Nothing is ever really lost
Posted: 07 Feb 2016, 13:06
< Tayden > “Excuse me, can you help me?” Tayden looked up from the ground he was sitting on at his sister’s shop to see an older gentleman looking down at him. “Sure.What’s up?” Tayden Put both palms on the ground and pushed off it, lightly kicked the box of supplies he’d been stocking on the bottom shelf and wiped them on the front of his jeans. ”I’m looking for a knife. I heard you carry some bigger ones. Legal, of course, but I need something a little more than the typical thing you can find at any retail store. My daughter has this guy-” Tayden held up his hand and shook his head. “No need to explain. What people do with what they buy here is their business. But no one should have to be afraid or be a victim of any kind of harassment.” Tayden gave the guy a small smile before arching his hand in the direction of the knife cases for the public to look in and the ones behind the shelf where staff help them pick out the kind they want.
“This one is our top seller for longer bladed knives.” He grabbed the knife from the case, holding one end in his left palm, and the other, the blade itself, in his right to show the guy the craftsmanship of it. “It’s pretty lightweight and very few complaints about tips breaking off, unlike some of the others that try to replicate this guy.” Tayden set the knife down on the counter to let the guy check it out for himself without any sort of sales prompting from Tayden as he moved away to clean a spot of dirt from the glass counter top.
While he did this, the sensor at the door of the shop went off and Tayden looked up from the spot he had been cleaning with some blue colored glass cleaner and paper towel. “Welcome to The Pen and Sword. If you need help finding anything, let me know.” He told a young woman, who acknowledged him with a nod of her head, but then pointed to the direction she was going in, indicating she knew right where she was going and what she was here for. “What do you think?” Tayden said after a few minutes of letting the guy check out the blade on the counter. ”I’ll take it.” Tayden nodded and moved over to the guy. “Great choice.” He finished the sale and offered the guy a colored flier. “We offer self-defense classes at night in the backroom. If you, her or anyone else you know is interested.” Tayden let go of the flier to the appreciative client and went back to stocking the shelf after the guy left.
With every item out of the box, Tayden took out a box cutter and slid the tiny blade through the tape on the bottom of the box to break it down. They had a recycling dump in the back that they shared with two adjacent stores to cut cost on the borrowing fee each month. Tayden stood up, grabbed the broken down box after shielding the blade and stuffing it in his pant pocket.
As he did this, the door opened and someone called out, searching for a person who worked here. Searching for him. Tayden stood up taller, and then moved around an aisle of magazines to see a red headed woman entering with some papers. The red hair reminded him of Anika, but her features were nothing close to the woman who introduced him to the lifestyle of a blood thief. This woman had defined cheekbones, and a sharper nose, unlike Anika who had a rounder face, some freckles and a nose that almost vanished into her face. Both women were attractive in their own ways, but Tayden couldn’t help and think of the woman whose blood he drank from time to time as he saw the color of the woman’s hair that entered his sister’s store. “Hey.” Tayden stopped on the other side of the aisle, eyes on the fliers. “How can I help you tonight?” The box lay at his side, resting against his right hip as he brought his eyes back up to the woman in the store with him.
The flat, empty box was put down, propped against the side of the rack as she apologized for interrupting his work. “I don’t mind.” In truth, Tayden didn’t mind being bothered or asked any questions. Once in awhile he found himself here, alone, dying for some stimulating conversation. Or any conversation, really.
He squinted at the flier before approaching the woman who talked about looking for someone named Alexander. A kid? A husband? Tayden couldn’t tell until he was a few feet in front of the woman to realize it wasn’t either of those. Especially when she mentioned it being a dog. “Oh! Yeah, absolutely.” He grabbed the flier slowly, making sure she wanted to let go of it before Tayden moved to the counter, grabbed some tape and applied it to the flier so that it could be taped against the glass near the door. “It’s my sister’s shop, but I doubt she’ll mind.” He said with a shrug as he moved past the woman to put it on the door. “When did you see him last? Was it around here? I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the little, well, big guy.” He flashed Emma a sympathetic smile. What rotten luck, and at this time of the year too, he thought. “Why don’t you give me a couple of those and I’ll ask some of the other shops to put them up in theirs?” He offered, holding out a hand for any amount of fliers she might give him.
