The Purpose

Chapter 1 - The Ring

                                                     One clear evening a rather worn looking young man walked out of his apartment in a rather cautious gait as gazelle weary of a lion nearby. This man was no different from a timid gazelle in the savannah. He too was trying avoid being prey to his landlord. He descended soft as a cat down the rickety metal stairs leaving a soft creak after his each step. He managed to reach the bottom and leave the premises before falling prey to his fearsome landlord. This young man has been avoiding his rent for the past five months, not because he's some shady bastard that refuses to pay up, but because his lacked the necessary funds to even eat a complete meal everyday. He would rely on the company of the maid of the landlord, Kathryne, who has always had a soft spot for Isaac. She'd make sure he has breakfast and dinner every day and every night. It was unusual for Isaac to leave his chambers as he did today. He walked past a park. Children were merrily playing, A couple was sitting on a bench, blissfully in love. The idea of love irritated Isaac. Probably because of his past endeavors. He would always make sure to stop by and take a breather by the park on the rare occasions he steps out but today however, he seemed preoccupied. His tweed coat flowing with the utter speed of his stride, his fedora giving a mysterious aura to those around him. 

                                                        He sped along into an alleyway further down the street. The scent of rotting garbage dampened the atmosphere around Isaac. He paid no mind to it and continued to hurriedly ascend up a fleet of stairs not so different from the one at his flat and stopped at the fifth floor. room number 5/13. He dreaded ringing the bell. He hesitated and hesitated. He finally gave in and rang once. A discordant creak of a bell echoes inside the apartment. After a while, bolts unlocked and the door cracked open just enough so that the occupant can see the unexpected visitor. A small figure appeared behind th door and a harsh feminine voice asked "Who is it?" Isaac replied "I'm Austin's associate, Isaac. He told me that I could meet you." His tone was clearly shaky and nervous which appears to have put the woman of the apartment at ease.

                                                       The lady let Isaac in. She had a small figure. Surely not taller than 5ft. She seemed to be in her late 50s as suggested by her silver hair and wrinkly skin. She had bags under her eyes as if she's been awake for weeks on end. Her voice was not at all a pleasant one. It was harsh and ragged. Isaac thought her voice sounded like nails against a chalkboard. Her apartment was anything but clean and organized. There were rags everywhere, a bucket of water was sitting dead in the middle of the room collecting what appeared to be leaking water, god knows where it's coming from. There was a crusty smell around the whole apartment which made Isaac even more uneasy. The curtains had stains and mildew was everywhere. The room was dark even with the evening sun outside. 

                                                      The old woman sat down on a chair placed next to a coffee table that had an overflowing ash-tray in the middle of it with several cigarette butts everywhere. She asked "Well? What do you want?" Isaac took a deep breath, forgetting about the crusty smell in the room and almost gagged. "I wish to acquire  a loan from you, miss-" "What'll be the collateral?" The woman interrupted. Isaac was getting visibly annoyed at this point. He placed a ring. Gold by the looks of it "This". The woman took a close look at it. "20 pounds, take it or leave it." "20 pounds is atrocious-" "Take it or leave it" The woman interrupted. "Fine" Isaac said with a sigh of defeat. The woman went inside the kitchen. and came back with the money and slammed it on the table, took Isaac's ring and said "Leave." Frustrated, Isaac left her apartment and went back into his apartment, Threw himself onto the sofa and buried his face in the cushion and slowly drifted to sleep.