Murderville - Audrey Jensen

Chapter 23 - Home

(Warnings : swearing, threats of violence

Word Count : 2795

Song : Paint, The Paper Kites )

Vicki slipped on a simple grey jumper, with a felt daisy sewn on the front, running her fingers over the cotton in contentment. It had been a while since she had worn this one, one of her many favourites. The daisy stood out boldly against the dull colour, the one wilting petal making her smile. It was sad but beautiful, like her life at the moment. Everyone around her was dying once again, but people were around her again. She didn't realise how much she had missed people until she moved here and once again discovered the joy of caring about someone. And the heartbreak.

A pair of mom-jeans were grabbed, a group of red embroidered flowers running up from her hips. Finding a pair of grey heeled boots, she finished off the look with a familiar red lip and of course, her ring.

It seemed like an age since she had taken pride in her appearance, but staring at herself in the mirror as she placed her ginger locks into a fishtail braid, she could almost feel a small smile in the corner of her mouth. Almost.

She knew that this was just another distraction. She had painted a pretty picture over an ugly face. A condemned girl stared back at her in reality, with the eyes of an old dog that had seen too many summers and the expression of a weeping mother.

Noah knocked on her door, asking if she was ready to go and successfully pulling her away from the mirror. She chose to answer by opening the door and hugging him. She knew that he was having just as hard a time as her.

"This is...unexpected" he chuckled nervously, placing his arms around her carefully like she might snap at him "But not in the bad way"

"I guess I just realised we haven't talked in a while" the girl admitted, pulling away "and I've missed you"

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

"Just go get the car, dork"

***

When Vicki spotted Audrey waiting on them outside her car, she felt her heart freeze for a second. Standing in the early morning light, she almost seemed to glow. She found this only natural for the girl; Vicki had come to associate certain words to certain people. To her Audrey was light and warmth, but most importantly she was home.

Her mind wandered to an old quote, buried deep within her mind.

What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon

It was something her mother had read to her when she was very little. She had never been too fond of Shakespeare but when her mother read it, the words seemed magical almost, like a spell. Now, she was beginning to see the appeal once again.

Noah noticed the longing look in the girl's eyes.

"You best hide that quick, before she sees" He muttered, making his cousin jump slightly.