A Song Named Alice

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I listen to the quiet hum from Pleasance as she sleeps at her desk with pen still in hand. I've given her some time to trust me again and I've apologized quite a few times for raising my voice like that. So now, she can work at her desk without tensing up. It's going to be a little while before we can talk like we did before, but at least she can sleep peacefully at her desk. 

Through her hums I read one of my many books of magic. I know I'm going to get nagged about stalling work when she wakes up, but now that she's finally sleeping I can try to get something done with her contract. The more I stare at this book the more the words start to join together and become a blurred mess. I guess I've been up too long myself. 

I stand up and stretch. Walking into the kitchen, I grab one of the mugs and fill it with milk. As I wait for the chocolate to melt in the microwave the silence beyond the kitchen echoes over everything else. How can silence hurt so much? I start to wonder. Until about seven years ago I lived in silence, but now it seems so different. Is this the effect of friendship? 

The microwave beeps its ending and I pour the melted chocolate in my cup of cold milk. The milk instantly warms up and as soon as I finish stirring the two together, I go back to work in my book. 

Before though, I spread a blanket over Pleasance. As I steal the pen from her hand and set it on the desk she stirs so much that she nearly wakes. Luckily, she doesn't. I have a lot read in this book to see if it can help her. However, not long after I finish my cup of milk and chocolate, I fall asleep, my arms covering the closed magic book.

"Sir, wake up already." Pleasance complains. "Stop groaning, it's evening. If you don't wake up now I'll make you work all of today and tomorrow, with no breaks or sleep. I'll even stay up the entire time to make sure you work all the hours." 

I jerk up. "Is it really evening?" I eye down and find one of my magic books in front of me. Hopefully in a casual way, I slide it in a box under my desk. 

Pleasance crosses her arms. I knew this would be coming, some sort of nag from her, yet it always seems so surprising when I get it. "No, it's not. It's actually much later than that. I'd say it's about nine. You slept the whole day and wouldn't wake up until now, no matter how much I tried." 

"Oh, sorry about that Pleasance." 

Pleasance sighs. "Get started with work quickly, you've delayed quite enough." When Pleasance is about to walk out of the room, she makes a faint groan while clutching slightly above her chest. 

"Pleasance, is something wrong?" I ask. "Did you get hurt?" 

"No, no, I'm fine." Her weary face tells the truth, but her lies don't concern me. The marks on the back of her neck earlier said something about this I bet. All my thoughts agree. The signs shouldn't be starting now. Why is it appearing so soon? 

"Okay." I fake a smile. "Don't push yourself too hard. I don't want you to catch a fever." 

Pleasance leaves to grab another stack of paperwork while rolling her eyes, but I'm sure she'll be going to sleep soon enough. She's been getting better about going to sleep. 

Hiding my head in my arms, my worries take over me. Pleasance, please don't leave me. I can't be alone. Anything but that, I beg you. Set me free from my godly binds and give me the friendship I've been seeking my entire life. Grant me this one selfish request.

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Raven, Loki and Alice spend most of the rest of the day walking around town in the thick of the crowd. But slowly, day falls to night and Loki and Alice go home. Sticking together, Raven comes along, deciding to take shifts in the apartment. At about nine o'clock Loki and Alice go to their respective rooms while Raven stands guard in the hallway.