(no subject)
Title: Missing
Story: Tempus Edax Rerum
Characters: Frankie, Jeff, Dionne, Nathan, Kris
Flavours: Pumpkin Pie #8 [A body]; Chocolate Gelato #23 [Et cetera]
Toppings: Gummy Bunnies - 500themes #29 [The calm before the storm]; Cookie Crumbs [How to Create a Monster; final parts]
Extras: N/A
Word count: 1602
Rating: PG
Summary: Frankie pulled her phone out of her pocket and called her sister; but when she heard the familiar sound of the ringtone in the other room, she tried not to panic.
9.26 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
Frankie let herself back into the flat with a sigh, already aware of the expression that would grace Kris' face as soon as her sister saw her.
Finding the flat empty was… unexpected. Frankie moved from room to room with a frown, noticing her sister's bed was a mess when she poked her head around the door to check if she was awake. She'd rushed out of here this morning, then.
Frankie shrugged to herself; Kris would be back soon enough, wouldn't have gone far away.
She threw her bag in the room and wandered into the kitchen to make some breakfast.
*
9.43 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
She'd had two slices of toast and a cup of tea - and now she was beginning to worry. Frankie pulled her phone out of her pocket and called her sister; but when she heard the familiar sound of the ringtone in the other room, she tried not to panic.
It wasn't like Kris to leave without her phone.
As in, she had never left without her phone before - she was more likely to be yelling at Frankie for doing something that stupid, instead.
Frankie swallowed her fear and grabbed her keys off the side.
There was only once place she could go to talk to someone about this - no matter how much she didn't want to.
*
10.21 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
When Frankie rounded the corner, she knew immediately that something was wrong. A crowd had gathered, opposite the building that the travellers used as their headquarters; a tense crowd that radiated fear.
The police were everywhere.
Frankie wandered over to the crowd, ducking and pushing her way through it until she made it to the front, until she caught a glimpse of the body on the ground.
It wasn't Kris.
Her shoulders slumped as all the tension seeped out of her body. It wasn't Kris. Which didn't mean that Kris was okay; only that she wasn't lying dead on the tarmac here, abandoned in death. Frankie glanced around at the crowd. Was the killer still here? Had Kris heard about this and come to see, had she been taken here?
Frankie felt her skin prickle; the feeling of a heavy gaze, but when she looked around, she saw no one looking her way. Maybe she was imagining things; she always had been a bit paranoid, but-
A hand fell on her shoulder and Frankie all but jumped out of her skin.
"Jeff!" she said when she saw the old man. He looked older than when she'd last seen him; far older, like the wrinkles were now etched in stone. He was using his cane.
Something nasty twisted in Frankie's stomach.
"You need to come with me, Frankie," he said.
She was helpless to do anything but follow.
*
10.40 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
They sat in Jeff's office, a dingy little room that Frankie held no fond memories of. It was permanently cold in there, even in the summer and she shivered, crossing one leg over the other.
"Who was that boy?" she asked.
"A traveller," Jeff said, nodding as if that had been what she had asked. "A hopper, actually, if we're going to be specific. His name was Stephen Smith and he was only a little older than you are."
And didn't that just make her skin crawl. Frankie shook off the feeling and leaned forwards a little. "Why did he die?"
"Well, I'd presume it was the knife that killed him," said another voice.
Frankie whipped around, surprised and yet not to see Dionne standing in the doorway, not smirking; for once, not looking superior.
"Yes, but who killed him and why did they do it?" Frankie asked. Dionne and Jeff exchanged a look that she supposed she shouldn't have seen, but when Jeff looked back at her, she stared at him until he glanced away.
"We don't know," Dionne admitted finally. The statement was heavy and Frankie shook her head.
"This boy… he was Unseen?" she asked. She already knew the answer.
"His killer was," Jeff confirmed and Frankie shook her head.
"That's impossible; there's only a handful of Unseen and-"
"And we can't see any of them," Dionne snapped. "That's the point."
