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| Rain and Tears | Started by: Pickles on May 02, '09 04:06 |
| It's pouring rain in Chicago, not letting up for a second. The sky has been dark for days, frigid wind whipping fresh new leaves from branches of trees that managed to make it through the harsh winter. A figure in black is seen hunched in the rain, walking as fast as they can towards a doorway leading in to The Blue Butterfly. Even though it's been several months since the death of the co-owner, the club is still dark. The dripping figure steps into the club and lets her eyes adjust to the deep gloom before stepping further into the club. After a few silent moments they peel off the sopping wet coat and hang it on the coat rack. They finally turn and walk further in, hoping to see the owner. | |
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Adrian is sitting alone at one of the tables near the stage. Dark clothes against a dark unlit background, he blended almost perfectly with the scenery. He noticed the door being open, but he figured that the patron would gather from all the lights being off, that they were still mourning the loss of the co-owner. He squints trying to see what this person is up to. He sees that this patron is not leaving. Adrian starts to feel annoyed but doesn't move yet. He still hopes that the person will realize they're closed and just leave. |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:07 | |
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The still dripping person walks further in, squinting against the dark. She finally can make out a man in the very back, the only clue to his being there is a small glint of light off of the glass he is clutching in his hand. She begins to shake and can't decide if it's from the cold or what she is feeling inside. Smoothing her hands down the sides of her damp and clammy skirt she walks half way into the bar and stops. Her mouth is suddenly dry as she tries to speak. "A- Adrian?" |
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| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:07 | |
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Adrian is now undoubtedly annoyed as he will obviously have to address this person even though he'd much rather be left alone. He sets the glass on the table, rather roughly and quickly stands up. He thinks he notices the figure flinch, but he can't be sure, everything being so dark. As he has a better angle to observe the figure, he notices that the silhouette wears a skirt, so even though he's not any less annoyed, he takes a deep breath as to make sure he's not excessively rude. Who's there? |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:07 | |
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The young woman winces as the glass gets slammed on the table and the man jerks to his feet. She twists her fingers together in agitation and tries to find her voice. My name is Pickles... I-I - I heard the Blue Butterfly was hiring. She looks dejected and coughs, the cold of the evening sinking in to her bones. But, I guess things have changed? |
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| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:07 | |
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Not being able to contain his pent up anger he yells. Does this look like a place that is hiring?? As he walks towards her not yet resolved on what to do, if to intimidate her or to shove her outside the door, he notices her shaking and soaking wet. Good Lord, were you not wearing anything to protect you from the rain?! For crying out loud, follow me! He briskly walks to the side of the room, not even turning around to make sure he was being followed. He walks towards what looked like a wall behind a curtain, but once Adrian brushed the curtain away, a passage to another room could be seen as the curtain falls back down swallowing him. |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:07 | |
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She flinches and can't suppress the tears that begin to stream down her face. She had promised herself she'd be strong and here she was failing and being pathetic again. After Adrian sees she is soaking and storms off towards the back she follows him, hugging her arms to her sides and wondering what else could go wrong. She looks around at the room behind the curtain and can't help but feel a small glimmer of wonder, looking at all the marvelous things laid out on the vanities and wardrobes. |
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| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:08 | |
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Don't get caught in the glamor of the shiny things. There are some dry warm clothe behind there and here's a towel. I'll be waiting for you in the dining room. As he walks back outside, she hears him mumble "Who is she anyways?" |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:08 | |
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| Pickles scrubs the rain water out of her hair with the towel and strips out of her soggy clothing, hanging them over towel bars to dry. Getting dressed she smells a familiar perfume and smiles to herself. After a couple of minutes she finishes getting dresses and slinks out into the dining room, ready to get yelled at again. | |
| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:08 | |
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As soon as he saw this fragile little girl walk out the singer's lounge he was surprised by this new vision. What was a flat damp mane, was now a voluminous elegant hairdo that he wondered how could have got done so quick. The dress she had picked suited her perfectly and revealed a rather attractive figure. Not that Adrian would notice that, still mourning the loss of his fiancee. OK. So let's start over. Where did you get the crazy idea we were hiring? And even if we... I was... hiring, what are your talents? |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:08 | |
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The girl's face is pale in the dark, yet luminous like the moon on a frosty night. Deep, sapphire blue eyes take up a large part of her face, bow lips still turned downward in a frown. She runs a hand through glossy black curls and shakes them to loosen some tangles. Eventually she looks up at Adrian and sighs, trying to keep tears from falling. I-I got a post card from Kittie a few months ago while I was living in San Francisco. She said she was opening a new jazz joint and was looking for some talent. I don't want to upset you though. I can leave. She heads towards the door and sings to herself in a melancholy minor key. "From the sky to the ground rain is falling all around Thunder rain and wind a song of storms begin it's the rain it's a storm falling all across the land taking your dreams away..." |
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| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:09 | |
