Seeing Double

Chapter one

Two years later.

Something waved across my line of sight and I blinked, refocusing on the corpse stretched out before me. "Alice? You're not payin' attention." Undertaker accused, lowering his hand once he was sure I was listening again. "I'm sorry."
Outside the grey colored sky, a thick mass of puffy clouds, threatened snow as the wind steadily picked up speed. People bowed their shoulders against the frigid wind, trying to stay warm as they went on their way.
"Wot was the last thin' you heard me say?" "Thallium poisoning." I replied, looking down at the victim before me. He looked to be about 50 years of age. Undertaker rested his palms against the coffin that functioned as a desk of sorts, leaning back against it as he frowned.
"Wot else?" I bit my lip, mentally back tracking. I repeated the last thing I remembered him saying. "The symptoms of Thallium poisoning widely vary, including hair loss, such as this man experienced." I traced the random bald patches in the air with my index finger as I continued speaking, "The rest of his hair here is healthy, not even a speck of grey to show his advancing age and the regions of baldness are irregular, which also shows it wasn't due to aging." I listed other small clues that helped confirm our diagnosis. "What is interesting, and which should help in the end, is the fact that Thallium is scarce. So it shouldn't take too long to trace who had access to thallium and matching it to someone who also knew our guest here."
Undertaker hummed, no longer frowning. "So you were payin' attention." I playfully stuck my tongue out. "Of course I was. It'd be ungrateful for me not to; besides, I find this interesting."
"But your mind is else where." I shrugged, resuming my examination of the body to make sure I hadn't missed anything. He leaned forward, jabbing a finger into my cheek. "Fine, O persistent one." I turned to my left and washed my hands, then faced my mentor. "You know, it has only been two years since we first met." I leaned back against the nearest wall, crossing my arms as I gazed out the window at the scurrying people.
"Next week it will be two years exactly." he commented, probably to keep me talking. "I still don't remember what happened, how I ended up waking in an alley way...in a foreign country, nonetheless. I guess it doesn't really matter though; it was a freak accident and there's nothing to be done about it." I lowered my green eyes to examine the skirt of my dark purple and black dress, over which I wore a white lab coat.
"Frankly, because I don't remember much, it means I'm spared from missing a lot of important things... Though, I wish I did know how it happened. Who did this to me. And how. Just so I could have answers." I shrugged. "An' why do you need answers?" I held my chin between my thumb and index finger. "I guess for no other reason than curiosity now. Maybe closure. Whoever, whatever, did this to me hasn't tried anything in two years. I think the initial threat is over." If there ever was one.
We both looked up as the bell above the door jingled merrily, announcing our visitors, and smiled in unison at the small figure who entered. "Earl, you're looking as vertically challenged as ever." I greeted. Undertaker chuckled at my comment.
Ciel shot an annoyed glare at me, then closed his eyes. Sebastian, Ciel's butler, quietly shut the funeral parlor door.
"You can hardly talk, miss Alice." He commented,the corner of his mouth ever so slightly turning upward. I planted my hands on my hips. "I'm 5ft 3in." "Precisely. You're on the short side yourself, miss." Sebastian replied. I huffed, "petite. I'm petite." "Of course, forgive me." He said with mock humility.
  Ciel impatiently broke in, "have you determined the cause of death?" He placed his cane in front of him, folding both of his gloved hands over the handle, closing his deep blue eyes as he waited.
"Yes, we have." I replied, glaring at Sebastian. He really gets on my nerves. "Well? I haven't all day!" Ciel snapped. "Thallium, my lord." I said as it became clear Undertaker was deciding to let me handle this. Ciel opened his eyes. Sebastian frowned, "Thallium? So we're looking for someone with a history of chemistry, then?"
I grinned. "Well done, butler. Chemistry would be a good place to start." I paused. "However?" Sebastian probed. "I would also check into alchemy. The subjects are relayed, you know."
