Two Red Strings

Chapter 18

Magnolia raced for Olivia's house, running on the pavement, almost tripping over trash cans as she ran. She had also almost slipped on a puddle of ice. She found the residence and ran up their porch. "Hello?" She called, ringing on their doorbell. "Hello? Is anyone in?" She called out again. Then, she heard someone coming.

She took a step back and Mrs. Kirkwood opened the door. "Oh? You must be a friend of Olivia." She mused. Magnolia nodded. "Come in, come in! It's cold outside too!" The mother let her in instantly to the living room. "What brings you here?" She asked. "Mrs. Kirkwood, it's about Myers?" Magnolia answered. The mother nodded, understanding the situation.

"I would like to help, but Olivia is out at the moment and I'm afraid that I can't reach her." Mrs. Kirkwood added. "Then... may I use your house phone?" Magnolia asked, realizing that she did not have her phone with her. "If it can help you, please." She led the teenager to the wall phone. The former dialed Angelina's number.

She glanced around for a clock. It was almost the lunchtime. She waited. "Hello?" Finally answered the redhead. "Angey!" Magnolia was relieved. "Magnolia? Where were you?" Angelina asked. "I need help. Golden Bell attacked us." Magnolia begged. "And who is 'us', may I know?" Angelina demanded. The snow haired pursed her lips.

Should I tell her? "Myers and I. They sent (human) hit-men to hunt me down. They're chasing him at the moment." Magnolia traced Myers's name on the wall. "Look, no matter how much I want to help, I can't. I'll be with uncle Dietrich in his office until 6. Camellia is doing grocery shopping, so she can't help. The only people I can think of are Gérard and Ethan."

Oh, how helpful... those two. Magnolia rolled her eyes. But a memory came to her mind. "Wait, but didn't Gérard say that he'd go to Saul's house to study with Ben?" Magnolia asked. "He did? Anyways, if so, then Ethan is the only choice. Don't worry, he may be a jerk, but he's useful otherwise." Angelina encouraged. Magnolia sighed. "Okay.. Thanks for the advice, Angey." She muttered and hung up.

Then, realization hit her. She didn't have Ethan's number, nor did Olivia's house phone have it. Suddenly, someone called the house phone. Magnolia picked it up, hoping that it was Ethan. "Oh, Wuolfsbane! RK told me about you and your dizfunctional family issues..." he joked. "So, wuat time do you wuant me to fetch you back home?" He asked, after laughing for a moment.

"Anytime, but my house is no longer safe. I need to live elsewhere for the time being." Magnolia explained. "Do you still wuant to go back to take some stuff?" He asked. Magnolia took a moment to think about it. "Yes. That would be nice..." She muttered.

At half past twelve, Ethan arrived in his Ferrari. "I'm surprised you knew the address." Magnolia commented, getting into the car. "I have wuays. Like retracing the IP address. Anyways, do you want to be safe or not?" He reminded her of the reason he came. Magnolia let out an exasperated sigh. 'He"s got a point...' Lacrimosa commented. "Wear this." He mumbled as he pulled an overcoat from the back and onto her lap.

She awkwardly settled into the passenger seat, buckling up, and he drove off. "Wuere do you live?" He asked. "Do you know where Angelina lives?" She asked, wearing the coat. Ethan nodded. "I live next to her." Ethan curled his lips a little. Magnolia sensed realization from him.

・・・

"What happened?" Ethan asked, upon seeing the damage Golden Bell had just done. Magnolia was more surprised to hear that Ethan had gotten out of his Russian accent. The whole house was restricted off by yellow police tape as officers flooded the place. The attention seemed to have attracted the media to her house as well.