Hello to my devoted readers, here goes my second valiant attempt at good
writing (my first being the previous chapter) please read and review. Bear
in mind that the whole Nightworld concept belongs to L.J Smith etc. etc.
Hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 2: A Whole New World
Ralin was staring off into space by the time that the long train came to Los Angeles. She recognized it immediately. The city seemed to sparkle in the dawn light. It was like an alternate universe compared to her small hometown. She'd been here before and each time she noticed the difference more profoundly.
She'd done this a few times before when she was younger and had the brilliant idea to run away from home. Taking the train to get away. Looking back, Ralin couldn't believe how stupid she had been. To want to rid herself of her warm home, and parents who mostly kept off of her back about things. Ralin shook her delicate head and wondered what was wrong with her.
Irritated, Ralin snapped out of her daydream and eyed the passing city. She saw a flat bit of ground approaching and before she knew what was happening she was airborne. In the middle of a flying leap off of the moving train.
Ralin landed softly on the gravel beside the tracks.
She had it all planned out where she would go from there. Her best friend had moved to Los Angeles not three months before. Ralin knew that she would be able to stay at her friend's place for awhile. Or as long as was necessary to arrange a more permanent solution.
Ralin pulled out her slim black wallet and peered inside. She saw a few bills, some change and ID. She ruffled through the bills and found what she was looking for. Wedged between two fifties was a small folded piece of paper. She removed it carefully and unfolded it. It was the address of her friend. She lived over on Mandath Street. It was a long walk but she knew she would survive. She always did. She began her long trek. Walking this time.
She sighed as she walked, thinking about all that had happened over the course of the last week. Her family; they had been killed after refusing to disclose her whereabouts. Ralin had been over at a friend's place while all of this occurred. When she went home that same day her parents and her younger sister had been laying there dying, wood piercing them everywhere. Ralin remembered them telling her to run. And she had just as the Night People came back. She ran out the back door, never to see her family again. The thought made her sad. Unlike most lamia, she had been very close to her family. She had loved them despite the coldness and contempt at the rest of the world.
She was only 17 but she had already been through so much. Seen so much death and suffering. It made her throat tighten painfully to think of all she had lost. She had stopped aging but she didn't know if she liked being stuck in the middle of her transition from being a child to being an adult. However, she knew that she would stay at 17 for while anyway. It was a good age.
The sun was completely up by that time and Ralin was tired of being lost in her own thoughts. However when she looked around she noticed that she was in another alley. That seemed to be the safest route to take. She didn't know what Night People might be wandering the streets and which of them may be working for whoever was after her.
Ralin continued walking toward her destination viewing all the best alleys that downtown Los Angeles could offer. Someone even tried to mug her once.
The man was dressed in black with shaggy gray hair and filthy clothed. He obviously lived on the street and hadn't bathed in some time. Ralin ignored the smell and laughed as he pointed his gun at her. She could see the confusion of the man as he watched her stand there laughing in the face of her own death. Or so he thought.
Ralin moved inexplicably fast. Before the man could blink twice he was in a trance-like hypnotized state and Ralin was enjoying the warm, tangy taste of his blood.
When she was finished with the man she simply picked him up and threw him at the edge of the alley. He would be awake soon but by then she knew she'd be long gone.
Ralin breathed in the toxic air the surrounded her. Pollution from the city wasn't exactly pleasant to breath but she didn't care. She was young and full of exotic blood. The adrenaline was intoxicating.
She knew what people would see if they looked at her. They would see a girl of about 17 with brilliant greenish-silver eyes that seemed to radiate their own light from somewhere deep within. She had dark hair that wasn't exactly chestnut or black but some color in between. She had long legs and a nicely sculpted face, along with her inherited willow slim figure. Right at the moment she was wearing high black boots that came up just below her knees, blue jeans and a slinky black shirt that was mostly covered by her black jacket.
Ralin saw her friend's street just ahead of her and picked up the pace. She realized that she was tired but ignored her mind's desperate pleas for sleep. Pushing the thoughts away completely.
She reached into her pocked and removed her wallet once again. She removed the piece of paper and read the house number printed neatly beside the phone number and the street. Number 7492 Mandath Street.
Ralin looked closely at the large houses that surrounded her. Nice, she thought, very nice. They weren't mansions or anything but these homes made it obvious that they owners had cash to spare.
She allowed herself a small smile as she strolled up the street until she came to one of the larger houses. It was a classic white with darker trimmings. It had a long flat driveway that led to an attached garage. She smiled even wider when she saw the number. This was the place all right.
Ralin walked casually up the long driveway and up the stone steps. The large oak double doors gleamed in the noon sun. She knew that the wood was as lethal to her friend's family as it was to her. This house had been built by humans.
