The Morganville Vampires: Safe and Sound

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Hi, Bob." Claire whispered to Myrnin's pet spider. Bob was simply just sitting on his web, wasting the day away. "Wouldn't you prefer to be free?"

"Don't let him out in the harsh sun!" Myrnin said from the shadows.

"He's not a vampire, Myrnin. He's a spider. He likes the sunlight." Myrnin seemed to zone out then he jogged - vampire-speed - to Bob's tank.

"He could be. Then he could live with me forever." Myrnin stroked his chin and kept one eye on Bob and the other on Claire.

"Myrnin!" Claire threw her hands on her hips and let her jaw drop slightly. "That's animal testing-"

"You're a scientist." He shrugged, turned around and clicked his fingers, "ah, my journal! Claire, we must get cleaning."

She rolled her eyes and started piling up books. Half hour later there was a soft knock at the door. Both Claire and Myrnin looked up in surprise. Only Myrnin wasn't as surprised as Claire thought since he gasped.

"Lady Grey, she is early!" Myrnin buzzed around so fast he was a blur again. "My, my, my."

"Myrnin," Jesse's silk voice sung through the room, "I can hear you mumbling in there; I'm coming in - I don't care if it's a mess." Wow, Claire thought, Jesse really knows him. She opened the door and walked towards Myrnin, who had finally slowed down. "Myrnin, my love, I don't care about the mess, considering the Daylighters... you need time. Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" Claire blurted out.

"Oh, hi Claire," Jesse smiled, "how's it going?"

"You know, hanging in there." Claire shrugged and looked awkwardly around the lab. "How are you doing?"

"I'm ok," she tilted her head, "are you sure you're alright?" Claire nodded and forced her smile to brighten. "I'm taking Myrnin to a movie."

Claire didn't dare ask which one. "Oh, have fun."

"Of course we will," Myrnin looked at Jesse in awe, "don't forget, Claire, my journal. And do wait up for me. I want you to tell me where you've rearranged everything." Everything? "See you soon."

Jesse took Myrnin's arm and walked out the lab with him. They shut the door, leaving Claire feeling so alone. Alone with Bob. Claire sighed, pulled out her IPod from her backpack and started getting busy.

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Claire stacked up all of Myrnin's books, guides, diaries - she was tempted to read them but she respected his privacy - into about seventeen piles in one area of the lab. She wanted to build a bookcase before she sorted them. She fed Bob, then started labelling, dusting and organising chemicals that she had recently purchased for Myrnin as his other ones got destroyed or contaminated from the mess left behind from the Daylighters. She started dusting the tables and stools just because they needed doing. Then she swept the floor; swept into a dust pan and brush; chucked it into the bin and then she took the rubbish out. And was a little taken aback how dark it had suddenly gotten.

Claire started sorting through the equipment and placed them on to shelves or in cupboards. She glanced at the time on her IPod: 22:17. She had been working for four hours and seventeen minutes straight. After ten minutes more, Claire finished with the equipment and braved herself to search Myrnin's bedroom for his journal as she hasn't found it since.

She started looking through his desk and there was nothing but some letters written in a language that Claire couldn't read. Then she checked under his pillow - she didn't even want to try the wardrobe - and found nothing except from a black and white photo of a lady with fiery curly hair. She turned the photo over and saw Lady Grey 1819. The photo was of Jesse. Claire didn't know whether it was sweet or creepy that he had a photo under his pillow. She lifted his duvet and it was, surprisingly, clean. Then she lifted his mattress up. For a brief moment she questioned whether it was safe for her to lift heavy things, but she shook her head and carried on. Claire was still in for a shock though.