P. Stormcrow

Noah

A little thrill of excitement shot through Noah as he picked through the sets of clothing he held in reserve for families that had nothing to put on their dead.  There was something about getting to clothe a living person for once that he just can’t help the anticipation. Although Malcolm didn’t give him much to go by, he hummed as he worked until he managed to put together a pair of leggings, a long-sleeved blouse, some socks and a long suit jacket. A bit formal but it would do.

He switched to whistling as he made his way upstairs and back out of the reception area when he stopped in his tracks. Malcolm entered from the opposing hall first but the girl that followed behind him was not only beautiful despite her skinny figure but she also nagged at his memory. He had seen her before but from where?

“Hey.” Malcolm spotted him and led the girl closer. But his usual smile dropped as he drew near. “You okay? You look like you—” He cut himself off and cast a sheepish glance at his companion. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she mumbled, just as awkward. 

Like they’re on a first date. Noah shook his head at the thought but took a step closer to study her. she stared back at him in return, defiant and unyielding, as if daring him to judge. Her fierceness surprised and delighted him but he stopped himself from attempting to get a rise from her. Instead, he returned to pick his brain. “I know you.”

Noah kicked himself for the hope that rose in her eyes, lighting up her face, not when he didn’t have answers himself.

“You know?” Malcolm asked.

He shook his head. “Sorry, you look familiar but I can’t place it,” Noah replied but directed the words at the woman instead. 

“It’s okay,” the woman mumbled and wrapped her arms around herself. 

Noah recognized the defensive gesture and wished he hadn’t opened his big mouth. He’d rather see her ready to stand than to crumble. This was why he preferred spending his time with corpses than real people. He was lucky that Oliver and Malcolm had taken him in when they all ended up in the same orphanage, even if Oliver was a stick in the mud. His gaze wandered down to the floor and only then did he remember what was in his arms. “Oh, here.”

“Thanks.” She retrieved the clothes and shrank back to Malcolm’s side. Was she scared of him? He hoped not. A sudden pang of jealousy struck him.

“You probably don’t want to go back to the washroom. Why don’t you head to the kitchen? The sliding door there locks and you can change there.” Malcolm pointed in the direction.

“Yeah, okay.” She cast a last glance at Noah and hurried away.

“What happened in the washroom?” Noah asked. He needed to know so he could help her too.

Malcolm shook his head but didn’t answer his question. “Sky’s gone through a lot today. I think the best we can do is make her comfortable. Once she’s settled in, we can—”

Sky. Her name is Sky. 

“Malcolm, can you come and take a look at something for me?” Oliver stuck his head out of the office but popped back in before neither of them had a chance to answer.

The bigger man sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Oliver always called on Malcolm whenever he needed a second opinion, but never Noah. He understood the reason — he never had a head for business which was why when he inherited this place, he asked them to come help. But still—

“Hey, if you have a few minutes, can you look into Sky when she’s done changing? I promised to make her tea and get her some bandages for her fingers but who knows how long this is going to take.” Malcolm sighed again.

“Yeah, sure.” Noah managed to fake nonchalance but inside, he found his eagerness to spend more time with the girl puzzling. There were few and little he cared about usually.

“Thanks.” Malcolm clapped his shoulder and headed to the office, leaving Noah still wondering why he was looking forward to that cup of tea. He didn’t even like tea.

He glanced over his shoulder down the other hall where the kitchen was and jammed his hands into his pockets. Without thinking, he paced towards Sky then stopped, not wanting to give her the impression that he was crowding her either. Never had he felt so uncomfortable in his own space. The place was in his name for God’s sake 

At last, the door slid open with a click, he forced himself to take his time to walk over. And there she stood with the clothing he had picked out and his heart swelled with pride at seeing them fit her. Her cheeks still held an unhealthy pallor and concern drove him to straighten and offer a smile. “Mal had to step away but he sent me to make some tea.” 

“Oh.” Sky stepped back to allow him in and he took the opportunity to slide past her. 

Without looking back, he bustled about, retrieving the electric kettle from the cupboard above the counter and plugging it in. It wasn’t really a full kitchen, just a sink, a microwave and cupboards they kept stocked with beverages.  “So how are you feeling?” he asked, then cringed inwardly at the question. How else would she feel having just dug herself out of a grave?

“Noah, right?”

Surprised, he spun around with the mug in one hand and a tea bag in the other, and flushed as he found her studying him closely, perched on one of the three chairs around a half circle table butt up against the opposing wall. 

“You… don’t have to be so flustered,” Sky suggested, the words coming slowly as if she was tasting them before she gave them form. 

“I’m—” Noah sighed, dropped the teabag in the mug and pushed his bangs back before he crossed the small space and dropped himself into the chair next to her. “I’m no good with people.”

“That’s okay. I’m not either, to be honest. At least, I don’t think I am.” Sky tucked a strand of long blue-black hair behind her ear and Noah had to resist wanting to do it for her. Like a raven’s wing. 

To distract himself, he shook his head and cleared his throat. “So, Sky…”

“It’s not my real name. I think. I don’t know what my real name is. But I guess Malcolm already told you that, didn’t he?”

Noah opened his mouth to protest but Sky cut in.

“It’s okay. I figured you guys would be talking while I was…” She trailed off and gave a shudder. 

Noah wondered what happened in the washroom again but instead of asking, he groaned and rubbed his face.

