Midnight Crusade

Chapter 2

The gloves Vivian wore felt like they were sticking to her hands. It was a few days after the Halloween fair, and winter was slowly rolling in. There had been a dusting of snow when Vivian walked to work this morning, but it melted in the daylight. She stood in the back of the cafe, washing dishes in the large sink that was tucked away. Vivian hummed a song to herself, the end of her shift nearing. She was excited to head home and work on her graphic novel, the project sitting untouched for these last few days. It was a paranormal romance, of course, as that was her favorite genre, and she had been working on it since she finished college.

"Hey Vivian-." Ophelia started as she walked over to the space where Vivian stood over the sink, but then there was a loud knock on the metal door which led out to the alleyway between this building and the next.

The sound rattled Vivian, making her stomach drop. Suddenly everything around her started shifting and swaying, the black haired woman grabbing the sink in front of her to steady herself. She tried to blink the dizziness away, but it wasn't working. She closed her eyes for a long moment, and when she opened them up, it was nighttime. Vivian stood outside in the alleyway, breath fogging the space in front of her face.

Confusion radiated through her body, looking around and trying to remember how she got to the alley.

"Vivian!" A voice called out, making her look around. It was then she saw the form running towards her, red curls bouncing with each movement. Penny. The black haired woman instantly began running towards the other, feeling a panic stir in her chest. "Vivian, run!"

Behind Penny another form took shape, and fear shot through her veins when she saw red eyes looking back at her.

"Vivian?"

The woman blinked, and she was back in the kitchen. Whatever she had been holding slipped from her grasp and crashed down to the sink below. It broke with a loud sound, starling both Vivian and Ophelia. "Woah!" Ophelia said as she stepped towards Vivian, a hand pressing into her back as if to steady her. "Are you okay?"

Vivian could feel the room spinning. "Uh I think. I need... I just need a minute."

"Come here." Ophelia led her to a chair in the corner of the kitchen, sitting her down with gentle hands.

"What's going on back here?" A voice came from the door leading to the front of the shop.

"Vivian had a dizzy spell or something." Ophelia says, both women watching as the owner of the cafe, Ophelia's mom, walked into the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" Ophelia's mom repeated the younger woman's question.

"Yeah." Vivian breathed out, putting a hand to her head. "Like Ophelia said, I just had a bad dizzy spell."

"Are you eating enough? You look skinny." The older woman said, coming to stand in front of her before kneeling. "Are you sleeping enough?"

No. "Yes, yes I'm fine Mrs. Garcia." Vivian replied, sitting up in the chair. "I just felt a little dizzy. I missed breakfast this morning so it must be that." The lie came easily to her, trying to not let it out that she's been missing breakfast for over a week now. She was barely eating, ever since Penny's disappearance she hasn't had much of an appetite. "I'll be okay, I promise."

"What's all the commotion back here?" Another voice sounded, pulling Vivians attention to the teenager who just entered the kitchen. "Why is everyone back here?" Finn crossed his arms as he approached the group.

"Vivian almost passed out." Ophelia said before Vivian could speak.

"I did not almost pass out." Vivian cuts in, standing from her chair. The room tilted slightly and she sat back down immediately. "I just need a minute."