Blue

Chapter 9: Meet Blue

Ellie sits alone in a booth at the pizzeria. She's slowly and absentmindedly munching on a mushroom pizza, not really focussing on the usual delicious taste. She thinks about what the heck just happened. Why, and most importantly how did it talk to her? Why didn't it kill her... yet. Why was there a flicker of hope in its voice? Ellie looks around in the pizzeria, observing everybody and looking in every hook and cranny she can detect. She sees an old couple, teenagers and innocent children, happy to be here and eat pizza with their parents. The parents look pretty happy too, probably because they don't have to cook now... and of course because they are going to get some delicious pizza. Ellie watches the waiters, greeting their costumers and presenting them their menu's and walking with empty plates and drinks.

Ellie takes a sip from her drink. The entity didn't follow her, and it's not here, in the restaurant. Ellie doesn't really know what to do with it. Will it return to her? Will it still be in her house when she comes back? Ellie takes a deep breath she'll have to prepare herself for that. She has to be ready to handle it. She has to stop fearing it, or to be angry with it. If it's going to haunt her for the rest of her life she must learn to ignore it. Ellie looks down at her plate, she managed to consume an entire pizza and a large soda. She grabs her phone and looks at the time on the display. She's been here for nearly two hours. She doesn't want to go back to her apartment yet, she just isn't ready to face it. But she can't stay here forever. These employees have a home to go back to... and she had too.

With a sigh Ellie calls for a waiter to get the bill. One waitress nods and gives a thumps up with a smile, indicating she got the message. As Ellie watches her walk away she quickly places her fork and knife on the plate and puts her napkin in her purse, trying to make as little a mess as possible, so the waitress doesn't have to clean the table that much. As Ellie grabs her wallet and closes her purse she spots the waitress walking towards her, her long ponytail swaying with every step. The waitress hands Ellie the bill and she pays the waitress the money, telling her to keep the change which she gladly accepts. The waitress walks away with Ellie's empty plate and cup after thanking Ellie one last time and wishing her a good evening.

Ellie moves to stand up and puts on her coat and scarf, taking plenty of her time. She swings the strap of her purse around her shoulder and walks towards the door. She puts her hand on the doorknob and turns around to wish everyone a good evening. She takes a deep breath of warm air before opening the door and leaving the restaurant, facing the cold of the autumn air.

Ellie walks through the dark and empty street, the dim streetlights and the stars doing little to light up the way. Her cold hands hidden in her coat pockets, Ellie watches her warm breath condensate in the freezing night air. The icy wind messes up her hair even more than it already was (since she didn't really get the chance to finish brushing her hair) as she buries her face in her scarf trying to stay warm. She really doesn't want to go home, but she also doesn't really want to stay here, in the freezing night, while she has a warm home a little bit away from her. Luckily for her, she doesn't have to go tomorrow – she's always been free on Wednesdays – so she can wander around a bit more, even though it is already a bit late. Ellie blows her hair out of her face with an angry huff. Stupid entity, ruining her life like that! Suddenly, Ellie stops walking.

"You know what? No!" Ellie angrily mumbles, getting a bit louder by the second. "Just no. It's my house, I pay the rent, it's bloody expensive, I won't let that thing take it!"

The last thing she spoke out pretty loud, making a few bystanders that just happened to walk by look at her. She quickly closes her mouth, stopping her rant, and silently thinks of a plan to get rid of the entity. Ellie grabs her phone, attempting to google how to get rid of entities, but her freezing and stiff hands make typing really difficult. After reading many articles she finds a way to get rid of ghosts by cleansing the house with sage. 'Maybe that'll work on it too?' Ellie thinks. The only problem is that the stores are closed now, so she can't get any sage, but she'll buy some tomorrow. She desperately wants some answers anyways. Since the entity is apparently able to talk, it might as well answer her questions. Yeah, that might work. Ellie places her phone in her purse with an ever so slightly evil smile and puts her hands in her coat pockets again, trying to get warm. Feeling pretty confident with the plan, Ellie starts to walk home with long strides, a newfound bravery growing in her. She's ready to confront the thing – if it's still in her house, that is.