"Eater! Get ready to go!"
Soul looked up from his book to meet the bored guard standing at his cell. He smirked, baring his shark teeth. "Cool." He said and stuffed the pocket novel in his duffel bag.
Soul followed the man to a little office, where another guard was collecting the things he had on him when he first got here. That was five years ago.
"So what do we have here?" The man behind the desk said, looking through the plastic bag that held Soul's belongings. "A pack of cigarettes, a lighter, a post card from one 'Wes' and a pocket knife"
Soul took the bag and checked if everything was really there. After his inspection he met the guard's eyes. "Well," he said with an arrogant smile. "Don't I get an emotional speech about how much of a perfect inmate I was?"
"Don't get cocky Eater. You may've behaved but you certainly were not a perfect inmate." The guard commented dryly.
Soul shrugged his shoulders as he stuffed the bag together. He signed some papers and then met his parole officer. Some dude called Ox Ford. When Soul first got a look at him, he could see the uncool-ness practically roll off of him in an aura. Ox explained where he was going to live and that he should immediately start looking for a job.
Soul was kind of reluctant about the whole ordeal but played along anyway. He did promise his brother he'd go straight once he was out of the hell hole that was The Tombs, Death City's prison.
When all was finished and final appointments were made ("If you don't show up I will personally come and drag your ass back here!" Ox's words), the boy got walked out.
"Well Sid, it has been a pleasure," Soul said, a smirk still on his face.
Sid rolled his eyes. "Don't ever show your face here again Eater. Keep your promise and go straight."
"I will." Soul promised, more serious this time.
"Good, I hope you're a man who will keep his promise."
Soul waved him off. "Have a little faith in me, geesh how uncool."
Sid scoffed. What an obnoxious punk, he thought. He shook the hand of the young man and then watched him leave the premise. Good luck out there kid.
Soul wasn't even a mile away from the prison when he saw the black shiny Mustang. You've got to be kidding me, the man thought, annoyed.
His suspicions got confirmed when he saw a tall man with dirty dark blonde hair and dull brown eyes exit the car. The man wore jeans, leather boots and some kind of pimp coat. Soul was absolutely reluctant to see the familiar face. "Finally out!" The man shouted, voice a little scratchy from smoking too much. "Took you long enough Eater."
"Shut the fuck up Giriko." Soul groaned.
"What, no welcome hug?"
"No."
Giriko frowns. "Easy with the attitude Eater. You may've done some time in the Tombs but that does not give you the right to pull such an attitude."
"Just tell me what you want, then I can go home." Or whatever you wanted to call the ratty shit place where Soul was going to live.
"The boss wants to see you."
"He's not my boss anymore. I dropped out, remember?" Soul said through clenched teeth. Black Blood had only brought him trouble. He still wondered why his stupid sixteen year old self thought it would be cool to join a gang.
"Yeah sure whatever, just follow me and say hello, it's the least you can do." Giriko said dismissively. Still, it was clear that 'no' would not be taken as an answer. So Soul followed the man to the sleek black car and got in.
On the opposite side of the car sat the man who'd controlled and manipulated Soul for two years before he got arrested. "Oni." Soul said, coolly.
"Hello Eater, how are you?" Oni asked with an amused grin. The short man was dressed in his signature black suit with a red dress shirt and a black tie. In his right hand he held a glass of red wine.
"Peachy."
Giriko kicked the young man on the shin. "Attitude, punk." He growled.
Soul bit a snarky reply back in favor of not getting blue shins. Oni didn't seem to be affected by Soul's 'attitude' though. He just chuckled. "I'm glad to hear."
Soul had enough of the older man's bullshit. "What do you want Oni? I dropped out, you know this."
Oni nodded. "I know boy. I just wanted to be the first to congratulate you on your freedom."
"Sure, whatever." He scoffed. "Can I go now?"
"Do you have a job, Soul?"
"My parole officer and I are working on it."
Oni hummed. "Well, if you ever need some extra cash, feel free to knock on my door. I'm sure we can work something out."
"Sure, whatever." Soul shrugged.
"You know where to find me."
Soul nodded and moved to the car door. "Yeah sure." He muttered and exited the vehicle. He could feel Oni's eyes on his back but he tried to ignore it. Making a steady pace, the boy walked away from the two older men.
"You sure he will get back?" Giriko asked.
