WRETCHED HOLLOW

ELENA RIDLEY | 27 | GHOST "everybody says that TIME HEALS everything, but what about the WRETCHED HOLLW? the endless in-between? are we just going to WAIT IT OUT?"

[elenaridley-blog]

( finleylanerp. )

finley had let herself be dragged out to parties by her friends and although she didn’t consider herself a big drinker she did like to let loose every now and then. but tonight she had let herself go a little to far, and that would have been clear to anyone who saw her. her friends were just as drunk, all of them off in their own little worlds to some extent. as she walked with them through the west hollow community college campus she saw someone in the distance, and for some reason her mind told her to walk over to them. she peeled away from her friends and made her way over to the person, a wide smile on her face. 

“hi!” she said with too much enthusiasm and grabbed the person’s arm lightly, mostly for her own balance, “what are you up to tonight?” she slurred through her words and giggled at the end. finley was a fairly shy and reserved person when she was sober, but get some alcohol in her system and all those walls came crumbling down and she’d talk to anyone who looked her way.

Elena was sober as a stone, unsure as to whether or not that was a good thing as she watched the rest of the world grow happier, angier, sadder than their sober selves would ever allow them to in public. She wasn’t much different as a drunk; a bit more willing to share her secrets, but then again, she never wanted to share much about herself, so that would have been easy. She was walking, aimless as ever, when someone latched onto her arm. She looked at the girl, smiling and overtly friendly, and glanced back at the group she had just been with. 

      “Shouldn’t you be with your friends?” 

Despite her words, her tone was friendly, and she wore a bemused smile as they walked, a little slower than before to keep the girl’s balance in check. Elena’s hand rose to find a place on the stranger’s hand which held her own arm, a warm (though cold, physically) and tender touch. 

      “Or... are you trying to get away from them? Are they bothering you?” 

She glanced back yet again, this time with brows furrowed, wondering if she had ben approached in a silent request of help. You could never tell.

[elenaridley-blog]

( elainaofheaven. )

Elaina had already tried absolutely everything in almost every cafe and restaurant she could find in West Hollow, especially Ethae. So now she quickly scanned the menu for her favorite pastries and decided on a warm chocolate croissant. As she did, she heard the question and smiled up at Elena. “Oh?” She chuckled. “I imagine you’d be faster then. Believe it or not, they’re large enough they can get heavy after a while. It’s like another muscle. You can’t use it long before you get tired. How does the teleportation work?”

Elena turned her gaze back to Elaina after deciding on a Boston cream donut, in all its sugary glory, and a cup of coffee. She liked it black, a cliche to match perfectly with her love of cigarettes. 

      “I imagine that’s the only aspect I’d beat you in, then. Good for me.” 

She smiled a little, implying not only the notion between them as individuals, but their respective kinds, too. 

      “Oh, I just sort of... think of where I want to go? I don’t use it much, actually ---it’s about the journey, not just the destination? However that saying goes.”

[elenaridley-blog]

( franwyatts. )

Frankie tried not to get side tracked from the conversation by the fact that she had gotten the full confirmation that Elena was indeed one of the humans that had been killed by her parents. The witch was feeling a mix of confusion, sadness, and frustration but kept her cool on the outside.  

“Well, there are quite a few of ya around town,” Frankie confirmed, nodding her head a bit as she clicked the button so the IDs could be printed. Working as long as she did, Frankie had become more than good with reading the emotions of her customers. She easily tell that Elena wasn’t the most comfortable after stating her species, especially with the somewhat surprised look she displayed. Frankie decided not to question Elena more about her species at the moment, considering that she would have more upsetting news coming in the near future.

Frankie rarely gave out a lot of information about her past, but for some reason she felt as if she owed it to Elena. Her parents did kill the ghost in front of her after all. “Well, I started with makin’ documents and gave some loans to some supernaturals in town when I was young, and slowly built up things up from there,” she nodded, not going deep enough to mention fending for herself and foster care.

She quickly shot up from her desk after the explanation to finish off the process of the printing and laminating of the ID and birth certificate, using the moment to go through the mental process of telling Elena once more. Frankie considered the fact that Elena knew what her death had entailed, but perhaps she didn’t know its relation to Frankie. 

“Things are just finishin’ up,” she nodded, small smile across her face as Frankie took a seat on top the desk. “Why don’t we go ahead and get the payment out of the way?”

