Darkened Alleys (closed for dreamwalker)

[scarlettnuit]

Vivien sat on a park bench watching the menagerie of people that came and went. She pulled up her knees and rested her sketch book on her thighs. She began to sketch the great tree that was in the distance and the children playing under it, her fingers becoming blackened by the charcoal. She wasn’t noticed much by the people who passed, which she preferred. She had made no effort to stand out, wearing simple black skinny jeans, black boots and of course, a black t-shirt. She could have been mistaken for a black and white picture had it not been for the shock of red hair that fell down to her shoulders and framed her face.

She continued to sketch, finding solace in the world she now created on the page before her. Her black rimmed green eyes were able to take the complicated images before her and commit them to paper. Everything was simpler on paper, in only two dimensions. When she finally finished the picture she looked up to see that dusk was upon the world and her light was dying. She put her sketch pad and charcoals into her messenger bag and slung it over her shoulder, trying, with futility, to wipe the black smudge from her fingers to her black jeans.

Not caring that her motion had been unsuccessful she started walking out of the greenery that was Central Park and into the gray and brown streets of the city proper. She crossed the street and headed down into the subway. She bumped into one of the well-dressed businessmen that took the subway so that they could impress their hipster friends, and then made her way onto the train. She looked back out of the train’s shutting door to discover the man had been watching her walk onto the train, a lascivious smile on his face. As the doors shut, she smiled and waved his walled between her fingers as the train started to take off. He suddenly tried to chase the train, though it was a moot point.

After several stop, she exited the train. She took the cash out of the wallet she had stolen and then tossed it onto tracks after train had left. She rushed up subway stairs and into the streets of Brooklyn and towards the closet she called and apartment. It was getting darker and the neighborhood she lived in wasn’t exactly pedestrian safe after dark.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Victor was stirring from his slumber. He rolled out of bed and looked at it. Honestly, it wasn't as comfortable as other places, but appearances were necessary. The bed had to looked lived in so he managed.

Tonight it was all about finding a particular someone. He had a vague idea of the neighborhood she was in. For the last few days he had seen where she came and went, to a small radius. However, he wasn't sure exactly where her head laid down.

See, Victor wasn't the latest victim of wallet thefts, but he was a victim. Sometimes he made himself looking like an easy mark because it brought people to him. What should have been feeding and tossing away what was beneath him, wasn't.

Something about her eyes. She didn't know he could see her when taking his wallet. Victor was touched, or cursed some would argue, by the supernatural. He was an eternal snapshot thanks to the blood that ran through his veins.

It only cost him his soul and needed him to feed on sanguine. Honestly, he didn't mind either. The day stripped him of abilities, made him weaker, but at least the man didn't sparkle like a stripper upon meeting the sun's rays. Still, he could wander in it with some ease. Also, he could eat food, but it was like eating when you were hungry. The food tasted great, but it wasn't really what was wanted. Plus, the way to get rid of it was unpleasant and if people were around they'd wonder if he had a dietary sickness.

Eventually he showered, groomed, dressed himself and took off. The area was a good walk away, but he didn't mind. The darkness just grew more and it wasn't like Victor was afraid of people. Most vampires weren't.

Victor was dressed in a black coat, one hat twas a heavy fabric with buttons that was versatile for casual and business. A pair of dark grey slacks was on his person. Short chocolate brown hair was atop of his head and his light brown eyes just looked at the sights of the area before he began to walk around the area where the thief lived. Now, it was to find his prey.

 

[scarlettnuit]

She stopped off at the liquor store and bought a small bottle of cheap vodka. She exited the store and had the uncomfortable feeling that she was being watched. She looked around for a moment and then cautiously proceeded towards her apartment.

She turned down the dark narrow alley that led to her door and saw Ethel. She had been living on the streets for who knows how long, and now the middle aged woman had become a common character in her life. It was cold out and Ethel was snoozing under dozens of blankets. Vivien tried to help her when she could, but she rarely had enough money for herself. She tucked the small bottle of vodka in Ethel’s arm and then walked to door to her apartment.

It took a few moments to get the narrow wooden door open, but the lock finally gave. It never worked properly and of course, the landlord would never fix it. She closed the door behind her, trying to get it to latch unsuccessfully. It gave up and headed up the narrow stairs. The building was an old one and she supposed these had been the servant’s stairs at one time.

