The Black Envelope

Chapter 21: Underground

Chapter 21: Underground

Gage woke to a thin stream of sunlight shining through a small gap in the curtains that had opened sometime during the night. The room was illuminated by that small line of light, except for the darkened corners, which stayed shrouded in black. Dust motes circled each other in the air, throwing light around the room while sparkling like miniature fireflies. Dust covered the floor in a thin layer except in the places he and Fay had walked and where they set their bags. It seemed as if Maria hadn’t stayed here in awhile.

They were going to have to pay a visit to the I.D guy sometime today. It would be as good as time as any to test out their new disguises. Gage hoped beyond hope that they would work. If they didn’t… well, he would cross that bridge when they got to it. Maybe they could avoid that bridge altogether if they were lucky.

Gage sighed, his chest moving Fay slightly. He was warm against her, her body heat radiating onto him while she breathed. Looking down, he started, seeing that Fay was looking right back up at him. Her bright eyes were halfway closed as she fought against sleep, but they stared at him intensely nonetheless.

“How long have you been awake?” He murmured, brushing his lips against her forehead.

She sighed, eyes finally closing in surrender. “A while.”

“Do you know what time it is?” He asked.

“I could tell you, but I’d be lying.” She responded, yawning and stretching like a cat.

Fay jumped off the cot, making it creak ominously, and padded over to her bag in bare feet while stirring up dust. She ducked down into it and came up a moment later with her watch in hand.

“Nine-ish.” Fay said, crossing back over to him. Laying down, she raised her arms over her head and groaned as her back popped.

Gage’s fingers inched towards her exposed waist but she spoke before he reached it, her eyes still closed. “I swear to God, Gage, if you so much as lay a finger there I will murder you before you can say ‘I’m a Messenger.’”

“Don’t feel like laughing?” He asked.

“Not particularly. Getting tickled as soon as I wake up doesn’t rank on my ‘Top Ten Most Desirable Morning Activities’ list.”

Gage grinned, but the effect was lost on Fay who still had her eyes closed.

He got up and walked over to his bag, picked it up, and wandered downstairs and back into the changing room. Fay followed him a moment later and they both fixed up their disguises in adjacent rooms. The makeup covering his bruise had smeared, showing the purpling skin under it. He plastered on some more of the thick paste until it was covered again and blended smoothly. The little white box containing his contacts was still safely tucked away in the side pocket of his bag. He brought it out and popped them back in, wincing as one of them slipped a little. It didn’t take long to shimmy back into his suit, carefully avoiding his injured arm.

Outside of his room he saw Fay standing in front of a mirror that sat on the back counter. Her fingers were steadily putting in her contacts, immobile while tentatively holding back her eyelids.

Gage snuck up behind her and let her see him in the mirror. When her eyes locked on his through the mirror she yelped and jumped straight in the air, poking herself in the eye as she did.

“GAGE! I swear, I am going to murder you!” She growled, sitting back down in front of the mirror and ignoring him.

“Empty threat, eh?” He said.

“No, I’m completely serious. As soon as I’m done here, you’d better get yourself out of my line of vision or you‘ll be just a blood splatter on the wall.”