Chapter 52: The Perfect Town

There, at the base of the hill to the south... was the warmest, brightest, and most secluded little city Ralph had ever seen.

The cedar trees were now gone, abruptly cut down to make room for equally tall, bright street lamps. The lights lead to the entrance of the tiny town at the base of the hill and slope.

There, even more street poles were placed in closer proximity on the wide sidewalk, placed right beside the part of the road that leads through the town. Although it was now night and the streets were abandoned, the illuminating lights seemed to liven it up, making everything warm and inviting.

From his vantage point on top of the hill, Ralph could see that not too far behind the lights on the sidewalk, there was cozy little shop upon cozy little shop, all lined up on both sides of the road. Despite the fact that they were all cookie cutter in shape of the one sitting right next to it, all of the shops were uniquely sweet and colorful in appearance, the brightest shades of pinks, oranges, yellows, and even creams used to paint them. The colorful strip of shops gave the town it's cutesy, vibrant touch.

In these boutiques were bakery shops, deli shops, many, many candy shops- whatever food shops they were, Ralph could tell they all the source of filling the air with the lingering smell of sugar. The delightful smell was now so strong and sweet it made Ralph's teeth ache.

Little stores, slightly bigger that the strips of shops, sat abandoned on the east and west road that ran adjacent. Yet more food places took up residency in these buildings- a tiny restaurant and a grocery store, both closed and asleep with the rest of the town.

Man, this town loves it's food and colors, uh? Ralph smirked, somehow unaffected by the little village's charm.

Behind those food-oriented buildings, already almost on the outskirts of the tiny town Ralph noticed, was a small group of tiny, single-family homes. The eye-catching colors used to paint them were so buoyant and jovial, something Ralph had never seen back in Arcadia.

The homes' windows were all shut up and dark, no doubt its residences sleeping soundly inside, but they were still somehow inviting. The colorful flowers growing in front of the cheery homes and equally bright cars parked nearby made up for the quietness and stillness from the houses.

Behind the bright houses, Ralph observed, were two bigger buildings facing the north/south road- a small yet intimidating police station, painted light blue and a matching colored apartment complex, the only one Ralph could see in the town.

Directly across from the inactive police station on the other side of the road was a small, happy children's toy factory, Ralph noticed, lined with big, almost picturesque toys in the large windows. There was even a tiny children's park right next to it, no doubt filled with happy children playing there during the daylight hours with their brand new toys.

It was an adorable, beautiful town that appeared to be just perfect and innocent...

For anyone but a watchful, observant guard dog like Ralph.