Risa Niigaki
Unknown City
October 8, 8:44 PM
Risa reached the outskirts of the city with her feet aching, but decided that a quick rest was going to have to wait.
No idea what, or even where this place is, but still, be happy it’s a city…
The jog into familiar city concrete and sidewalks did a lot to soothe her still rattled nerves; she passed a battered car earlier on the desolate road, but chose to ignore it; she was close to the city anyway.
As Risa hurried down the sidewalk, still occasionally glancing upward, towards the tower, she got her first hint that something was very, very wrong. In the first few blocks, she was mildly surprised, by the fifth, she found herself slipping into a state of shock. It wasn’t just strange, it was impossible.
Shrugging it off, she turned a corner, running in the middle of the street now, and suddenly comes upon on what looks like to be the first real city street. Looking amass her surroundings attentively, she noticed the buildings outnumbered empty lots. There were several expresso bars and cheap diners, as well as a ‘bargain’ movie theater, which reminded her; Tokyo had a similar street, and that place was the most popular hang-out for the cities’ well-endowed nightlife.
She hesitantly glances at her watch.
At ten till nine, shouldn’t this place be littered with life?
Of the mostly single or two-story brick shops and all the restaurants that lined the street, Risa saw that almost all were dark- and in the few that boasted some light, it didn’t look like there was anyone inside. There were plenty of cars parked along the narrow street, and yet, not one person that she could see.
The whole city, it seemed, was totally deserted.
Just where the heck is everybody?
Her mind grasped for answers as she jogged down the silent street, searching desperately for a reason- and for some way to alleviate the sweaty anxiety that had once again settled over her. Maybe there was some kind of event going on, a church function, like a spaghetti feed. Or perhaps the city had decided to take up Oktober fest and tonight was the big kick-off.
Yeah, but everybody at the same time?
It was then that Risa realized she also hadn’t seen a single, moving car on the road since she’d arrived.
Not one.
And with that thoroughly unsettling realization came the next- less dramatic, but distinctly more immediate.
Something smelled bad.
Something smelled like shit.
Jeez, has to be a dead skunk around. And apparently it ate nattou- threw up on itself before dying.
She’d already brought herself to a walk now, and had planned to take a left at the corner, just a block ahead- but it was that horrible smell and the total absence of life giving her a serious case of the creeps. Maybe she should stop, check things out inside one of the lighted buildi-
“ Oh, hey…. “
Risa grinned, relief flooding through her confusion. There were a couple of people standing at the distant corner, practically right in front of her. The streetlight was out on their side, but with Risa’s superb vision, she could see them in silhouette clear enough- a couple; a woman in a skirt and a big man wearing work boots.
Risa starts to jog, careful not to run too fast- she didn’t want to scare them away with a ‘crazy-girl-dressed-in-a-steward-uniform’ act. As she got closer, she could see by the way they moved, heading in the opposite direction from her, that they had to be monumentally drunk. Both of them staggered into the shadows cast by an office supply store, and out of sight.
“ Uh-oh… “ Risa whispered. She lengthens her stride, hoping to catch up.
Must’ve come out from one of those bars back there. A pint or two too many, but as long as they have a cell phone, or can direct me to a police station, that’s good enough for me. Boy am I going to feel stupid when they tell me that tonight’s the big free concert or the all-you-can-eat town barbecue...
Almost giddy with relief, Risa whips around the corner and squinted into the heavy shadows, looking for the pair. Not too far ahead, she spots them in a darkened alley and quickly ambles in their direction.
“ ‘Scuse me~ “ Risa says loudly, overpowering her forced wheeze as she gradually comes to a walk, making sure not to follow to closely.
They ignore her. With their backs turned, they continue to stroll along the alley.
" What the... " Risa murmurs under her breath.
She slows down, a bit hesitant now, but still manages a speed that gradually closes in on them.
“ Um, excuse me..! “
She waits.
A small frown overtakes her, wondering why they haven’t at least turned around.
Quit dibble-dabbing Gaki- get their freakin' attention!
“ Hey!! “ Risa shouts, forceful this time.
Nothing.
Maybe they can’t hear me, she told herself, and almost believing it too, until she realized she was only a good twenty feet away.
I don’t have time for this-
Feeling a hint of desperation, Risa quickly scuttles toward them, placing her hand on the females shoulder. Her mouth opens to speak when-
-when a thick, warm liquid substance, bonds with her hand. She quickly recoils away, frenzied by the familiarity of it.
Her wet palm grossly chills by the cold night breeze; the thick matter oozing between her fingers as she rubs them together.
Even in the darkened alley, she didn’t need light to validate what it was.
She’d felt this before.
The thickness, the warmth, the faint stench.
Blood.
Risa flurries her eyes at the pair, whom are slowly turning around, suddenly well-aware of her presence.
“ Oh- oh my god… “
Risa can’t believe her eyes. She quickly takes a step back, unexpectedly forgetting about the whole situation that brought her here in the first place.
The woman groans; the sound alone churned Risa’s stomach, and, by reflex, she quickly turns to run.
T-this has to be a nightmare- It has to be a freakin' nightmare!
Through the shadows, the darkened dusk, the blackened night- she saw something.
Something, she wished she didn’t see.
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