Raven Nevermourn Ep. 002: HELTER SHELTER

"Mister Alonzo... help me. I feel the urge to masturbate... it's hard to fight off what my body wants."

"You must fight this. If Cynthia sees you acting like that in a situation like this she might have second thoughts about letting you go and call for counselling."

"I know!" She closed her eyes and tried her own version of meditation.

"Are you alright Raven?" Cynthia asked, taken back by the girls' nervous reaction.

"Yes! I'm just... coping with what the future holds." Certainly, the truth, "So much all at once... my release, Mister Alonzo, fearing the unknown... it's a lot."

"My offer to stay a few more days is still on the table."

"No! I want to go." She beat her cold sweat and sat up straight. Nipples piercing her t-shirt she realized the unexpected delivery and folded her arms as if getting a chill. Furthest from reality, her body was very warm. Fever? Simple nerves? Something... Moore?

"Alright! Well, here is your final release paper all I need is your signature."

She turns the document to face Raven and slides it over the desk toward her with a pen. Scooting her chair closer Raven hovered over the paper and noted the X marks the spot. Simply eying the letter she felt a dampness on her lower back. Flaring her eyes, she feigned an itch on her back and touched where her strange mark was. Tracing her fingertips over it she felt an upraised X within the pentagram, but not the full marking. A moistness on her fingertip meant blood so she kept her left hand hidden. Bringing it around to place out of sight at her thigh she dropped her gaze to spot... nothing. No blood!

A swift signature she eyes the paper, her writing was in red, but the pen was black ink, to her eyes only. Retrieving the signed document Cynthia looked at it and saw only black ink. What did catch her attention was something odd. "Your writing is very similar to Hector's. That's interesting. Perhaps he is here with us today." No further thought on it she signed her own name beneath Raven's. Again, blood red writing to Raven's perception. "What the heck? How am I the only one that sees blood here?"

"Overlook it Raven." Hector advised, "We can discover things later. After I'm gone you will be on your own."

"I'll just notarize this and make a copy for our records, and you are a free woman." Cynthia uses Hector's notary stamp to engrave a circular approval on her document then eyes her work. To Cynthia it was perfect, to Raven she saw a pentagram like the one on her back. Standing up Cynthia stepped over to Hector's copier and ran it through. As multiple copies filtered out, she placed two in Raven's file, one for the Home and one for the State of Massachusetts. "I'll just put your copy in an envelope here. Do not lose this. It will help you obtain a State I.D. when your temporary expires."

"Can I go now?"

Hesitating to explore Raven's emotions Cynthia smiled warmly. "You may." A quick placing of the envelope in her packet she sealed it and slipped it across the desk. Raven plucking it up placed it in her suitcase carefully and locked it up. Standing again, Cynthia Drewbeck extended her hand out of courtesy, "If you need advice, please feel free to come back and see me."

"Thanks, Mrs. Drewbeck. I'll make you proud."

"You always have Raven. Good luck out there."

"Pretty sure I'll need that." She offered a concerned expression then turned to the door. With her back to Cynthia, she quickly examined the threshold from top to bottom, it was as if she could see what appeared to be runic symbols along the wood frame. Within her thoughts she told Hector, "So, that's how he kept me stuck in this office."

"I see them through you Raven. We can look up what they mean from my home. I have a computer and as long as you have access to me, I can get you into it."

"Alright!" A sudden turn toward Cynthia she asks, "Do my vouchers have a bus pass or am I walking to... wherever? Boston is a big place."

"No, it doesn't, but here." Her purse was in his office due to working from there in his absence. Digging into it she found her own bus pass rarely used since buying a vehicle. "The expiration date offers you two months. I won't need it anymore."

"You're awesome! Bless you."

"The addresses for homeless shelters and..."

"In my packet. I'll look while I'm waiting on a bus." She knew a city bus route was right in front of the Home. "I got this. Brave new world here I come."

"You will do fine."

A soft hug later Raven left the premises and walked down the sidewalk toward the slowly departing police cars. Two cars remaining, one squad car lingered alongside a black sedan style car, driven by a pair of Detective's taking final calculations. While a tow truck arrived to remove Hector's ride, she watched the uniformed officer tearing down the yellow caution tape cordoning off the scene. Of the two Detective's present one was a woman, a beautiful Korean, wearing a black suit befitting her job. The other was a man in his 30's that looked buff and into his job. Taking photographs and the like.

The female Detective noticed Raven standing there almost lost and decided to break away from her partner and step across the parking lot to join her. "Hi there!"

"Hello! I'm going to miss Mister Alonzo."

"Suitcase?"

"It's my birthday. 18! He was... going to release me himself today."

"Not such a good birthday, huh?"

"Not at all."

"Detective Heather Choi." The 28-year-old offered her hand in friendship.

"Raven Moore."

"Oooo! Almost Shakespearean there, Raven Nevermore?"

"We studied that book. I liked his plays."

"So, did I. I was even in Hamlet back in High School."

"We didn't have plays here. No budget for it."

"That's a shame."

"I have to catch my bus."

"It was nice to meet you, Raven."

"You too Heather." Raven smiled then peered behind Heather's notice to see her partner looking over at them. Without his partner seeing him he was acting strangely, as if... fucking her from behind and even going so far as to using his right hand as if spanking her. A closer look at his eyes Raven noticed them black just like Alonzo's last night. Hesitating as if worried for Detective Choi, her partner returned to normal and acted lightheaded. The second he returned to normal Raven shot a glance at the uniformed Officer to the side he was now acting out hip thrusts in the Detective's place. The only difference was he was holding that yellow caution ribbon like using it to strangle someone. Swallowing, Raven simply turned away and ignored him.

Heather looked at the girl with concern, "Miss Moore?"

"Yeah? Sorry! Emotional is all. I'll have to find out when his funeral is."

"Okay! Enjoy your freedom." Heather fluttered both sets of her fingers like butterflies in flight. Raven envisioned wings on a bird, however.

"Time for me to fly."

A bus approaching Raven hurried to catch it.

Watching from the front lobby as Raven gave chase, and the Detective's finishing up their crime scene, just in case it was a crime, Cynthia Drewbeck sighed. Each time a resident left it made her weep. Today was no different. Rubbing her nose, she felt a dampness and presumed a tissue was required. A glance at her fingers she spots blood.

"Nosebleed? I never get nose bleeds."

Moore to come Cynthia!

Until there was no moore.

Later in the afternoon 911 was called yet again to Crowley Manson. It was presumed Mrs. Drewbeck had suffered a heart attack of her own, her heart having exploded in her chest. She made the sacrifice of giving her love to Raven Moore. She however would be a lost soul.

Signed, sealed, delivered!

Life... stamped out.

XXX OOO!

X!

Marks the spot!