“This one is our top seller for longer bladed knives.” He grabbed the knife from the case, holding one end in his left palm, and the other, the blade itself, in his right to show the guy the craftsmanship of it. “It’s pretty lightweight and very few complaints about tips breaking off, unlike some of the others that try to replicate this guy.” Tayden set the knife down on the counter to let the guy check it out for himself without any sort of sales prompting from Tayden as he moved away to clean a spot of dirt from the glass counter top.
While he did this, the sensor at the door of the shop went off and Tayden looked up from the spot he had been cleaning with some blue colored glass cleaner and paper towel. “Welcome to The Pen and Sword. If you need help finding anything, let me know.” He told a young woman, who acknowledged him with a nod of her head, but then pointed to the direction she was going in, indicating she knew right where she was going and what she was here for. “What do you think?” Tayden said after a few minutes of letting the guy check out the blade on the counter. ”I’ll take it.” Tayden nodded and moved over to the guy. “Great choice.” He finished the sale and offered the guy a colored flier. “We offer self-defense classes at night in the backroom. If you, her or anyone else you know is interested.” Tayden let go of the flier to the appreciative client and went back to stocking the shelf after the guy left.
<Emma> Emma had been a little distraught for the past week now. It was seven evenings ago, her dear Alexander had somehow gotten off his leash. The miniature pinscher had been one of her animal companions for several years now. He was old, and Emma feared as of late the dog was truly showing his age. It was so unlike Alexander to have run off. It had broken Emma’s heart, watching him run off into the night. She had run after him, calling out his name but she had somehow lost him. It wasn’t exactly easy to run in heels though. She had always fancied such shoes, or just anything that gave her a little extra height. Growing up, it had driven her parents and brothers crazy.
It was in a pair of heeled boots, which she walked down an unfamiliar part of town. She had been out every night after the one she had lost him, asking to hang up flyers in any shop she came across. She would stop then, and tape a flyer on the side of some of those newspaper machines. It featured a picture of Alexander, and beneath said his name, telling of how he was lost and if found what email to contact. Emma would continue on, stepping into a shop then without regarding the name. A sound went off as she entered, and as her eyes lingered around she was halted for a brief moment.
So many sharp things, this would be firstly noted. Since the night of her turning, any sort of blade had her remember in ways of how she had almost died. Her sire, he had saved her though. There had been so much blood, she had expected death was coming. That all changed though, when Ryland had found her. ”Hello?” Emma would call out as she stepped further into the store. The stack of flyers in her hands. She had been taping flyers on the outside windows of any shop that would allow her. It just seemed the proper thing to ask before doing such.
< Tayden > He had almost been done with the shelf when the second customer was ready to check out. Tayden placed each item in a plastic bag that said the store’s name and address on it before giving the bag to her with one hand, change with the other. The phone had rung, someone looking for something they didn’t had. Some blade that sounded very illegal, thinking that they carried that sort of thing here. He named a few sporting good stores that might carry something like that to try and help the guy out, but then realized that Tayden didn’t know who he was talking to. It could be anyone, who did anything. Even a Paladin. Tayden said those were the only places he knew of before hanging up and going back to finishing what he had been trying to finish for the last twenty-five minutes or so. It was in a pair of heeled boots, which she walked down an unfamiliar part of town. She had been out every night after the one she had lost him, asking to hang up flyers in any shop she came across. She would stop then, and tape a flyer on the side of some of those newspaper machines. It featured a picture of Alexander, and beneath said his name, telling of how he was lost and if found what email to contact. Emma would continue on, stepping into a shop then without regarding the name. A sound went off as she entered, and as her eyes lingered around she was halted for a brief moment.
So many sharp things, this would be firstly noted. Since the night of her turning, any sort of blade had her remember in ways of how she had almost died. Her sire, he had saved her though. There had been so much blood, she had expected death was coming. That all changed though, when Ryland had found her. ”Hello?” Emma would call out as she stepped further into the store. The stack of flyers in her hands. She had been taping flyers on the outside windows of any shop that would allow her. It just seemed the proper thing to ask before doing such.
