Saltwater & Ink

17. Abyss *ancheronta movebo*

   She stayed in the dark building with Thorn for three more days before driving back to the city. Though she'd been reluctant to leave, he told her that he'd had to travel for a business trip. Inky agreed, mentioning her unfinished art restoration project she'd been working on at the Gallery, and Thorn told her he would come to see her after he was done working.
   Inky drove fast after passing through the small, empty town, windows rolled down all the way, coastal winds whipping through her hair. She wore one of Thorn's white cotton button-down shirts, her own black silk being ruined beyond repair from the rain. Smiling secretly to herself, she recalled the night they'd spent together in the stormy field, the days and nights with him afterwards. Inky bit her lip, remembering how warm he was beside her in the small black bed, the unspoken words in his dark eyes as he silently stared at her through the dark.
   The saltwater breeze slipped in through the car window, temporarily breaking her away from her silent reverie. The mid-day sun gleamed gold along the coastline, and the city ahead came into view. Thorn's shirt smelled like turpentine and vetiver. Inky wanted to turn back, turn her car around and go back to him, but she knew that they both had unfinished business that needed attending to.
   She needed to go back to work, back to her art projects. Less appealing, back to the people she once called her 'friends'. She wasn't even sure if they would speak to her after how they'd parted ways. Inky wished that Thorn was there with her, they would explain everything that happened -but that was implausible and she knew that her life had been forever changed. Oh well- she was different now, and the past had to die. Inky parked outside her apartment
and got out of her car, grabbing her briefcase and locking the door. She checked the mail, finding nothing she found interesting, until the yellow manila envelope at the bottom of the stack.
   It was from the Gallery- possibly an acceptance letter for her own Artist's Night show.  She tore open the envelope, eyes scanning the harsh typeface on the letter. Nikola Delaney, she read. Well, they can't even be bothered with using the name she'd gone by for most of her life. We regret to inform you the piece you submitted has not been chosen this month. Please try again in the future. Sincerely -and this part was the worst- the Gallery. Signed, G. Cayson and L. Elder. Inky's face fell, this had been the last time she'd submitted a piece, and she thought for sure they'd want her to have an Artist's Night at Tapestry. She hadn't wanted to enter the abomination sculpture -especially now that she knew the truth about her creations. How would she explain it when the Red Void ripped open right on the stage, spilling its horrible contents into reality.
   Inky took her things upstairs, deciding she would go to the Gallery and see what they had to say about it. She didn't feel like confronting this problem, but she figured it would at least shed light on the situation. The Gallery was closed, which was odd for a Monday afternoon. Inky went next door to Tapestry, hoping that nobody would recognize her from the last embarrassing time she'd visited. She ordered a gin and tonic from the bartender, and asked if they'd seen the owners of the Gallery.
   The bartender told her that they'd been away as of Saturday night, as there had been a missing person who was involved in the art scene. Inky quickly learned that the missing person was Dani, Evan's girlfriend, who was a fellow bartender at Tapestry. "She's been missing since early Friday," the bartender told her. "Everyone's been really worried- it's been over three days." Inky wasn't sure what to say -after all, Evan was one of her best friends, but she didn't know Dani that well, except from work and the few times they'd all gotten together. Before I met Thorn, she thought guiltily.
   She took a seat near the stage, taking a sip of the turpentine-tinged cocktail, sighing before getting out her laptop computer and notes, going to work. The project was a long and tedious affair, having to cross-reference several photocopies of the original artwork. Countless hours and two more drinks later, and Inky decided to head back to her studio apartment. There was a printed 'Missing Person' flyer taped to her door, and she absently stuck it on her fridge once inside, Dani's face staring blankly from the black and white, grainy photograph. She noticed her phone's voicemail icon was blinking, and hesitantly checked the message.
   It disappointingly wasn't Thorn, or even the Gallery, but Emma. She was trying to apologize for the last time they'd met, and wanted to meet up with Inky down by the beach. This was preferable to a more public place, and Inky texted her back, agreeing to the meeting, hoping it wasn't going to be yet another ambush. Last time hadn't ended amicably, and she was still nervous about seeing them again.
   The next day, Inky met Emma near the giant telescope sculpture outside the shipyard. She hadn't come alone, but Evan and Miranda stayed in the car, supposedly to give them space. Emma handed Inky a coffee, tapping her foot as if trying to stall. They stood in awkward silence for a few minutes, Inky impatiently waiting for her interrogation to begin.
"So- you were gone this weekend, we were starting to get worried about you but then we just figured you wanted to be alone,"  Emma began, nervously twisting the ends of her hair. "Why does it matter?" Inky replied, taking a drink of the too-hot black coffee. Emma sighed at her in frustration. "We're still your friends, you know. Just because you made a bad decision-" she cut herself off, looking away from Inky. "We're all just worried about Dani- she doesn't do this disappearing thing like you, and we haven't heard from her parents or anything. We were actually going to ask if you knew anything about where she was, but you keep to yourself so much."
   Inky lit a cigarette, wishing that Emma would change the subject. Between her own reclusive life and her work at the Gallery, there wasn't really much she could talk about. She sure as hell couldn't discuss the abomination, the Red Void. Especially Thorn- there was no way she wanted to share that time they'd spent together with anyone else. Her face flushed red, and she looked away. "You went to see him again, didn't you?" Emma asked, a tinge of disgust in her voice. "I told you it doesn't matter," Inky repeated. "I don't need your approval anyway, and I certainly didn't ask for your opinion." She glowered at Emma, attempting another sip of the scalding coffee.
"Was that where you've been for three days?" Emma accused, her pale green eyes burning in self-righteous anger. Inky folded her arms over her chest, flicking her cigarette ash defiantly. "So what- are you stalking me now, too?" she replied sarcastically. Emma gave a humorless laugh. She stepped closer to Inky, looking for a fight. Inky looked down at her in disdain. "So now you admit he was stalking you," Emma continued, "then you were gone again for three days, with him, one can only assume." Emma's eyes grew wide, her mouth set in a flat, angry line. "You slept with him, didn't you. You let that creep FUCK you- " she left the last words hanging in the air between them.
   Look into the abyss for too long... A crack echoed out over the beach, and Inky withdrew her hand, the palm still stinging from having just smacked Emma across the face. Her half-finished coffee spilled out onto the ground between them, dark liquid pooling around their feet in the sand. Inky noticed a broken oyster shell under her black boot.