My footsteps echoed as I dragged myself up the stairs, drained from the affairs of the day.
Occasionally, I let out curses at the landlady when I thought of the increase in rent and the still-dilapidated state of the elevator.
Getting in the machine was a gamble of imprisonment, and this wasn't a joke.
Two weeks ago, a tenant had used the elevator and become stuck; his family looked for him for three days until he was traced to the iron box halfway up the building.
The other tenants and I thought this incident would bring about change in the apartment, but the devilish landlady remained set in her ways.
"How is she not in jail?" I sometimes wondered.
The apartment building I stayed in had six floors, and after climbing to the top floor, I let out a breath, turning from the door ahead of me to my left where another door stood on the far end.
Doom!! Doom!!
I turned back to the door ahead.
Only two tenants occupied the top floor, I and the landlady. She had an apartment which took up 90 percent of the space, leaving me with a small corner to call my own.
The loud sounds coming from her apartment were mixed with booming music, and it wasn't the first time, so I paid it no mind.
I continued to my room, and immediately after I entered, I sat on the edge of the bed, put my bag to the side, and collapsed.
"Home sweet home."
Life still sucked, but there was a special kind of comfort which my bed always gave. I closed my eyes, shutting out the world, filtering the sounds from next door, seeking out a temporary peace that would give me hope.
Ring!! Ring!!
At first, I ignored it, hoping it was my imagination, but the sound of my phone came again, and groggily I reached to the side, fishing through my bag. Getting a hold of the device, I looked at the caller and immediately sat up.
"Hello, Sir."
"Alfred, where are you?"
The words came hard and instinctively my back bent, my tone becoming respectful.
"At home, sir."
"At home? Did you finish the work I assigned you?"
"Yes, sir. I stayed into the evening. I sent the completed file to your email and just left work some minutes ago."
"Is that so? Wait."
Hearing the words, I let out a breath I did not know I had been holding, steadily breathing as my boss likely went over the work I had done.
"I've seen what you did. The calculations for the week have been completed, but I don't see the report for the hazard factors during the initial trials."
"Yes, Dinah is the one assigned to documenting them, sir."
"Was Dinah at the office with you when you left?"
"No, sir."
"So, who do you expect to complete the work?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but a reply wasn't needed.
"Alfred, you know how important that report is. Get back to the office and complete it, or don't bother coming to work tomorrow."
Beeeep!!
For the first few seconds, I sat frozen, then my eyes went to the time. 9:27.
My shoulders slumped, a wave of weakness washing through me. I didn't move for several seconds, my head blank, then with a sigh I stood up.
"I need a release."
I turned to go for the tissue, but then my eyes moved to the wall opposite. The sound from the other side suddenly intensified, then…
Booom!!
My wall was broken through by something shooting past and smashing into my desk.
Through the dust that rose into the air, I saw a black, shiny creature with a long head and four limbs which extended into several tentacles on the floor. It lay just about a step from me, its tentacles wriggling but its body still.
Ghoul!!
The identity of what lay before me came to my mind instantly. Painful groans left the black blood on various parts of its body, signifying it had suffered injuries. I wanted to observe it some more, but then my attention was taken off it by the sound of approaching footsteps.
From the hole in the wall, her speaker booming behind her, my landlady stepped out with a cigarette between her lips.
She was carelessly holding a thick double-edged blade and wearing brown heel boots and nothing else.
There was an amused look on her face, her figure moving without care for the exposed state of her body.
I took in her long blonde hair, her large, succulent breasts, the curves and thick thighs that came after her waist, and when she moved past me, I drank in her large rear. Ass cheeks I would grab, and there would be lots of spillage.
Reaching the ghoul, she swung the blade in her hand, my eyes failing to catch the movement, bisecting the creature in half, all signs of life leaving it.
The action froze my brain, my mind torn between focusing on the dead ghoul and the naked woman. Slowly, she turned to me.
"Alfred," she snapped her fingers, taking out her cigarette.
I blinked and quickly focused on her.
"Ms. Ciara."
I stood nearly two inches taller than the woman, but under her gaze, I felt intimidated. My current feelings had nothing to do with the fact that she had just slain a ghoul; my landlady was a menace. She tortured her tenants with her screams, possessing the ability to lay misery like she was a witch.
"You can see it?" She turned to the ghoul, looking back at me questioningly.
"Yes!"
Her left brow raised, and I answered the silent question.
"I can see evil spirits, but I don't possess essence."
"That's surprising. I always thought you were a norm."
A hard smile spread on my lips.
"I didn't know you were a hunter." I looked down at her blade, forcing my eyes past her chest.
"Hmm, something like that," Ciara answered with a shrug.
Turning away, without notice, she slapped her palm on my chest.
I didn't feel any pain, an overwhelming force just suddenly claimed me, lifting me into the air. Then darkness consumed my vision, and my consciousness went to sleep.