With every item out of the box, Tayden took out a box cutter and slid the tiny blade through the tape on the bottom of the box to break it down. They had a recycling dump in the back that they shared with two adjacent stores to cut cost on the borrowing fee each month. Tayden stood up, grabbed the broken down box after shielding the blade and stuffing it in his pant pocket.
As he did this, the door opened and someone called out, searching for a person who worked here. Searching for him. Tayden stood up taller, and then moved around an aisle of magazines to see a red headed woman entering with some papers. The red hair reminded him of Anika, but her features were nothing close to the woman who introduced him to the lifestyle of a blood thief. This woman had defined cheekbones, and a sharper nose, unlike Anika who had a rounder face, some freckles and a nose that almost vanished into her face. Both women were attractive in their own ways, but Tayden couldn’t help and think of the woman whose blood he drank from time to time as he saw the color of the woman’s hair that entered his sister’s store. “Hey.” Tayden stopped on the other side of the aisle, eyes on the fliers. “How can I help you tonight?” The box lay at his side, resting against his right hip as he brought his eyes back up to the woman in the store with him.
<Emma> She would catch sight of the man before he spoke, and a warm smile would hint her lips. She was sure to keep her lips pressed together as she did so though, as not to show too much of her permanent fangs. There was so much to remember, when in the presence of a human, such as making sure she casted a shadow. She would note several things, such as the empty box the male held in hand, expressing that he had likely been busy and she had interrupted. His voice seemed kind though, with his inquiry of how he could help her. Emma certainly needed help, though it was not in regards to anything the shop sold. Though perhaps she could get something. Over the past week, Emma had bought several things from the shops she had gone to, especially those that allowed her to put a flyer outside their shop.
She had been distraught, and excused from the search. One that seemed doomed for failure of never finding her dear friend. There was no comfort to be found with those in her life. Emma hated to bother her sire over such a thing. There was the love she had found, but that man seemed long gone now. Emma had not heard from Tright in ages, and had come to terms with the idea that perhaps she was not someone worth sticking around for. She always had her pet companions though. Apollo and Artemis, her Alaskan huskies, and then Alexander. Her dear Alexander who she had doted on and spoiled for years. He was now gone, and Emma didn’t want to face the reality of him being gone yet, she was refusing to give up on her search.
”I’m sorry to have interrupted your work.” She began by speaking kindly, and apologetic. Her voice was soft spoken, hinted with a shyness of speaking with someone unfamiliar to her. ”I was wondering if perhaps I could hang one of these flyers outside in the corner of your shop window?” As she spoke, she would hold up the flyers so he could have a glance at the front of it. ”I’m looking for Alexander…. I mean my dog, I lost him….” as her words trailed off, her voice would crack a little, as if she were at the very urge of tears. So foolish it must seem to some, an attachment to an animal. Though her lost pet was beyond dear to her, he was Alexander, he was family, part of the only family she still had from her own life.
< Tayden > To him, the redhead was like any other woman and customer. Nice, smiled and soft spoken. Usually. He’s had a few disgruntled customers in the last week or so, but that was what retail was about. Pleasing the customer; or trying to, even if they were being not so pleasing themselves.She had been distraught, and excused from the search. One that seemed doomed for failure of never finding her dear friend. There was no comfort to be found with those in her life. Emma hated to bother her sire over such a thing. There was the love she had found, but that man seemed long gone now. Emma had not heard from Tright in ages, and had come to terms with the idea that perhaps she was not someone worth sticking around for. She always had her pet companions though. Apollo and Artemis, her Alaskan huskies, and then Alexander. Her dear Alexander who she had doted on and spoiled for years. He was now gone, and Emma didn’t want to face the reality of him being gone yet, she was refusing to give up on her search.
