J. Dorman Steele - Lunar Eclipse,Fourteen Weeks In Descriptive Astronomy, 1873.

J. Dorman Steele - Lunar Eclipse, “Fourteen Weeks in Descriptive Astronomy”, 1873. 

her smile grows as bubba becomes excited over the prospect of being taught. had the others not tried? it didn't seem like they didn't care for each other. maybe they just weren't aware this was an option. maybe it's a good thing she thought about it.

" okay, " she crosses her legs, balancing the book in her lap, " hold out y-your hand like this, " agatha holds her right hand up, her palm facing away from herself, " a-and bring your fingers down like this a-and h-hold your thumb against your pointer finger, j-just like this. " she follows the image in the book, doing as she instructs bubba to. " th-this i-is the sign for the letter 'a'. " agatha shows him her hand and the way her fingers are arranged. she looks up at him. " n-now you try, bubba. "

there were a handful of killers who didn't seem to speak, though whether it was because they couldn't or wouldn't was beyond the faerie. there was one that seemed to want to be able to communicate, though, and it was bubba. a few of the killers have been kind to her, bubba especially, and so she wanted to repay that kindness. she had certainly made attempts to speak with him, but only sounds came out of him, almost pig-like. if he couldn't communicate that way... agatha would find another way. she managed to get her hands onto some books and tapes about sign language, so maybe if she teaches him as she teaches herself, the two could communicate, right?

agatha brings him to the unused cabin in the woods, sprawling the books out over the old, slightly wobbly coffee table. she looks to bubba with a smile. " th-these are about sign language, bubba. i-it's a-another way people can c-communicate, a-and i— i-i think i can teach it to you. w-we can learn together! " her smile grows and she moves to sit beside him, picking up a book that was a guide for beginners. " let's see... " agatha hums softly, reading the introduction aloud to him before they get to the first chapter, learning to sign the alphabet. " okay, here we go, w-we're starting here, o-okay, bubba? "

His attention was on the books the faerie set down now. Head canting before looking to her. Sign language? What was that? People can communicate like that??

He was starting to fidget in the chair with excitement once it became clear that she was wanting to help him find a way to communicate with her and maybe even others that might know this sign language as well. With some squeals and fast nods to her, Bubba pressed his hands into his thighs as he waits more now for her to continue.

there's no hesitation when the wraith strikes. it's a cold and calculating fury. her blow begets supernatural strength - if the way the air is cold as death around her isn't enough of a hint to her status as inhuman. cold ice blue eyes lock to the man that had previously had his hands on the woman riah now stands in front of. her strike drew blood, sent the man to the ground, hard. she cracked bone - she knows that.

"leave." she gives the command, and watches as he scrambles up and runs off. she makes note of his appearance, of his energy signature. she'll hunt him later. for sport. to remove him from the gene pool. he doesn't belong. men like that... never will. but he is to be a concern later. the concern now is the woman. she turns to her, gently resting her hands on her shoulders, trying to give a gentle, grounding force.

"are you alright? are you injured?" her tone changes dramatically, as does her gaze. she's gentle, warm and caring now. searching for any discomfort that might linger. "let me walk you somewhere safe. your home or some place you feel safe in. i want to make sure you end this night alright."

it was a bit late when she finally closed up the shop. her boss had asked her to organize the shop before she left and that she was happy to do so. he was getting on in years, after all, so he wasn't able to lift and move around quite as well as agatha can. finally she finishes up in the shop, makes sure the back door is locked, turns off all the lights and closes and locks the front door behind herself. flipping through her her keys until she finds the one for her car as she makes her way toward it, working to unlock it until she's grabbed and pressed against her car. a mix of panic and fear flashes in agatha's eyes, her heart quickly beginning to race a mile a minute.

she feels his hands on her, searching her pockets. " please, i-i d-d-don't have anything y-you could want— " but she's silenced by the point of a knife pressing into her back, feeling a bead of warmth where it presses to her skin. biting her lower lip to muffle a whimper, she shuts her eyes tight and just hopes that maybe he'll find she's telling the truth and he'll leave her alone, or she's going to get stabbed, or worse, but agatha quickly realizes it's not something she has to worry about when she feels him being pulled off of her. turning and looking up just in time, she sees the harsh blow being delivered to his face. the air was strangely cold now for a comfortably warm spring night, and that coldness seems to be radiating off of the woman that came to her aide.

agatha watches the man scramble to his feet and runs off, exhaling shakily once he's out of sight, tears welling in her eyes. gods, that could've been worse. way worse if not for this woman's intervention. agatha especially appreciates her hands on her upper arms, feeling the comfort of being grounded, that she would be okay, she is okay now. " n-no, i— i-i th-think he cut into me a little, b-b-but i-i don't think it'll w-warrant a hospital visit. " presuming the knife was clean, of course, but her body'll fight it off. " m-m-my h-home is too far to w-walk, a-and i don't think i could walk very f-far right now, so i-if— if you d-don't m-mind a little bit of a drive, y-you're more than welcome to accompany regardless. " the woman's presence is already calming her, feeling less shaky, her heartrate returning to normal as her breathing steadies. " i-i would like the company, i-i-if y-you don't mind. "

anyone mind ripping my spine out for me

" i-i don't think i'd want a d-diamond r-ring... i mean, y-you see them everywhere, y-you know? a-and n-not that they're not b-beautiful! i-i think they're very beautiful, but i-i guess... i'd just like something a little more u-unique someday, y-you know? something... " agatha trails away, humming a sigh. " s-something green, l-like an emerald! it's pretty a-and sturdy. i-it'd s-s-stand out a little more than d-diamond a-and it's unique! "

starter call!