Rumplestiltskin's Daughter

Number

Much to her dismay, Resette was not able to take her mind off their words. She walked home in the cold, trying to ignore the way she felt. It hurt. It never hurt, so why did it hurt? She shoved her hands in her pockets and raised her shoulders. Her breathing was cold and she couldn't wait to get home- home to her barking dog...

She almost walked into the street and laid down, she only didn't because it was too damn cold to. 

Luckily when she did get home she could no longer hear the barking from outside. She quietly opened the door and locked it behind her. She did not go upstairs or even check on Ambrose. she simply laid on the couch, opened a book and read until she fell asleep. 

That night she dreamed something awful. 

She drempt that when she entered her house there was dripping blood all the way up the stairs. She followed it up, like one of the idiot girls in a horror movie. She opened the door to her bedroom and threw up. On the bed was her skinned and bloody dog. His fur was stapled on the wall and just above it, written in bloody letters, 'WHERE ARE YOUR LOYALTIES NOW?'

Resette woke up to a wet face. She opened her eyes and felt Ambrose licking her eyeball, and she was not as disgusted as she should have been. She gave him pets and kisses on his head, calling him a good boy all the while. 

She showered and got dressed. She got her things and went to her car, Ambrose patiently waited at the car door as usual. She opened up and drove to the diner. 

It had sort of become a habit over the few months. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday she went to the diner and ate the same over-priced meal. 

She opened the door for Ambrose and some old lady who just awkwardly scuttled in. Irene smiled and showed Resette to her booth. 

"The usual?" She asked. 

"Glad to know I am predictable." Resette smiled. Irene laughed, Resette wasn't sure if it was a real one or not. Irene left, then something rare happened. Resette's phone buzzed. 

She unclasped it, opened it and saw a unfamiliar number text her. 

Guess who

She looked around the room before looking back. Baz sent a picture of himself looking at the camera with his tongue out and his shirt off. Resette nearly threw her phone out of her hands out of pure instinct. 

How the fuck did you get this number?  She typed out, then deleted 'the fuck' then typed it back in and sent it. 

The only response was :)

She saw him begin to type something out but she blocked him before he could send it. 

Then high pitched laughing came from the counter. Irene was talking to some girl with streaks of blonde and purple hair. 

Resette looked away from the two girls and tried not to listen to them but it was incredibly hard when it was so quiet. 

"I can't believe you got this!" Irene laughed. "How much did you spend?"

"Don't worry about it." The purple girl responded. 

"They start at two-fifty a pop! How did you manage to-"

"Don't worry about it!" 

"But-"

"Don't!" 

"Thank you so much, Nel!" Irene hugged the girl. 

"It was nothing, really. I got the commission from the mayor to paint the mural so I am kinda loaded right now." 

"Its still too much-" Irene started but a bell came from the counter and she jumped. "Shoot, I have to get back to work, see you after my shift?"

"Yeah, I'll pick you up." 

After a moment Irene came back with her food. Both of them could hear Ambrose's tail wagging against the seat. 

"One for the gentleman and one for the lady." Irene smiled. 

"How flattering." She took the mug to her lips but then pulled them away. "That sounded more sarcastic than I intended it to." 

Irene laughed, Resette's chest felt lighter. "Well, I should probably..."

"I understand." Resette nodded. 

Irene left and Resette ate in silence. When she finished she left gave the cash to the woman at the counter and left cash in the tip jar. She stepped outside and opened the door for Ambrose, who happily ran over to the car. 

Tick. Tick. 

Tick. Tick.

Her hand went to her gun. She looked around for anyone around but the parking lot was near deserted as always. 

Tick. Tick. Tick. 

Tick. Tick. Tick.

She looked at the building and glanced at the security cameras before carefully walking to her car. 

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

It got louder and her eyes went wide. Her voice spasmed at the sudden movement- everything seemed so fast but too slow at the same time. Her brain was quick but here body was lacking, she was too slow. 

"AmBRO-" Her voice cracked-

TickTickTickTickTick. 

Tick. 

Everything was dark and hot and loud. There was a ringing in her ears that felt like screaming, maybe it was her, maybe she was screaming. She never made much noise though, she kept it all inside. Her face burned and she felt nothing to hold her up, just the feeling of falling and then sudden ground. It hurt. She could feel her heartbeat- she felt it, it was so loud. It meant she was alive. She felt her nose pour blood and her head hurt like a bitch but she was alive. 

She was coughing. She was hacking up something in her lungs and her throat felt hot, like when she drank hot coffee too quickly. But it also felt sharp. Like she swallowed a razorblade. 

She couldn't tell if blood was coming from her mouth or if her nose was bleeding heavily. Or both. It was probably both. Her hands clawed at her pocket. Phone. She needed the phone. She felt it in her pocket and pulled it out. She needed to call the police but her fingers couldn't seem to work. Her head felt heavy and her eyes burnt like she stood too close to fire but she looked at the screen as an unfamiliar number texted her something. It was from ten seconds ago, had it only been ten seconds? 

It was a simple message that made her think she was actually yelling:

 😀

A fucking smiley face. 

She didn't have much time to dwell on it because after that, her vision went dark.