October 31st
The worst of the storm was just beginning. The French Quarter was flooding fast. There were already massive amounts of water pooling in the streets. They knew they needed to leave quickly or the last train would have left. They raided a vacated house with Cal before he set out on his own path. He said he was tired of the costal atmosphere and longed for the cold solidarity of Alaska. Scarlett actually cried when he left again. Viktor took her hand and led her towards the train station. They repacked their things in an alley way two blocks out from the station. They left all clothes they had owned and replaced them with the ones from the home they had raided. One bag of clothes and one bag of tools was all they took. Anything that wasn’t essential to their survival or someone else’s demise was left behind. The wind was gusting and it blew Scarlett’s hair around her face and into Viktor’s. He got a hint of sweet orange and smiled. Her scent was delicious to him. He took her hand as they boarded the platform. They were the last to arrive to depart. He helped her board the train as he handed their tickets to the conductor.
“Welcome aboard Mr. and Mrs. LeBeau. You’re suite is in the fifth car.” He stamped their tickets and moved along. Luckily Mr. and Mrs. LeBeau were a couple who fell into the category of people they could kill. They were abusing their help; the maid and butler and kitchen hands were more eager to help than Scarlett would have expected. They divided the money between the servants and kept a fraction for themselves, and the servants were more than happy to let them. The head maid bowed and kissed Scarlett’s hand when she left thanking the gods that the angel of death finally came to release them. She didn’t like the metaphor but didn’t spoil their beliefs.
Scarlett smiled and looked back across the French Quarter as she stepped inside. They made their way to their suite and stored their luggage. They opened the extra large window and watched as the rain began to overtake the city. The river was rising quickly. The train whistle sounded as the brake released and the train began to pull away from the station. Viktor came up behind Scarlett, wrapped his arms around her resting his hands on hips and kissed her gently on the neck.
“You know what I love the most about the rain?” he whispered sweetly in her ear. She spun around, put her arms around his neck, kissed him and replied.
“It washes away the evidence.”
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