Salem's eyelids flutter, her eyelid weighs heavy on her iris. She feels comfortable, warm. the hexsugar still coursing through her veins. She briefly expects to feel tiny hands to shake her awake. She hears laughter, feminine and masculine, she smiles to herself. They must be awake in the kitchen. Her eyes slowly open, lifting the sheets off of herself. She makes the bed with a stupid grin, the sunlight coursing in through the tarped windows. The other bed is still neatly made. She could never keep it as perfect as her.
"Always the neat freak huh?"
Salem giggles to herself, the small beds are both clean. She opens the door into the hallway expecting to see the sight she used to see so often before. The sound of laughter enveloping her in a comforting hug. Instead she's met with a towering woman of pure beauty, Her sharp features catching the light with a stunning golden glow. and a boy too old to be hers, his dark skin and square rounded features obscured by strange scars. She falls to the ground feeling numb, cold tears run down her cheeks. vaguely feeling something pull in her thigh. The voices around her were muffled and dull. Her vision blurred.
"Help me get her on the table!"
Ruby screams at Horace who has already hooked his hands under her arms, ruby lifts Salem's legs with some struggle. They put her on the makeshift dining table. Ruby lifts the skirt shed put on salem, the smell of fresh blood hits Ruby's nose, the smell of iron making Horace gag, ruby picks up the needle and thread shed used on salem just a few days ago, the alcohol soaked thread piercing her skin finally bring her back to consciousness, the feeling of her skin being stabbed with fire making her flail and try to run.
"HOLD STILL!"
Ruby's voice roars through the small space, Salem's screams echo through Horaces skull. The noise made him squirm uncomfortably, his movements sluggish and delayed. Salem's arm breaks free, swinging a weak punch at Ruby, it connects with Horace's wrist, he grabs her hand pushing it away, holding her ankles. Ruby was still stitching her up with surgical precision.
"I am sorry! but you need this!"
Ruby hisses at salem. she gestures for Horace to hold her down. The stitches continue in minutes of pure agony, the seconds stretching into long painful hours.
"I am done, and I swear to the gods I am not fixing you up again if you tear these out."
Ruby's tone is harsh, Salem's head slowly clears of the pain. Her thigh left in a dull throb. She looks around seeing that her previously barren apartment had a few more amenities than it did when she was last awake. She sits up looking ruby in her sharply angled blue eyes. Ruby's eyes widened with shock.
"What the fuck is wrong with your eyes!?"
She shrieks with mild horror, stepping back a bit. The short girl's eyes downturn harshly, they are the same vivid pink of the street lamps and hexsugar.
"Painting a portrait, lasts longer."
Salem says with practiced sarcasm. Her voice is dull and flat with an accent ruby cannot quite place.
"Just not what I was expecting, I never really looked at your eyes. Horace look!"
Ruby says, pulling the boy to her side.
"You look fucked."
Horace says with a blunt tone, not meaning any harm in his words.
"Gee thanks kiddo."
Salem's head stays still for a moment trying to process the boy's voice. Her eyes widening in horror, she jumps off the ramshackle dining table. Cowering in the corner.
"Didn't you try to kill me and take my drugs?!'
Salem says in abject horror, her eyes wide, she yells at ruby.
"ARE YOU NUTS? WHY IS HE HERE?!"
"Oh do not start, he has been through enough of that! he is the one who has been building your furniture."
Ruby says holding up a slender finger to Salem, silencing the girl, Holding Horace close to her side. Salem finally takes note of her environment. It smelt clean, the smell of rotting food absent. Her eyes darted towards the kitchen, something was on the old stove, that thing had broken right after… her eyes moved towards the table she was still leaning on, it was long and thin, the left side had a small hole in it.
"Is this a door?"
Salem asks, the smell of old wood thick, and comforting. running her hands running along the smooth wood grain, felt old but sturdy.
"Yep, found it on an old building, had rubes help bring it back."
Horace speaks with pride, puffing out his chest.
"What is that?"
Salem asks Seeing fabrics strewn across a corner. It was a deep rich purple, and old. Very old, it had a few wear marks on it.
"I have been running a small boutique for repairs to pay for everything. I felt dreadful having Horace steal food and water, I knew I had a skill that people cannot afford. I made it so they could."
Ruby says bluntly, picking up the dress, the needle and thread dangling on the half done seam.
"I paid them back…"
Horace retorts indignantly, crossing his arms like a child.
"Tell me Horace, who gave you that money?"
Ruby says, her words cutting into Horace.
"Say, 'Horace'? You look alot less… like a pincushion?"
Salem says weary of the boy. gesturing at the lack of spikes along his back.
"Well my old getup got a bit fucked."
Horace says bluntly, a small pang of guilt hits salem. She pushes it out of her mind.
"Can you see with those on?"
Salem points like a curious child at his goggles.
"Ha! I can't see worth a shit without them!"
Horace laughs. It's a hearty chuckle, genuine. His high pitched voice echoing on the walls.
"Do you need me to explain everything that has happened over the past few days while you were high as a kite?"
Ruby says with a cruel giggle, walking over to the simmering pot. She unpacks two bowls, serving into them generously. She carries them to Salem and Horace, putting it in front of them. The smell is warm and homely.
"What about you?"
Salem asks, holding her spoon with hesitation.
"I do not look the way I do by gorging myself on food I do not need."
Ruby speaks, picking up the sewing project and continuing to work with nimble fingers.
"Bullshit, everyone needs food."
Salem says completely perplexed by Ruby's lack of appetite.
"Not me, I have not had a singular bit of food in a little under 4 years."
Ruby says not looking up from her sewing.
"What?! That's not possible, I've seen people die from 3 weeks without food. There is no way in hell you haven't eaten in 4 years!"
Salem says, pushing away her bowl. The confusion thick in her voice.
"I do not know what to tell you… what is your name?"
Ruby pauses before asking.
"Its salem, and something tells me your name isn't 'rubes'"
"My name is ruby."
"Fuckin noble."
Ruby brushes off the comment. The other two eat in silence. The sounds of spoons hitting the wooden bowls being the only noise at the table.
"Say rubes, how have you survived four years?"
Horace asks in between spoonfuls.
"I do not fully know, but I am not in the habit of rejecting gifted mares."
"Oh"
Horace squeaks out. The rest of the meal is in uncomfortable silence. Salem and Horace both finish their bowls in silence. Horace takes his bowl to the sink running water in the bowl.
"What the hell? How did you get the water running again?! This place has been abandoned for years!"
Salem's confusion continues to build, how busy were these two?
"Horace redirected a reservoir pipe, just until I get enough to head back to my home and formally buy the place."
Ruby gestures at Horace, he hides his face from the two girls, obviously shy, Salem sees how young he looked, was he playing it up?