𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓⁰²ʰᵉᵐᵐⁱⁿᵍˢ

ㅤㅤㅤ iii ──haunts

asari
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I always held LA to such a high standard.

I didn't know why. Maybe it was because of Hollywood's portrayal of it, that it's all glitz and shiny actors, trophy wives, and stars on the sidewalks. But upon arrival, when I set foot on the bus station, my eyes set straight forward at the sidewalk across the street - tents stood wavering at the slight wind passing cars would make, the homeless residing by the curb.

I lived in a building where you'd anticipate the stairs to give out at any moment, the windows looked as though they hadn't been cleaned, set wonderfully across an abandoned building that may have had some squatters residing in it - which I ignored as though I didn't know this.

Living with other people wasn't unfamiliar to me, however, living with two other people that I barely knew was a different story.

My running away from home was, for the poorer of fortune, planned. It struck me like a wrong chord when I lost my brother. I should leave swarmed my every thought, and it felt like the right thing to do.

It took about a day to search for a place to rent, and thankfully, I found that a girl named Darlene Hood was renting out a bedroom. So I called her up, asked about the rent and how much I'd have to contribute.

She, understandably hesitant, had to ask why my situation seemed so dire, as I'd added that I was hoping to move in a day or two from then. Out then went my plans, over the phone and ultimately pushing me into the side of her empathy.

It was to some comfort that I was of legal age and that she herself wouldn't get into any trouble if my parents found me.

So I came to live with her and her brother Calum.

They were a rocky pair that often fought - about why her "misunderstanding" him and his situation was pissing him off, about why he refused to get a job, but they always smoothed things out by the end of the day, even if that meant carrying out the argument onto the next evening.

He slept in the living room, I having taken his room to Darlene's request after explaining to him that I deserved it more since he didn't even pay rent and that I was.

It seemed that I had no say in the matter, but I would've gladly taken the couch.

I learnt Calum had been an addict, on the road of recovery, which is why he moved in with Darlene so that she could keep an eye on him.

Calum didn't have much of a choice in the say, since he was desperate to hide from his dealer, who he owed a "couple grand" from. So since he moved in, he hadn't stepped out, in fear that he and Darlene would be found.

Much to their luck, his dealer didn't know Calum had a sister, so that's working out I guess.

I realised I got myself out of a sticky situation by moving into another, maybe stickier, situation, and that I should've been looking for better places to live in, or better people to know. But then again, I'd grown to like the pair, and Calum made some good bacon and scrambled eggs after a whole year of mastering the art.

I pushed open the creaky wire doors and entered the 6th floor's hallway, the greenish lights overhead lighting up the spaces terribly as it sort of only served as a guide for you to know which bulb you should stop at, and not so much as a "light" to actually light the hallway up.

I kept my eyes peeled at the 10th bulb and stopped when I stood directly under it, watching it flicker for a moment before I took out my keys and turned to open the door by my left.