— Xavier. — she said trying to catch her breath when he approached with an umbrella in his hand.
— What are you doing here?
— I just saw the monster. — she ran a hand over her face, which was trembling a little.
— Are you trying to kill yourself?
— What are you doing here? — she asked a little suspiciously.
— I followed you to see if you were okay. You just ran away. I don't know if I did something wrong or-
— No, Xavier. — she took a deep breath. — I really needed to come after my sister.
"The monster is human. The footprints have changed." Mors listened to her sister in her mind.
— The monster is human. Can be anyone.
— I think you're right about Rowan.
— Why did you change your mind?
— I texted Rowan today saying let's go snowboarding on vacation like last year. He replied at the time that it was not going to happen.
— Never snowboarded together, have you? — he shook his head.
— Now, why did you go to the religious center?
— We wanted to know more about Crackstone. Find out how he's connected with all of this.
— Trying to use the visions? — Mors was silent.
— Why do you think we have this gift?
— Guessing. — he smiled. — When did they start?
— I don't know about Wednesday. She didn't tell me and I didn't tell her when the first one happened with me either. Mine started ten months ago. When it happens I feel a shock. I get scared almost always and I don't like it very much.
— You can't control it, right?
— No. These things are confusing me. Today I heard the thought of that woman in Pilgrims. It had never happened before, and I don't know if my mom can do it too.
— My father is a seer.
— Vincent Thorpe? My brother is his number 1 fan. — he chuckled. — He watched the Vegas special so many times that he must dream of all the events exactly as they happen.
— I lived with a master, and I can tell you his visions are not to be trusted. They don't always happen and only show a part.
— My mother has had visions for many years, I know how it works. — Mors laughed. — I don't know if they can be subjective either. Wednesday saw Joseph Crackstone gather the excluded and kill them. I believe her. The visions are extremely real.
— He was a sadistic asshole. What does this have to do with the present?
— I will find out.
— Don't you think they're making up a story in their heads and using the visions to justify it? They show what you want to see.
— Are you explaining my power?
— I'm just saying what my expert dad would say. Visions are triggered by emotions, not logic. And, to be honest, emotions are not your strong point.
— Whatever it is, we'll find out who it is.
•
— She thinks it was me. — Wednesday said when Mors arrived in the room and found Enid getting ready.
— But weren't you the one who set fire to the new statue of Joseph Crackstone?
— My hands are clean. — Mors shook her head.
— I'm so excited that my date with Ajax is today.— Enid said. She wore reddish clothes and a beret on her head of the same color.
— You'll be late. — Wednesday said.
— Wish me luck.
— If he breaks your heart I'll shoot him.— the girl went back to the typewriter, while Mors went to the bedroom balcony. She knew her sister wouldn't mind listening to some classical music.
Mors sat down in front of the instrument and began strumming Rêverie 68, Debussy. She thought about everything she was going through, how she missed her family and about the fact that maybe Xavier Thorpe was the monster she and her sister were looking for. The girl kept playing when she saw Xavier running past to the building where he was staying.
The white-haired girl checked the time on the bedroom clock and saw that it was past eleven. She frowned and got up quickly.
— I'm going out. Don't wait for me. — she spoke without giving her sister a chance to answer.
Mors ran through the corridors and preferred to climb the side of the building, climbing to the boy's window. She sat on the bedroom balcony and watched Thorpe grunt in pain as he took off his shirt. Addams knocked three times on the glass, startling him, and then entered the room when he allowed her to enter.
— What are you doing here? It's already too late.
— What happened to you? — her eyes widened when she saw deep scratches on the back of his right shoulder.
Thorpe sighed and sat down on the bed, followed by Mors.
— I was painting in the middle of the forest and I lost track of time. I was painting an... animal and its claws scratched me.
— That 's ugly. Do you have bandages?
— Here. — he held up a small box.
The girl walked over, taking small ribbons from the box. The weird feeling of shock appeared as soon as her fingers brushed against Xavier's skin. She could see several paintings painted with the face of the monster that she had already seen twice up close.
— What's it?— he asked curiously. — What did you saw?
— Lots of paintings. Do not worry about it. — she cleaned up his bruises.
— Are you excited to spend hours under mirror balls with loud music?
— Are you referring to Raven's? — she laughed. — I don't know. I like dances, but I didn't have a good experience the last time I went.
— What happened?
— A normie invited me just to throw red ink at me and compare me to Carrie. Everyone was laughing at me and someone put the Bee Gees music on. I don't really like remembering that.
— I thought you were good with normies. — she stared at him for a few seconds.
