Obscure Occurrences |C. BAREBONE|

☛ Three ☚

• November, 1925 •

Mary Lou Barebone was impressed by the girl before her, despite the expensive clothing adorning her frail form.
Never had she not conditioned a child into adopting her beliefs. Instead, Genevieve was unlike the rest, she came willingly. But not because she desired to exterminate witchcraft. That was far from her reason. Instead, Genevieve created an excuse to remain and to return, to approach the boy clad in all black.

Slowly, through the mass of many men and little women, Genevieve approached the boy with a hum vibrating from her chest.

One step, and he only flickered his gaze up quickly; he didn't think she would notice.

Five steps, and her smile brightened; Credence could feel the warmth emanating from it.

Ten steps, she was there.

Genevieve's soft hand entered his view with a slow arrival yet, it wasn't hesitant. Her movements were simply calm and full of grace. After all, those etiquette lessons weren't endured for nothing. Her body was conditioned into a straight posture and her voice into a gentle breath.

"May I please have a leaflet?" Genevieve questioned, catching the young man off guard. And silently, he pulled one from the thick, crisp pile and let his shaking grip let go above her small palm.

As the soft, flimsy paper was dropped into her hand Genevieve took the few moments to assess Credence even closer. It was if he was born with a feeling of cold that you desired on a hot, sweltering day. Genevieve could remember the summers after her mother's passing; how she was forced to remain in the house with nothing to sooth her rising temperature.

He didn't speak when she finally opened the leaflet before him, obstructing from anyone else collecting a pamphlet as she remained by his side. Eventually, she did have to move aside, but she only moved to his right with her blue coat brushing against his pale hand.

Genevieve read through the leaflet with a keen interest, surprising many people surrounding and listening to the speech given by Mary Lou. Throughout the whole leaflet the mystical stories of witch-finders and magic littered each word. And Chastity -let alone Credence- couldn't believe such a girl was seriously flicking the pages one by one. The only people Genevieve's age who picked up the leaflets obviously made fun of their Ma's beliefs.

"Excuse me-" Genevieve spoke up again,
"- Could you tell me why the witches want to destroy our city?".

Credence was taken aback. No one had personally asked him this question.

"T-They... Well, they want us t-to suffer" Credence announces with a slight stutter.

"Yes, I understand that... But why? Don't we live in the same world? What would they get from our suffering?".

For a moment, even he was curious. After all, his Ma hardly elaborated on the reason; she instead continued to express her hatred and desires.

"I... I don't know" he honestly announced with a quiet tone.

Without knowing, Genevieve's body was buzzing at the sound. Unlike what her father used in his voice, Credence's held a tranquility that she had never experienced.

"Well, I guess another visit wouldn't hurt" Genevieve smiled before looking through her lashes to capture Credence's face, that is before she checked the time on her wrist. In minutes her Father would've returned from his job at Shaw News. Therefore, Genevieve carefully pulled the leaflet close to her chest before running into the crowd and toward home- where she would be let back in by Mrs. Glover (a maid employed by her Father).