The Agent |ZM|

/13/

Skyler.

"Is this everything?" I ask Luna as I pick up my ancient duffle bag and swing it over my shoulder. She nods and clutches Haz, her teddy bear, closer to her chest.

"Why are we leaving again?" She asks with pleading eyes, I know she's tired of moving every several months, it sucks, but we can't stay here.

Michigan isn't the place for us.

I huff as my eyes travel around the apartment, looking at everything for the last time. It's not much of an apartment to be honest, but it's like every other one we stayed at.

"We're going to a much better place." I lie, I have absolutely no idea where I'm going. "Now please get your suitcase, we're gonna miss the bus."

I have no plan in my head, but anywhere is better than here.

Just when she rolls her old Barbie suitcase against the cracked floor of the apartment, I hear the jiggling of the doorknob and the nervousness takes over me.

He swings the door open and looks down at me with a sly smirk on his face, "So you're leaving? What a shame..."

I pull Luna by her hand and make her stand behind me.

"I told you I'll forget about this month's rent if you join me for a couple nights..." Richard chuckles darkly. "The offer still stands.."

"We're leaving." I avoid looking at his disgusting face and go straight out of the door.

I put our suitcases and bags in the elevator and lead Luna inside. Just when the door is about to close, Richard stops it with his foot.

I gulp, my heart beat starting to race.

"I'll be honest with you. You have a choice, either you accept my offer, which would be delighting.." he gives me a wink, the bile in my stomach rises all the way to my mouth. "Or you can work for me at the club."

He owns an illegal strip club that is hidden under this building, which I found out about, three week ago.

I spent two months in this apartment, two shitty months of hearing disturbing noises traveling through these thin walls. It never was and never will be a place where a child can sleep at. Sick people would always knock on my door in the middle of the night, drunk couples would get up here and somehow enter the apartment with a key they were given. I won't even start with the fights I had with countless men and women who would expect to get in the apartment and do disgusting things.

I tried so hard to keep Luna in the shadows, because I couldn't leave. The rent was perfect for me at the time, and Luna had school. But enough is enough. I can't stay here anymore. Thank God it's summer.

"I said we're leaving. Good bye Richard." I put my hand around the handle to close the elevator, but he grabs my hand and forcefully drags me out of the elevator. A gasp leaves my lips as he harshly wraps a hand around my neck and pulls my up against the wall.

I struggle with breathing but what hurts most is Luna's horrifying scream.

"Skyler! No! Leave her!" She launches forward and jumps on his foot, making sure to squeeze her tiny shoe on his toes.
He hisses and with his free hand pushes her to the ground.

My heart stops beating when I see her crash to the floor and suddenly everything turns red to me.

I push him away from me and swing a punch at his throat. He coughs and steps back, allowing me to launch another swing at his nose. I hear the satisfying sound of his bone breaking and to finish it off, I manage to jump a little and kick his face with my foot, knocking him to the ground.