Lesson 92- Sometimes people don’t want to play, and that’s okay too.
Ten minutes later, Kyle and Torin have made a plan and rushed out the back door. Meanwhile I’m just… Here. I can’t do ANYTHING. Everyone else is searching for Laura and I’m just stuck here because I can’t leave. Even if they WANTED to let me go, without Laura I’m stuck here forever. Obviously that’s not the only reason I’m worried about her, it’s not even at the top of the list. But while I’m sitting here by myself worrying about the worst case scenarios, it makes it onto the list at the very least. Even worse, it’s just too quiet in here. I’m used to this place being loud and busy at night and instead it’s dead quiet. For a while, I busy myself cleaning the bar. I put everything away, wipe every surface, mop the floors and do every other task I can think of. Eventually I run out of things to do. How long have I been waiting? Why don’t I have a DAMN PHONE so that they can at least give me updates on what’s going on? But no, I’m stuck here in this stupid bar. Alone and safe. Annoyingly safe, inconveniently safe. I’m like a bird stuck in a cage. Sure I’m protected from everything outside, but life could be so much better. I don’t think I’ve ever been so anxious to get out of here. Even worse, I can feel this horrible resentful feeling building up inside of me. Not just to Torin for keeping me here, but for Laura for never standing up to him and ending the binding spell. Maybe even a bit towards Kyle for never even TRYING to convince either of them to let me go. I’ve been comfortable here. Too comfortable. But this is the first time that I feel really well and truly trapped. It’s the first time that I truly do not want to be here. I want to riot, to cry and rage and throw a fit. But what would be the point when there’s no one here to even care about it? Not to mention another part of me feels guilty for making this about me. Laura is missing, she could be hurt, or even dead and here I am thinking about how inconvenient that is for me. Okay, that’s not entirely true. She’s my friend and I do care about her. I know I’m angry and hurt, but I think mostly I’m just worried. All my emotions are heightened, and apparently that includes my anger too.
A loud banging at the front door startles me. What the hell? Oh please please do not let this be some other psycho who wants to kidnap me. I don’t have the energy or emotional maturity to deal with that right now. If anyone is even remotely mean to me I will probably burst into tears then lie down on the floor and just wait to be kidnapped. It’s all too hard. The banging continues and Crash meows loudly, seeming upset by the noise. He claws his way up my leg and I dislodge his claws then pick him up, cradling him against my chest for comfort. For me and for him. Someone calls out through the front door.
“Hello? Why aren’t you open? What’s going on?” The voice is familiar. I frown as I realise who it is.
“Harold? Is that you?” I call out.
“Of course it’s me! Now why aren’t you open? I want another drink!” The vampire whines. I sigh and open the front door enough to look outside.
“There’s been an emergency. We’re closed tonight. Sorry.” I apologise. My apology definitely lacks enthusiasm. I just want him to go away. Obviously none of this is his fault, but I just don’t want to deal with him. Harold whines for a little bit, but eventually he agrees to leave, pulling out his phone and texting his friends not to bother coming down either.
Since I feel so trapped I decide I want to sit by an open door at least. Not the front door, that would stand out too much. No, I decide the back door is safer. As long as I don’t try to leave the spell won’t bother me and the illusion spell means that even if someone WERE to wander into the alley, they won’t be able to see the open door or me sitting by it. They’ll just see more wall. So that’s what I do, I open the back door and sit crossed legged just inside the doorway. Crash must sense the ward, or maybe he just doesn’t want to risk being back out on the streets instead of in here being spoiled rotten. So he doesn’t even try to get outside. He just curls up on my lap and purrs. I stroke his little head and do my best to not freak out too much as I stare out into the dark alley. At least I can enjoy a bit of a breeze on my face, although to be honest the air from an alley where we keep our bins isn’t all that nice. But at least sitting here I don’t feel quite as trapped.
A weird buzzing sound draws my attention. At first I think it’s just Crash purring, but then I realise it’s coming in a regular pattern. Buzzing a few times then stopping briefly before buzzing again. I slap my palm to my face feeling stupid. It’s a phone vibrating. I know it’s been a while since I’ve had a phone, but it really shouldn’t have taken me so long to place the sound. But where is it coming from? I hold my breath and listen for it. At first I think it won’t ring again, but eventually it does and I hear the dull vibrating sound. Damn it, the sound is definitely coming from outside. I was hoping that maybe Kyle had forgotten his phone here or something. It takes me a couple minutes to spot the phone. It’s face down on the cement outside which is why I can’t see the screen lighting up. Just the dimmest edge of light peeking out. At first I thought it was moonlight reflecting on rubbish, but nope it’s a phone. Now that I've seen it, I can’t unsee it. Even worse, it looks familiar. I’m about ninety percent sure it’s Laura’s phone. I groan in frustration. How did her phone end up on the ground in the alley? Who keeps calling? I badly want to go get it but I know I can’t step outside. I can’t call anyone to tell them I’ve found it either because I don’t have a PHONE! I’m determined to get it. I try using a broom first, hoping to reach it and sweep it towards me. But it can’t quite reach. I need like an extra half a metre. I don’t give up. I get the mop and search for some duct tape. Maybe I can stick them together and make an extra long pole? Frustratingly, I can’t find decent tape anywhere, only the thin kind used for sticking papers together and stuff. I try it anyway, using almost the entire roll to stick the mop and broom together, hoping it will be strong enough to hold. It doesn’t work. At first I thought it was working, but as soon as I tried to lift it, the two poles fell apart. I groan in frustration and throw the mop and broom to the side. This is so stupid. A clue to Laura’s disappearance is a few STEPS away from me and I can’t go get it or call for help. I’m so frustrated that I can’t help myself. I burst into tears and sob.
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