— I do get along well with them. But not Wednesday. I hadn't made friends at that school yet. We entered the middle of the semester. It was the penultimate school before Never More. She didn't even go to the dance, I don't even know if she knows about it. It sucked.
— I bet this one will be nice.
"I just got back from the morgue."
— What?! — Mors said aloud and Thorpe looked at her. — Wednesday in my head. — he smiled sheepishly and got up from the bed. — I just finished. Be careful from now on.
— Are you leaving already? — he got up.
— Yes, it's late. If anything happens, send me a message, all right?
— Thanks, Mors.
The girl smiled and left as quickly as she had arrived there.
— You've completely lost your mind. — Mors said when she saw a large board in the room, filled with pictures of a dead body.
— There's been one more murder. — Mors remembered the scratches on Xavier. She started to wonder if he was telling the truth. Had he not seen the monster too?
— I can see.
— The killer collects pieces from the victims. — Wednesday held out some photos.
— Enid? — Mors called when she saw the girl enter the room in tears and faced her sister.
— You're better at this. — Wednesday turned to the pictures again.
— Enid, what is it? — Mors went to her.
— Ajax didn't show up! Left me planted! — she was still crying.
— Something must have happened.
— No! He wanted to make a fool of me!
Mors knew that nothing she said would comfort her friend. She just sat on the blonde's bed and rubbed her back as she continued to cry.
•
The next day, Wednesday went to Xavier's studio because of a vision. The same vision Mors had, but she could see Thorpe coming out. Enid went out with her friends to look for dresses for the ball, and she took the opportunity to have some fun.
Even without a pair, Mors already had a beautiful white dress in hand. She heard Yoko talking about how excited she was, until she noticed her sister leaving the police station.
— Enid, can you take this for me? — she held the bag out to her friend.
— Sure, are you going out?
— I'm going to look for Wednesday. I don't know if I'll be long, so don't wait for me. — she smiled before walking down the street.
— I don't even want to imagine the trouble your sister got into. — Tyler's voice caught the girl's attention.
— Did you see where she went? — she approached the boy.
— She left in a hurry, as usual. You have this Raven's on Saturday, don't you?
— Yes.
— Are you going?
— I don't know yet. Probably not. I still don't have a date.
— Well, if normies are allowed, you could go with me since you don't have a date yet.
— Are you asking me for pity? — the boy's eyes widened.
— No, Mors, of course not! It would be really nice to go with you and-
— I'm just kidding. — she smiled and wondered if Xavier would invite her.
Addams reflected that if Thorpe had wanted to ask her, he would have invited the day he asked her about the party.
— I would love to go with you. — the boy smiled again.
— So, see you on Saturday.
Mors started walking again and wondered where Wednesday could be.
"Where are you?"
"Xavier's studio."
The girl preferred not to ask why and went to the place. She was still brooding about going to prom with Tyler.
— What are you doing breaking into this place?
— I had visions. — Wednesday faced her after putting a piece of bloody cloth in her backpack. — And Xavier was in them.
— What, you think he's the monster?
— Look around, Mors. He painted these things. You've already seen the monster up close and might as well be doing a self-portrait. Did she know he painted the monster's lair? I went there with Eugene.
— I know it sounds strange, but I don't think he's the monster, Wednesday.
— You had visions with him too, didn't you? Is that why you went to his room last night? Are you trying to cover up a monster now, Mors?
— Who told you-
— Thing followed you.
Mors took a deep breath.
— Give it some more time. Find good evidence and I'll be on your side.
They were both startled when Xavier walked through the door.
— Wednesday? What are you doing here again?
— Again? — Mors glared at her.
— How do you know what the monster looks like? Or are they just self portraits? — Wednesday asked.
— Do you think it's me? I saved your life.
— So did the monster.
— You crossed the line. — he looked beyond frustrated.
— I'm trying to find the truth.
— I've had nightmares about that thing for a few weeks now. I can't stop thinking about it and decided to paint. The claws came out of the drawing and scratched at me.
— I thought you controlled the drawings.
— Not that one.
— What a coincidence?
— Wednesday. — Mors tried to intervene once more.
— He drew the monster's lair!
— You came in here earlier, didn't you? — he asked. —That's why you asked me to prom? — the white-haired girl turned her head to her sister. — To try to find out something. — Wednesday was silent. — Get out.
— I don't think we're going to the ball together anymore, then. — she scoffed.
— Get out!
Mors watched her sister go and glared at Xavier. She didn't know what the definition of being in love was, or a definition of a heartbreak. But something was strange inside of her. Xavier not only didn't want to go to the prom with her, he accepted her sister's invitation.
— Did you knew about it? — he glared at the girl in white.