Page 52Notice

The town was quiet. Too quiet. Okay, not really. It was only a Tuesday but we were lucky enough to find a few stores still open. There was some thing today where a fair few stores opened until midnight. Which gave us plenty of time. Esmeralda did comment on how difficult it was to take me shopping when I had to sleep during the day. I refrained from telling her about the burning sensation the sun would give me.

Just before we headed into the first store, I got a phone-call. I asked Esmeralda to wait inside while I took this. She'd just seen some nice shirts, so she didn't mind at all.

"Yes?"

It was the voice again. "Your payment is arranged. A text will arrive with details."

My payment... The apartment? "Thank you." I emphasized the you. I knew she was probably listening in on this and I wanted it to be clear. Did the voice of Seriph ever wonder what I was or did she have other worries on her mind.

"You will have two days." She hung up immediately after that.

It was very nicely done. Without saying anything specific we both knew what it was about. I guess that was the easiest way to keep things hidden from the world. A small doubt raised in me though. Would Seriph be crazy enough to place microphones or cameras in the new place? Well. I would try to look for them when I got there. Without Esmeralda though. I didn't want to drag her into this until I was absolutely sure it was safe.

Though sleeping in a normal bed would be nice. Perhaps I was even lucky enough to get a private shower!

I giggled to myself. My standards had really changed in the months (and year) I'd been a vampire. I'd slept underground, showered in strange houses and almost lived like a homeless girl on the streets. Or below.

"Amy, they've got really cool stuff. Come on!"

As I got dragged inside, a grin playing on my face, I looked around where Esmeralda had been looking and agreed with her. They had some original items as well in the pants department. Nice dark jeans with different patterns on them. One even quite extravagant with light tribal stitching from the bottom edge all the way up beyond the knees. Kind of like those pants with flames on them. Only more stylish.

But first I had to try on what she'd found. "Amy, I'm sure this will fit you well." She held up a long-sleeve with a sort of rainbow on a red background. Not really my style.

But to humor her I tried it on.

Esmeralda couldn't stop laughing. To me it felt like minutes had passed until she said. "That is so not your style it's hilarious." She laughed some more. "I'm sorry. It's just... Imagine a creature of the night in cheerful cuddly clothes."

I smiled as well. "I'm glad you agree that it's not my style. Why won't you try it?"

She giggled. "It's much too cliche for me. People would think I'd sold out."

"I didn't know you were so fashion-aware."

She stuck up her nose and talked in a gaudy voice. "Well, you know how it is. Mustn't disappoint the fans. Hm... yes."

Her impression of status made me laugh, especially with the interesting contrast of her clothes to the class she was faking. The owner of the store just looked at us with an expression of confusion and mild annoyance. She let us be, however, as there were no other customers in the store and we didn't make a mess.

(We hung everything back neatly.)

We spend some time finding some clothes for me. The underwear here wasn't really worth it, so we chose only some really basic items. It wasn't like I had someone to wear them for anyway. But, it became interesting when Esmeralda found something she really liked. And it was expensive.

She wanted to hang it back, but I grabbed her hand gently. "Do you want it?"

She bit her lip for a moment. "I like it, but I don't need it and it's too expensive anyway."

I smiled. "Well, I still haven't thanked you for all you've done for me, so allow me to give it to you if you want it."

Esmeralda blushed, truly blushed, perhaps for the first time I'd met her. "I-I couldn't ask that."

I giggled, happy I finally got to tease her with something. "This once." I winked at her, letting her know that it was a one time thing she was allowed to accept. I hoped she would.

She did.

When I tried to pay, something weird happened. I was talking friendly to the woman, who looked happy as we bought a few things on such a quiet night and, perhaps, was glad to see us leave the store. Behind her, however, I saw someone walking on the street that looked... familiar.

It was rather disconcerting to see someone I would almost recognize. My vision had been so sharp and focused that not noticing something completely, was as strange to me as a flash of lightning illuminating something you couldn't see afterwards.

It was female, or at least feminine. Not overly long hair but my memory couldn't decide on a color. Stature was normal, I guess, so no Seriph. And it had a sort of teeny atmosphere to it, so mentally I decided it wasn't the Voice. It could be her, of course, perhaps spying on me. But that felt much to crude for both of them. Besides, they both probably had a lot to do besides me.

What bothered me most about it, was that I couldn't get the image right in my head. No eyes, no face, no decided hair-color. Just a suggestion of shape and a certainty of presence. But why was my subconscious nagging at me? It was someone important, I felt. Someone I was supposed to know.

Esmeralda poked me. "What's wrong?"

A small shock back to reality. "Eh, nothing." I continued to pay.

When I went out of the store, a big bag for me and a small one for Esmeralda, there was of course no one there I recognized. My eyes even scanned the rooftops for anyone I might know. But nothing. No one.

But there was someone before.

Though my supply of candles is now ample, I have to stop here before I start adding words I shouldn't. All things in good time.