Frankie tried to think. "You don't know? At all?"
Jeff looked to the side and she knew she had him. "We have… an idea. A guess. But that is all it is and it would be unfair for us to reveal at this time-"
"You know who it is, you don't know where they are, is what you're saying."
Jeff closed his mouth and nodded. Dionne looked almost impressed.
"I have to go," Frankie said. She stood. "I need to-"
"Why were you here in the first place?" Dionne asked, her eyes sharp.
"Kris. She wasn't at the flat, so I thought she might be here. Here or- I don't know." She thought of Nathan, but no, she couldn't go and look for him; he'd be fine, but-
"Dionne. Has Stephen's death got something to do with Nathan?"
Dionne shook her head. "Not in so many words. Nathan is not Unseen; though we are blinded to him from time to time."
Frankie shrugged. "He has been around me and Kris a lot."
Dionne nodded and there was something in her eyes that should have made Frankie pause, but she didn't. She moved towards the door, anxious to get out of this room.
"You'll get a call in the next couple of days," Jeff said. "For a meeting. We will need to say something about Stephen's death and this new threat to travellers."
Frankie nodded. "Of course," she replied.
*
1.43 p.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
What sucked, Frankie thought, was that unlike her sister, she couldn't sense the trails of people who travelled. Kris had always been able to do it; even though travelling was so hard for her and she was so clumsy at it, she had always managed to sense when their parents were coming and going, even if they left their sides for only a few seconds.
Frankie thought it was a similar kind of thing as those people who said they could see auras. Frankie wished she could do it, because now she was getting the distinct feeling her sister had vanished off the face of the planet and she wanted to know if she'd travelled somewhere or not.
She sighed and leaned back against the wall of some shop, taking out her phone. Kris' number went to voicemail.
There was no need to worry, she told herself. She was out all the time - always off, being as flighty and irresponsible as ever. Perhaps Kris had found some friends of her own and this was what usually happened on the days when Frankie wasn't around.
It wasn't like she'd given her any warning she was coming back.
*
4.13 p.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
McDonald's was crowded as school kids rushed around, buying a burger or fries before they headed home or to the park with their friends. Frankie watched from the seat she'd picked half an hour before, sipping at her milkshake. She glanced at her watch. It was probably time to go home. Kris might even be back by now.
She finished the drink and tossed the cup into the bin, stepping out onto the street. It was bright out and warmer than it had been in the restaurant, so she stood for a moment, soaking up the sun.
A man pushed past her and she spun on her heel - but froze when she saw the grin on his face, an oddly knowing look in his eyes. A chill skittered up her spine and Frankie said nothing as he nodded in her direction and carried on walking; she didn't move until he was far out of sight.
When he was gone, she tightened her arms around her torso and walked home.
Something about that man had been… evil.
*
5.03 p.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
Frankie walked home slowly, still cold even as she climbed the stairs leading to their flat.
She put the key in the lock and turned it, pushing the door open. The room was shadowed, the curtains drawn.
Nathan looked up sharply at the sudden intrusion - but Frankie wasn't looking at him. Kris was lying on the sofa, a blanket over her head and it only really took Frankie about five seconds to put two and two together.
"What happened?" she asked in a whisper, closing the door as quietly as possible.
Nathan sat back in the chair. When she got closer, Frankie could see the bags under his eyes and the grey tint to his skin. He looked ill and she wondered what had happened.
"I think I travelled," he said. "Your sister had to come and get me."
Frankie bit her lip to keep the words in. There was no point in yelling at Kris about being responsible - not that she was in any position to do so, but still, it was ridiculous that she put herself in danger like that-
"Is she going to be okay?" Nathan asked and Frankie sagged, feeling all the fight drain out of her.
She crossed the room and lifted the blanket from Kris' face. Her sister was sleeping, a frown creasing her brow. Frankie covered her with the blanket and nodded. "She'll be fine," she said, not looking at him. "She always is."
