At the back of Skully’s mind there was something gnawing at him.
How did I suddenly appear in Ellie’s body? Was it because that day in the crypt I never left her body? He thought to himself, seeing the sunrise from Ellie’s window; a medley of red, orange and pink hues. Her room was small, there were not many things in the room, a bed, a tiny desk, a bookshelf and a wardrobe. It was all very beige, even the walls. Ellie had put up a couple of posters, and a small picture of her mother and father. Skully watched over her as she slept, he always did.
It’s not like he slept, he was a skull, he was a ghost, never leaving.
Ellie lazily opened her eyes. “Skully, you’re still here right?” She checked.
“Present.” Skully muttered.
Ellie grinned and pulled the skull close to her. “I’m so happy that you’re back now, I really wonder what happened.” She whispered, gazing out the window at the bright rays of the sun.
“I’m happy to be back too.” Skully whispered softly. If he could smile he would have smiled.
Ellie got up from the bed. “No time to laze around today! I’m gonna take you to work, and then we’ll go straight to the next crypt when I’m done.” She declared, taking out her uniform from the wardrobe.
Skully giggled. “I’m having a hard time taking you seriously when you’re wearing Silly Puppies kids pjs.” Skully laughed louder.
“I got them on sale, in the adult section… and they are cute ok.” Ellie mumbled, sticking her tongue out at Skully.
Ellie cycled across the busy streets of Dawn, she usually delivered letters and small parcels, whatever could fit on her bicycle.
“Today I gotta deliver a different kind of letter, it has to be hand signed, it’s my first time doing this kinda delivery so let’s hope I don’t mess it up.” She gulped as she told Skully.
“What’s the big fuss?” He grumbled.
“The big fuss is that it has to be delivered to Juliette Valentine…” Ellie stammered, looking up at the tallest building in Dawn, the Valentine tower. The building was covered in the most reflective glass, making it seem one with the city and the sky, glittering in the sunlight.
“Wow, it’s so… so… shiny?” Skully remarked, sounding almost amazed.
“I know right!?” Ellie marvelled at the building with big bright eyes.
“Valentine… that name sounds familiar though…” Skully muttered as they walked into the lobby.
Ellie straightened her uniform jacket, she was still not used to the busyness of the big city. She didn’t always know what to say or what to do in situations like this. The lobby bustling with people, a grand open space, white and mirrors everywhere. Ellie noticed her own reflection, it was mocking her, telling her she was not good enough for this. She shook her head, stared straight ahead at the receptionist.
“I have a letter to be hand signed by Juliette Valentine.” Ellie stammered.
Loud chattering from around the lobby made her eyes shift around again. A constant buzzing of voices, she saw herself in every mirror.
The receptionist glanced at her, and mumbled something incomprehensible.
“What?” Ellie shouted.
“The guard will take you upstairs.” The receptionist raised her voice calmly, her eyes looked increasingly bored, she pointed to a guard standing right there.
“Oh, thanks!” Ellie smiled, carefully approaching the guard.
He guided her to the glass lift, and they both got in. Ellie felt a knot in her stomach, she didn’t want to mess this up. She could see the whole of Dawn from the lift, she stared in awe, never had she seen such a view before.
The lift reached the top floor with a loud ding.
Ellie stepped out with the guard, he guided her to a large office, everything was white, except for the red rug in the middle of the space.
She stood there glancing around when a tall woman entered. She had long wavy golden hair, and she wore a stark white fitted suit with a red tie. Ellie couldn’t help but stare.
“You must be here with my letter.” The woman spoke, her soft flowery voice was such a contrast to her bold appearance.
“Y…y…yes. You must be Juliette Valentine.” Ellie stuttered, fumbling to find the letter, her heart was beating faster, her stomach was a big knot.
Juliette smiled tenderly at her, watching her fumble.
“Here is the letter. Please sign here.” Ellie pulled out an envelope and a signature sheet, she smiled nervously.
Juliette signed swiftly and grabbed her letter, she sat down at her desk.
“Have a seat, and help yourself to a drink.” Juliette chimed, nodding to a tray of liquor on her desk.
Ellie gulped. “It’s ok… I… I can’t drink while I’m working.” She sighed while sitting down.
“Hey why are we sitting down?” Skully shouted from Ellie’s backpack.
Ellie ignored Skully, she glanced around the room; she had no idea why she even sat down.
“Do you enjoy your job?” Juliette asked, not even looking up from the letter.
“Um, I just started working a bit more than a week ago. I guess it’s ok, though it can be a bit tiring.” Ellie replied, her hands resting on her lap.
Juliette glanced at her and smiled.
“I’m only asking because I am in the market for an assistant of sorts.” Juliette explained, looking back down at the letter.
“Assistant? I don’t think I have the skills or the experience for that.” Ellie gulped, her eyes shifting around the room. So quiet compared to the buzz of the lobby.
Juliette glanced up again, she sat back in her large white chair.
“Cutie, if you can bring letters around the city, then I’m sure you can bring me coffee from around the city right?” She chuckled, flipping her hair back with her perfectly manicured slender fingers.
Ellie was confused. Is she offering me a job? She was not sure what to reply.
“This sounds sus. Don’t fall for it.” Skully mumbled.
“You don’t have to answer right away, think about it darling. I know it might seem absolutely random, but I detest all the assistants they find for me. I prefer to find one myself. All you have to do is fetch me things, which anyone should be able to do.” Juliette remarked as she handed her card to Ellie.
“So, cutie, have a good think, make the right decision and call me.” She winked and nodded to the door.
