Stephen had told Julie the plan, his eyes begging her to go along with it. She couldn’t argue that it was a good idea, but she had to wonder if the Kramer Mansion was the best place for everyone.
Still, she agreed.
The storm was coming, Moira had told her that much, and after seeing what she had done to Harvey, and what Nurse Fitch had tried to do to her cousin, she knew Moira was making good on her promise. It would better if they were all together to face it, then divided and vulnerable.
Once Stephen had finished talking to her, she sat at the same center table they had all been around last night. Roxanne sat there, chewing on her nails, her face pale, her eyes bloodshot.
"You guys will be safe up there." She didn’t look at Julie as she spoke, and her words were mumbled because of the fingernail she had locked between her teeth.
"You’re coming to." Julie closed her eyes as the front door opened. The bright sunlight was making her hangover worse. "You’re part of this. Harvey made sure of that."
Roxanne looked at her, eyes wide. She shook her head, her brown hair swinging from side to side. For a brief moment she looked like a child.
"I didn’t sign up for this. Julie, I’m not from here. I got no ties here." Tears were welling in Roxanne’s eyes. "Why’d he have to come after me?"
"For those very same reasons you just listed. You have no ties. No one would think twice if you vanished." Julie didn’t know what to do to console her new found comrade.
Truthfully she was just as big a wreck as Roxanne was, at least on the inside. Her throbbing head and sour stomach just made it harder for her to express it.
"I could just leave." She pulled her finger from her mouth, the gnawed nail starting to bleed, and crossed her arms over her torso. "I could just pack up my things, and get the hell out of here."
"You know to much, and you know that. Moira would never let you go." Julie was starting to get frustrated. "Listen, you’re going to get yourself killed unless you calm down."
"Calm down?" Roxanne stood, the chair she was sitting in crashing to the floor. She pointed towards the window, right at the view of the library, where two police officers were taking pictures of Harvey’s body. "I don’t want to end up like that Julie. I don’t want to end with my guts wrapped around my neck, hung from some building, naked. I just want to leave."
Julie stood, not sure what to do. She grabbed Roxanne wrapped her arms around her.
Roxanne burst into tears, her body shaking. Julie gently ran her hand up and down Roxanne’s back, trying to calm her like a mother would calm her baby. It wasn’t working.
"I’m so scared." Roxanne’s voice was moist mess.
Julie sat her down, but kept her hand on Roxanne’s shoulder. The contact seemed to be working, but not quick enough. She was still a hysterical mess.
"We’re all scared." Julie’s voice was soft, sweet.
Roxanne looked out the window at Harvey’s body one last time, and then stood, walking towards the bathroom.
"You okay?" Julie stood, ready to run after her.
"I’m going to be sick." Roxanne didn’t look back as she spoke. She just pushed open the door to the lady’s room, and vanished from Julie’s view.
She collapsed on her chair, her head swimming. She could feel the alcohol sweating from her body. She wanted a hot cup of coffee and a shower so badly, but she was stuck in the Hub until the police said it was okay.
She needed fresh air. The bar was getting stuffy, and a few of the officers had lit up cigarettes, making the air near unbearable. She pushed past the door, letting the officer know she would just be outside. He gave her a look, but let her through.
She leaned against the worn wood side of the bar, the black paint was warm, absorbing the heat from the sun.
Main St. Was mostly empty, but it was still early. She was pretty sure that by noon the place would be packed. Harvey’s body would be gone, and all that would be left would be idle town gossip.
She looked out over the lake. The way the light reflected off of the slight ripples made it look kind of like tin foil. The trees surrounding the shore were bright green, lush. It all looked so peaceful, so beautiful.
She knew better.
A young couple walking by glanced her way, and at first she thought nothing of it, but then they kept watching her. The young man pulled a flower from his pocket and handed it to the girl. She sniffed it, and as the blossom touched her nose Julie felt her stomach knot up.
The young girl was holding a black rose. They both smiled at her, then kept on their way.
Suddenly she didn’t feel like she needed any more air.
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