Day 144
Cobwebs were the least of her worries. The door to her apartment, ever unlocked, creaked open to reveal a black wooden world covered in a shroud of dusty gray. At least someone had the decency to take the animals so the didn't die of starvation. Sami wondered if that was Jochin's doing or if she'd need to go fetch her furry friends from the Chain Girls in the bowels of the Asylum. The battered canvas shoulder bag of olive green, littered with quirky buttons and old bloodstains, fell in a heap where she dropped it. A cloud of dust rose, a tribute to her absence. Sami coughed and meandered into the tomb of her own apartment with a frown on her face. A trail of footsteps were left on the floor in her wake.
A phone book was kept in the marble in-table next to what was previously a gorgeous velvet settee. At least the closed drawer prevented it from getting dusty. That said, she spied what looked to be mouse pellets along with tattered edges of the book's pages. Ethereal peepers found the listing they required. More footsteps were left in the dust. In truth, she was almost shocked to hear a dial tone whenever she picked up the telephone. The number was dialed, the phone book discarded onto the floor with the rest of the trash.
"I need to make an appointment, please. First available. No, I've used your service before. Last name Burke. B-U-R-K-E. First name Sami. Yes." A long pause gave her time to peer out the window into the world that actually looked a little less ragged than the last time she'd seen it. "Monday' Sure. That'd be fine. Uh-huh. Thank you."
The receiver was replaced on its base. Skeletor hands reached up to encompass boney arms in a comforting manner. The wooden planks in the living room creaked only faintly as she walked across them to peer through the French doors into the bedroom beyond. It was all she could do to keep brilliant blues from leaking droplets of glamour onto flushed cheeks.
There was the bauble tree. The glass orbs hanging from it were covered in a film that made them look so ornamental, like cheap Christmas decorations on a dead tree making its way into February. A glass of black liquid, once wine, was on the nightstand with a stain from where it had evaporated off it's crystal vessel. And there were the sheets. Unmade. Pillows tossed and the comforter twisted in the same position they'd left them. Sami frowned and then turned away.
Ignoring the trail of footsteps she trudged a new path across the wooden floorboards to the olive green shoulder bag on the floor. It was hoisted up into position. A tiny cellular phone was pulled from its outside pocket and a number flicked on the speed-dial. The Derby Dame took her front door by the handle and spun to look back on the remnants of her life. The phone rang on the other end until a voice answered.
"Yes, I'd like to reserve a room, please. Yes" I'll hold.?
The apartment door swung shut, the tomb sealed once more.
Cobwebs were the least of her worries. The door to her apartment, ever unlocked, creaked open to reveal a black wooden world covered in a shroud of dusty gray. At least someone had the decency to take the animals so the didn't die of starvation. Sami wondered if that was Jochin's doing or if she'd need to go fetch her furry friends from the Chain Girls in the bowels of the Asylum. The battered canvas shoulder bag of olive green, littered with quirky buttons and old bloodstains, fell in a heap where she dropped it. A cloud of dust rose, a tribute to her absence. Sami coughed and meandered into the tomb of her own apartment with a frown on her face. A trail of footsteps were left on the floor in her wake.
A phone book was kept in the marble in-table next to what was previously a gorgeous velvet settee. At least the closed drawer prevented it from getting dusty. That said, she spied what looked to be mouse pellets along with tattered edges of the book's pages. Ethereal peepers found the listing they required. More footsteps were left in the dust. In truth, she was almost shocked to hear a dial tone whenever she picked up the telephone. The number was dialed, the phone book discarded onto the floor with the rest of the trash.
"I need to make an appointment, please. First available. No, I've used your service before. Last name Burke. B-U-R-K-E. First name Sami. Yes." A long pause gave her time to peer out the window into the world that actually looked a little less ragged than the last time she'd seen it. "Monday' Sure. That'd be fine. Uh-huh. Thank you."
The receiver was replaced on its base. Skeletor hands reached up to encompass boney arms in a comforting manner. The wooden planks in the living room creaked only faintly as she walked across them to peer through the French doors into the bedroom beyond. It was all she could do to keep brilliant blues from leaking droplets of glamour onto flushed cheeks.
There was the bauble tree. The glass orbs hanging from it were covered in a film that made them look so ornamental, like cheap Christmas decorations on a dead tree making its way into February. A glass of black liquid, once wine, was on the nightstand with a stain from where it had evaporated off it's crystal vessel. And there were the sheets. Unmade. Pillows tossed and the comforter twisted in the same position they'd left them. Sami frowned and then turned away.
Ignoring the trail of footsteps she trudged a new path across the wooden floorboards to the olive green shoulder bag on the floor. It was hoisted up into position. A tiny cellular phone was pulled from its outside pocket and a number flicked on the speed-dial. The Derby Dame took her front door by the handle and spun to look back on the remnants of her life. The phone rang on the other end until a voice answered.
"Yes, I'd like to reserve a room, please. Yes" I'll hold.?
The apartment door swung shut, the tomb sealed once more.