Amsterdam A story By Andrew Mickan

Rei never intended to end up in Amsterdam. When his father, one of his only family member's left commited suicide he was sent to Amsterdam to meet his uncle who Rei didn't even know. "Why don't you stay at your friends place for the night?" Rei thought about what happened last week. "Have fun" Those were his fathers last words to Rei. Rei later got the call from a neighbour about what happened, Rei ran home when he heard the news from his neighbour. His father was still on the floor, blood ran all over the carpet. Rei looked at the blood, how red it was. He then thought about his mother and her dress, she always wore red. It was her favourite colour. Rei closed his eyes, a tear rolled down his cheek. Rei was never the one to show much emotion. Even when his mother died saving Rei from being hit by a drunk driver he barely cried. He was 10 back then, 8 years since then he stands infront of his father's body and wept.

When Rei arrived at the airport he was instructed to wait out the front of the terminal for his uncle. His uncle never came. Rei waited until dark he got up from the seat and walked into the city. He found a bar and walked in and sat down at the bar stool. "Can I help you?" The pink haired female attending the bar said. Rei looked up at her, she can't be much older than him, she dosen't even look legal enough to be serving drinks. "Thats a good question can you?". The girl just looks at Rei for a minute and pours him a beer "So life is getting you down huh? well you're not the first person to be here with the same circumstances....what brings you to Amsterdam....err...name?" "Rei, and you?" "Mariah, just Mariah.." She says proudly. Rei looks at Mariah and sighs "My father just recently shot himself so I was sent here to live with my uncle...I never met him at the airport and I get the feeling I never will meet him". Mariah is stunned at Rei's comments "gee.....I'm so sorry to hear about that, thats one of the sadest stories to date...." Rei just stares into his drink. He then reaches for his wallet but Mariah refuses to accept the money, "Thankyou" Rei says as he gets up and walks for the door. "Where will you stay?!" Mariah questions Rei. Rei looks into his wallet, he only has enough money to last him a few days. He then looks out at the rainy street, "I'll find some shelter..." Mariah comes out from the bar "You have got me too involved in your situation now Rei, come, you can stay with me....only because you seem like a nice person, and I'm the kind of person to help people like you." Rei's eyes brighten somewhat, "I don't know how to thank you enough!" Mariah smiles "don't mention it".

"Well this is my place" Mariah walks up the stairs to her apartment. "The thing about Amsterdam is that you can be here to live comfortably, you can be here to work, you can be here to perform and you can come for the peformance" Rei looks at the stairs "Some people come here to buy, come come to sell, there are people who come here to die, and people who come to kill....the key to living in this city is to know why you are here..." Rei stops at the second last step "Why am I here?" Mariah turns around and smiles "Exactly".

"There are a few places you should avoid here Rei, First is the Southside....thats where the drugdealers and low lifes live...its cheap to rent there....but its cheap and you can risk your life living there..." Rei nods his head, He dosen't seem phased about where he ends up. "Then there is "the strip" thats where local Dj's and sometimes healining Dj's go....When big Dj's are there, the place is safe....when its a local gig, the Drug dealers emerge and its not a nice place to be..." Rei looks up, "I'll be careful".

Mariah finally arrives to her corridor she pauses and turns around "I think I am forgetting somewhere" "Yes! the docks, Never go down to the docks....Thats where the dealers stock comes from Verry dangerous Verrry hostile...." Rei smiles "I have no reason to be going down there so ill take your word for it then...." Mariah flicks her pink hair back behind her shoulder, grabs her keys and opens the door to apartment number fifty eight.

"Home sweet home" Mariah Says as she sits down at the table she suddenly gets up and opens the door next to the kitchen "This here is your room...Its small, but I'm sure it will do you nicely". Rei looks into the room, Its quits fancy for a spare room there is a walking closet, an ensuite and a balcony. "Thanks again, I really appreciate this" Rei Says. Mariah just smiles and shuts the door. That night there was less rain than there was before, the wind was howling and a cold north breeze kept Rei awake. The constant rattling of the windows was consistently ruining his sleep as he dazed in and out of consciousness.

The next day Rei woke up when Mariah shut the door. Rei stepped out onto the cold street and decided to explore Amsterdam Lets check out those places she was talking about He though to himself. Rei was the kind of guy who would be warned but never heed the warning. The weather grew somewhat colder when he arrives at Southside. It didn't seem like such a bad place at daytime. A few minutes away was "The Strip" The street had litter all over the floor. Rei had to watch his step and not step on the broken bottles or syringes.

Later that day he finally walked down to the docks, Clouds seemed to be accumulated around the docks. Rei looks around the docks, There is a large rusted blue tanker moored on the far side of the docks. There were three cars and about ten people gathered round there. Curiosity killed the tiger, Rei decided to take a closer look. Rei got to within 100 steps of the people when a blue haired induvidual came walking towards him "Who are you?!?!" the Blue haired stranger yells, Rei stops in his tracks "Oh....no one really just looking around" The stranger looks annoyed and nervous at the same time. "Well if you wouldn't mind...FUCK OFF! were making a deal here!" The man yells. Without confrontation Rei backs away and heads back home.

Next chapter comming soon

AndY