Ellie felt extremely puzzled as she went back down the lift. Was that for real?
Her bicycle waited outside the building, she quickly unlocked it and jumped onto it.
After a long day of letters upon letters, Ellie sat down with Skully at the riverside.
She glanced around and put Skully on the bench next to her, she purposely chose a quiet spot.
“Can you believe I got a job offer?!” Ellie exclaimed, opening the wrapper of the burger she had just bought.
“Yes, I can believe it. I was there, I heard it all. I still think it’s sus.” Skully grumbled.
Ellie bit into her burger, glancing at Skully.
“Is it though? I think maybe she’s just very eccentric.” Ellie mumbled with her mouth full, half smiling.
“You got that right. What the fudge was with all the super white rooms?!” Skully shouted, he sounded extra annoyed.
“It sounds like a new adventure though, imagine working for someone like that… I bet she pays way better than my current job. Maybe I should ask Artemis for advice.”
Ellie smiled, she gazed into the river, it flowed slowly and gently past them, shimmering in the light of the sun.
“Valentine is a name I have heard before though.” Skully suddenly spoke in a more serious tone. “Remember the gate of the manor had a big V on it…” He added.
Ellie glanced at Skully again. “Are you saying the manor belongs to her?” She asked, slightly bewildered.
“I’m not sure, but I’m saying I think the V is for Valentine.” Skully replied.
“We can’t know for sure, but if you’re right then she could be a vampire too right? She could be connected to you somehow? I’m really thinking I should say yes now.” Ellie smirked at Skully, before she picked him up.
“Let’s go Skully, we have a crypt to see! Better do it before dark. Ready for another adventure? ” She beamed, stuffing Skully back in the backpack.
“I am wildly unprepared.” He groaned.
Ellie followed the map, it was taking her to an actual cemetery this time.
“This is so much less creepy during the day isn’t it?” She remarked, carefully following the instructions Mr.Fitz gave her. They reached a building in the middle of the cemetery, nestled between a few trees. Ellie examined the building, there didn’t seem to be any doors leading inside. She found a symbol similar to the one they found in the sewers, only this time it was a wolf in the centre not a moon.
“This is it, I think.” Ellie whispered excitedly. She put her index finger at the centre of the symbol, pushing it in. In front of her the wall started separating, making a small entrance. She raised her eyebrows and her eyes widened in excitement.
“I feel like a real adventurer now!” She exclaimed, her face beaming.
“Fudge, I hope this doesn’t end in disaster as well.” Skully grunted with discontent.
Ellie stepped inside the small building, it was empty but there was another symbol in the middle of the floor. She pressed it gently, the floor opened up with a rumble further inside. She glanced down, swirling stairs going deeper and deeper.
“Looks like we’re going down.” Ellie lifted Skully out of her backpack, she switched on the flashlight and started descending slowly. The stairs were steep and seemed to swirl around endlessly.
“If I was not a skull I would be dizzy by now.” Skully said dryly.
Ellie giggled. “I am getting a bit dizzy.” She remarked, still walking steadily.
They suddenly reached the bottom of the staircase, there was no floor, just soil, and tall columns reaching as high up as the stairs.
“Isn’t this an architectural wonder?” Skully grumbled.
“I think it’s pretty cool, just look at how tall those columns are. Wonder who made this?” Ellie marvelled, her eyes shifting around the space until she noticed a grand door. She swiftly went over to it and pushed the door open. Inside was another space, with carved stone walls and a small stream of water that ran behind a large sarcophagus.
“Wait, this fudging space is more like a cave than anything.” Skully ranted
“It is really cave-like, isn’t it? It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Ellie beamed, mesmerised at the space, little crystals twinkled as she shone the flashlight around. She noticed the large stone sarcophagus, filled with all kinds of symbols and markings she had never seen before. Ellie shone her flashlight on it, she could see the black vine markings left on the lid and the side.
“I better not see any actual fudging shadow vines.” Skully fumed, he was concerned, this didn’t really seem safe.
“Who’s down here?” A voice boomed across the space.
Ellie glanced at Skully. “I think someone else is here.” She remarked, looking around for a place to hide.
“Behind that rock there to the left.” Skully shouted.
Ellie jumped behind the rock, turning off her flashlight. She couldn’t see anything, it was pitch black, her heart was beating fast, she tried breathing slowly.
Thumping footsteps approaching. “Hello? I know someone’s here, you better show yourself. It’s not safe down here.” The voice sounded alarmed, Ellie could hear the footsteps of the person walking around.
How are they seeing anything without a light? She wondered.
“Fudge, they are still here.” Skully mumbled, he didn’t like this kind of darkness, it reminded him of being alone.
If this person is a vampire there’s no way they won’t find Ellie. Fudge! Skully thought to himself, he was concerned for Ellie.
Of course this is gonna end badly too, every fudging adventure in Dawn has ended with a vampire or a demon. Skully sighed loudly.
They could hear the footsteps coming nearer. They stopped. Everything was silent. A scream cut through the silence. They could hear thuds, something being dragged across the ground, then more thuds. One scream became many, until it was quiet again.
Ellie held on to Skully so tightly that he was worried she would break him.
“It’s ok Ellie, it’s just me.” She heard Luke's voice.
“I kinda followed you just to make sure you would be safe, and I saw this vampire.” Luke explained coldly. Ellie turned her flashlight back on, she pointed it in Luke’s direction, the crystals glimmered as the light passed them by.
The light found Luke’s face, he squinted his eyes and waved at her from across the room, pulling his glove back on.
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