Lethal Love

Kiara

As I walked slowly through the long hallway, I paused. I was slightly hesitant of meeting someone in a place like this, especially at thirteen years old. The graffiti on the outside walls and the smell of cigarette smoke sure to stain my clothes almost made me turn around. But this was the one person that had it. And I so desperately needed it.

The hallways did not escape the wrath of the spray cans. Graffiti lined the walls here too, and as I looked, there were some that still glistened from the flickering fluorescent lighting hanging above me. The light just barely did its job, able to illuminate the middle of the path but still leaving small shadows around the edges.

"Ah. You're here," a voice drawled. I knew better than to jump. Jumping meant I was scared. And he did not like scared.

"Yes. I am," I said, just loud enough so he could hopefully hear me, but not loud enough as to give away the small quiver in my voice that would surely give away how hard my heart was pounding.

"Good. Do you have the money?" he asked. Where he was hiding, I didn't know. All I knew was he only made himself known when he wanted to, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Do you have the stuff?" I replied, reaching into my jacket pocket and pulling out a wad of cash that I'd managed to steal.

"Give me the money, little girl."

"Do you have the stuff?" I repeated. I wanted a solid answer.

"Yes! I do! Now give me my money!" he replied angrily

He stepped forward slightly, a shadow of light came onto his face, illuminating it ever so slightly. I gasped. His face could not be described as human, but as something far from it. He had long scars stretching from the top of his head to the corner of his mouth on the right side, which was so mangled it didn't even resemble a mouth anymore. The other side looked melted, as if he was a burn victim. His left eye was swollen shut, and I knew he couldn't see out of it anymore. His nose was long, and had obviously been broken many many times. There were circular splotches on his nose, as if lit cigarettes had been shoved on it.

I stepped back and nearly tripped. I steadied myself and forced myself to walk back to where I was. When he realized I saw him he walked back into the shadows.

"Yeah. You're precious GKE did this," he grumbled, and my heart sank. Even though he managed to terrify me, I still felt some sympathy.

"The GKE hurt me too," I said, my voice echoing off the walls, in an effort to slightly gain his trust.

"Yeah right. Now give me your money," he scoffed.

"My parents died in a GKE planned explosion," I said loudly.

"Oh, boohoo. Poor little girl. What are you, twelve? I lost everyone when I was five. I don't care about your sob story. Shut up and give me your goddamn money."

I stood there for a while, rooted to the spot in fear. Slowly, I forced myself to hold out the wad of cash.

"Here. But I want to see the merchandise first," I said, my voice cracking on the last word. I cringed and he chuckled.

He pulled out what I'd been needing so desperately. Shoving his arm out, a faint bit of light illuminated the shadow, so that I could see what he was holding. Three target bombs, a small handgun, a dagger, and a rifle, with a bag that I could sling over my shoulder, as well as ammunition for everything.

Satisfied, I started walking towards him.

"Here,"  I said, walking towards him with the cash.