𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞 | 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚 𝐗 𝐅𝐞𝐦! 𝐎𝐂 | 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 ~ Scrubits

Dorothy sighed and walked away, and up the stairs, out of sight. She wasn't in the mood to argue with that witch tonight. "Yeah, run along, blondie! Better be ready for tomorrow!" Mrs. Scrubit called out to her. Dorothy paid no attention to her insulting words and continued walking to her room. She spotted Noodle, a young girl that was also in debt to those two and a close friend of Dorothy. "Hey, Noods." She smiled. "Hi, Dorothy. How was street singing?" Noodle questioned. Dorothy felt another pain in her heart. "Oh...um, I didn't. I got so scared again-"

"That you ran and hid in an alleyway?"

"Yes..."

"I'm sorry, too. You've got a wonderful voice though, it can either be hypnotic or melodic to those who view it." Dorothy's heart then slightly melted at her words. It was something she liked about Noodle; no matter how bad things were, she always had the right things to say about others, even though it was disappointing she never had any for herself. "Thank you." Dorothy awed and brought her into her arms. Noodle closed her eyes and embraced the feeling, embracing the warmth from Dorothy. It was a sister-like feeling she gave towards the little girl. Noodle would be completely alone here in Scrubits, if it wasn't for Dorothy. "Well, I'm going to go to bed. I need to lay this whole day off, and I nearly got arrested today." Noodle arched an eyebrow with a surprised expression. "You what?!"

"Goodnight, Noods."

~~~~~~~

Downstairs, Willy had met up with Bleacher (who had been out on patrol, to find their next victim to work in their wash shop). His vulnerability had allowed him to go with Bleacher, sadly. It seemed like everyone he set eyes on was a good person. Bleacher's dog, Tiddles, ran ahead the two as snow layed onto the ground. The two men walked over a tiny stone bridge, across and past from rundown homes. "Here we are, Mr Wonka. Home, sweet home." Bleacher pointed towards the laundromat building and Willy looked over to see it, a label of 'Scrubit and Bleacher' above the doors. Tiddles ran up to the door, and pawed up at the door as he barked to the person inside. "Get your paws off my front door, you miserable mutt!" A voice from inside screeched towards the dog. Bleacher chuckled slightly at the voice, and the person inside seemed to recognise him, since it then said, "If that's you, Bleacher, you'd better have that grin!"

"Oh, I've got something better than gin, Mrs. Scrubit. A guest."

A slot opened on the double doors, and it showed eyes that were narrowed (belonging to Mrs. Scrubit) towards the smirking man. However, when Bleacher came out of the way, and presented Willy behind him, her eyes lightened up. "Ooh, why didn't you say?" She said with a fake tone of joy. "Come in, sir!"

Mrs. Scrubit opened up the double doors to the shop, and allowed Willy to come in; him taking in the surroundings. The shop consisted of a single counter with stacks of laundry in slots. Next to the stacks, was a dumbwaiter that led down below. "Welcome to Scrubit and Bleacher, Guest House, and Laundry. You make yourself at home and warm your cockles by the fire." She ushered him. "Thank you, Mrs. Scrubit. You and your husband have been most kind." Willy responded with a smile, as he knelt down by the fire to warm himself. "Husband?!" Mrs. Scrubit cackled with laughter. "Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you?" She turned to Bleacher with a disgusted look; the man just giving a confused one back. "I'm holding out for someone far superior to that idle peasant. A Bishop, maybe, or a Prince! Chin chin."

"Gin?" She then questioned him. "Oh, er..."

"Noodle!"

The young girl came into the room, now holding a book, at the echo of Mrs. Scrubit's scream. "Yes, Mrs. Scrubit? What can I get for you?" Noodle asked her. "Put that book down and fetch the guest a glass of gin. Poor man's frozen half to death!" The woman then yelled in an outburst. Noodle jumped slightly, and then obeyed to go and grab two glasses with gin in them. What she would give to be back upstairs, and hanging with Dorothy. She then comes back into the room, with the tray in her hands; handing one to Scrubit and then one to Willy. The two gulped down the glasses, they were rather small. However, he let out a gasp of surprise from it. "That's extremely powerful stuff." He mumbled. "You can run cars on that." Mrs. Scrubit said. "Now, what can I do for you? A room, is it?"