Elena had never done much socializing with her own kind. Other species? Certainly, probably more than she should have, but in twenty years as a dead woman she had all the time and none of the dangerous side effects of following her curiosities. She had met Susan, of course, who had never been anything but lovely to her, and Thiago, if only here and there. Their Valentine’s Day Dinner Fiasco was far less of a fiasco than... well, than most other peoples’. Maybe that was becuase they were already dead ---hell, if she knew. Either way, she imagined there had to be far more of her kind in West Hollow. It’s not like they could just up and leave, but they were private by nature, and it wasn’t likely Elena would go out of her way to socialize with her fellow deads if they were knocking at her front door. 

She listened, ears open and receptive to the smallest bit of personal information Frankie was willing to share ---she lived for this kind of thing, eating up the pieces of other peopels’ lives (real alive lives, that is) like it was the only thing keeping her sane. In a way, it might have been. She would have loved to know more, but she knew well enough what it was like to not want to share. Especially with a stranger. 

So she smiled and nodded, and pulled her wallet from her purse. She had the cash, naturally ---this wasn’t exactly legal, nor did she have a bank account in her name to brandish a cheque for. After this, though... She could do that, if she wanted. Start living like a normal person, as much as she could. 

      “Right, right. So... How far back is this going to set me?” 

[elenaridley-blog]

( arielcantrell. )

Nodding, Ariel took a seat across from Elena. Though they didn’t expect much in the way of surprises, Ariel had only been to Talbot’s a couple times with friends. They weren’t fully familiar with the menu and weren’t the type to fall back on old familiars. 

They hummed at her question, flipping a page in the menu before glancing up at her. “I was thinking the chili, perhaps,” they answered with a small shrug. “Though I doubt I could go wrong with any of it. What about you?”

She nodded, and flipped through the pages until settling on the main dishes. She had been pretty sure of what she’d wanted before she saw it, but the description underneath ‘baked mac ‘n’ cheese’ made her mouth water. Extra white cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and crispy baked bread crumbs. 

      “The only thing I’d suggest you stay away from is the fish and chips. Well, the fish ---the fries are great. Definitely can’t go wrong with chili, though. As long as you don’t mind... the aftermath.”

[elenaridley-blog]

( elainaofheaven. )

Elaina laughed softly, stopping to open the door for Elena as they walked into the cafe. “… Halo’s are a myth. They were simply meant to be symbolic for the light we possess. And I don’t mean light metaphorically, I can quite literally conduct light. As a tool or weapon, should it be necessary.” She said with some amusement as they picked an empty table. “As for wings… those are certainly real. White and quite large. Very handy for travel.”

Elena nodded, rolling her eyes a little at herself for even asking ---of course they were a metaphor. Though if she imagined it hard enough, she could see a halo fitting perfectly atop Elaina’s golden hair. Paired with a set of wings, and she’d be the picture of what she had always thought angels were meant to look like. Of course, it helped that she was beautiful. 

As they sat down, she read over the menu above the register, squinting a little as she spoke. Her voice was lowered now that they were in the presence of more people, supposedly human.

      “So you can fly, and I can teleport ---which one do you think’s faster?” 

[elenaridley-blog]

( arielcantrell. )

“Here I thought you still had some left over from earlier?” they shot back, lighthearted and jovial, understanding she was joking though they probably wouldn’t mind if asked to pick up the check at the end. It wasn’t that they could spare a couple bucks, after all. One of the benefits of living as long as they had – which wasn’t even that long in comparison to some – was that saving was all too easy.

Heading towards Talbot’s, Ariel grabbed the handle and held it open to her. “After you– You know, I don’t think I caught your name. I’m Ariel.”

Perhaps it was the familiar atmosphere of Talbot’s, but Elena found herself letting go of whatever reservations she had about them when they entered the diner. She nodded in gratitude as she stepped inside and made her way to a booth by the window. 

      “Elena ---pleasure to meet you, Ariel.” 

She smiled and, though she knew the menu back to front, opened one up to scan over the appetizers. 

      “So what kind of greasy goodness are you thinking of ordering?”

