RESTLESS SPIRITS ▷ ELLIE WILLIAMS

CHAPTER THREE: I KNOW HOW THIS ENDS

**Trigger warning for description of a dead animal towards the end. Please read on your own risk**

Five crows meant sickness. Marlowe knew that. She watched the big black crows pick at grass through the morning layer of snow. From her kitchen window, Marlowe slowly made her way through a bowl of lukewarm oatmeal. The small clock on the window read 6:15 am. The alarm in the contraption had long since broken, but the clock still functioned. A blinking light flashed on her radio that sat charging on its stand. Marlowe pressed a button on the radio with the end of her spoon. A voice recording began to play through the kitchen.

"Hey, Mars," Lyla's voice groaned, "Ugh, sorry, but I don't think I'm going to be able to go on patrol this morning," There was a rustling from Lyla's side of the recording, "Shit, fuck," Something clattered in the background and Marlowe could hear someone giggling from the recording, "I wanted to let you know so you could find a replacement before you head off to the barn. Sorry, babe. See you this afternoon?"

The recording ended with a beep. Marlowe pushed a breath out of her lungs. She had thought that this might happen. They didn't allow patrols to be done alone, and now she had to find someone in the hour before her patrol.

"Who was that?"

Marlowe spun around to see Ellie standing in the hallway to the bedrooms. She was in one of Seeley's grey hoodies, a dark tan leather coat, and her jeans. Ellie crossed her arms in front of her chest, holding herself for warmth. Droplets of water still clung to her hair.

"Lyla," Marlowe answered and then set her spoon in her bowl, "I didn't hear you get up."

Ellie looked over her shoulder in the hallway, "I took a shower, too. If that's okay,"

Marlowe nodded and noticed as Ellie shivered. "Not a problem. I apologize that it was probably cold. The water heaters have been unreliable recently,"

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine," Ellie stepped into the kitchen. Her boots padded on the cold tile.

Of course, she was fine, Marlowe thought. They were all fine. Of all things they could be, fine was a luxury. Marlowe gestured to pans on the stove.

"There's scrambled eggs in the left pan, sausage in the right, and milk in the fridge. If you want tea, there is hot water in the kettle,"

Ellie took one of Marlowe's ceramic plates from the counter and piled food onto it. She couldn't remember the last time she had been presented with such a breakfast array. Pulling out one of the wooden chairs, Ellie sat down, stabbing her fork into the sausage.

"What was Lyla calling about?"

Marlowe swallowed a spoonful of oatmeal. "She isn't going to make it to patrol today. I think she had too much fun last night."

Ellie hummed, "Does she do that often?"

"No," Marlowe shook her head, her braided copper hair glinting in the morning sun, "She deserves to let loose a little. She's been very busy lately with patrols. I can let it slide for today. I just need to find someone else for my patrols."

Looking up, Ellie replied, "I can go with you."

"What?"

"I have experience," Ellie continued, "I do patrols in Jackson."

"For how long?"

"A couple of years,"

"Can you ride?" Marlowe asked,

"Yeah,"

Marlowe nodded to herself. If Ellie could go with her, it would lessen the time she would have to find someone else.