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Adrian watches her heading towards the door, not being able to move a muscle. His friends know better than to utter such a name in his presence, but this girl obviously doesn't know the intolerable amount of pain that just hearing her name causes. He's not sure if he wants her to leave but is helpless to do anything to stop her, lost in his memories with his loved one. At the same time, a million questions run through his head. Does the girl know about Kittie's untimely passing? Should he get rid of her since she would only remind him of her. Should he actually offer a helping hand to somebody who undoubtedly would have been taken care of by Kittie? His heart constricts with agony the words in her song bring to mind. |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:09 | |
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Pickles pauses at the door, wondering if she should run out into the rain and as far as she can get or turn around. Kittie had sounded so happy in the telegram, telling her of the new club and of Adrian, the man she loved. She shivered, one hand on the brass handle. Through the leaded glass in the door she could now see the black wreath. An icy fear wrapped itself around her heart and began to claw its way up her throat. "No" she whispered. "Oh please God, no." She took her hand off the door and slowly turned around, her face even paler than it had been a few moments before. "Where is Kittie?" was all she managed to push past the dread that was strangling her. |
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| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:09 | |
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"Oh, God, no!" He thinks to himself. He is suffering enough without having to break the news to somebody else. He stares at her, still frozen as a tear rolls down his cheek and his lips start to tremble. Did you... Did you not hear of the last war? As soon as he uttered those words he realized that it wasn't the best way to approach the answer, but now it was too late. He remained silent and waited for the idea to sink in her head, while more tears came rolling down his cheeks. |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:09 | |
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The unspoken dread she had been feeling threatens to swallow her completely. It prickles along her arms, up along the back of her neck. She stares blankly at the man before her. W-war? She asks helplessly. War. Kittie had often told her that a day like this might come. A day where she was alone and left with nothing. But that thought had always remained so distant. A denial of reality kept it from ever becoming something she put stock in. Kittie wouldn't die. She couldn't die! She'd never do that to Pickles or Marc or any of the other people who depended on her. Pickles swallows hard, trying to comprehend the face of the man before her. He looks strong and capable. And yet he is crying. Silent tears streaming down his face, keeping time with the rain outside. Adrian. This was Kittie's Adrian. The man she said she adored. And he was crying. Pickles takes a step back and then another, bumping into the door. While angry tears threaten to fall she denies them, jerking open the door and running into the night. She runs, cursing God, cursing Adrian, cursing Kittie. She runs and falls, losing a shoe then runs again, not caring where she ends up. Eventually her legs give way and she crumbles to the pavement. The rain is cold, her tears are hot and she feels nothing. Almost without a willful thought behind the motion her hand reaches to find the small derringer she tucked under her shirt. |
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| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:10 | |
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Adrian was content with letting her run away, not being in any shape or form to be able to comfort another. However, she falls down so hard running outside that he can hear the thud as the door slowly swings shut. He springs up and runs outside to help her. The few minutes it takes him to catch up were enough to soak him also. As he approaches her and bends over to offer help and she notices him and turns her head, her hair gives way to the sight of the derringer. Instinctively, Adrian kicks it out of her hand, and in unison with her shriek of surprise and pain, the wet pavement causes Adrian to slip and fall next to her. |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:10 | |
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| The look of utter shock fades a little as Adrian falls and against her will a small giggle escapes. Eventually one giggle turns into two and before she knows it, she's hysterical, laughing and crying. | |
| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:10 | |
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Adrian rises to a standing position and starts laughing, more to hide the embarrassment than because he finds the situation amusing. There was something scary and heartwarming at the same time in her laughter. He figured that if she was able to at least laugh a little through her tears then maybe she wasn't so set in taking her own life. At least that's what he chose to believe while being soaked, humiliated and in pain after that fall. What were you doing with that thing? Adrian helps Pickles up. Now we have to go through this whole process again of getting you dry clothes... Damn! But I have no clothes for myself in there. He raises his arm and snaps his fingers twice and a deep voice nearby can be heard saying "Yes, Sir!" and footsteps then fading away give way to the sound of a car pulling by. |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:11 | |
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Pickles looks more than surprised as she hears the deep voice. You have a bodyguard? Her voice is filled with wonder but then her face twists a little into something unreadable. Where was Kittie's bodyguard? She bends over to retrieve the small handgun. |
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| Reply by: Pickles at May 02, '09 04:11 | |
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Adrian sighs as if he was carrying the weight of the world. He doesn't even know this girl's name but he has the feeling that she will not stop asking questions about Kittie until she is answered. As the car pulls over, he motions Pickles to get in the car and he follows her, also gaining some time to think how he could answer her questions in the most economic way possible. As sad as her loss was, as soon as she showed me that plane ticket to Las Vegas, I knew that was the last time I would see her alive. I wanted to hope, but she was sent to the middle of the storm to defend her city and she died an honorable death. People with 80 bodyguards fell that night. There was nothing to be done. Adrian then fell into a somber silence as if he didn't want to ever utter another word in his life. |
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| Reply by: Adrian at May 02, '09 04:11 | |
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