Silver Rain

Chapter 2

Olivia and Sarah sat in a quiet corner of The Brew Haven, scrutinizing their notes.  As they immersed themselves in their studies, the familiar hum of conversation and the gentle clink of coffee mugs filled the air, wrapping them in a blanket of tranquility amidst the chaos of college life. 

Together, she and Sarah poured over their notes, exchanging whispered explanations and quizzing each other on key concepts.  Olivia was truly thankful for her friend Sarah.  Sarah was a very petite girl with mahogany short hair.  Her nose was upturned which reminded Olivia of a pixie she had once run into.  While Sarah was also completely human, just like Olivia, but Sarah had two parents and the only worry she had was if she was going to pass her senior capstone project.

Oliva looked up from her textbook.  The cafe had its regulars but was less busy than usual. As the hours slipped by, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the cafe's cozy interior. The gentle glow of the overhead lights bathed Olivia and Sarah in a warm embrace, cocooning them in a world of quiet contemplation. Mrs. Cooper took the liberty to start reading her book behind the counter, leaning against the display case.

She had an itch in her brain. It felt like claws stroking her head, nagging her.  It raked its way from the front of her head to the back, begging to be noticed.

Someone's out there, a voice--her voice chided her.

As Olivia's gaze drifted to the window, a shiver ran down her spine, a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she scanned the dimly lit street outside, searching for any sign of movement or disturbance.

Sarah noticed Olivia's sudden shift in demeanor and followed her gaze, her brow furrowing in concern. "Liv, what's wrong?"

Olivia hesitated, torn between voicing her fears and dismissing them as mere paranoia. But the sense of being watched lingered, refusing to be ignored.

"I... I don't know," Olivia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's probably nothing. Just my imagination playing tricks on me."

But even as she spoke the words, Olivia couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Her instincts screamed at her to be vigilant, to trust her gut, and to heed the warning signs that whispered through the depths of her subconscious.

You need to go, her voice nagged at her.  Leave!

Mrs. Cooper glanced up from her book, her keen eyes catching Olivia's troubled expression. With a knowing smile, she set her book aside and approached them, her presence a comforting reassurance amidst the growing unease.  The claws that etched it's way along her head started to dig into her brain.  She had to blink away the pain as her ears rang with a horrible pitch.

"Olivia, dear." Mrs. Cooper's voice pulled Olivia's attention from the outdoors.  "Are you feeling alright?  Have you taken your medication?"

Olivia's eyebrows shot up.  That was probably it.  Her head was swimming and she felt clammy.

Olivia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she realized she had indeed forgotten to take her medication. It was a routine she couldn't afford to neglect, especially with the stress of college and the challenges she faced as a human among wolves.

"I... I forgot," Olivia admitted sheepishly, her gaze dropping to her hands as a wave of guilt washed over her. "I'll take it right away."

Mrs. Cooper offered her a reassuring smile, her concern evident in the gentle warmth of her expression. "Don't worry, dear. It happens to the best of us. Just be sure to take care of yourself, alright?"

Olivia nodded gratefully, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as Mrs. Cooper's understanding washed over her. With a sense of relief, she reached for her bag and retrieved her medication, swallowing the pills with a sip of her iced coffee.

As the familiar sensation of calm washed over her, Olivia felt a renewed sense of clarity settles over her mind. The nagging sense of unease that had plagued her moments ago began to fade, replaced by a newfound sense of focus and determination.  The raking sensation in her brain faded and Olivia's thoughts became diluted.

"Thanks, Mrs. Cooper," Olivia said, her voice tinged with gratitude.

Mrs. Cooper offered her a kind smile before returning to her book behind the counter, her reassuring presence a constant source of comfort in the bustling café.

Olivia looked back to the window of the cafe.  She could have sworn she watched a shadow move across a wall going into the dark ally. It was all in her head, right?

As Olivia sat in her cozy apartment, the familiar scenes of her favorite childhood movie playing on the small screen before her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort wash over her. The soft glow of the TV cast a warm light across the room, enveloping her in a cocoon of nostalgia and familiarity.

Her apartment was small, but enough for her.  From her Murphy bed in the middle of the room, she could reach her kitchen--if you'd call two cabinets and a mini fridge one--in two steps.  Her bathroom was just to the left of the kitchen, thankfully hidden with a door.  For dinner, she ate a bag of popcorn and drank a lemonade: a meal of champions.  Plants lined her one window sill in the kitchen, all viny and lush with leaves.  Her walls were bare, made of cinder blocks, and painted over in a soft grey.  

At twenty-three years, Olivia had hardly a penny to her name.  While she was thankful for the pay Mrs. Cooper gave her at the cafe, but it was only just enough to cover her living expenses and tuition.  Her parents had died in a terrible car accident when Olivia was just a child, putting her into the care of an orphanage.  She wasn't sure why she didn't go to a state home, but here she was in Brookside.  When she turned eighteen, she found out that the little money her parents had left her was used to pay off their debts.  Leaving Olivia with just enough to enroll in school and find her first home.

Olivia sank into the plush pillows of her bed, the soft mattress cradling her tired body as she allowed herself to relax, if only for a moment.

Her thoughts drifted back to the shadowy figure she had glimpsed outside the café, the sense of being watched that had haunted her throughout the evening. Despite her best efforts to rationalize the experience, Olivia couldn't shake the sense of unease that gnawed at the edges of her consciousness. Was it merely her imagination running wild, or was there truly something sinister afoot?

And what was with that man from her University?

With a sigh, Olivia pushed aside her troubling thoughts, choosing instead to focus on the comforting familiarity of her surroundings. She nestled deeper into her bed, disregarding the popcorn kernels.  She ran a hand across the soft fabric of her favorite blanket cocooning her in its warmth as she allowed herself to drift into a state of relaxation.

Outside her window, the city buzzed with life, its myriad lights flickering like distant stars in the night sky. But within the confines of her cozy apartment, Olivia found refuge from the chaos of the outside world, a sanctuary where she could let down her guard and simply be.

As the credits of her movie rolled on the screen, Olivia let out a contented sigh, the weight of the evening's events slowly lifting from her shoulders. Tomorrow would bring its challenges, but for now, she was content to bask in the tranquility of the present moment, grateful for the simple joys that filled her tiny one-room apartment.