Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 17)

Zander took it hesitantly, glancing at Derik.

Derik also hesitated, then shrugged. Jerica would get through this faster if she could throw a fit.

“… okay.” He dipped his head. “If you’re sure…” Was it Michael’s room? Septimus’s? What was the angle.

"Certainly." Gaius nodded.

“Thank you, then.” Zander dipped his head. “… I guess I should go get her, then?”

"If you wish. Might do to help her cool off now."

“Right, then.” Zander dipped his head and turned around.

“Near the end of this hall on the right,” Derik said, gesturing behind them towards where the parlor was.

“Right.” Zander nodded again and strode off.

Gaius reached the stairs.

Derik and Kieran followed him. Kieran thought he was far enough back Ash wouldn’t be able to hear him and whispered under his breath, “what’s the room?”

Derik shrugged. He didn’t have any idea.



Jerica had already gone through several waves of rage followed by tears followed by anger again. She was currently in one of her pissy moods, storming back and forth. “And then he didn’t even fucking tell me? Me? The fucking person it involves? How fucking shitty can you be?”

Zander heard her through the door and cringed, but knocked and then opened the door.

She whirled around. She glared intensely the moment her eyes locked on him. “What? My life not ruined enough for you yet?”

Zander held up the key. “Got a smash room if you wanna go break shit.”

Jerica hesitated then stormed towards him. “Fine. Where?”

(Kieran, you fool. You absolute buffoon)

"My father's room," Gaius replied from ahead. "And my brother's."

(Alas the classic blunder of being a very tiny child lolol)

Kieran’s eyes went wide when he realized he’d been caught. How embarrassing. He glanced at Derik, who made no move to help. So he blushed a little and dipped his head. “Oh… yes sir.” He nodded timidly. Why would you want Jerica to destroy your fathers bedroom? Did he not use it anymore?

(Couldn't ever have been me)

Gaius glanced over his shoulder at him.

(Oh it was absolutely me I ran my mouth so much lol adults were literally never neutral towards me. They either loved me or hated me and there was no in between lol)

Kieran shrank, dropping his gaze. “Sorry.”

(Hehehehe)

"I'm not offended." He shrugged. "Questions are how you learn, or so I'm told."

(Actually reminds me of a prof I had my freshman year of undergrad. I ended up going to the church he pastored and this man roasts the ever loving fuck out of me and it’s fantastic lol I’m usually really quick witted and he just leaves me having no idea whatsoever how to respond. Shuts me down quick lol it’s wonderful)

“…yes sir…” Kieran was quiet for a moment and then his curiosity got the better of him. “So your father doesn’t use his room anymore, sir?”

(Holy shit)

"He's dead," he replied evenly.

(He’s an English prof and one of our assignments was doing an MLA citation but we had to do it by hand not like EasyBib and I was a dumb straight out of high school kid and so I did my best but it wasn’t fantastic lol and everyone was struggling and going up to ask him for help before class. So I thought I had it but got paranoid because he made an assignment like “six people just showed me their paper and none of them had it right so I suggest you double check yours” and I go up to ask for help and I had assigned seating in the middle of the row third row back so right front and center and went up to ask for help and he told me he spotted two errors and I needed to “pay attention to the details” so I thank him and stare at my paper and go to sit back down and get like three steps down the row and realize I cut down the second row not the third so I quickly step back out and am like “maybe he’s distracted and didn’t see me—“ trying to convince myself it wasn’t an embarrassing mistake.
And he’s got a super deep voice and I just hear him go “details!” And then start laughing at me. And then all four years after that any time I would make a dumb mistake he would just go “details” and start laughing hahah rinse and repeat the roasting was constant)

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that, sir,” Kieran said.