A to Z Challenge - P is for Plan

This is part of one story covering the entire Challenge.

If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.

P IS FOR PLAN

The moment the door of the restroom opened, the remains of the monster vanished. The college-aged goth who entered only saw Abby sprawled out on the floor. "Uh, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Abby replied, picking herself up with the aid of the sink. "I hurt my ankle recently and there was a bit of water on the floor and I slipped."

"Oh. Okay." The goth shrugged and locked herself in one of the stalls.

Her wrist and ankle throbbed in unison. Abby limped out of the restroom and paused to stare out the windows to reassure herself of a certain fact: it was daytime. A monster attacked her while the sun was up. It wasn't possible. Okay, well, it obviously was possible, but it shouldn't be.

Abby exited the cafe and breathed in the cool air. People walked by her, and she got a few strange looks. She wanted to tell them stranger things were going on in town than seeing a tussled woman without her jacket outside in November. And whatever strange thing was going on knew she was there to stop it. It underestimated her by sending one monster after her, but it wouldn't do so again.

"Abby." Demetrius called as he came outside. When she didn't turn, he put her jacket over her shoulders and nudged her chin with his fingers to turn her head his way. "Abby. What's going on?" His eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

"I was attacked in the restroom." She slipped her arms through her jacket sleeves and pulled it tighter around her. "By a monster."

"What?" Demetrius' face hardened and his hands clenched into fists.

"It's dead. It's gone." Abby waved it off. The monster was no more. There was something bigger ahead of them. Something the writer was involved with. "Have you learned anything from Burrows? She has to know something."

"No, nothing useful. I can't manage to steer the conversation in the direction I want to go." He grunted with the admission, and Abby couldn't help but smirk a little. "All she wants to talk about is me, and how she enjoys chocolate truffles and long massages."

"Maybe if you give her a massage, she might talk what you want to talk about."

Demetrius made a small choking sound. Abby had to muffled a snicker.

"Okay. Here's the new plan." Abby hugged herself tighter. "Go back inside and tell Burrows that I'm not feeling well. You're going to take me back to our hotel room so I can rest. Invite her to dinner, but say you want to have a private dinner. Since I'm at the hotel, the other logical option is her house. I bet she'll suggest it on her own, but if she doesn't, do it yourself. She won't say no to you. Then we'll both show up tonight and have a chat with her."

"Done." Demetrius turned and went back inside. Two minutes later, he was back and handed her the backpack. "Dinner at her house at seven o'clock."

"Good. This has to end tonight." Abby didn't protest as he put an arm around her to lead her away from the cafe. He was warm and strong. She needed that right now, because the night would bring the cold and then she would have to be the strongest one. If she wasn't, she was certain she would die tonight.