Re: [B&B: Nish & Atticus & Aiden, entrance]
No answer came, but Atticus knew the room wasn't empty. Knew the old woman wasn't there anymore, not in her living state, but knew something else was in the room. Glanced back to see Nishka there. James too. "Can stay out of the way," he told James. Smiled at Nishka. Understood haunts didn't like those who came to take the dead. Didn't want to go, the restless dead. Meant they didn't want anything to do with what awaited in the room.
The wolf in Atticus' head growled. Atticus knew he needed to work on that. Needed to work on acclimating the wolf to what he saw. The haunts didn't seem to mind the wolf, not beyond the fact that the wolf's presence made him, Atticus, something they, the haunts, could no longer control like before. But the wolf, the wolf didn't like supernatural entities. Didn't like dead things. Didn't like what awaited in the room.
No ambulance, not for an expected death, but he knew Nishka was behind him, and he wanted to give her something to do. She'd followed, and standing around while a corpse rested in a bed was never easy. "Funeral home's number is in the rolodex behind my desk, in the study. They're expecting the call," he told her. "Want to call for me?" Might make James feel better to get away from what was inside the room too.
Pushed the door open. Walked inside. Gladys was there. Or, rather, the body of Gladys was there. Gladys wasn't in the room, which Atticus was grateful for. Had liked Gladys, but much preferred for the dead to go rest. They were never happy when they hung around, and Atticus didn't think the B&B needed any more haunts in the space.