”I’m sorry to have interrupted your work.” She began by speaking kindly, and apologetic. Her voice was soft spoken, hinted with a shyness of speaking with someone unfamiliar to her. ”I was wondering if perhaps I could hang one of these flyers outside in the corner of your shop window?” As she spoke, she would hold up the flyers so he could have a glance at the front of it. ”I’m looking for Alexander…. I mean my dog, I lost him….” as her words trailed off, her voice would crack a little, as if she were at the very urge of tears. So foolish it must seem to some, an attachment to an animal. Though her lost pet was beyond dear to her, he was Alexander, he was family, part of the only family she still had from her own life.
The flat, empty box was put down, propped against the side of the rack as she apologized for interrupting his work. “I don’t mind.” In truth, Tayden didn’t mind being bothered or asked any questions. Once in awhile he found himself here, alone, dying for some stimulating conversation. Or any conversation, really.
He squinted at the flier before approaching the woman who talked about looking for someone named Alexander. A kid? A husband? Tayden couldn’t tell until he was a few feet in front of the woman to realize it wasn’t either of those. Especially when she mentioned it being a dog. “Oh! Yeah, absolutely.” He grabbed the flier slowly, making sure she wanted to let go of it before Tayden moved to the counter, grabbed some tape and applied it to the flier so that it could be taped against the glass near the door. “It’s my sister’s shop, but I doubt she’ll mind.” He said with a shrug as he moved past the woman to put it on the door. “When did you see him last? Was it around here? I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the little, well, big guy.” He flashed Emma a sympathetic smile. What rotten luck, and at this time of the year too, he thought. “Why don’t you give me a couple of those and I’ll ask some of the other shops to put them up in theirs?” He offered, holding out a hand for any amount of fliers she might give him.
<Emme> As the man reached for the flier, she would release her hold. A small relief found in the fact of knowing it would be hanging in yet another place to catch the notice of others. her smile would widen a little more, perhaps too much, showing off the hint of the young vampires fangs. ”Thank you, I truly appreciate this.” It was overwhelmingly kind too that he had hung up the flier himself. Her shadowy gray blue eyes would follow to watch as he did so, though his question had her recalling that night then. ”It was a week ago….. I live in the sanctuary building, in Wickbridge and just before we headed back into the building, that’s when he got away from me.” The sorrow could be sensed just with her tone of voice. So sad for the loss, and still very upset with herself for letting such a thing happen.
At the man’s request for more fliers, she would gratefully hand over a few more. ”I truly appreciate this, it really means a lot that you would be so kind.” Emma’s hope had been fading, but she had refused to give up. ”I searched that whole night for him, and have been out every night since. I just…” It was then that something occurred to her. A fact so simply that she couldn’t believe she had overlooked. It was a knowledge that troubled her. The tag, the tag on the dog's collar held a number. Though the number was to her parents shop up in Alaska. This was certainly not good, not good at all.
They had lost a daughter unknowingly, and that would be a call that could lead them here. Ryland, her sire, had explained after he had turned her, that she could no longer have any contact with anyone from her past. That had been so hard to take, knowing she could never again see her parents or seven brothers ever again. Ryland held a certain sway over her though, she would do anything her sire asked of her and would certainly never go against anything he had advised her on. When Emma spoke then, she still held a soft spoken tone. ”I know it might seem hopeless at this point to keep searching, but I can’t stop with knowing that I had not done everything I could.”
At the man’s request for more fliers, she would gratefully hand over a few more. ”I truly appreciate this, it really means a lot that you would be so kind.” Emma’s hope had been fading, but she had refused to give up. ”I searched that whole night for him, and have been out every night since. I just…” It was then that something occurred to her. A fact so simply that she couldn’t believe she had overlooked. It was a knowledge that troubled her. The tag, the tag on the dog's collar held a number. Though the number was to her parents shop up in Alaska. This was certainly not good, not good at all.
They had lost a daughter unknowingly, and that would be a call that could lead them here. Ryland, her sire, had explained after he had turned her, that she could no longer have any contact with anyone from her past. That had been so hard to take, knowing she could never again see her parents or seven brothers ever again. Ryland held a certain sway over her though, she would do anything her sire asked of her and would certainly never go against anything he had advised her on. When Emma spoke then, she still held a soft spoken tone. ”I know it might seem hopeless at this point to keep searching, but I can’t stop with knowing that I had not done everything I could.”