She reached for the doorbell and rang once. She crossed her arms as she stood while the door slowly opened.
Chapter 2: A Whole New World
Ralin was staring off into space by the time that the long train came to Los Angeles. She recognized it immediately. The city seemed to sparkle in the dawn light. It was like an alternate universe compared to her small hometown. She'd been here before and each time she noticed the difference more profoundly.
She'd done this a few times before when she was younger and had the brilliant idea to run away from home. Taking the train to get away. Looking back, Ralin couldn't believe how stupid she had been. To want to rid herself of her warm home, and parents who mostly kept off of her back about things. Ralin shook her delicate head and wondered what was wrong with her.
Irritated, Ralin snapped out of her daydream and eyed the passing city. She saw a flat bit of ground approaching and before she knew what was happening she was airborne. In the middle of a flying leap off of the moving train.
Ralin landed softly on the gravel beside the tracks.
She had it all planned out where she would go from there. Her best friend had moved to Los Angeles not three months before. Ralin knew that she would be able to stay at her friend's place for awhile. Or as long as was necessary to arrange a more permanent solution.
Ralin pulled out her slim black wallet and peered inside. She saw a few bills, some change and ID. She ruffled through the bills and found what she was looking for. Wedged between two fifties was a small folded piece of paper. She removed it carefully and unfolded it. It was the address of her friend. She lived over on Mandath Street. It was a long walk but she knew she would survive. She always did. She began her long trek. Walking this time.
She sighed as she walked, thinking about all that had happened over the course of the last week. Her family; they had been killed after refusing to disclose her whereabouts. Ralin had been over at a friend's place while all of this occurred. When she went home that same day her parents and her younger sister had been laying there dying, wood piercing them everywhere. Ralin remembered them telling her to run. And she had just as the Night People came back. She ran out the back door, never to see her family again. The thought made her sad. Unlike most lamia, she had been very close to her family. She had loved them despite the coldness and contempt at the rest of the world.
She was only 17 but she had already been through so much. Seen so much death and suffering. It made her throat tighten painfully to think of all she had lost. She had stopped aging but she didn't know if she liked being stuck in the middle of her transition from being a child to being an adult. However, she knew that she would stay at 17 for while anyway. It was a good age.
The sun was completely up by that time and Ralin was tired of being lost in her own thoughts. However when she looked around she noticed that she was in another alley. That seemed to be the safest route to take. She didn't know what Night People might be wandering the streets and which of them may be working for whoever was after her.
Ralin continued walking toward her destination viewing all the best alleys that downtown Los Angeles could offer. Someone even tried to mug her once.
The man was dressed in black with shaggy gray hair and filthy clothed. He obviously lived on the street and hadn't bathed in some time. Ralin ignored the smell and laughed as he pointed his gun at her. She could see the confusion of the man as he watched her stand there laughing in the face of her own death. Or so he thought.
Ralin moved inexplicably fast. Before the man could blink twice he was in a trance-like hypnotized state and Ralin was enjoying the warm, tangy taste of his blood.
When she was finished with the man she simply picked him up and threw him at the edge of the alley. He would be awake soon but by then she knew she'd be long gone.
Ralin breathed in the toxic air the surrounded her. Pollution from the city wasn't exactly pleasant to breath but she didn't care. She was young and full of exotic blood. The adrenaline was intoxicating.
She knew what people would see if they looked at her. They would see a girl of about 17 with brilliant greenish-silver eyes that seemed to radiate their own light from somewhere deep within. She had dark hair that wasn't exactly chestnut or black but some color in between. She had long legs and a nicely sculpted face, along with her inherited willow slim figure. Right at the moment she was wearing high black boots that came up just below her knees, blue jeans and a slinky black shirt that was mostly covered by her black jacket.
Ralin saw her friend's street just ahead of her and picked up the pace. She realized that she was tired but ignored her mind's desperate pleas for sleep. Pushing the thoughts away completely.
She reached into her pocked and removed her wallet once again. She removed the piece of paper and read the house number printed neatly beside the phone number and the street. Number 7492 Mandath Street.
Ralin looked closely at the large houses that surrounded her. Nice, she thought, very nice. They weren't mansions or anything but these homes made it obvious that they owners had cash to spare.
She allowed herself a small smile as she strolled up the street until she came to one of the larger houses. It was a classic white with darker trimmings. It had a long flat driveway that led to an attached garage. She smiled even wider when she saw the number. This was the place all right.
Ralin walked casually up the long driveway and up the stone steps. The large oak double doors gleamed in the noon sun. She knew that the wood was as lethal to her friend's family as it was to her. This house had been built by humans.
She reached for the doorbell and rang once. She crossed her arms as she stood while the door slowly opened.