Inhuman Places Breed Human Monsters

Chapter seven

The flittering snowflakes danced their dizzying patterns beyond the window, shimmering and cold in the mid-afternoon light. The concept of a winter wonderland did not seem to be quite so farfetched while watching the world outside twinkle and glimmer in a way that seemed unique to the cold. It did look cold, yet Mina was still quite tempted to duck outside so she might dip her fingers into the masses of snow that seemed to be growing faster and faster every time she looked away. From where she stood, gazing outside with no real intent, she could see the topiary animals - could she always see them from that window? Surely she must have, its not like plant animals could up and move like their real counterparts could - donning their winter coats of snow. The thought of this brought a smile to her lips, a moment of simple happiness that she did not have to share with anyone else in the whole wide world.
An emotion that existed none other but the individual experiencing it was a truly powerful thing, and was not so frequently appreciated as being such by those too caught up in the world arounf them to consider themselves.

The music that she could ever so faintly hear from way off if she strained her ears enough to identify it as music grew suddenly louder. It was not very long at all before the reason for this made itself known, as the gentle clumping of footfalls grew louder and louder from further down one of the many hallways that the building seemed to have an excess of. The source made it, or, more correctly, himself known not all too long at all.
Edmund emerged from around the corner, the softest of smiles upon his face as he was, evidently, caught up in some sort of happy thought or another. He seemed exhausted, though she couldn't say whether this was simply due to him seeming even paler than usual due to a lack of sunlight or because of any actual factors taking place.

"I just popped the kettle on, if you want anything?" she asked as a way of greeting the man, letting her attention shift over to him.

"Tea, if it would not be too much of a bother?"

"No, it would be the most bothersome thing," she returned immediately, though let out a laugh and added, "I was making some for myself anyway, so that'll be easy."

Edmund stopped his walking near the exact middle of the room, which would have been all well and good had it been any ordinary room, but they happened to be in one of the many excessively large rooms the hotel boasted. Mina had long since grown to expect this, so rather than waiting and hoping he might end up wandering closer, she simply breached the distance and sauntered her way closer to him herself. Not so close that he might be prompted to take a step away from her, however, for no matter how much she might be used to such a reaction, it did not mean it did not spike her heart with a jolt of sharp ice colder and more painful than the weather outside could ever hope to provide. She could not for the life of her imagine why it was he behaved like she might break if he was too close, tiptoeing around like the ghost of a backpacker in a china shop, though she told herself it was simply how he was and that was it.

"Phones are still out," she began, conversationally nonchalant with this, "You think that might be it, then?"

"I suppose it must be, though we do have the radio for the off chance we need to contact somebody," he returned, looking out into the snow-filled surrounds as if searching for any possible signs that what he had said might change, "Though I can't imagine there would be anything so pressing that a phone would be our only option, however."

"No, of course not, nothing like that," said she, biting back the wee grain of disappointment that his agreement brought, having secretly been hoping he would reassure her, "It was just that I noticed today was the day that Jeremy went on his two month trip and wanted to remind him of how much of a fuss he kicked up before he left. Remember that? He was acting like it was going to be an eternity!" she giggled as she said this last bit, the memory a fond one in her mind.

"I'm sure it felt like an eternity for you as well."

"What?" she asked, sure that she had simply misheard the tone he had spoke this in, for there was no way there would have been a bitterness in this. She couldn't imagine him being bitter, that seemed to be far too human for a man like him.

"Before you agreed to join me here for so long, I'm sure two months would have felt like an eternity as well."

With his clarification, she was not positive she had simply misunderstood his tone the first time, and she felt almost guilty for the moment the thought had flickered in her mind. Of course he wasn't bitter, and to assume he  was jealous would have been a mighty stretch that, had she let herself ponder upon for even a handful of moments longer than she had, she would have likely jumped to such a conclusion.

"The kettle has boiled." Edmund noted before she had the chance to speak anything more on the matter, his head cocked to one side as he listened.

Almost as quickly as he had come, he turned on his heels and made his way towards the kitchen, his hands balled into tight fists clamped at his back, moving with just a little haste. Haste that kettles and tea did not usually bring to a person. But, of course, he was odd and so she could expect no less.

Mina could not say she had heard the kettle whistle, but she could suppose he was simply closer to where the kitchen was.