...she finds a clean apartment.

The metro ride back home felt odd. It wasn't raining and the sun wasn't fully down yet. Even still the memories of first being contacted filled Jess with an uncomfortable yet enticing sensation. The carriage was full and this made Jess more withdrawn during the ride.

Upon leaving the underground and walking the block or so back home, she realized she was feeling better and better as the sun disappeared below the horizon.

HE HAS DONE MUCH

HE HAS DONE WELL

HE WILL BE THE ONE THAT WILL BRING THE REST

She knew who the voice was referring too. But was curious to see for herself how much this oddly familiar stranger had done.

Somehow, she knew that in the lobby of her apartment building she would be greeted by Elle. It felt so predictable that she didn't even acknowledge her, instead walking straight passed into the elevator, which Elle accompanied her into.

"How long have you been here?" Jess asked her guide from the last few days.

"Does it matter? Maybe I just watched you leave, then come back. Maybe I don't exist anymore when you're not around. Haha." Elles laugh was mildly unsettling. And yet Jess still found the humor, somehow.

The lift stopped and Jess left, along with now inhuman looking friend, stomping out with the enlarged arm Elle casually had made appear. Jess hadn't seen her neighbors since this had all begun and still hadn't realized they seemed extra absent of late.

Elle opened up the door to Jess's apartment. Jess walked in to see her place far cleaner than it had ever been. The bookshelf organized. The counters cleaned. The kitchen sink empty. And David in the middle of cooking. Pasta.

David turned to look at Jess and the nonhuman Elle. His face still flushed with terrified admiration. "You've returned. I hope this meal pleases you."

"It smells great." Jess responded in honesty.

"Disrobe." Elle said oddly normally in spite of her multi-tongued mouth.

"What? Why?" Jess was wildly confused.

DISROBE

"I want to test something."

Jess felt like she could ask the Elle but not the voice. And so, she stripped nude in front of them three. Elle and the voice didn't respond, but David did. As he placed a plate of the pasta onto the prepped table he looked towards Jess's nude body. His horror abated leaving almost nothing but admiration and something new. Joy.

"Oh yeah, this is perfect." Elle said deviously.

TIME

"Yes, this next part will take time." Jess only had an inkling of what Elle was talking about.