Barcrow's: Codename K9

Chapter thirty two - Rumours

'Is that it? That's why he's been so down lately?' Abi came out of the bathroom.

'How long have you been eavesdropping?'

'Long enough to get the gist of things.' She sat down beside her sister.

'He didn't look sad.' Ellie said almost questioningly.

'He tries not to show it but he's bad at hiding his feelings in front of the people he's fond of. I've even heard rumours going around about him having fallen in love with the woman he killed. But that just didn't seem like him.'

'Thanks, I'll be sure to tell him about those rumours.'

'For the record, I wasn't the one who made them up. Not this time.' She smiled thinking back.

There was a light knock on the door.

Celeste (climbed across Abi) got up and opened the door.

'I brought Ellie's stuff over.' Zack awkwardly held the bag up and then put it on the floor inside.

'O~ooh' Abi sat up, a cheeky smile broadening across her face. 'Ellie and Zackly sitting in a tree, K. I. mugh-'

Celeste clamped her hand over Abi's mouth. 'Just ignore her.'

Ellie felt her blood rush to her face and saw Zack getting redder too, as he took a step back.

'I-it's not like that!' He glanced at Ellie then quickly looked at the floor instead. 'I mean we only met today,' he thought for a second, 'Or rather last night...'

A muffled ooo could be heard from Abi, Who was struggling to get free.

'Ignore her.' Celeste repeated.

'So,' He uncomfortably raided his head. 'I've got some stuff to get done tomorrow, paperwork and the like, but if you'd like to have dinner...' His voice shook. '...or something like that...?'

Ellie nodded shyly. 'Mmhm. That would be nice.'

Zack, visibly relieved, took the doorknob in his hand. 'Then Tomorrow. Four o'clock?'

'Four o'clock.' She nodded.

As the door closed Ellie noticed how quiet Abi had become, she wasn't struggling anymore, just staring ahead. Celeste had her eyes closed.

'Did I miss something?' Ellie asked cautiously.

'She's licking my hand.' Celeste told her in a monotonous voice. 'Yuck.'

Abi tried to get away as her sister wiped her hand on her. 'Ugh.'

'It's yours. Take it.' She wiped her hand harder.

Abi climbed up to the top bunk of one of the beds to get away from her, then she hissed back at her like a cat would.

Ellie laughed at the scene they'd made.

'Good riddance!' Celeste said with a smile and turned to Ellie and sat down. 'She's always spreading rumours. Thanks to her, our whole family believes Conan's my boyfriend.'

'But that's true!'

'It isn't!'

'Is too!'

'We're just friends! Nothing more!'

'Liar, liar, pants on fire.'

Celeste closed her eyes. Breathed in. And out. 'So, now that you have your bag you can take a shower.'

'Yeah, about that... I don't have any more clean clothes...'

'Okay, I'll see what I can do.' She opened the closet. 'And Abi can help you wash your clothes tomorrow, right.'

'Yeah, I guess...' And then muttered, 'Just 'cause neither of you admit it doesn't mean it's not true.'

'It's not like you've got anything better to do.'

'Mmm...'

Clean and dressed in pyjamas with puppies on them, Ellie realized she was hungry. But it would be rude to ask for food, wouldn't it?

Just then, Abi opened the tiny fridge on top of the closet and took out a yoghurt. 'Want one?' She asked.

Ellie nodded, 'Mmhm.'

'Chocolate or strawberry?'

'Chocolate.'

'Selly?'

'No thanks, I'm gonna sleep now.'

'Already?'

'Didn't sleep much and I've got school tomorrow.'

'Oh, right. G'night then.'

'G'night.' She closed the curtain halfway around the bed.

Abi gave her a spoon.

She thought a bit while she swallowed the first spoonful of the sweet yoghurt. 'So it's possible to go to school even if you work here?'

''Course! I don't go though. Don't understand why Selly wanted to go to school either. It's in our papers, isn't that enough? If I want to learn something I'll go to a class or two but once I know the basics I'm outta there.'

'Mm.' I hate school too, but now, I sorta miss it. She thought back to the old classrooms and the girls dormitory. 'What kind of classes are there here?'

'All kinds. If you can't find something you can write a request and someone's sure to see and teach you, but you'd have to pay them for accepting the request.'

'Is everything here based on requests?'

'Mm, no, not everything, there are plenty of shops that are rented out that have little to do with this company. Only thing they have to take into account is placement. They can't rent out a place in the food department and sell shoes or any stuff other than food.'

'So, only the people who live here work...in the shadows?'

'Nah, far from it. There are plenty who refused to move in, claiming it would be too obvious or just preferring to live undetected. But on the other hand, a lot of us live here because it's just financially easier. The employees who work and live here, are allowed to bring their families.

That's how we got here too. Debi got a job as a... well I don't know exactly what, but she works with kids a lot. And of course, kids can't keep secrets too well, she soon found out about everything going on. But she was dedicated to staying, so they let her do just that. She got an offer to bring some of her family to live here and asked us whether we wanted to come. At home the grown ups were always arguing, so it wasn't hard to decide to try life here. They told us we could go back anytime, still tell us that, but we know it's better for everyone like this. They don't need to spend money on us or worry, and we don't have to listen to their constant arguing.'

'What should I do with this?' Ellie asked. holding up the empty yoghurt pot and her dirty spoon.

'Give it here.'

Once Abi finished washing the two spoons they decided to brush their teeth.

As an afterthought, laying in the bed, Ellie asked, 'Why hasn't she been sleeping well?'

'Nightmares.' Came the reply from Abi's bed.

Ellie felt a short pang of guilt in her words. I guess even the most open and honest people have things they hide.