Until Ragnarok

Part 1: The New Client

The numbers displayed on her phone matched those beside the ornate doors across the street. She had checked enough times that the address seared into her brain. Regardless of Kimi Nuada's dawdling, the address declined to adjust and short of quitting her job, the penthouse, and Mr. Wendel remained her destination.

The cell phone in her hand pinged. She saw that a text from Kaida Maris arrived. Relieved for any interruption, Kimi opened the inbox and read, "Hi, busy?"

"On my way to my next client," she typed and looked at the building.

Kimi asked for a break because she had not gotten over her last job. Instead, her boss gave her a new client and explained Mr. Wendel wanted her.

Though Kimi was unclear why he wanted her. After her last client, she didn't consider herself recommendable and who makes recommendations for a nurse? The end of her job meant her patient died, and she left a grieving family. There was no Yelp for palliative nurses.

She compared the addresses again, and her phone pinged.

"Where?" Kaida texted.

"The judgy condo," Kimi said and grinned.

"Looks like from Ghostbusters?"

"That's the one, so cue the scary music."

She googled the address last night and remembered the building. She had stumbled across it earlier and found it unsettling. Concrete and steel shouldn't have opinions on a presence. But this pile did and found her deficient in acceptable qualities. If given a chance, she was certain the monstrosity would crush her.

But she didn't believe anyone, but Kaida would understand. So she didn't tell her boss of its monstrous plans, even if it would get her a vacation. She doubted it would be one she wanted.

Google had been less helpful in learning about the man. There were no scandals or clues to how he achieved his wealth. There was a Twitter account. but she didn't believe a man in his late eighties would be there.

Kimi watched while the screen showed another text coming.

"How did you get so lucky?" Kaida texted.

Kimi said, "I'm going to guess bribes."

"Ooh, bribes, and here I need a sugar mama. How much was it?"

"Sorry, it won't be me, because the boss got it."

"Please tell me she is cute and seducible."

"I'm not an objective source for that."

Unable to excuse her procrastination, she headed across the street. Maybe a careless motorist would save the day by running over her. But she was not that lucky. The nearer she got to the building, the faster her heartbeat.

She looked at the neighbouring buildings. It was a beautiful, high-end neighbourhood and each high-rise fit in with the others. Their architecture was crafted for appeal rather than economy and none of them revealed why this building had sinister vibes. Kimi would feel more peace walking through a graveyard on Halloween with a possessed doll.

She stepped up on the sidewalk and a ringing sound made her skin buzz like her non-existent Spidey senses were tingling. No one around her seemed upset. Kimi didn't see anyone that she would be comfortable stopping to ask. She tried to shake the feeling off by looking at her phone.

"If asked if you are a god...," Kaida's next text read.

Kimi texted, "I know... ask for marshmallows. Almost in so wish me luck."

Before Kimi pushed open the door, she looked straight up. The building became a never-ending vertical road she could run up if she found her feet facing the right way. Or she was about to fall. Kimi grabbed the door handle. Her head felt like it was spinning. She pushed her way through.