[elenaridley-blog]

( elainaofheaven. )

Elaina chuckled softly and shook her head as they walked towards the cafe. “No, no, I was taught everything I know,” she said as she flashed a smile over to her and then looked in front of them again. “Since you were kind enough to educate me, I should at least share a little, yes? Well, most angels these are born from other angels. My brother and I… we’re the only angels in many centuries to be created by the Gods. Not to say we’re any different than the other angels. Were not anymore powerful, especially not compared to the arch angels. In reality… sometimes I feel as if not being born normally puts me at a disadvantage. I did not grow the way most grow. I was never a child, I never had any parents. The moment I was made, I was taught as much as I could by the arch angels before coming down to Earth.”

Elena’s eyes widened at the information ---it was endlessly strange to hear of the creation of angels, more so than demons, even. It didn’t surprise her to learn that evil walked the earth, but holy beings? It seemed too good, too pure, to be true. 

      “Sounds to me like you are special, but the humility’s charming, truly.” 

She passed her another smile, and looked her over. She looked... normal. Striking, more than most, but normal, for the most part. Maybe that was the point. 

      “So do you have... wings? A halo? Where does the truth start, and sterotypes end?”

[elenaridley-blog]

( fallenisrael. )

Pubs like these had their benefits. For instance, These were usually the sort of places most people avoided. Nobody with anything good planned visit these place unless they wanted to get completely wasted, get into a fight, or have a drunk hook up. It was the type of place where people got lost or, better yet, hurt. Israel found that out soon enough, mainly because he was the one doing a lot of the hurting. The place was something between a pub and a dance club. The air was hot, humid, and musky with the odious fragrance of stagnant sweat; drunkards abound in every chair, girls decorating laps. Not exactly the place for the faint hearted. He ran his finger absentmindedly across the assortment of rings on his left hand as he watched humans parade past him. The music was pounding, deafening his eardrums with that infernal beat. It filled him with its sound, hammering out his bones. It’s the most fulfilled he has felt in a while. He waited, watching the dance floor from the bar. He saw many of his own blending with a collection of men and women. Mortals, he thought with disgust, scoffing at their attempts of lost identities and stolen memories. What a worthless bunch.

After a few hours of doing nothing but drinking, Israel decided to start a game of pool. Straight pool was old-fashioned, not flashy enough for TV. There was no luck in it, though; it’s a game of pure skill, and he excelled at it. He’d found someone to play with; a straight-backed, white-haired man who looked old enough to have learned pool back when straight was the only game in town, when THE HUSTLER was the only pool movie and everyone wanted to be Paul Newman.

In a place like this, Elena stuck out like a sore thumb ---too well dressed, too pretty, not enough edge to look like she belonged in a place filled with crooks and scoundrels. She didn’t mind, and frequently ignored the attention it got her. If it got bad enough, she could disappear into thin air and make herself scare. Or hang around and watch the fun continue. While she didn’t find the atmosphere itself appealing, the people were an entirely different story. Everyone had a story to tell, whether it was unique or not, but she found that with enough digging ---or observation, as it were--- she could find somebody intriguing. She was hardly prowling, didn’t have enough of an idea of what she wanted to have a motive, but she knew it wouldn’t be boring. As long as it wasn’t boring, she’d be happy. Well, happier than usual. 

She was leaning against the bar, a glass of cheap wine in her hand, when her eyes fell on a pair of men playing pool. One of them was decidedly ordinary, but the other was handsome, extraordinarily confident in the game he played. She knew he would win as well as he did, so when she called out and made her offer, she looked right at the (apparently) younger of the two. 

      “Drinks on me, for the winner?”

[elenaridley-blog]

( marinyuan. )

Marin offered a grin as he took the second smoke, mentally reminding himself to refrain from taking anymore. He was never one for smoking, but did so in certain social situations if it made him more approachable to those around him. Two was his limit, but any hesitance was kept well-hidden as he immediately lit the cigarette between his teeth. 

“I’m suggesting the sushi bar I was forced to miss out on,” he sighed, rolling his eyes at the thought. It was owned by a friendly merfolk couple and offered many types of dishes ‘under the table’ for customers of their kind. “It’s so fresh, the fish are still flopping around on your plate.”

Elena cringed a little at the thought, but it quickly morphed into an amused grin. She tilted her head to the side in a nod of consideration, brows raising as she did so. Before speaking, she took another drag of her cigarette.

      “Now that’s something I’d like to see ---not necessarily eat, but see, certainly.” 

She thought for a moment, and curiosity got the better of her. 

      “You like your fish that fresh, do you?”

