"Um.. H-Hi. I-I know this might seem creepy and all, but... please don't blow me off, okay?"
It takes a moment before I remember her. The girl from the hospital, how... how the hell did she find me?
"Someone... this uh, Knox I think... he told me I could find you here. I mean, I've been looking all over for you, I thought I'd never find you but I... I just wanted to... I... I don't know. You saved my life, I.. feel like I need to thank you. Like I need to repay you. I don't know how but- Oh. I almost forgot, I'm Heather, Heather Poe." She suddenly seems to realize she's rambling like a lunatic. "I'm... not weirding you out or anything, am I?"
"Unless your eyes go white and you start vomiting black pitch you're going to have to do a lot worse than follow me around to weird me out."
"I don't-" She looks at me like she's just noticing that I look like an Evil Dead/Road Warrior reject who smells like Poseidon's piss. "Oh my god, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, it's been a wild night." I lean back, hands on my hips while I size her up. "You're looking much better though! Glad to see you're doing okay."
"Only because of you!"
Something's wrong. She was too quick with that. Her voice was too desperate. Something isn't right.
"Are you... are you sure you're alright?"
"Y-Yeah! Here, um... I wasn't sure what... I mean, while I was looking for you, I got you this."
She hands me a small, silver box. I take it slowly, keeping my eye on her for any sudden movements. She's too eager to get me to take it. Once it's in my hands, I notice the lid. I give her a last quick glance before looking at the box and flipping it open, knowing full well that I am nothing if not ready and willing to walk into a trap.
I almost drop it when the music drifts out.
Directly underneath the lid is a glass covering, little gears spinning slowly beneath it. It's the same soft, mechanical melody you always hear coming from a music box, but this tune... maybe it's the complete and utter shitfire of hell I've been through, but it might be the sweetest tune I've ever heard. I stare at it for I don't know how long. When I finally close the lid, Heather's voice seems just as soft.
"I didn't... know if you'd like it."
"I..." I don't know what to say. "...thank you. It's... thank you."
She starts wringing her hands and looking away.
"I was hoping... I mean... if you want, maybe... maybe we could... grab some coffee, sometime?"
Oh no.
"Heather, I'm not..."
She starts stammering so fast I'm not sure I can understand her.
"I didn't mean- I didn't mean like that! I just, I really want to be with you! Ugh, no I'm sorry that sounded-"
Something's wrong here and I'm not doing anything until I find out what.
"Look, Heather... I've got a place, unit 4 in the Skyline lofts. Could you drop by there later? I think we need to-"
"Really?!" It's like a six year old being told they're going to Disney World. Or Disney Land. I forget which is the shitty one. She gives me a hug that could strangle a horse. "Thank you! Thank you, I'll be right over! You won't regret this, I promise! Promise!"
She hurries off before I can think of anything to say. I don't know what's going on here, I've got to ask someone. Tung, probably. Maybe Jack. Hopefully it's nothing too serious.
Speaking of my place.
I head down to where the Skyline Lofts should be according to what I remembered from the map.
Better looking place than Trip's Pawnshop, anyway. I glance across the street at the abandoned building towering over my new apartment.
Cute, LaCroix. Real cute.
There's an elevator not far from the main door. The entryway is small, but clean and well kept. Almost sanitary. Positively frightening. I ride the elevator up to the fourth unit.
Not bad at all. Modern gothic, quite appropriate. I take the keycard LaCroix gave me and swipe it through the electronic lock. The light switches green and I push open the door.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
There's even a heavy duty trunk near the door. I'll have to head back to Santa Monica and scrounge together all my heavy duty weapons.
I make my way up the stairs, sliding my hand across the railing. I hope I'm not getting it too dirty. I might have to clean the place after I take a shower. I open the door nearest to the stairs and come into the master bedroom.
A little spartan but I've got plenty of time to decorate. There's a pair of dressers in the corner of the room. I cross my fingers.
Yes! Yesssssss! Oh
god, yes!
I grab them in a bundle and run into the bathroom, peeling off what's left of my dress and jumping into the shower. One good, long scrubbing session later, put on my well earned clothes and step out onto the landing.
Next Update:
A Hardcore, Pimp Killing, Cleopatra Jones
