Tainted

Chapter 7: A Lovely Welcome

"Where are we going?" I asked my companion as we exited the police station.

"My apartment. Its close by, past some bakeries. You hungry?"

I shake my head, not really having an appetite.

--

Minutes later of merely walking, we arrived at an enormously tall apartment building. It was clean, surprisingly, and looked expensive. I stood, amazed at the familiar unfamiliar building. I ran up the stairs that led to the entrance, and looked inside.

"This is.."

"A love hotel." Jaxon continued, staying away from the stairs.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"My apartment's next door to here."

I stepped off and looked over, noticing the smaller building. Compared to the love hotel, it was rundown and needed a new paint job. My face narrowed, getting disgusted and am reminded of the asylum.

"Huh. Gross ass place." I said, eyeing down the depressing apartment building. "I feel like people suicide here."

"How'd you know?" He asked rhetorically and stepped ahead of me.

I smirked and shook my head, showing acknowledgement to his sad joke. Following him up the stairs, I cringed every time I heard any slight of a creaking sound. I wasn't used to the sound, and I don't plan to.

We walked passed many doors. I scanned every metal nameplate that decorated the rusted doors as I walked passed them.

Mrs. Lop, Mr. And Mrs. Buner, Ms. Olpirez, Mr. Undei, Jaxon, Mr. Fooqboi..

Wait what. I moonwalked back to the nameplate labelled Jaxon. I hadn't realized I already went further​ than his apartment and stood next to the patiently waiting Jaxon.

"Glad you could make it." He said, smiling, though I could sense a hint of sarcasm. He wasn't the type to use sarcasm, so I played along.

"Thank you, oh-so-kind Jaxon." I replied, curtsying. Fuck I regret doing that. That was cringey as hell. My brain hurts.

"..what?"

Shiiiit. Had I judged incorrectly? Realizing how completely wrong I was and how much I embarrassed myself, I panicked and mentally sewed my mouth shut. Jaxon seemed to have gotten confused, so he just unlocked the door and quickly showed me in. Still slightly embarrassed, I waddled in.

I was expecting a clean, neat apartment, but what unfolded before my eyes was an apartment trashed in plastic bags and empty ramen bowls.

"..the fuck is this?"

"M-my apartment.." He admitted, coughing viciously.

Without a word, I began picking up the full trash bags and placed them outside.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Cleaning. You better fucking help me."

Continuing, I looked within the cabinets in the kitchen in hopes of finding any sorts of empty trash bags. There were none. The only things I found were differently flavored packed ramen bowls. Within the drawers, there weren't even any signs of utensils or even plates.

"How do you even.. eat? And drink?"

"I don't."

My eye twitched, and I stared at Jaxon with cold eyes. He noticed, and became worried. A drop of sweat rolled down his face as he shrugged, smiling sheepishly.