Oni nodded, watching Soul go smaller and smaller. "Black Blood was like a drug to him. He craved the excitement. I'm sure he will come back soon to seek that feeling."
"If you say so." Giriko was no longer interested in the brat. He just wanted to go home. He signed the driver and soon they also left the premise.
Soul took the note out of his back pocket, checking the address. "Valley of Death, 4242" He read out loud. Then he looked up and grimaced. The place was even crappier than Soul thought. And he already had a crappy image in mind which was saying something.
Valley of Death was a boisterous little neighborhood, almost completely abandoned. There was a small grocery store and some houses. The only thing that stood out was the apartment complex. When Soul entered the building he feared it would fall apart if he sighed a little too hard. When he touched the walls he noticed plaster coming off. "There's no place like home," He mumbled sarcastically to himself.
Soul walked to the front desk where a man – presumably his landlord – was sitting. The man was smoking a cigarette and typing away at a computer. Soul caught words like 'dissection' and 'twitchy feeling' and decided he should stay on this man's good side. "Euhm excuse me." He said hesitantly.
The man looked up. "Yes?"
"I'm here for the new place."
"And what is your name, fine gentleman?"
Soul scowled, not amused. "Soul. Soul Evans."
The man turned back to his computer and typed away on the keyboard. His eyes moved rapidly over the screen before he looked back to Soul. "Ah yes. Ox sent you here right?"
Soul nodded. The landlord did not seem unfamiliar with the name of the parole officer. "Okay," he said and stood up. "I'm Stein, the landlord. Let me give you the grand tour through your new place."
The man – Stein, no surname apparently – picked up a key and then got out of his little office. He motioned Soul to follow him.
"So it is not much," Stein started, not really bothering if Soul followed him or not. "But it is enough to get by. You have a kitchen, living/bedroom and a small bathroom. If something's broken notify me. I'm almost always at the desk. If I'm not there, you can call me." The two men walked some stairs up. Every now and then Soul could hear a television blaring or people talking from behind the doors that they passed. He prayed for quiet neighbors.
"Welcome home," Stein suddenly said. Soul almost bumped into him but quickly corrected himself.
"564." He mumbled to himself when he read the faded numbers on the door.
"A fine place indeed."
Stein unlocked the door for Soul and then left him for some privacy. Soul was pleasantly surprised at his apartment. Yes it was small and it could use some fixing up but he has seen worse.
Soul dumped his duffle bag on the couch – which was presumably also his bed – and walked to the window with the fire escape. It was not a bad view, he thought to himself. If anything it was the best thing this ratty place had to offer. Soul sat himself down on the metal stairs and took a pack of cigarettes out of his leather jacket. He lit one up and let his eyes wonder back to the view. Death City's night life was just waking up.
A beeping noise woke Soul from his sight seeing session. He got a cellphone from Ox, a lousy basic thing, which only had the parole officer's number and now his land lord's. It was a text from Ox, reminding him he had a job interview the next morning at Perishables grocery store.
Soul groaned and texted the man back, saying he knew. For one second Soul thought about texting his brother, saying he was out. That he was getting his life together. But he resisted.
He just let himself fall on his bed/couch and closed his eyes.
The next morning Soul woke from his alarm clock. He grumbled and rolled from of the couch.
Of course he didn't have anything to eat. He forgot to get some groceries. Soul rubbed his eyes and grabbed a clean shirt and jeans. He wouldn't have anything fancy to wear for the interview but then again, it was just for a grocery store. Maybe, if he got lucky and actually get the job, he'd get a discount. Lord knew he could need it.
Before Soul could leave his apartment to get some breakfast at a diner, he heard loud banging. His neighbors giving him a warm welcome? He wondered sarcastically as he opened the door. To his surprise he was met by a tall man with shocking blue hair.
"Your god has arrived!" he shouted.
Soul blinked. "Blake?"
Blake grinned. "Hell yeah, it is I, the great and amazing Blake! The one who s-" Blake's rant was interrupted by Soul's hand covering his mouth.
"I have neighbors." The albino hissed, slightly annoyed. "Come in." He pulled Blake in.
"So, bro, tell me, how do you like the taste of freedom?"
Soul scowled. "I've just been released."
"Right, and that's why I'm taking you out tonight."
"Excuse me?"
Blake cackled. "We are going to a party tonight bro. You and me, like the old days."
Soul sighed. "Do I have a choice?"