“I don’t blame you guys. I mean I crawled out of a grave for fuck’s sake.” At that, Sky let out a bitter laugh and it made Noah wonder what her real laugher would sound like. 

“I don’t know what’s going on, or how I ended up there.” Sky trailed off and looked away, tugging at her jacket.

He should crack a joke, poke fun at her. Anything to break the seriousness that had settled between them. But instead, all he wanted to do was comfort her so he went with that instead. “Hey, we’ll figure it out, okay?” Noah looked over to Sky. “Are you going to go to the police?”

Sky shrugged but before Noah could pry further, the kettle whistled. Hee jumped off the chair to finish making the tea instead. “If you do, I’ll take you to the station. It’s not a far walk from here.” He returned to the table with tea in hand. “Careful, it’s hot.”

“Thanks.” Sky accepted the mug and cupped it with her palms, taking care to avoid touching it with her fingers. He stared at the hands before guilt hit him. The skin looked raw and angry. 

Noah hurried to the drawers and rummaged until he found the extra box of BandAids that Malcolm always stored there and returned to crouch down before her. “Here. Give me your hand.”

Sky tilted her hand to one side but set the mug down and extended a hand out to him. He wasted no time in taking a Bandaid out of the box and wrapping it around her finger. And another. And another. For a time, they did not speak as he worked to fix up her fingers.

She let out a small shy smile as he finished up. The tension left her shoulders and all of a sudden, it hit Noah.

“University. I remember seeing you around at the university campus!” he half yelled out in excitement.

Her eyes rounded, almost a little too big for her pinched face. “Did you know me?”

At Noah’s shake of his head, her face fell once more but he took both of her hands in his in an attempt to convey confidence. “Hey, it’s a starting point, right? Even if you don’t want to go to the police, we can go and ask around.”

Sky rocked back in her chair and narrowed her eyes. “Are you guys for real?”

Noah raised a brow and waited for her to elaborate.

“I mean, first Malcolm, then you. Are you not at all suspicious about a girl coming out of a grave?” Sky’s voice rose a little and that spark he saw earlier returned to his relief.

“Well.” Noah rose and resettled in the other chair. He took a moment to consider Sky then shrugged. “Maybe. But I’d figure one step at a time and what happens happens. As long as you’re not secretly a zombie out to eat my brains.”

“That’s awfully laid back.”

Damn, she didn’t take the bait. That was okay though. Noah chuckled. “I suppose. That’s what Oliver complains about mostly.” He shook his head as if to shake off that line of thought. “Drink your tea Sky,” he chided instead.

A sudden bang reverberated through the air and on instinct, Noah covered his head and dropped to the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sky do the same. The fluorescent above flickered once then went out entirely, plunging them both into darkness. A strangled cry collapsed into a whimper next to him.

“Sky?” Noah called out and dug into his pocket until he found his phone. As soon as he brought it up to his face, he turned the screen on, then pulled up the built-in flashlight function. He shone it toward Sky and caught a glimpse of her curled up into a ball at the foot of the chair, her arms wrapped around her head.

“Hey. I’m here. It’s okay.” When Sky didn’t respond, he crawled over until he could brush his hand against hers. In return, she caught his hand in a death grip. Noah winced but didn’t comment.

“No, it can’t be happening again. Not again,” Sky whispered under her breath.

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s probably just a power outage.” Although why the backup generator hadn’t kicked in yet worried Noah too but he wasn’t about to share that with her. But what does it mean again? Is she remembering something?

Sky snapped her head up and stared at Noah. In the haloed light from the phone, she looked even paler than before. “Wait, it’s dark for you too?”

Why wouldn’t it be? What had happened to her? Noah tried for a reassuring smile instead of giving voice to his questions. Now was not the time. “Yeah. The power’s probably gone out. Let’s go find some flashlights. I don’t want to drain my cell battery.”

Tension seemed to have locked her muscles up as Noah tried to tug her to standing. She weighed him down with her tight hold but he rocked to his feet and waited until she gave him a nod. With more effort than it should have taken, Noah got them both upright. Sky continued to cling to him and after a few seconds, he gently untangled her fingers from his arm and wrapped an arm around her instead. Something about the way she continued to shiver brought out the protective instinct in him.

Together, they shuffled out of the kitchen. Noah didn’t hurry them although his concerns grew with each passing moment of pitch blackness. Why were the lights not coming back on? 

“Noah?”

He recognized Oliver’s voice and after a few seconds, a circle of light followed before the shadow of his eldest not-by-blood brother came into view. Noah let out a breath of relief. 

“Sky and I are here,” Noah called out then flashed Sky in what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. Though she probably couldn’t see. Still, it was the thought that counted, or so he told himself.

“Are you guys okay?” Oliver asked as they met up 

“Yeah.” Noah blinked. “Wait, where’s Malcolm? Wasn’t he with you?”

“He went down to the basement to check on the fuse—”

All three of them jumped as a yell followed by a crash echoed from down below, muffled by the flooring between them and the basement.  Noah exchanged a glance with Oliver.

“Shit.” Oliver turned and ran for the stairs.

Noah turned to face Sky. “Stay here.” Without waiting for a reply, he ran after Oliver. No matter how beautiful of a damsel in distress Sky was, he needed to make sure Mal wasn’t hurt. Because he and Oliver were all the family he had.