[elenaridley-blog]

¿

¿ - a drabble about my muse from the perspective of... a member of my muse’s extended family. 

Aunt Lillian was fussing about the kitchen, working on a roast for dinner. Her family didn’t visit often, so when Max and Elena came around, she made sure to make it a big deal. Elena, fourteen at the time, was in the living room watching some old movie she’d seen a hundred times on past visits to Aunt Lillian’s. She and Max were in the kitchen. 

      “You’re going to have to put that girl through school, you know. That’s your responsibility, now. You can’t let her run around without an education ---she’s bright, and she’s got a beautiful face, but that’s only going to get her so far.” 

Max replied to Lillian with some salt in his voice, that he knew what he was doing by now, that even while their parents were around, he did most of the real work with her. Aunt Lillian wasn’t having it. 

      “She needs to do better than her mother, Maxwell. She can’t go getting knocked up at fifteen, sixteen, any age she likes. I know she’s hardly interested in boys yet, but when she does start up, you... You keep an eye on her. Don’t let her date just anyone, Max. She’s been through so much, you both have, and... She doesn’t deserve to have her heart broken.”

[elenaridley-blog]

( franwyatts. )

It didn’t take long for Frankie to open the safe in one of her filing drawers and pull out the piece of paper inside of it. She was unsure of why her parents had kept a simplistic log of who they killed, especially because they acted as if the deaths of the humans were irrelevant. Though, she was partially thankful that they had kept a log. It took her a moment to relearn how to read her father’s scratchy handwriting, but it quickly became clear to her. The name ‘Elena Ridley’ was the third name listed, just as Frankie had suspected. She nodded once to herself, a firm expression coming over her face as placed the paper back in the safe and locked it.

She was thankful that Elena had seemed to finish filling out the form moments after Frankie had shut the drawer. If she had just a second longer to ponder on the situation, Frankie may have not been able to keep the cool that she usually had.

At Elena’s question, Frankie turned around and looked as if nothing had been wrong. “Lots of supernaturals in town? Of course. Though, if you’re talkin’ about your own species, you’ll have tell me exactly what you are so I can tell ya,” she nodded, smile appearing on her face as she nodded.

Frankie took the form from Elena and gave it a good look over, nodding her head with satisfaction as she saw that everything was completed. She took a seat on the opposite side of the desk, then opening a laptop. As Frankie started to type the desired information into the program to make the IDs, her mind wondered how exactly she should tell Elena that her own parents were the ones that killed her.

“Just punchin’ in the information, we’ll get ‘em printed in just a bit,” she stated as she looked up from the laptop, nodding once and giving Elena a small smile.

She nodded, knowing well enough that the town was rife with supernatural life. Ever since Elena had discovered that ghosts weren’t the only strange creature wandering about West Hollow, she wondered if there were others towns like this, where supernaturals gathered like the town sign was a magnet for them. She wondered, too, if one of them had gottent to her brother. If they hadn’t he could be dead by now, old enough to look like the grandfather of someone her ‘age’. If he was dead, like her, there would be no way to ever see him again. And if he had just chosen not to return? Not to look for her? She couldn’t cross town lines to look for him, though she deeply wanted to. 

The best she could do was set up a life for herself here, to do her best to truly live as much as she still could. This, what Frankie was doing for her, was the first step to that process. 

      “Right, right... I’m a ghost, actually.” 

She smiled nervously, her expression almost something surprised. She so rarely said it out loud, it hardly felt real. She thought about that, as Frankie sat and began putting the information through her computer. She thought about what it would all mean if it wasn’t real, and what she was expected to do, knowing that it was. What came after this? A normal life? She didn’t think so. 

      “If you don’t mind me asking ---how did you get into this line of work?”

[elenaridley-blog]

( elainaofheaven. )

“Of course,” Elaina responded easily to the suggestion of Ethae. She adored that little cafe, and walking around town was one of her favorite activities. There was always so much to see and admire as someone so new to the world. 

The sudden disappearance caught her off guard, jaw opening and then closing into an amused smile when Elena appeared again. “Wow…” She breathed out, just as they made it out of the alley and onto the street sidewalk. “I don’t know much, really. Well… I do know all the tricks but I’ve never seen anything except the disappearance just now.” Elaina smiled. “I like to think you never really know something until you see it for yourself. Because I do know quite a lot but… I have yet to experience it all.”

