The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld

Chapter Six

Koa was a little taken aback by their means of transportation. Out of every car that Halston had, they drove an old sedan to the Oracle. She was confused. There were so many better ways to get there—that is, until she saw where the Oracle lived.

They arrived at a tiny flat in a lower-class complex. A seedy hole in the wall that most people of means would try to avoid. Koa knew better than to judge, though. Her childhood home wasn't much better. She knew what it was like to be dirt poor.

She overlooked the dilapidated buildings and pot holes in the street and looked into the faces of the children. They played in the street with nothing more than their imaginations. She knew what it was like to not even have a toy. Most people would have felt uncomfortable in this neighborhood.

Koa felt the exact opposite, and she was glad that Halston had chosen the old sedan instead of a shiny Maserati or Mercedes. She would have felt ashamed in the midst of these unfortunate people.

Halston stopped the car and they stepped out into the sunset. Halston closed the door and looked over the car at her. "Are you ready?"

Koa nodded quickly. "I am. I've been waiting to finally meet her." She smiled and Halston did the same.

"Good. She has been looking forward to meeting you too. Don't forget that she can be dangerous though."

"Please, she's a sweet old lady," Koa replied as she followed behind Halston to the woman's flat.

"And she can be more dangerous than a man with a gun," Halston said over his shoulder.

Koa just nodded when they stopped before a door. Halston knocked.

Koa smiled at a little boy who nearly ran into her. The little boy returned the smile, and she giggled at his missing two front teeth. He hid and peeked around the corner as if playing with her. He made a silly face and hid again.

Koa covered her eyes and pretended that she was scaring him when he peeked around the corner again. He burst out laughing. Koa beamed. She loved children more than anything. Sometimes she wondered if she'd be able to have a child someday.

Koa should have never been born. Vampire children weren't born to human mothers. As far as Koa knew, she was the only one.

The door opened and Koa turned her attention from the child. She waved to the boy before she stepped into the flat. The Oracle was a small Chinese woman. She wore a warm smile on her thin lips. Her wire-rimmed bifocals made her dark eyes look abnormally large. She wore a red nightgown that seemed like it needed a wash. There were food stains all over it.

"Koa, right?" the Oracle said with a heavy Chinese accent.

Koa nodded. "Nice to meet you."

The Oracle looked her up and down and nodded. "Come in."

Koa had to hide her disgust as she entered the flat. It was a small home, and unlike Halston's safe house that was an illusion on the outside, this place was just as rundown on the inside.

Koa covered her nose. The smell of cat urine made her want to gag. The smell was as intense as ammonia and with Koa's heightened sense of smell, she felt like she might faint if she breathed it in too deeply, so she took small, quick, breaths behind her hand.

The house was a cluttered, revolting mess. The Oracle seemed to be a mixture of a hoarder and a victim of a chronic obsessive-compulsive disorder. Koa watched her step away from the door and flick the light switch four times after she closed the door. She spoke Mandarin under her breath in what sounded like a chant.