Chapter Text
Gem paced back and forth in the back of the store.
A phone call.
That's how they'd chosen to break the new of Scar's disappearance to the staff.
The General manager called, announced it in his usual monotone emotionless voice and added "will you be able to train his replacement tomorrow night ?"
Gem hated that, Impluse had to snatch the phone and answer before she could explode on him.
There were no customer to see Gem like that but she was still a pretty sad sight, she was angry and rightfully so. Nobody cared ! Scar was GONE, missing, possibly DEAD! And they couldn't care less about him !
Impluse couldn't help but feel like the tension in the store was going to suffocate him as he watched her walk in a circular motion.
"Four days !" Gem mumbled, loud enough for Impluse to hear. "he's been missing for LESS than a WEEK and they're already filling his position ?!" her tone got louder, it dripped of annoyance and disbelief even to her own ears.
"Gem... It's been four days and we're struggling to cover his shifts. This store cannot run on two people." Impluse tried to reason with her but he knew deep down that was fucked up.
He also had trouble accepting the reality of what they had just learn, everything in there was still reminiscent of Scar's presence in the shop. And now he was missing ? This didn't feel real.
Gem took a deep breath, she had to remind herself. Even if the store was closed and only Impluse was with her, she had to act professional.
Or at least somewhat fake it.
"This is my job..." She said outloud, more for herself than for Impluse. "I need this job."
Impluse grabbed his broom and offered Gem a tired smile. "You should head home. I'll clean this store and lock the doors."
Gem opened her mouth but when she saw her coworker's face, the protest died in her throat. She knew she could,'t change his mind and she was too tired to try.
"Thanks Impluse... I'll make it up to you."
Impluse simply nodded. "Goodnight Gem !"
" 'night Gramps !" she answered as she simply walked to her locker.
Gem took off her employee badge, grabbed her bag and she was out the door.
She did try to ignore the horrible feeling that something was deeply wrong as she waited for the bus on her phone. Scrolling on social media usually kept her mind busy, but not tonight.
Tonight Gem's mind kept drifting back to unpleasant things, tomorrow's training, Scar's disappearance, the increasing numbers of... Those things. She didn't like to call them doppelgangers.
Yes it was the correct word but it sounded awfully like out of a fairy-tale for children. Those things weren't fables, they were real and dangerous ! This just felt like... humanzing almost ?
Gem immediately banished the thought. Those things had nothing of humans. Nothing.
Gem's bus ride was silent, not even the noise of the videos on her phones seemed to reached her.
Finally, she turned off her phone and walked in silence to her appartement where she immediately let herself fall on her bed, exhausted.
She turned her phone back on just to verify that her alarm for tomorrow was up, then she closed her eyes.
Gem closed her eyes and tried so hard to fall asleep, to make the voice in the back of her head shut up.
Scar was gone.
no. no he wasn't gone, he was going.
Gem was staring right at him.
He took off his badge, and employee vest.
She watched him with attention.
Scar was going?
Yes, Scar was going home.
Still Gem stared at him, observing every movement like he might betray some sort of act he was putting on.
She expected something to be wrong.
But nothing was.
Scar was going home.
He walked using his cane like Gem saw him do hundreds of times before.
He walked.
He walked toward the back door like always.
And Gem followed him.
So Scar turned to Gem, with his big usual smile he said:
"See you tomorrow !"
And Gem waved him goodbye.
Gem didn't say it back.
She should have say it back.
she should have...
Gem woke up with the worst headache, she struggled to sat down in her bed.
Nobody likes nightmares, Gem hated them so much.
After 10 mintues, she got up and started to walk slowly toward her bathroom.
She needed cold water.