Estelle
"What do you mean she's scheming something?" I ask. "And who in the world are Marilane and Celine?"
"Marilane's a freak, and Celine is her obedient girlfriend, they literally agree on anything and everything, they're like college-reputation hitmen." He explains.
I scoff. "I'm not in college and I don't care about my reputation, what's your point?"
"I think they're scheming against you." He says.
"Again, I'm not in college and I don't care." I say, starting walking away.
"Marilane is Titanios' granddaughter." Brett calls after me.
I turn my head. "How?"
"Titanios adopted a daughter, and she had kids." He says.
I scoff. "Like I care."
"I can see that you do." He says. "It's just a warning Estelle, but I guess I'll see you around."
I nod then start walking away. I walk to the front desk and set my book on the wooden desk.
"Estelle!" The librarian exclaims happily. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."
"Hi Meredith." I say shyly, watching her check out my book.
She smiles. "Gossip has it that you and August Jones are a thing!"
"I'm not sure." I say, grabbing the book she'd just handed me.
"Well, What stage are you in your relationship?" She asks, making sure to put air quotes around the word relationship.
"I really don't know." I say, shaking my head, tucking the book under my arms.
Meredith cocks her head. "Really, I mean it's been like 5 months."
I shrug. "I'm not sure." I pause. "I should leave."
Meredith smiles crookedly. "Bye."
I turn on my heel and walk out, the brisk cold slapping me in the face. I zip up August's coat to my chin and set out towards home.
***
At the door, Atlas greets, happily hopping around.
I unlock and open the door. bending down to pet him.
I turn around and close the door, making sure to lock it behind me. I set Glass Of Grey Game on the little table by August's door, then I take off his jacket, putting it back on the coat hanger.
I leave my boots by the door and go to the couch, scrolling through my phone for a little bit before.
Atlas curls up on my fuzzy socks, letting himself drift into unconsciousness.
My arm starts a pattern of rubbing on his head then down his back.
Every once in a while, he makes a little snoring/snorting noise.
I set my phone on the floor and lay my head on the armrest, letting sleep overcome me as well.
***
All I see is water, and a terrible brewing storm.
the waves were getting more powerful by the moment, pushing and pulling me under the surface.
I force my eyes shut trying to force away all the bad thoughts, but all I can focus on is the cold water pushing me to-and-fro.
All my brain was telling me to do was to look down, so that's what I did.
A boat was stuck in the seaweed, squid tentacles wrapping around the entire thing.
Then, I started swimming against the tide. Salt water works its way into my eye.
A giant tsunami starts to form, working its way towards me.
Soon enough, it flushes itself over my head, slamming me way under the water with no hope of surfacing.
I start to scream, like in the chamber back at the lab. I look up to the surface and see a blue white lightning strike across the darkened sky.
Then I was in Pangaea, standing in front of my dad.
I look down at my tiny hands then back up at my dad.
"Where's your sister you little runt?" He asks, looking down at me.
I shake my head. "I don't know where Maverick is."
"Idiot!" He yells, turning around, knotting his hands into his dark tangled hair.
"I'm sorry Daddy, I can go and look for Mavey." I offer.
He turns back toward me crouching in front of me. "You can't do anything right you filthy little Norisk, why don't you scamper along to you friends and let yourself get murdered?" He snarls.
Maverick was always his favorite, and I was always Mom's.
"Dad!" Someone yells from over my father's shoulder.
It was Maverick, her dress tattered and her knees bleeding.
"Daddy help!" She screams.
Then the memories come rushing back.
My dad shoves me over, not caring that my head hit the ground with a hard thud, but more about the little cuts littered on his other daughter's knees.
"Dad! Norisks! Estelle run!" Maverick runs past us, my dad scampering over to her.
I watch as the slimy, leathery creatures near me.
"Help!" I scream, trying to push myself of the ground, only to be floored by a Norisk paw pushing into the fleshy area between my shoulder blades.
I do what any other five year old would do, and cry, trying to cope with the beast cutting into my back.
***
I shoot up, panting and sweating, Atlas yips at me bounding away at my sudden outburst.
I rake my fingers through my hair, pushing it back out of my face, aswell as tousling it.
Swinging my legs, I heave myself off the couch and creep down the hall and into the bathroom.
I peel off ny sweaty shirt and look at my scar.
Norisks are filled with this chemical juice that shoots out once they choose their victim. Usually its injected through the mouth so its a definate kill, but since it was through the back, I could bleed it out.
I remember my mom cutting around the paw print with the ritual knife she would eventually kill my father with.
I just store at the purplish scar marking my upper spine, the scars around it licking my shoulder blades.
"Estelle!" August yells from the front room.
"Oh God." I murmur, jogging to the bathtub and turning on the shower.  "I'm in the shower!"
"Okay. We're going to leave to Idaho pretty soon."
"Got it!" I say, turning off the shower.
Just then August opens the door, peeking his head in.
I yelp and turn around. "I'm changing."
"Oh my god..." He walks forward, his soft fingers touching my scar. "What happened to you?"