1888
Absinthe.
The bath was empty, and I fully clothed. Yet, I still sat inside it, my feet beside the tap, with the small end table to my left.
On the table, I had placed a small glass. A small glass, a larger one of water, a sugar cube, two full label-less bottles and a strange spoon-like utensil. Then, beside my small arrangement, were six candles and a book of matches.
One bottle was notably small compared to the other. I kicked off my shoes and pulled myself up so I could reach the table with less strain.
I took the larger bottle, pouring some of it's liquid into the empty glass. I put the awkward spoon across it, placing the sugar cube on top.
I paused my little ritual, struck the match. It lit, and with it I set the candles' wicks burning.
I picked up the smaller bottle, pouring out exactly nine drops over the sugar cube. I set it back down, then continued with the icy water.
The liquid, once green and transparent, clouded.
"Good." I thought to myself. The last few attempts I'd failed.
The sugar finally dissolved, and I set down both the water and the spoon.
"Hello, darling," I muttered to myself, downing half the glass.
-Time Elapse-
"Quinn! Quinn!" Three sharp bangs on the door. "Quinn! For fuck's sake, open the door!"
I moved a little too fast. The room spun for a moment as I shuffled over to the door. I pulled it open, then crossed to the door to my apartment.
"Whossit?"
"As if you don't know," the person snapped. "It's Jeph, you shitface."
I undid the small deadlock and opened the door. "Nice language, asshole."
"I have a reason."
"No you don't."
"Oh, so another fucking murder isn't a reason?" My blur cleared up as if it were a window being wiped clean.
"What?"
"Exactly," he snapped with a glare. "Her name was Madeline. Madeline Mason, according to the girl who found her."
"Who found her?"
"She gave her name as Evangeline. Evangeline Beaudestin."
"What?" My jaw dropped.
"Why, is she anyone important?"
I was about to say yes. "No, of course not."
Jepha didn't know about Evangeline. Nobody did. It was our secret; only the two of us knew, aside from her friends. But her friends didn't know the full story about how we came to be; to them we were simply naive lovebirds.
I spied her across the street, leaning against the cold steel lamp-post. It was an icy winter's night, almost Christmas.
I wanted to talk to her, but as with every other night, I never did. Her eyes always caught mine. Those honey-colored jewels that drew me to her in the first place.
The night I was going to speak to her, I was beat to it.
A man came up, asking for services. She was polite about her declination, I could hear her words from where I stood.
"I'm very sorry, sir. There must be some confusion, as I am awaiting my fiancé. He has just left to pick up some fresh milk and bread."
"There is no confusion. I've asked for service. I know you need the money, so if you'd rather I'll go somewhere else."
"Sir, I am no prostitute."
"You sure are, honey. Have you seen how tasty you look in that dress?"
Then I stepped in. "Sir, may I ask why you are harassing my fiancé?"
The man looked like I had just insulted his mother.
"I apologize, madam." With that, he left.
"Thank you," she said.
"Anytime."
"I'm Evangeline. Evangeline Beaudestin."
"Quinn Allman, here to save the day."
She laughed. "But it is night."
"Well, I'll just have to save the night, then."
"Hello? Anybody home?" Jeph snapped his fingers in front of my face.
"What?"
"You've been drinking far too much."
"You can talk."
"Yes, in fact, I can. Now grab your coat, we've got to meet this Evangeline."
On the table, I had placed a small glass. A small glass, a larger one of water, a sugar cube, two full label-less bottles and a strange spoon-like utensil. Then, beside my small arrangement, were six candles and a book of matches.
One bottle was notably small compared to the other. I kicked off my shoes and pulled myself up so I could reach the table with less strain.
I took the larger bottle, pouring some of it's liquid into the empty glass. I put the awkward spoon across it, placing the sugar cube on top.
I paused my little ritual, struck the match. It lit, and with it I set the candles' wicks burning.
I picked up the smaller bottle, pouring out exactly nine drops over the sugar cube. I set it back down, then continued with the icy water.
The liquid, once green and transparent, clouded.
"Good." I thought to myself. The last few attempts I'd failed.
The sugar finally dissolved, and I set down both the water and the spoon.
"Hello, darling," I muttered to myself, downing half the glass.
-Time Elapse-
"Quinn! Quinn!" Three sharp bangs on the door. "Quinn! For fuck's sake, open the door!"
I moved a little too fast. The room spun for a moment as I shuffled over to the door. I pulled it open, then crossed to the door to my apartment.
"Whossit?"
"As if you don't know," the person snapped. "It's Jeph, you shitface."
I undid the small deadlock and opened the door. "Nice language, asshole."
"I have a reason."
"No you don't."
"Oh, so another fucking murder isn't a reason?" My blur cleared up as if it were a window being wiped clean.
"What?"
"Exactly," he snapped with a glare. "Her name was Madeline. Madeline Mason, according to the girl who found her."
"Who found her?"
"She gave her name as Evangeline. Evangeline Beaudestin."
"What?" My jaw dropped.
"Why, is she anyone important?"
I was about to say yes. "No, of course not."
Jepha didn't know about Evangeline. Nobody did. It was our secret; only the two of us knew, aside from her friends. But her friends didn't know the full story about how we came to be; to them we were simply naive lovebirds.
I spied her across the street, leaning against the cold steel lamp-post. It was an icy winter's night, almost Christmas.
I wanted to talk to her, but as with every other night, I never did. Her eyes always caught mine. Those honey-colored jewels that drew me to her in the first place.
The night I was going to speak to her, I was beat to it.
A man came up, asking for services. She was polite about her declination, I could hear her words from where I stood.
"I'm very sorry, sir. There must be some confusion, as I am awaiting my fiancé. He has just left to pick up some fresh milk and bread."
"There is no confusion. I've asked for service. I know you need the money, so if you'd rather I'll go somewhere else."
"Sir, I am no prostitute."
"You sure are, honey. Have you seen how tasty you look in that dress?"
Then I stepped in. "Sir, may I ask why you are harassing my fiancé?"
The man looked like I had just insulted his mother.
"I apologize, madam." With that, he left.
"Thank you," she said.
"Anytime."
"I'm Evangeline. Evangeline Beaudestin."
"Quinn Allman, here to save the day."
She laughed. "But it is night."
"Well, I'll just have to save the night, then."
"Hello? Anybody home?" Jeph snapped his fingers in front of my face.
"What?"
"You've been drinking far too much."
"You can talk."
"Yes, in fact, I can. Now grab your coat, we've got to meet this Evangeline."