Page 157 of Broken Omega

“Under the sink. We should move Brooke’s prosthetic, so it doesn’t get ruined. I don’t know where to put it.”

“Her what?” I ask, feeling like I didn’t hear him properly.

“The burn she made,” River explains.

“Right,” I remember. “Wait. Shemadethat?”

“I think it might be her thing,” River says. “I’ll go get it.”

Her thing. I remember her telling me she had ideas to start a business, but she never got around to telling me what for. She seemed a little shy about it, actually.

River comes back into the room with the piece of rubbery flesh. It looks like something from a horror movie. A realistic bit of burned skin, with blistering.

“Holy shit,” I murmur. “She made this.”

“It’s pretty cool, right?” River says.

“I’ve seen burns that look like that on the job,” Donnie adds. “Whatever she used as a reference, it’s pretty spot on.”

This is Brooke’s dream. What she would have been doing if she hadn’t been trapped at Goldcrest.

She has a real talent, and, clearly, it’s something she’s passionate about.

She’s been hiding it. She didn’t even feel comfortable enough to tell me.

It makes me mad that she’s had to do that.

That she couldn’t follow her dream.

Her father’s controlled her life for way too long.

It’s time we set her free of his chains.

RIVER

Kellan uses the shower after me, taking his time in the bathroom while I look for a place to put Brooke’s prosthetic burn. I don’t know a lot about SFX makeup, but I love a good movie, especially a good horror movie. Effects like this are part of the movie’s magic.

I’d love to watch Brooke work on something, to see how she does what she does.

“Some of the kitchen cupboards are empty,” Donnie reminds me. “The ones above the sink might be a decent place to keep it safe.”

“Good idea,” I tell him.

This way nothing’s going to spill or be spilled on it.

I’d hate to ruin the piece she made to escape the academy.

She should frame it or something.

I open the cupboards until I find a clean, clear, empty spot to set it down.

“I offered to take the couch,” Donnie tells me as I navigate my way around the table.

The room is a bit dark, but it’s not pitch black. It’s still light outside. The shades don’t quite block it out all the way. I get under the covers on the inflatable mattress.

“Kellan wants to take things slow,” I murmur, glancing in the direction of the bathroom.

The shower’s still running. I feel a little strange talking about him, even if it’s with Donnie.

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