For one long beat, there was silence. Then Elektra giggled. Then that giggle became laughter. Then an outright cackle, her stomach cramping as she curled into herself. It went on for less than a minute, but by the end of it she was sitting up, on her knees, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.
What were the odds? "Ah, that's funny. Locked doors. Hilarious." She wiped her eyes, though not before disposing of her cigarette with a careless flick of the wrist. Whether it landed in the water with all the other maggots or somewhere on the dock made no difference to her. She picked up the pack and propped another cigarette between her lips. Her hands were steady up until she picked up the lighter.
Like the cigarettes, it wasn't really hers. Unlike the cigarettes, the struck flame made her jerk back like she'd been slapped. Or singed. The lighter clattered to the dock and bounced a couple of feet before coming to a stop. Elektra's heart hammered at her ribs. She wasn't laughing now.