Keys To The Hearts

Chapter Thirteen

Hard, solid, tiny stones grounded below Keyara's shoes clad feet as she continued dragging them over the sandy ground. Dried mud grained into sands and every step Keyara took cause a faint, yellowish smog to appear. As she walked along with long, endless path, she unconsciously kicked a small rock that blocked her way and continued her journey into the alleyway.

In that dim light that oozed out through a narrow opening lied the alleyway. It was the dark underworld for anyone, gloomy and always unpleasant. The climbing vines flowed up the walls and the crumbling plasters enveloping those old, broken bricks might appear friendly at first but the eerie silence and unsaid warning becomes daunting when the sun sets behind the skyline of chimney.

Keyara rolled her eyes at the litters laying around the street and loose bird nest tucked between some scrawled roots. As she followed the path, darkness followed her like her shadow.

It was until a quick turn at the right led Keyara to the narrow stairs. The end of the steps helped the incomers with a little, yellow light as the lamp hung above the rusted door.

Keyara walked down the steps carefully, standing on her toes to make sure she wasn't making any sounds. Her fingers wrapped around the handle of the door, feeling the powder of the rust digging into her skin yet she paid no heed to the itch.

The dimmed sight on the other side of the door was something Keyara was used to. As usual, a skinny woman with white and pink hair stood behind the broken counter. Her undercut hairstyle stood out with the word 'SKULL' on the back of her head in a curvy way. The left part of her white hair was tied into a messy bun while the pink part was left out open as it hung over her right shoulder.

Her black lipstick coated lips parted as she grinned, her left canine shining in silver.

"Yes, how can I help you?" she asked in a raspy voice, winking. The piercing on her tongue begged for attention but Keyara wasn't in a mood to deal with her, not now. "You want someone?"

Keyara put on a deadly face. "Zero."

She tilted her head, a ghost of a smirk hovering over her full lips. "He's busy. But he wouldn't mind a buffet."

"Zero," Keyara repeated but this time a glare breaking through her placid mask.

That woman stopped swaying. She pulled her lip into her mouth and nodded when Keyara placed the white card on the countertop. "You know where."

Keyara nodded and left when a bulky guy came half naked and grabbed the girl's waist from behind. The last thing Keyara saw was both of them making out before she entered another door, this time with a much brighter sight but with no less of a grosser scene than before.

She knocked on the door twice and the couple engaged in a heated make out session looked up with a glare. However, being completely unfazed, Keyara crossed her arms and waited.

The guy spared Keyara a scrutinizing glare until he realized he couldn't win a losing battle. He cursed loudly and threw the girl who was busy sucking the life out of his neck on the couch before grabbing a 100$ dollar note from his jeans pocket.

He slammed it down on the table. "See you next month."

Keyara collected the note and went out of the door, as she walked up to the counter to retrieve her card. Once she was done with her business, she exited the door before walking out of the alleyway, finally feeling like she could breathe.

The wall supported her back as she breathed out.

One, two, three, four, five.

She repeated that in her mind again and again, while breathing in and out. She was aware this place was dangerous yet she needed that money, although it was for stupid reason.