s pretty easy to assume that she wasn’t the most ordinary individual. This could be affirmed on many degrees. But the most blatant is the best place to start.

Consumed in boiling irritation, she didn’t even realize her hands had heated until it was too late. Bursting flames from her fingertips, she accidentally caught a bit of carpet on fire as she anxiously stood.

“Shit! Shit! Shitty shit!” She cursed, through hurriedly stomping on the patch of flames. Her hands still ablaze.

After almost slipping on the writing utensils scattered around, she thankfully put out the flames on the carpet. But couldn’t celebrate yet. As she carefully rushed out of the room.

On her way to the kitchen, she heard a knock at the front door. Leading her to anxiously shout; “I’ll be there in a minute!”

Reaching the sink, she inwardly thanked her brother for recommending a touch activated faucet. Allowing her to turn the water on with her elbow and leave her kitchen undamaged. Hissing at the odd sensation of putting her caused flames out, she heard another few knocks.

“I said I’ll be there in a minute!” She shouted louder, trying to keep her irritation in check before leaving the sink. Not long after, she heard the door open, along with the jingling of keys. Leading her to grumble; “Why did you even knock?”

“Well I was trying to be polite and not barge in.” A familiar frame stepped into the kitchen, “I didn’t want to intrude on a nude day or something.”

“A nude day?” She raised an eyebrow.

Turning to face her good friend Theo, she noticed him surveying the boxes littered throughout her apartment; “You know, a day where you don’t wear any clothes?”

“Yeah I get that.” She couldn’t help chuckling, finally feeling calm enough to turn off the water, “But why would I do that?”

“I don’t know what you crazy kids do these days. It was just a guess.” He shrugged a response, causing her chuckle to turn into a hearty laugh.

As a longtime family friend of her late mothers, Theo had always been the more laid back adult figure in Enigma’s life. Carrying the careless attutude of a comedic uncle, it wasn’t uncommon for him to say something like this. Leading her to shake her head at his antics.