Story: Tempus Edax Rerum
Characters: Frankie, Jeff, Dionne, Nathan, Kris
Flavours: Pumpkin Pie #8 [A body]; Chocolate Gelato #23 [Et cetera]
Toppings: Gummy Bunnies - 500themes #29 [The calm before the storm]; Cookie Crumbs [How to Create a Monster; final parts]
Extras: N/A
Word count: 1602
Rating: PG
Summary: Frankie pulled her phone out of her pocket and called her sister; but when she heard the familiar sound of the ringtone in the other room, she tried not to panic.
9.26 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
Frankie let herself back into the flat with a sigh, already aware of the expression that would grace Kris' face as soon as her sister saw her.
Finding the flat empty was… unexpected. Frankie moved from room to room with a frown, noticing her sister's bed was a mess when she poked her head around the door to check if she was awake. She'd rushed out of here this morning, then.
Frankie shrugged to herself; Kris would be back soon enough, wouldn't have gone far away.
She threw her bag in the room and wandered into the kitchen to make some breakfast.
*
9.43 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
She'd had two slices of toast and a cup of tea - and now she was beginning to worry. Frankie pulled her phone out of her pocket and called her sister; but when she heard the familiar sound of the ringtone in the other room, she tried not to panic.
It wasn't like Kris to leave without her phone.
As in, she had never left without her phone before - she was more likely to be yelling at Frankie for doing something that stupid, instead.
Frankie swallowed her fear and grabbed her keys off the side.
There was only once place she could go to talk to someone about this - no matter how much she didn't want to.
*
10.21 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
When Frankie rounded the corner, she knew immediately that something was wrong. A crowd had gathered, opposite the building that the travellers used as their headquarters; a tense crowd that radiated fear.
The police were everywhere.
Frankie wandered over to the crowd, ducking and pushing her way through it until she made it to the front, until she caught a glimpse of the body on the ground.
It wasn't Kris.
Her shoulders slumped as all the tension seeped out of her body. It wasn't Kris. Which didn't mean that Kris was okay; only that she wasn't lying dead on the tarmac here, abandoned in death. Frankie glanced around at the crowd. Was the killer still here? Had Kris heard about this and come to see, had she been taken here?
Frankie felt her skin prickle; the feeling of a heavy gaze, but when she looked around, she saw no one looking her way. Maybe she was imagining things; she always had been a bit paranoid, but-
A hand fell on her shoulder and Frankie all but jumped out of her skin.
"Jeff!" she said when she saw the old man. He looked older than when she'd last seen him; far older, like the wrinkles were now etched in stone. He was using his cane.
Something nasty twisted in Frankie's stomach.
"You need to come with me, Frankie," he said.
She was helpless to do anything but follow.
*
10.40 a.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
They sat in Jeff's office, a dingy little room that Frankie held no fond memories of. It was permanently cold in there, even in the summer and she shivered, crossing one leg over the other.
"Who was that boy?" she asked.
"A traveller," Jeff said, nodding as if that had been what she had asked. "A hopper, actually, if we're going to be specific. His name was Stephen Smith and he was only a little older than you are."
And didn't that just make her skin crawl. Frankie shook off the feeling and leaned forwards a little. "Why did he die?"
"Well, I'd presume it was the knife that killed him," said another voice.
Frankie whipped around, surprised and yet not to see Dionne standing in the doorway, not smirking; for once, not looking superior.
"Yes, but who killed him and why did they do it?" Frankie asked. Dionne and Jeff exchanged a look that she supposed she shouldn't have seen, but when Jeff looked back at her, she stared at him until he glanced away.
"We don't know," Dionne admitted finally. The statement was heavy and Frankie shook her head.
"This boy… he was Unseen?" she asked. She already knew the answer.
"His killer was," Jeff confirmed and Frankie shook her head.
"That's impossible; there's only a handful of Unseen and-"
"And we can't see any of them," Dionne snapped. "That's the point."
