Activity

Valencia:

The last of the street lights flicker on, scattering the inky shadows on the damp sidewalk.  The sickly yellow glow flashes across Kit’s keys as they twirl around his finger, flickering in and out of his hand to the beat of some inaudible tune.  My chest tightens as the keys slip just beneath his fingertips.  Just five minutes before, he’d had a great deal of fun pretending to almost fling them into a storm drain, a stunt that nearly gave me a heart attack and Kit a laughter induced aneurysm.  He suddenly whips around with a grin. “Almost there!”

I think that’s supposed to be reassuring, but I’m not comforted at all.  I desperately scan the broken lines of brick and concrete structures for that tell tale glimmer of neon pink.  Kit parked right under the “Pines Drug and Grocery” sign thinking it might help us find his car – a safeguard after last weeks’ fiasco.  Might.  A new wave of anxiety coils beneath my ribs as I follow Kit around yet another corner.  We’re definitely lost. 

Kit’s keys swing on his finger as he triumphantly points to a rusted green street sign – Pine.  My stomach drops.

“Hey Kit.”

“Hmmm?”

“You do know we’re parked on Tansy, right?”  Kit stops short, keys still draped across his outstretched hand.  His gaze trails off to the sign, and for a split second his shoulders droop in defeat.

“Whoops.”  He forces a laugh, staring back at me behind a plastic smile.  “That’s nice.”

“What do you mean ‘that’s nice?’  You’ve gotten us lost, you know.”  Of course, I could’ve been paying better attention as well, but that’s beside the point. 

“Not too lost.  It’s just a couple of blocks”  He triumphantly points across the street, back at the neon sign faintly glimmering behind rows of ramshackle buildings.  “Anyways, they say exercise is good for you, so it won’t hurt to walk extra tonight.”  Kit’s grin falters as I shoot him a withering glare.  “Anyways, we’re armed, so it’ll be fine.  Really.”

“I’m sure we’re not the only ones,”  I mutter under my breath.  At this point, I have to wonder who he’s trying harder to convince – me, or himself.

My hand flies to my coat pocket as we scurry across the street.  My fingers trace the contours of the notebook through the thick wool, a small reassurance despite the delay.  We’ve got the information alright, plus more than we bargained for.  A smile knots at the corners of my lips.  That’s all thanks to Kit, of course.  He’s got a nice way of making people talk. 

He’s also got a nice way of getting distracted and throwing out all common sense on a whim, which is exactly why we’re hurrying across a slimy part of town after dark.

I throw an uneasy glance over my shoulder.  The street is lined with grimy brick buildings, many with broken windows or boarded doors.  An alley gapes back at us as we pass, and I take the slightest step back towards Kit.  A flash of pink suddenly jumps out beyond the alley, and I freeze.  That’s it!  I can see the sign in the distance, just straight ahead through the narrow corridor.

“Hey Kit!”  Kit turns as I point ahead at the sign.

“You really want to walk through there?”

“It’s a shortcut,”  He looks at me skeptically, and part of me is almost relieved to see him show some semblance of caution for once.  “Well, I suppose we’re both armed…”  He glances up at me, a familiar sparkle flickering in his eyes.  “That’s brilliant,” he whispers.  “Come on, lets run for it!”

I recoil as we squeeze past some empty trash bins and into the dark corridor.  This isn’t a brilliant idea at all, despite what Kit might claim.  In fact, this just might be the dumbest decision I’ve made in my life.  My heart skips as I suddenly stumble in the quickly dimming glow of the street lights.  Was it really this dark in the alley?  A sudden draft hits my skin, and I shiver.  I can barely see my own feet anymore.

“Kit!”

“Just a little ways more!  I can see some light ahead,”  His voice wavers a little, echoing somewhere not far ahead – I can barely make out his silhouette ahead.  A faint light suddenly bobs in my vision.  It’s soft and warm, almost like the glow of a fire…wait.  I squint.  That’s natural lighting, alright.  I can hear voices up ahead too, some female.

“Whoa there!” Kit suddenly exclaims.  I nearly bump into him as he stops short.  We’re in some giant room now, lit by a few torches.  Splinters on the ground reflect the glow in a thousand points of light – broken glass, if I ever saw it.  A group of strangely dressed people stare right back at us.

What in blazes?