"No, not at all. I'll pick you up at seven." Blake slapped Soul on the back – the man stumbled to stay standing from it's force – and walked to the door. "Wear something nice!" he shouted a final time before he slammed it closed. Soul just shook his head. Blake was a force of nature, one who could not be stopped and frankly, Soul wouldn't have it any other way.
Blake had been Soul's best bro since high school. They'd stuck together through nearly everything. Even Soul's arrest.
"Don't touch my best bro you mother fuckers or you'll feel the wrath of the mighty Blake!" Soul smirked at the memory. It had taken five policemen and Sid Barett – Blake's father – to get him off of Soul so he could be taken away.
The young man left his apartment and walked to the grocery store he would apply for. It was decent looking. Soul walked to the customers service. "Welcome at Perishables, how may I help you?" The girl at the desk drilled. She wasn't even looking up from the magazine she was reading.
"Ah yeah, I'm looking for Azusa Yumi, the manager."
Soul's deep voice made the little receptionist look up. Her blueish green eyes roamed the tall, lean young man. She leaned over on the desk and twirled a lock of hair between her fingers. "Who's asking, stranger?"
"Soul Evans. Ox Ford send me." Soul was not really in the mood for flirting. Soul's words made the receptionist pull back a little.
"My boyfriend send you here?"
"Your boyfriend?" Soul raised a brow. "No offense but what is a girl like you doing with a guy like him?"
The girl shrugged. "He's nice. Buys me stuff, takes me to fun places. But he does not completely fulfill my needs, if you know what I mean." She gave Soul a once over again for good measure. But it was not needed, for Soul knew what she meant. Loud and clear. And so he scowled at the girl, showing his sharp teeth. The girl – Kim, according to her name plate – flinches back.
Soul scoffed inside. Served her right. If he hated one thing it was disloyal people. "Let me get Azusa." Kim said and left the desk to rush to the back.
Soul only had to wait a minute before Kim returned. There was a black haired, stern looking woman with her. She wore a black tailored suit and thin rimmed glasses. Her eyes seemed to be aware of everything around her. Including the somewhat nervous man before her.
"You must be Soul Evans. Parole officer Ox Ford send you right." The woman stretched her hand out to Soul. "I'm Azusa Yumi, the store manager and your boss, should you not screw up."
Wow, talking about being direct, Soul thought. He swallowed as he shook the woman's hand. "Soul Evans, nice to meet you."
"Yeah yeah, why don't we go in the back and talk?" Azusa Yumi turned back and walked to where she came from – probably her office. Soul quickly followed her before he could get yelled at for not catching on in time.
Twenty minutes and some nerve breaking moments – that Azusa woman really knew how to ask questions, Soul wondered why she wasn't working for the police as an interrogator – he left the grocery store with a smirk. He'd been hired.
Soul immediately texted Ox to give him the good news. Maybe he wasn't that much of a screw up after all. At least he still managed to get a job, that must count for something right?
He'd bought himself some groceries on the way out and was now walking back to his apartment. There wasn't much he could do in there but it was better than hanging out on the streets. He still had to enlist himself into the local community college, since he kind of fucked that up.
The WiFi in the apartment building was shitty, he'd have to get himself an internet router as soon as he had the money, so Soul went to a small diner where they had free WiFi.
"Hi there, welcome at The Last Meal, how can I help you?" A bubbly blonde asked when he sat down at the bar.
Soul ordered a coffee and something small to eat. When the girl left, Soul got his phone out and started looking what the community college had to offer.
"Here you go shark boy." The girl said when she returned with a plate of food and a coffee mug. "Enjoy." Soul thanked the girl and dug in. "You like it?" she asked, watching Soul's satisfied face curiously.
Soul nodded. "Yeah I haven't had anything good to eat in a long time."
The girl chuckled. "Well I'm happy I got to serve you a good meal. If you need anything go ahead and ask."
"Thanks, I will." Soul said with a mouth full. The waitress giggled and walked off to serve other costumers.
He stayed at the diner for two hours, searching for a college and every now talking with the bubbly blonde waitress. He left the tavern promising to hop by again. Soul dumped the groceries in cabinets and the little fridge before he flopped down at the couch. Maybe he could get some shut eye before Blake would show up.
Hey there, welcome to a new story! I hope you'll like it.
I can't promise how often/when I will update.
Love you