Mortimer the Coroner

A Gloomy Morning

        It was another gloomy morning in Middlesborough, a small village in Germany. Mortimer awoke at exactly five a.m. He rose from his bed, itching his balding head. He rubbed his dark, black eyes and got out of bed. He walked over to his dresser and opened the creaky, wooden drawer. He pulled out a white, button up blouse and a pair of gray trousers. After getting dressed he put on a pair of long, gray socks out and put on his black shoes. He grabbed his coat and exited the bedroom. Mortimer walked down the narrow hallway to a smaller door. He opened the creaky door. There stood a small wood bed.

          "Absinthe? Little one, wake up." Mortimer slid open the curtains. The small amount of sunlight shone through the window. Mortimer pulled a small white dress, stockings, and a brown overcoat from the dresser. He then pulled the quilts and blankets off the little girl. Absinthe stretched and sat up. She was a scrawny girl about seven years old. She had bobbed black hair and humongous green eyes. She was a perfect child. Unfortunately she was mute. Mortimer adopted her so he could teach her.

           "Now get dressed and come downstairs for breakfast." He walked out of the room and made his way downstairs. A whistle echoed through the large house. It was the housekeeper, Ms.Birdie, the only person who would work in the coroner's house. She was old, but very opinionated. She always whistles when cooking.

          "Mr. Fox! Breakfast!"

           "I'm coming, Ms. Birdie." Mortimer sat at the long table. He put his napkin around his collar.

             "Dig in," Birdie said, setting down his plate of eggs and toast.

             "Absinthe! Come on dear, breakfast," Birdie shouted from the kitchen. They could hear her tiny shoes running down the stairs. She ran to the table where her oatmeal was sitting. The mute girl just made a face of disgust.

             "Now, now you're lucky you have food," Mortimer said. She nodded and ate her soggy oats. Birdie and Mortimer saw a tattered bear on the table. They both glared at Absinthe. She looked up and quickly grabbed her bear.

           "Absinthe your almost nine now you cannot rely on that bear your whole life." She nodded at her father. She grabbed the bear and ran up to her room.

           "Well, guess she's done," Ms. Birdie said, grabbing her bowl.

            "I'll be in my study," Mortimer said, walking away," I'm expecting a guest this morning."

             Ms.Birdie rolled her eyes and cleaned up. Ms.Birdie was a lazy woman. Usually she'd fall asleep while dusting. Though she did love working for the Fox family. She had a roof over her head and was paid very graciously. Of course Mortimer knew she was lazy, but he loved having her here to keep his little Absinthe company when he was working. Absinthe of course wasn't very social. She could only say a few words like papa or hello. The children of Middlesborough all went to school and played on the empty roads. Absinthe was locked away in her house with only Ms.Birdie and her father as company. She loved how they lived, like a family. No one knew how to ruin it. That was until January 21, when a knock echoed through the house. Absinthe was in her room playing with her bear Mumsy. Birdie, in the kitchen humming doing dishes. Ms. Birdie quickly dried her hands with a rag to get the door.

              "No one ever comes here," She said annoyed she had to walk all the way to the door. Again a knock rang through the house, Absinthe now hearing it. She ran out of her room to see the unexpected guest. Ms. Birdie opened the large door. There stood a tall, thin woman. She had long, caramel hair. Her gray eyes glistened in the candle light. Absinthe looked at the woman wide eyed for she had never seen another woman besides old Ms. Birdie.

               "Hello," the woman said smiling,  "Rita Rivers, pleasure. She shook Birdie's hand. Grabbing a large bag next to her.

               "Ms. Rivers," Mortimer said," Amazing to finally meet you." Ms.Birdie was very confused. A woman in Mr. Fox's house? Absinthe was also confused for the woman was wearing pants. No women wore trousers, but Rita was in a vest and brown trousers.

                " Uncle, thank you for offering to train me." Rita had a lovely smile.

               " Wait, uncle?" Ms. Birdie dropped one of the women's bags.

               " Mortimer, you never told me you had, well, a family."

              " Silly Birdie, everyone has a family. Rita here is a very bright girl. I'm going to teach her about the coroner trade." Ms. Birdie was astonished. Mortimer was a strange, almost alien like man. He had no wife. He always said there is no room for love in his brain, it must be saved for new ideas. He spoke to no one and no one wanted to speak to him.

             "Birdie show please show Rita to her room."

             "Alright dearie let's go." Ms. Birdie and Rita grabbed all the bags and headed up the stairs. Absinthe quickly ran into her room. Once in her room, Rita laid down on her bed. She could finally relax. She came all the way from Prague on the train. She slipped off her boots and started to unpack. Absinthe was very curious. She had never seen a young woman before. She tiptoed to the bedroom door. She peeked in. At that moment Rita heard a creak. She quickly looked behind her shoulder and there she saw little Absinthe, standing in the doorway.

            "Hello..." Rita was confused. Mortimer didn't have a child and Ms. Birdie was too old to have such a small child. She looked back at the doorway and Absinthe was gone.

A ghost! She thought.