Penumbra.

-3-

"Youh kno wot reelly bags meh aboot meen?"
"You know what really bugs me about men? "
Monty says with a mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Hm? What?" I reply while I sit down in front of her in the HQ cafeteria.
She swallows the mash,"They're always looking for a cute,short, and dumb girl. They never go for the smart, sophisticated, and -"
"And tall ones, right? " I finish her sentence, she nods while stuffing more mashed potatoes in her mouth."Mont, you're 5'5. It's like, not even considered tall. Don't worry, I know you'll find your other half...potato. " She nods and smiles, making some mash fall out and onto the table. "Ewww, nasty." I say with a sassy tone. "Mmm, sohrehy" And she swallows it.

"Has your arm and chest healed yet?" She says while looking at my arm, "Hm? Oh yeah, it's alllllll better." I say while rolling up my sleeve, "See? It's all good. "
She let's out a small sigh and shakes her head a little,"I still can't believe it got past me, how did my sensors not pick it up.." She mumbles, I raise an eyebrow and chuckle, "Maybe it was a supernatural entity that can go undetected, or maybe your equipment needs some major upgrading, The world may never know, you know?" She scoffs, "That offended me." I smile and steal some mash to play with, "Truth hurts, but you learn to deal with it." I say while I build a small mountain with brown gravy.

"So, what time you leaving? " Monty says, changing the subject, "Like, around two, maybe two-thirty, I don't know." She gives a small laugh while standing up, "I thought you were going to leave early." I stand up too and follow her to the trash bin, "What do you mean? two in the afternoon is early, at least for me." Monty throws her trash away and walks back to her office with me walking next to her. Once we're in the office she closes the door and sits down in her desk chair while I sit in front of her. "You know, I am seriously opposed as to you going to Japan." I give her a confused look, "What? Why? I thought you wanted me to go." She sighs, "I did, but, you know,with what happened yesterday I just-I just don't feel safe with you going now." I smile, trying to comfort her. "I'll be fine, trust me. Kay'?" She chuckles while she rubs her forehead, "I don't have a choice, do I?" I shake my head.

"Nope."

*Bartholomews POV*

"Has she arrived yet?" I say, looking at my guard,"No sir,not yet." I shake my head,crossing my arms.
She better have a good excuse for this.

"YO! Don't start the bus!" I hear someone scream behind me, I turn around and see Luciel running towards me, once she reaches me she stops and bends forward,touching her knees as if she's been running for days.
"The bus is not even on yet..." I say,I clear my throat and look at her, "Why are you late?"
"Sorry, I had to look for a place for my cat." She says out of breath,"You don't have a cat." I state,she turns to me and smiles,"I do now."
My eyes widen.
"Don't tell me you bought a ca-"

"A cat? Yes,as a matter of fact I did. His name is Patrick." I scoff,"What a name for a cat."
She glares at me,"Ey, he rocks that name like a STARRR,a fab one too." I just roll my eyes at her while she hands her luggage to the driver, I check my watch and sigh, "Luciel, you do know we are thirty minutes late." She turns around and looks at me while getting into the bus,"Yeah, I know. So?" I stand next to the door, then walk in. " I don't think you heard right, we are THIRTY MINUTES LATE." She sits down on one of the seats while she places her small bag between her legs, "I heard you the first time Barf." I sit next to her, "It's Bartholomew, and how are you not shocked that we are thirty minutes late? We might lose our plane." She shakes her head, the driver turns on the ignition and begins driving, she looks out through the window, looking at the forest, after a few minutes she speaks, "Don't worry Barfy, we're gonna be fine." I scoff, "Easy for you to say. How's your arm?" She keeps looking out the window, "Hm? Oh,it's fine." she says wiggling it, "Monty asked me that earlier too." She says smiling, "You seriously scared me back there." I whisper to her, she gives a light chuckle, "Yeah, sorry about that."
Why are you apologizing?
"How much longer till we get there?" She asks the driver, "About twenty minutes more miss." He replies. She leans back in her seat, getting comfortable, "Wake me up when we get there please." She says as she closes her eyes. "Will do ma'am." The driver responds.

*Lucile POV*

I wake up in a pitch black room, I can't see anything. I can hear someone, can't really pin point where it's coming from though.

Help me please, anyone?!
I hear the voice of a young girl crying.

"Hello?" I call out.

Please, help me..
She doesn't sound far.

"Stay where you are, keep talking I'm going to you okay?" I call out and begin walking forward.

Please don't leave me.. You're the only one I had left..

I stop midway, narrowing my eyes as I see a shadow, looking closer my eyes widen as the shadow reveals a young girl no more than 17 kneeling down, cradling someone in her arms.

You said you would never leave me alone, why did you do this...why..
She sobs the last words out.

I beging running towards her, "Hey! Hold on I'm coming!"
She turns around, my whole body goes cold, I stop dead in my tracks.
Holy shit. That's me.

Help me please..

I stand there shocked at the sight of my younger self, coverd in blood from head to toe, she cradles a man who is laying limp in her arms.

Help..
She looks at me with such sadness in her lime green eyes, all of those emotions come pourning into me.

"I can't.." I say, stuttering. She looks back at the man, embracing him one last time before whispering,

I love you, forever and ever.
Lace.

Everything goes black, I jump up from my seat, wide awake and breathing hard.

"Luciel what's wrong?" Bartholomew says, grabbing me by the shoulders, worry in his eyes.

Shit what the hell was that?

"Sorry, it's nothing." I say, trembling. Barth turns my head to face his, "Luciel, tell me."
I sigh, "I had a nightmare.."
He raises an eyebrow, "Of what?"

I clear my throat, and look at him in the eyes.

"Your dad, Lace..."

//Heaven if you sent us down,
So we could build a playground,
For the sinners to play as saints,
You'd be so proud of what we've made
I hope you got some beds around,
'Cause you're the only refuge now,
For every mother, every child, every brother,
That's caught in the crossfire ~ Crossfire - Stephen.

Yooo I know that this took longer than I had thought but all in good time ol' chap, all in good time. mmkayy byeee 😎//