Reserved for Isolt - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A sky of gray hung heavily over the skyscrapers as I stopped the black rental car abruptly at the first traffic light upon entering city limits. It was dreary and dark for midday. Definitely not the type of cheery new start that everyone had urged me into. I cursed myself for being so pliable in someone else's hands, but under the circumstances, I probably could have been convinced to do anything. The car horn behind me shook me from the downward spiral that my thoughts were leading to as I looked up to see a beaming green light. Go, Morrigan, go. I thought to myself as I pressed on the gas pedal, a little heavier than needed, in an attempt to assuage the impatience of the guy behind me. Buildings passed by in blurs of gray; some illuminated by the brilliance of neons while others were aflame with the warmth of basic, orange-yellow bulbs. It didn't seem so inviting after the twenty-three hour drive here. I just wanted to be home, if it could even be called that, with a giant cup of hot cocoa and a warm bubble bath. I didn't want to explore my new city or have to speak to anyone else besides the movers for the next few days. The car was stopped again and again at nearly every intersection as I caught red lights all the way through town. If it were any implication of my luck in Sacrosanct then maybe I'm not better off here after all. By the time that I had reached the hotel it was nearly midnight. "Definitely not buying a car while living here.." I muttered to myself as I hunched over the steering wheel once I had found a space in the parking garage. With a large sigh and a load of mental effort, I turned the sedan off and stepped out to get my luggage from the trunk. The rolling of suitcase wheels were the only thing echoing in the garage as I followed the signs to the main office. A younger woman stood expectantly behind the counter as I walked through the doors into the lobby, her attire seeming all too uncomfortable for this time of night despite it being a uniform. A big yawn could not be contained as I stepped up to the desk. "Last name?", she asked with a smile. "Black. Morrigan Black.", I answered with an emotionless stare. Exhaustion shuts me down almost entirely. At this point, I can't even be bothered to offer more than just a blank expression. "Ah, yes. There you are", she confirms as her fingers tap away at the computer's keyboard. "Sign here, date here, and here is your room card. It will be on the fifth floor all the way down the hall to the right. Number 2-7-8." She slides everything toward me on the counter and I listlessly do as she told. I grabbed my key card from the counter and headed to the elevator with my luggage rolling along behind me. Almost there. The doors open, I press the number to my floor, and shortly after I am making my way down the carpeted halls to my temporary room. The door is opened and light from the hallway immediately leaks into the simply decorated space. I push my suitcase to the corner of the room before collapsing on the bed and taking in a deep breath. It is quiet, peaceful even, and I am entirely ready to just pass out right here and now. Vrrrrrrr. Vrrrrrrr. "Noooo..", I grumble as I roll over to fish my phone from my purse. It's Steph and not only is she calling me but she is requesting a video chat. I plop myself black upon my back on the bed again as I accept the call, holding the phone at arm's length above my head. "Hmmm..", I mumble as I attempt to wipe the tiredness from my face with my free hand. "Hey Mor! Looks like you made it!", the small blonde beams on the screen of the phone. "Yeah.. and I was about to go to sleep.", I confess as I look up at the screen. Knowing Steph, she will either be oblivious or just won't care. "Sleeping can wait! It's your first night in a big city, you HAVE to go out!", she all but yells with excitement for me. "But... why? I've been driving all day and night", I try to plead my case even though I know that she won't give up. "C'mon Mor, you need some good times to kick off your new journey. Find a few friends; maybe meet a cute guy... ", she urges although she trails off toward the end, perhaps aware of a small mistake. I hesitate to reply, a sinking feeling suddenly overwhelming me. My eyes are turned away from the phone as my mind drifts to a mournful past. "I'm sorry... I didn't me-", Stephanie attempts to apologize as I look back to her. "No. It's okay, I know..", I try to make her feel better about her slip up. Funny how that goes; my heart is being ripped apart once again by a memory recently passed and here I am making someone else feel better about the reason I am being affected. "Well, damn, now I have to go out so that I can drown these memories again.", I concede. "I'll talk to you later..", my finger taps the 'end call' button as Steph tries to say something, perhaps to stop me. But she got what she wanted. I'm going out. - - - - - I don't bother changing from my skinny jeans and over-sized flannel. Why would I need to? I'm not trying to impress anyone or to get attention. My date tonight is a bottle of liquor. I make my way back down to the hotel lobby and head straight for the street. The car is being returned tomorrow so I may as well get used to this city walking. Plus, I don't intend on driving drunk afterward. Worn out Converse tap quietly against the pavement as I briskly walk with my arms crossed. I did not think about how chilly it may be when I decided to storm out of the hotel like that and I am certainly paying for it. This side of town is nice and I'm grateful that my dad offered to pay for my hotel stay but it's not entirely my cup of tea. Everything seems to be so upper class. It has its allure, don't get me wrong, but I just don't fit in here. That is pretty clear by taking one look at me. I make a beeline for the first joint that I see that has any semblance of a bar and find myself opening the doors to Red on the Water. The interior of the building is immaculate and the atmosphere is unique to Irish culture; two things of which are very clear. I try to ignore the staring eyes of the other patrons who are dining here as I make my way to the bar. These feelings that are welling up inside again are nearly consuming me and I just need whatever the bartender wants to give me at this point. |