Extra Ordinary

Chapter Thirty-Two - 'A Hellbent Demon'

[ A/N: A chapter that's (really) long AND early? You're welcome! I hope you enjoy reading this as much I enjoyed writing it. ]

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It was the morning of the party when I decided to quickly pop by Jackie's to kill time- I didn't want to sit around watching or waiting for guests to arrive, besides, I especially didn't want Elizabeth to see me yet.

Elizabeth had asked if I owned a dress a few days ago, but she'd never actually requested I wore one. So here I was, dressed in a nicely fitted navy blue blazer over a white button up shirt which tucked into sleek black trousers. I was pretty satisfied with myself, partly for finding a pretty way to get under Elizabeth's skin but mostly because I felt pretty.

As I entered Jackie's store, I was only greeted by its bell when I wasn't by Jackie. She was sat behind the counter with her attention elsewhere and she looked... sad.

"Jackie!" I said, approaching her slowly- trying to keep my heeled wedges from making too much noise, the store's atmosphere felt off today- vacant.

She looked up, startled by my presence- which was odd too, SP could pop by randomly and she wouldn't blink and eye in surprise, clearly accustomed it. But here she was, flinching at something hardly abrupt. Jackie smiled sadly at me, "Hello dear, what brings ya' here?" She asked, delicately putting down a suspicious looking thick envelope with her name scrawled across it.

"I just wanted to swing by." I said, "Are you okay Jackie?"

"Ya' look lovely dear, what's the occasion?" She asked instead, as if I hadn't said anything yet.

I played along, understanding her silent request. "My dad's over-the-top wife is throwing a party and this is the level of sophistication required of me." I said, half smiling.

Jackie nodded absently- her aged face pulled into sorrowful expression, "That's nice."

I guess I can't play along after all, "What's wrong?" I asked.

"I don't know..." She murmured, looking helplessly around the store, her kind eyes unfocussed. "I think I'm going to call it early for the store today..."

I frowned, perplexed, "Didn't you just open?" She should've, the store always opened around this time.

Her typically stable hands trembled as she gripped onto the envelope. "Thanks for coming by, dear." She said, dismissing me absently. "Please turn the sign on your way out..."

At a lost for words, I could only find myself obeying her wishes, slowly making my way out whilst hoping she'd call me back to explain what must've happened. But she doesn't call me back and I turn the sign on the door for her, closing the store for the day.

What happened?

I was left walking around, unsure what else to do to pass time now that Jackie's is out of the question. The streets are bustling with people heading off to work and such, the smell of coffee and baked goods in the air with plenty of San Fransisco's cafés around.

When I turn the corner of a street, I find myself running straight into someone else. I shrieked simultaneously with the girl I'd bumped into, I shriek even louder when I notice she'd spilled a cup of coffee all over herself as a result.