(x.)

"I didn't know your brother was class Salutarian."
"Don't remind me. Please."
"Why not?"

Midge stared at her friend, who was, at that moment, draped across the Fainting Couch in much the same way that dirty laundry tends to drape across furniture.

"I was never allowed to forget that he had better grades. Or that he was on the Football team. Or that--"
"Or that he's pretentious." Lorelei added.

"What?"
"I was talking to Ashleigh, and she says he's still sore that he wasn't the Valedictorian."
"Yeah. He was number two. And I hate him for it--"
"No. Think about it. Imagine how much harder your life would be, if he were first in his class."

Midge shuddered. "You're right..." an evil smirk spread across her lips. "But he's not. It taught the little shit what humilty is. He's suffering. And I get to watch."

"Okay, wow. That was scary."
"Why?"
"I've never seen anyone outside my line of work do something like that."

The guest room was utterly silent.

"Y'know, you keep saying, 'the company I work for', and 'in my line of work'. Exactly what do you do?"

Lorelei sighed, heavily. "When you were little, what were you scared of?"
"What does that have to--"
"Go with me on this one. What were you scared of."
"The dark. But not like, completely dark. Like, I was afraid of shadows. I know that sounds stupid, but--"
"Not at all."
"Okay. But, It was 'cause the shadows always moved, and shifted, y'know? Like, there could've been something in one of them?"
"The irrational fear of shadows is called Sciophobia, and fear of the dark is Achluophobia."
"...and?"
"I'm the number one cause of both... and I'm paid to be."


[chapter xi]