Siren Awakened - C.R. Jane Page 0,68
glamour of the city as you could get. As I walked, I passed trash cans and puddles that I was pretty sure were filled with urine. I went around the rear of the dilapidated Italian restaurant that filled up my apartment with annoying aromas that only served to remind me how hungry I was all the time. Shadows crowded in around me, and I pushed into a jog, always a little surprised at how much lighter and agile I felt since starting my gym workouts and starting to eat healthier. Didn’t make me like the Vepar any more though. I missed my burgers and fries too much.
At the back of my rundown apartment, I grabbed an upside-down milk crate tucked near the wall and set it beneath the metal ladder just out of reach. I got up and seized the base of the fire escape ladder, then pulled it down. I made my way up, and once I reached the metal platform of the winding stairs, I kept going upward to the third floor. A cool breeze fluttered under my ponytail, cooling my neck, and bringing with it a tomato and garlic smell from across the alley, enticing a growl out of my stomach.
I avoided the front entrance since I was behind on my rental payments and the landlord lived on the ground floor. Like a hawk, he watched everyone who came and went, and I hoped to buy myself a few more days before I paid him by avoiding entering from the front.
Once I got to my window, I jiggled the wooden frame at the corner until it gave way. I then dragged the window up and climbed inside. Shutting it behind me, I locked it and switched on the light.
A studio apartment was all I needed, the bed on one end of the room, and the kitchen and a small table on the other side. The walls remained bare as I’d been on an unsuccessful hunt at flea markets since I’d moved in, looking for just the right images to hang. I toed off my shoes, kicking them aside, and walked across my cushioned rug that was one of the few things I had been able to find that I liked. It was the color of the brightest sky and always made me smile when I looked at it. A neighbor had held a sale and he sold it to me for twenty dollars. A bargain for sure.
I made my way to the fridge while unzipping my work uniform and shuffling it down my body as I walked. I tossed the uniform on the table, then reached into the fridge for the spinach and feta quiche and juice that I was rationing for dinner this week. The chef at work snuck me leftovers a few days ago after hours, saving my life this week since I wouldn’t be able to afford any groceries with Greg cutting my check.
As part of the healthy living instigation, every morning, free bananas were made available by vendors on the sidewalk, all covered by the Vepar to encourage a healthy breakfast. The fruit went fast, so every morning at six a.m., I was down there, waiting for my small bag of goodies. Bananas and quiche would have to work this week.
By the time I finished my meager dinner, it was almost time for Cherry to arrive. I hurriedly jumped into the shower and got dressed for the night. I spun in front of the mirror in my black dress examining myself. The dress had spaghetti straps and cinched in at my waist. It also had a skirt that flowed in waves, falling about mid-thigh. It was my favorite dress and made me feel pretty which was a hard task with how worn down I always felt nowadays. I dried and styled my hair, a workout in itself since my long dark locks reached half-way down my back. I parted it at the side and sprayed the ends to keep the natural curl I had always liked. I was just picking up my mascara when a knock sounded at the door.
All I could hope was that it wasn’t my landlord and instead was Cherry running a few minutes early. Please don’t let it be him.
The knock came again, and I exhaled the breath I’d been holding onto. I moved to the door, avoiding the wooden floorboards that creaked, and peered through the peep-hole.
Cherry stood there, wearing a grumpy expression, blowing a breath of air