Soul Vine | m.yg

1: Prolouge༄

           Eden wondered if she looked her age.

           She knew she probably didn't, that the high ponytail and bright pink headband probably set her back a couple years, but she hoped it wasn't enough to get turned away at the door. What was the point in walking all the way here for them to just send her home?

          Just at the end of the block was the last thing standing before her and adulthood: a piercing parlor. Tatt and Body Works Piercing Parlor, to be specific. The grungy hole-in-the-wall shop had been in her sights for weeks now, only observed longingly in car rides to and from her home.

           Finally, today was the day that she would start her journey into adulthood. Not only because it was her 18th birthday, but because she was about to do something her mother never let her do.
                
         She reached the black awning, standing idly outside the door for a second. Chewing the skin on her bottom lip with more vigor than she intended, she shifted from foot to foot in front the door. What was etiquette for piercing parlors? Was she supposed to make an appointment? Should she have brought a friend? Or a gift for the piercers?

          Upon taking a second glance, she realized she was anxious for no reason. The parlor looked empty (and dusty), with vibrant LED lights reflecting off the tile floor. She snorted to herself quietly, almost imagining that the lights were there to take away from the otherwise awful presentation of the building.

            Can't expect much from a place where the P is falling off the logo, can you?

          To further add insult to injury, there was no one at the front desk, and no one standing nearby to greet her. Frankly, it looked deserted, and she started to fear she was too late. The emptiness of it all made her want to turn around and go home.

          But, she did come all this way when she could've been home packing, so it would be a shame to lose out.

          She paused cautiously before pushing open the door. The overhead bell jingled to alert those inside to her arrival, wherever they may be. Just as she suspected, the front desk was empty. The only sign of human life was the stack of papers littered around haphazardly. There was no little button to press for service, and she couldn't see any rooms anywhere to call for someone to assist her. Just a dark wall lined with pictures, posters, and various quotes.

          "They certainly aren't getting any customer service awards," she mumbled.

         Eden took it upon herself to find a seat to wait for assistance. It seemed like it was all she could do. There were three leather chairs off to the far left of the room adjacent to a bulletin board, unsurprisingly covered in rips and stains. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. Looking around once more to make sure no one was there, she walked over to take a seat.

        As she sat, she took a look up at the board. It was decorated with various pictures of models showcasing tattoos, piercings, and special earrings that were said to be handcrafted by those who worked here. They were all extremely intricate, it was obvious they were made with precision and all the attention one could sacrifice. Under each photo was a signed card with the piece's title and creator's signature.

          A rather large picture of a key earring caught her eye. It was an industrial style earring, spanning from the inner corner of the model's ear to the outer, curving and wrapping around like it was made just for their ear. The head of the key crested above the ear in the shape of a heart, and the blade weaved in and over of the ear shell perfectly.