When trudged up until she was on the very last landing. Her apartment was a converted bit of the attic. It was either freezing cold or swelteringly hot, always extremes, much like herself. She closed the door behind her and plopped down on her twin mattress that filled up most of the room. A tiny bathroom, a bed, and a tiny counter with a tiny sink and a hot plate were the elements of her home, though there was a sky light that often made up for everything else it lacked. She laid down on her bed and placed her hands behind her head as she looked up at what stars had broken through the light pollution and tried to relax. Something didn’t feel right and she wasn’t quite sure what it was.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Victor kept watching. He saw the trip into the liquor store. How, she slid up into a cheap apartment. An idea formed in his mind. Moving up to her stares feather light, Victor gathered two fifties from his wallet. He then slid them under her door. Quietly, he moved down the steps and went tot he bottom floor just to listen. His ears were sharp as he was seeing if the start of a plan would have been taken.

 

[scarlettnuit]

She heard the shushed scraping of the money being slid under her door and got up. She walked to the door and picked up the money wondering where it came from. She opened the door and looked around before rushing down to the bottom floor, where she saw a stranger standing.

“Is this yours?” she asked, since she saw no one else there. “Do you think I’m some kind of prostitute or something?” she asked as she held out the money for him to take back. “I think you have the wrong door at any rate.” She told him, trying to calm her temper.

She wasn’t sure why the act had angered her so, but it did. Perhaps it was the fact that she truly needed the money, or perhaps it was the fact that someone else knew this carefully guarded secret. She enjoyed her solitude and to have someone impose on it, even more dastardly, to notice her circumstances, chipped away her sense of security.

“Who the hell are you anyway…how did you get in here?”

Very few knew of the tiny door, even fewer that there was an apartment above…had he been following her?

 

[Dreamwalker85]

Victor ignored the first questions. He already knew the answers, so there was no need to address them. "I'm here because you stole from me, a week ago. Cops are slow. I would have given you the money if you asked not because I'm a kind man, but because sometimes money is more inconsequential to me than it is you." He took a few steps toward the woman. "I'm not here to take back my money, I'm not here to kill you either so whatever idea of extreme personalized justice out of your head. I was just coming here to see if you were worth it." What that "It" referred to hung in the answer because that was something he had not address either.

He looked deep into her eyes and asked, "Why do you steal anyway?" Vivien would have felt compelled to answer. Something inside her just urged at her, like it was okay to tell every little detail as to why. This was what happened when a vampire strong enough urged some honesty.

 

[scarlettnuit]

"Because I don't make enough to live on and no one will hire me..." she said and then blinked a few times. She very rarely gave any information about herself willingly and she didn't enjoy the fact that she had just spewed some to someone who had been a mark.

"Anyway, why give me money instead of getting it back?" She told him as she thought about where she would move to next. She didn't like anyone knowing where she resided. Harder years had taught her to be wary of being found. It took her a few moments to realize that he had said something else.

"Well, I'm not worthy of your money." she told him, assuming that was the "it" of which he spoke. She shoved it back in his pocket and started to walk away.

 

[Dreamwalker85]

"Then, I will hire you. Consider that a down payment," Victor said casually about the matter, like this was going to happen. "What do you do?" the second question came out and he forced a little will upon it. Right now, he was trying to get information because something about this thief intrigued him. So, he was going to find out, even if her lips weren't so loose normally. "What are your going rates?" again more of his will was pressed into the words that came from his lips. Oh, it was really hard to answer these questions honestly.

 

[scarlettnuit]

She got irked at his presumption that he could simply do with her as he wished, as if she was some peasant on his estate. She clenched her jaw and gave him a look of incredulity.

“I’ll be fine oh gracious one, but thank you for taking the time to look down upon the peon who so wronged you.” She told him as she shoved his money back in his pants pocket. Just as she was about to leave him where he stood, he asked about her going rates. She turned around in a fury and slapped him hard.

“I am NOT a prostitute you egotistical amoeba! “she yelled, perhaps getting the wrong end of the stick. “Stay away from me or I’m going to call the cops.” She told him seriously, despite the emptiness of the threat.

She walked back up to her room and slammed the door so hard the window rattled. How dare he! As if she were nothing more than chattel to be bartered!