@mothtoflame walked into the wrong alchemist’s shop.
“Hiya! How can I—?”
Eleanor’s chipper smile falls instantly, her nose wrinkling as though she smells something strange. As though she’s not totally convinced of what she’s seeing, she adjusts her glasses. She removes them, wipes them on her shirt, puts them back on, adjusts them again, squints—
“You.” Eleanor says flatly, her jaw set and expression tense. “You can’t be here. You’re a— I mean— There is a lotta silver ‘n... ‘n monkshood in here. Don’t fuck with me. I have a knife! I’m a witch! Go away before... before... ugh, just go!”
voicemails left on spencer johnson’s answering machine by one alice fischer
One missed call from 555-0194 on 4/19/2020 at 4:15AM.
One message from 555-0194 on 4/19/2020 at 4:15AM.
[Beep.]
Hey... Spencer. It’s me. Y’know. Alice. Listen, I... I’ve been thinking about what you said about... y’know, staying out of trouble. Heh. Guess I don’t listen very well, ‘cause I’m...
[sigh ; her voice breaks, just a little, just for a second ]
I really made a mess of things. Can I come over? I can’t- I can’t be here. In the city. I know it’s far, but... but I can make it over if you’d just... ... ...
[dead air for several seconds] ... just call me back, ‘kay?
Three missed calls from 555-0194 on 5/02/2020 at 2:09PM.
Two messages from 555-0194 on 5/02/2020.
First message, at 2:09PM.
[Beep.]
Spencer.
[her breath is panicked and shaky, like she’d just finished crying - like she wasn’t quite through]
Pick up the phone. Damn it, I- I need you to pick up the phone, okay? Okay? Just- I had this dream, and- and I know what you’re gonna say. You’re gonna say it’s just a dream, but it felt... real, Spencer. It felt real. Call me back and tell me you’re okay, okay? Please? For my sake. Okay, I’m gonna-
Second message, at 2:11PM.
[Beep.]
Sorry, that last one probably... sounded crazy.
[hesitant, halfhearted laughter; a sniffle]
Just- just forget it, okay? I’m sorry. I just- I dunno. Just forget it. I’ll talk to you when I’m... I’m gonna go to the hospital or- or something. I’m not hurt, I just... need to clear my head. You know where to call if you need me. Be out in a week, unless I end up being... y’know. Seeya.
Ten missed calls from 555-0194 on 5/13/2020 at 7:49PM.
No messages.
Four missed calls from 555-0194 on 5/20/2020 at 6:01AM.
No messages.
One missed call from 555-0194 on 6/04/2020 at 8:19AM.
One message from 555-0194 on 6/04/2020 at 8:19AM.
[Beep.]
I had that dream again. The one that... wasn’t a dream the first time. When... when you were out of your mind. When you had too much. When you almost... [a sigh, as though she thinks better of elaborating on the subject] I’d never... seen you like that, and I know it’s been a long time but I keep thinking about it and dreaming about it and worrying about you.
I... worry about you so much, Spencer. I miss you. Haven’t seen you in a while, haven’t heard from you either. I’m scared something... happened. Like you’re dead, or... or something. [a laugh, soft and tired]
Or maybe I’m just the crazy girl from the city who’s leaving these insane voicemails on your phone ‘cause I can’t take a hint. I’unno. Just... call me and tell me to fuck off so I can stop, yeah?
One missed call from 555-0194 on 6/19/2020 at 4:15PM.
One message from 555-0194 on 6/19/2020 at 4:15PM.
[Beep.]
I heard a song on the radio today. Reminded me of you. It went kinda like...
[she half hums, half sings part of ‘hey bulldog’ by the beatles; it isn’t half-bad, might even be a little sweet-sounding; “you can talk to me... if you’re lonely, you can talk to me...”]
I’unno. Something like that. Can’t remember too much of it, but you get the idea.
Anyway, I miss you. I always feel like I’m smothering you, but sometimes I feel like if I don’t smother you then you’ll stop existing. I just- I want-
[a sigh ; she feels as pathetic as she sounds ]
I don’t have a lot, but I have you and I don’t wanna lose that. I know I’m not perfect and... and you’re sure as Hell not much more perfect than me, but... but we don’t have to be perfect, do we?
Call me back, or you might actually drive me crazy. Like, actually crazy. Doctors keep saying there’s nothing wrong with me but a couple of screws loose, but... I’unno. Just call me. I miss you. Stop making me worry, damn you.
