Chapter 8: Weak Grasp

MIKA:
“Yeah.” His voice breaks, and I freeze. I freeze because I know that sound from him. Silence follows. I hear Mavis shift behind me carefully. “Right,” I tell him. “Don’t take all day. We’re waiting outside still.”
I step away, hesitating and forcing myself to not overthink. Mavis and Axel are still by the wall. Axel’s hands are buried in his pockets, turning over whatever he’s collected again and again, pretending to be busy. Mavis hums under her breath, filling the space where nobody else talks. I keep my posture rigid against the wall, purposely standing more confident than I am.
Jasper comes out a moment later with his hoodie pulled low. Head down. Quiet. He doesn’t look at anyone. Just drifts to the side of the hall like he’s trying to disappear into it.
Mavis hums louder for a second.
“Dude, if you took any longer, I was gonna start charging bathroom rent.”
Jasper doesn’t respond. Doesn’t even look up. I exhale, expecting her to say something like that.
Axel glances at Mavis and gives a small, awkward smile. She doesn’t acknowledge it. She just laughs under her breath, and it sounds really wrong; she’s not even trying to hide anymore that it’s fake.
Footsteps come down the hall.
I already know who it is before I turn.
Creed rounds the corner in muddy boots, cigarette between his fingers.
He doesn’t stop walking when he speaks.
“Got a job for you.”
Nobody reacts. Not even Mavis.
He stops beside Axel. Axel tightens his grip on the trinkets in his hands.
Creed looks at me as he exhales smoke.
“There’s a woman connected to Marcy’s murder. She’s got something I need.”
He takes another drag.
And steps forward and presses a key and a folded piece of paper into my hand, with an address written in thick black ink. Then drops a small white pill straight into my palm.

“Put that in her drink.” He pauses to look at my expression.
“When she’s out. Take the address book and leave.”
I stare at the pill in my hand.
“Get it done this time, yeah? Been waiting long enough.”
He smiles slightly as he says it. Smoke drifts between us.
Then he turns—pauses beside Axel—and ruffles his hair.
Axel looks okay with it.
I close my fingers, hearing the paper crumble against my calloused hand.
“We leave in ten,” I say, snapping back into position.
Mavis pushes off the wall first.
“This is just child labor,” she mutters, already walking.
Jasper stays put against the wall, looking lost in thought.
I turn toward our bedroom.
Old cleaning supplies are stacked in corners. Three beds. One mattress on the floor.
I sit on the one closest to the door.
I cover my face with my arm. Exhausted.
I really should think of something soon.
And I can do that.
I look around the room, full of different chemicals,
A messy dresser, un-made beds, messy drawings crooked on the walls from Mavis, and beige walls to hold it in.
I look back at the dresser. It’s slanted to the side a bit because one of the legs is loose.
I get off the bed to go fix it but then the door opens.
Axel steps in, pockets full.
“Do you need help getting stuff ready?” he asks, a hopeful smile spread across his face.
“It’s already ready, Axel. Don’t forget we only have ten minutes.”
He nods once and empties everything into the bucket with the rest of his trinkets. Then he starts sorting it again—quietly, precise, lining things into color groups, the order of the rainbow.
Jasper comes in quietly; he sits on the mattress, pulling his headphones over his ears without music, hood still draped over his head. He curls himself deeper into his black sweatshirt like he’s trying to go invisible.
I glance at him.
“Jasper.”
He doesn’t really look up. Just shifts his eyes in my direction.
“You with me?”
A pause.
“Yeah,” he mumbles.
He looks away again, but I keep looking. Longer than I should. His eyes look dull, and his eyebrows are subtly pushed together. “Jasper—?”
Objects hit the floor behind me.
“Okay, so I’ve got snacks and some pocket knives in case we need them,” Mavis says, speaking loudly. Something in her voice sounds slightly wrong. “And the chips are mine, so don’t touch them.”
She stands there like she’s trying to take up more space than she needs to.
Her eyes flick around the room, waiting for a reaction.
“Damn, Mika. Am I actually the only one getting things ready?”
She presses her finger to her thumb so hard it’s shaking.
Jasper exhales sharply and leans back harder against the wall.
When she says that, I wince slightly, like she stung me.
“We’re leaving,” I command.
I stand, sharper than I meant to. No one argues.
I immediately push past Mavis. I don’t look at her. I shouldn’t have to. She stands there silently, staring at the wooden ground as everyone else picks themselves up. She doesn’t move. And then she is out of my line of sight.

If I don't think about it too hard, it doesn't have to mean anything.