Frankie tried to think. "You don't know? At all?"
Jeff looked to the side and she knew she had him. "We have… an idea. A guess. But that is all it is and it would be unfair for us to reveal at this time-"
"You know who it is, you don't know where they are, is what you're saying."
Jeff closed his mouth and nodded. Dionne looked almost impressed.
"I have to go," Frankie said. She stood. "I need to-"
"Why were you here in the first place?" Dionne asked, her eyes sharp.
"Kris. She wasn't at the flat, so I thought she might be here. Here or- I don't know." She thought of Nathan, but no, she couldn't go and look for him; he'd be fine, but-
"Dionne. Has Stephen's death got something to do with Nathan?"
Dionne shook her head. "Not in so many words. Nathan is not Unseen; though we are blinded to him from time to time."
Frankie shrugged. "He has been around me and Kris a lot."
Dionne nodded and there was something in her eyes that should have made Frankie pause, but she didn't. She moved towards the door, anxious to get out of this room.
"You'll get a call in the next couple of days," Jeff said. "For a meeting. We will need to say something about Stephen's death and this new threat to travellers."
Frankie nodded. "Of course," she replied.
*
1.43 p.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
What sucked, Frankie thought, was that unlike her sister, she couldn't sense the trails of people who travelled. Kris had always been able to do it; even though travelling was so hard for her and she was so clumsy at it, she had always managed to sense when their parents were coming and going, even if they left their sides for only a few seconds.
Frankie thought it was a similar kind of thing as those people who said they could see auras. Frankie wished she could do it, because now she was getting the distinct feeling her sister had vanished off the face of the planet and she wanted to know if she'd travelled somewhere or not.
She sighed and leaned back against the wall of some shop, taking out her phone. Kris' number went to voicemail.
There was no need to worry, she told herself. She was out all the time - always off, being as flighty and irresponsible as ever. Perhaps Kris had found some friends of her own and this was what usually happened on the days when Frankie wasn't around.
It wasn't like she'd given her any warning she was coming back.
*
4.13 p.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
McDonald's was crowded as school kids rushed around, buying a burger or fries before they headed home or to the park with their friends. Frankie watched from the seat she'd picked half an hour before, sipping at her milkshake. She glanced at her watch. It was probably time to go home. Kris might even be back by now.
She finished the drink and tossed the cup into the bin, stepping out onto the street. It was bright out and warmer than it had been in the restaurant, so she stood for a moment, soaking up the sun.
A man pushed past her and she spun on her heel - but froze when she saw the grin on his face, an oddly knowing look in his eyes. A chill skittered up her spine and Frankie said nothing as he nodded in her direction and carried on walking; she didn't move until he was far out of sight.
When he was gone, she tightened her arms around her torso and walked home.
Something about that man had been… evil.
*
5.03 p.m.
3rd August 2011.
London, England.
Frankie walked home slowly, still cold even as she climbed the stairs leading to their flat.
She put the key in the lock and turned it, pushing the door open. The room was shadowed, the curtains drawn.
Nathan looked up sharply at the sudden intrusion - but Frankie wasn't looking at him. Kris was lying on the sofa, a blanket over her head and it only really took Frankie about five seconds to put two and two together.
"What happened?" she asked in a whisper, closing the door as quietly as possible.
Nathan sat back in the chair. When she got closer, Frankie could see the bags under his eyes and the grey tint to his skin. He looked ill and she wondered what had happened.
"I think I travelled," he said. "Your sister had to come and get me."
Frankie bit her lip to keep the words in. There was no point in yelling at Kris about being responsible - not that she was in any position to do so, but still, it was ridiculous that she put herself in danger like that-
"Is she going to be okay?" Nathan asked and Frankie sagged, feeling all the fight drain out of her.
She crossed the room and lifted the blanket from Kris' face. Her sister was sleeping, a frown creasing her brow. Frankie covered her with the blanket and nodded. "She'll be fine," she said, not looking at him. "She always is."