"Here comes the woman, with the look in her eye, raised on leather, with flesh on her mind. Words as weapons sharper than knives, makes you wonder how the other half died."
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It was cold and dark. Clara couldn't move from where she was, body was chained to...something. The water around her found a way into her lungs, and she died. And after a while she woke up, and she'd hold her breath until she couldn't anymore, and again the water would fill her lungs. Drown, wake up, repeat. Over and over and over. She didn't know how long she was down there, but in the night she was lifted out of the water by the hands of a person she didn't know, and she was laid on the dock, where she coughed up what was in her lungs with her eyes squeezed shut. Clara laid her forehead against the dock before turning onto her side, her hair clinging to her face. The hand that had brought her out of the water rubbed the side of her arm. It was gentle, but firm.
"Clara?" A woman asked softly, and she took the vampire's hands to help her stand on her feet. Clara looked at the woman, who appeared nothing but kind. She had brown hair and brown eyes, and her brown hair fell on her shoulders, dripping wet. Clara looked a bit distraught, and her breathing was heavy, but after a few moments her expression turned to stone. The woman frowned a bit. "Are you all right?"
Clara pulled her hands out of the woman's. "Who are you?" She inquired, not showing any vulnerability. "Why are we here?"
"My name's Hayley...Klaus sent me to get you. You've been in the river for days, Esther put you there." The woman explained, her voice soft. Clara knew she could trust her, but she wouldn't. "Klaus wants you back at the compound."
Clara nodded. She knew who Hayley was, she was the mother of her and Klaus's dead baby. The news had spread like a wildfire about her. Though she didn't trust Hayley, she trusted Klaus. "I just have to stop by my hotel room first, if that's okay."
Hayley nodded and gave the vampire a comforting smile. "Of course."
++:++
"What did Esther do to you? Besides drowning you." Hayley inquired, standing by the window of the small hotel. Behind her at the bed was Clara, who was packing her clothes into a duffel bag, neatly and gently. They had both dried off and gotten changed into new clothes, so they were completely dry.
Clara glanced at Hayley's back for just a moment before looking back at her bag and clothes. She shook her head. "She didn't have to do anything else. Drowning was how I turned into a vampire." She put a shirt in the bag and zipped it up, her fingers lingering on the zipper for a few seconds. "It doesn't matter, I plan on skedaddling from this city when Klaus gives me the okay. I can leave all of this behind and not have to worry." She lowered her voice and swung the duffel bag onto to shoulder, not bothering with the straps. "I'm sure you understand."
Hayley let out a sigh and turned around, lowering her arms to her sides from their previous position, which was crossed together over her waist. "Ready?" She asked the vampire, who turned to face her.