Elena laughed, a ringing, genuine sound ---something that rarely came from her aymore. She took a moment, surprised at herself and her enjoyment of the angel’s company, to let her grin fall into an easy smile. She flicked her hair over her shoulder as they walked, and a part of her, however small, felt alive. Perhaps it was the fact that her companion was an angel, the goodness in her radiating something that penetrated deep into Elena’s soul. Whatever it was, she wanted to be around it; to be around her. 

      “Well-educated, I see ---or do angels just know things? Either way, I’m happy to show you whatever you want to see, though preferably somewhere without any... civilians.”

[elenaridley-blog]

( arielcantrell. )

They winked in response to her teasing. Now that it was out of their mouth, they realized how much like bragging it did sound. They didn’t mind too much, even if their original intentions had only been a funny anecdote. 

Tilting their head to the side, they raised an eyebrow at her not-so-sly suggestion. “I don’t think one – or in this case, two – servings will kill you.” Or at all; as an angel they recognized her for what she was. “Join me then? Take pity on me since I’ve been stood up by my friend?”

Nor did she mind, really, but she enjoyed poking fun. Unlike some she had met, she could take it just as well as she could dish it out. 

She laughed at the suggestion that it wouldn’t kill her, knowing full well that it couldn’t ---and likely, that they knew that, too. She raised a brow at them when they asked her to join, and eventually, shrugged. 

      “I can’t say no to that. You’re paying though, right?” 

Yet again, sshe teased, and hoped that she made it clear that she wasn’t serious.

[elenaridley-blog]

april task; home/spaces

Elena’s home is, for the most part, a very private place for her. It exists almost exactly the way it did twenty years ago, when she was still alive, and acts as a reminder of who she was and what she loved in life. As much as she loves it, it is one of the places she feels most alone.

( kitchen. )

Elena’s kitchen always smells of food, whether it be rosemary or citrus in the warmer months, or cinnamon and vanilla in the cooler parts of the year. Her tile floor is cold, but the space is dotted with rugs (by the sink, in front of the oven, under the stools) of varying patters, textures, and colours. Nothing matches perfectly, but nothing looks entirely out of place. The wooden table and countertops give the place a rustic feel, and the blue walls that also adorn the rest of her house make the space feel calm and welcoming. The curtains are perpetually drawn and, weather permitting, the windows open to allow the world outside to spill into her home.

Elena only cooks once or twice a week, so there’s often a candle or incense burning to make the place smell more comfortable and lived-in. She has an excessive amount of cookware and dishes for someone who rarely eats at home, which reflects her tastes and habits from when she was alive. 

( living room. )

Connected to the kitchen via open-concept design, Elena’s living room smells just the same as her kitchen. Warm light is cast from an antique chandelier that hangs over the centre of the room, casting shadows on the similarly old-fashioned area rug splayed over the hardwood flooring. The TV, radio, or record player is almost always on, providing quiet background noise to accompany whatever sounds might come through the kitchen window.

There’s a long, incredibly comfortable couch that’s acted as a bed for many a house guest over time. In fact, Elena spends more time here than in her bedroom as she rarely sleeps any more. The room is decorated with a few of her favourite pieces she found long ago, whether in antique shops, at yard sales, or an arts and crafts festival ---all are unique, and often quite strange (x, x, x). There’s a small bookshelf with more plants than books on it, which she tends to carefully every day. It gives her comfort to work at and succeed in keeping things alive. She has a single armchair with far too many pillows on it, denoting the fact that it’s rarely used for sitting, and more often for tossing her coat over.

( bathroom. )

Her bathroom is bright white and well lit, with her home’s signature teal colour showing only in the intricate design of the tiled floor. It’s always cold, but she refuses to put down a mat and obscure the pattern. Her tub is large, set up against a floor-to-ceiling mirror that makes the small room look twice as big. As the floor and walls are both tiled, her shower isn’t contained, but exists only as a shower head and faucet jutting from the wall with a drain below, centred in a slightly lowered corner of the room. There is hardly any decor, save for a vase of flowers on the counter.