"Alchemy? Seriously? Is there anyone in this age who would believe in such a thing?" Ciel said incredulously. I rubbed my temples, then turned back to the body that laid beside me in the coffin, patiently offering up what information it could. "Secret societies, occultists, people interested in groups like that or perhaps some scholar with odd fascinations. The fact that Thallium was used will be a help, even naturally, there are only so many places the element can be acquired. It shouldn't take too long to trace it back to your murderer." Sebastian narrowed his eyes, "but what would make you suggest alchemy and secret societies?" I smacked my forehead. "Sorry, let me explain." I gently but firmly (rigamortous could be a pain) pried the fourth and pinky fingers of the man's left hand apart, then pointed to a small mark burned into the fold of skin between the two. "I don't know what society, if any, this symbol belongs to but this is what made me think of alchemy. It's one of the oldest symbols for 'fire', which you know is one of the four basic elements that are the cornerstones for alchemy: earth, water, fire, and wind." I laid the hand back down beside the corpse.
Ciel nodded, taking his cane in one hand while gripping the brim of his hat in the other, tipping it low over his eyes. Sebastian moved quickly, opening the door for his young master. "Let us know how we can further help." I said as the two left as quietly as they came.
I snorted. "They were probably relieved you didn't ask them for laughter this time, Undertaker." I glanced in his direction.
He grinned. "We may expect another visit from lord Phantomhive before this is over." I didn't know how he knew the things he did. I was curious, but didn't pry out of respect. Besides, he was under no obligation to tell me anything, let alone take me as he had to be his apprentice of sorts. Truthfully, the fact I trusted him completely helped me accept that I wouldn't know how he knew what he did. Something's were just ment to be accepted. For now, anyway.
The first few snowflakes began to flutter down in large clumps. "Would you like some tea?" I asked, moving to where the beakers were. I suddenly needed something to keep my hands busy. He didn't reply, so I went ahead and prepared two glasses anyway, leaving him to his thoughts as he bent over another guest. Long stretches of silence were not a rare occurrence; often we would work hours beside each other, comfortably, unwilling to break that companionable silence between the two of us.
I set the water over the burner, not unlike the burners I had once used in chemistry class. That feels like forever ago. I watched the blue flame flickering as I slid my hand into the inner pocket of my lab coat; I had added it to keep my locket on me at all times without wearing it.
My fingers brushed the hidden object. It was smooth and cool to the touch. Undertaker doesn't even know about this. Bubbles began to form on the bottom of the beakers. I wrapped my fingers possessively around the locket as I wondered why I hadn't worn the necklace since I arrived. It's not as if I stole it. It's a family heirloom.
The necklace was pure silver. The locket was in the shape of a small, nearly 3-D skull. It's black eye sockets seemed to bore into my soul every time I looked at it.
Releasing my hidden treasure, I absentmindedly switched off the boiling water, then added black tea to it, afterwards setting it aside to steep. Family, hmm?
It's becoming harder and harder to remember things, things like who my family was and what they looked like. I told Undertaker my real first name, Alice, but I lied about my last one being Brudenelle. Now I wish I hadn't. I can't remember my real last name.
I concentrated on trying to visualize my parents, siblings, friends...anything. It was useless. Vague silhouettes, milky and unclear, danced just out of my memoires' reach. Maybe I should just forget about my past completely, though that seems to be happening whether or not I want it to. This is my life now. I have got to accept it.
We worked together in silence, sipping our black tea in between fixing up our guests. It was about two hours before I looked out the window.
The lamplighter was lighting the tall lamps that lined the main streets. Time to go home. I tapped Undertaker's shoulder. "I should go home before Darcy kills me for being late." He nodded, finishing the last details on a young girl who's throat had been sliced by a thin wire.
Like a cheese cutter through cheese. I thought as I exited the funeral parlor. Turning right, I briskly moved down the street; snow crunched beneath my boots but other than that it was primarily silent. The apartment I shared with my room mate, Darcy, was only fifteen minutes away.
Crunch, crunch, crunch. I stopped. Listened. Nothing. What made me stop? Did my subconscious catch something? But looking around revealed nothing unusual. Look behind you, an inner voice prompted.
I don't want to, I whined even as I slowly turned around. Nothing. No scary figure lurked behind me, yet the hair on my neck was standing up on end like it had two years ago. Just go home, a different voice inside me prompted,before--
"AHHHH!" I screamed as I was grabbed from behind. A hand smothered my mouth, cutting off my cry.