Re: Claire's: The Devil's Threeway
As spectacular as Janis looked, Claire was equally... not spectacular. Her hair had not been brushed, and there was no make-up on her face to cover old faded scars or imperfections. Her lips were dried from dehydration that cast a greyish haze over them nearly the same shade as her secondhand tee-shirt and pajama shorts. She was very human tonight, with all the weaknesses of mortality gathered dark in the rings beneath her eyes. Since she had come home from the train station, her mind was racing a mile a minute and the discomfort wore heavy on her face.
What if all of this was a dream? What if they were just characters in a story that had to do as the author wished? What if she was in the midst of dying and this is the life she made up to comfort herself in that split second before she was gone? What if she had gone mad? A demon-hunting exorcist for a secret Catholic society hellbent on destroying threats to humanity sounded quite fictional. Add the fact that Lucifer and a crossroads demon were in her house? This could not possibly be reality.
Whatever tears may have been forming about the potential loss of the world she faced were quickly wiped away with the heels of her hands at the sound of familiar voices at her door. Relief washed over her. The world felt more real when she was not alone.
Without moving from her seat on the kitchen counter, Claire skipped ahead in the conversation with an answer that satisfied both of the sentiments voiced. "I hope one of you conveniently brought cream of tartar." She was here in the kitchen, Lucifer. And they would have to make cookies, Janis. Sorry.