( bedroom. )

Though it looks like the most lived-in room of the apartment, Elena spends the least amount of time here. The bed is almost always made, sheets rarely wrinkled, as she has no reason to use the bed for sleep. Now and then, she does to pass the time, but more often than not she finds herself lying awake, looking out the large glass doors into the nighttime. There’s a distinctly bohemian vibe to the bedroom that is only hinted at in the rest of the house. Her nightside tables are topped with copper trinkets, old paper dividers with tropical leaf prints stood atop and used as jewelry and scarf hangers. There’s a desk across from her bed with a large oval mirror, adorned with notebooks and photographs she hasn’t looked at in years. Despite the lack of interaction with a majority of her home, she’s sure to tend to it well. No corner goes un-dusted for any long period of time, and the mess of the place is decidedly controlled.

[elenaridley-blog]

( phoebemurray. )

“I, uh, guess you could say that.” Phoebe burrowed her eyebrows, doing a quick read through to see if this woman knew that she was a witch, or if she was just genuinely trying to start a conversation. Phoebe was thankful to find no traces of recognition in her thoughts and let out a small laugh at her own foolishness. “I’m thinking of re-reading it,” She said, pointing to the Harry Potter book in the woman’s hands. “Just for fun. Something to take my mind off of reality, you know?” Now that she thought of it, Phoebe realized how redundant that statement was, as her reality was literally surrounded by magic. 

Phoebe stood up and set the books down on a shelf near her, as she had seen the other woman do with her own book only moments ago. “Thank you, by the way. For helping me with my books.” She stuck out her hand out for the woman to shake. “I’m Phoebe. What about you? Are you a fan of magic?” 

Elena straightened up and placed the book on top of the rest of the woman’s pile, grabbing her own as she did so, if only to have something to do with her hands. She held it up so the other could see the cover, where the title THE NIGHT CIRCUS was splayed over an image of black and white tents. 

      “This one’s about magic, too, apparently, so I guess you could say I am.” 

She offered a smile and shook her hand with her free one, and tucked the book under her arm. 

      “Elena. And it’s no problem ---I bumped into you, anyway.”

[elenaridley-blog]

( gomezandtheparkers. )

Parker shrugged and turned back to face the sunset, taking a swig of his wine cooler. “Oh totally. My sisters and I used to come here like every evening in the summers. Makes ya really grateful to live on the west coast, huh?” He explained looking extremely cheery. This was definitely his element. He sometimes wondered if he was a mermaid in a past life. It would certainly explain why he felt such a connection with the ocean. 

“Are you from here?” He asked innocently. He patted the space on the towel beside him, inviting her to take a seat. 

Elena, too, felt a connection with the ocean ---she loved swimming, and took advantage of the empty beach in the cold winters when few other than her (and her kind) could handle the extreme temperatures. The water was dark and empty, but somehow it made her feel less alone. 

Her eyes roamed from the sunset to the towel beside him, and she let herself move to sit near him. She made sure to leave a safe space between them, both because he was a stranger and so that he wouldn’t the feel the cold coming off of her skin. 

      “Been here my whole life, yeah. I haven’t seen many sunsets other than this one, but I don’t imagine it gets much better... What about you?”

[elenaridley-blog]

( marinyuan. )

“Seems like everyone else in town is too,” Marin commented, a soft chuckle escaping him. It was true that the diner seemed like a hot-spot for anyone with an appetite for junk food. Marin couldn’t say he shared a similar interest, given he’d been spoiled with fresh fish and undersea vegetation. 

“It doesn’t seem to agree with me,” he admitted, “but the friend I met with loves it, so I caved and agreed to meet here instead of the sushi bar I’d suggested.” What a missed opportunity that was. And surprising, given he’d met up with a fellow merman. He figured sushi would’ve been the go-to option, but apparently the merfolk of West Hollow were well adjusted to human life.

Hoping to prolong the conversation, just to see if he could gather more information as to what she was, he asked, “Could I take you up on that second smoke?”

Elena nodded to him, and showed interest at the mention of sushi. She hadn’t eaten much other than diner food and baked goods lately, though she’d had a far more adventurous taste before she passed. She was also able to venture outside of West Hollow’s borders, which made it easier to follow her will to see and try new things. Everything seemed so familiar now, but still distant. Like she existed on another plane from it all, and could only touch the real world in brief moments. 

      “As much as I love Talbot’s, I don’t see how anybody could turn down sushi.” 

As she spoke, she pulled another cigarette out of the pack and extended it towards him, held delicatley in between two fingers. 

      “Is there somewhere in town you’d recommend?”