was sent off to a boarding school by a guardian and after that Keira’s family had lost track of her. Last they heard she was working in some kind of club. Keira’s mother always spoke of Toby with scorn and Keira always felt badly for her.
Even though it had been ages since they’d spoken, Keira decided to give Toby a call. She dialed her number, and to her surprise Toby picked right up.
“Yeah,” said Toby, “what’s up?” her speech was slurred.
“Hey, Toby, it’s your cousin Keira. Remember me?”
“Sure,” Toby acted natural, didn’t seem at all surprised.
“It’s been a long time,” Keira said, feeling funny.
“No big deal,” Toby answered. “Things like this happen to me all the time. People I knew a long time ago are always popping up. What’s going on? How are you doing?”
Keira told her that she needed a place to stay for a little while and Toby said that she had a small room in her apartment that Keira could use. For a few bucks, of course. Keira was grateful. Then Toby filled her in. She worked in a club a few blocks from the apartment. She gave Keira the address and told her to meet her at the club to get the key, if she came at night. Everything was arranged in a few moments, and then Keira hung up the phone.
CHAPTER 10
Keira’s bus in arrived at the South Side of Chicago after 10 o’clock that night. The streets were narrow, dark and littered with garbage, scraps of metal and boxes of all kinds. The buildings were poor and run down. A sense of doom hung over the neighborhood, with people roaming around, glancing over their shoulders as they walked. A perfect place for the Shadows, Keira thought, feeling as though she’d landed in hell. She stopped a second, listened for hissing, but didn’t hear any. Not yet, anyway, she said to herself.
Then she straightened up and shook her head. Wait a minute , she thought, this is crazy. It’s just late at night in a strange city. Everything will look brighter in the morning. Besides, this is a good place to be now because it’s so crowded: with so many dark, miserable vibrations, if somehow the Shadows did track me here, they’d have plenty of other people to feed on.
Keira felt wrecked from the past few days and desperate to get a hot shower and good sleep. She took out the scrap of paper she’d where she’d written the address of the club Toby worked at. She had no idea what Toby did there. It had been so many years since they’d seen one another, Keira even wondered if she and her cousin would recognize each other now.
The club was called Rakanrovers, on West Ogden Avenue, just a few blocks south of the bus stop. Keira walked south and in a few minutes saw a seedy building with dimly flashing lights, surrounded by a steel yellow gate. Two large bouncers with giant muscles, stood at the gate checking ID’s, letting some in and keeping out others. A bunch of girls dressed in tight clothes, and guys in black shirts, straggled around, checking each other out.
Keira suddenly felt self-conscious about how she looked. She was dressed in slacks and a shirt that she hadn’t changed since she left the Torches. But for now, she had to forget about impressing anyone. She just had to get in, find Toby, get the key to the apartment and go there. Then she’d collapse on her bed and sleep for at least twenty four hours, she thought.
Keira walked to the gate boldly, acting as if she belonged. But, as soon as she got there, one of the bouncers walked over, stood in front of her, looked down at her and stopped her on the spot.
“Okay, baby,” he said, “where do you think you’re going? Show me your ID.”
Keira had just turned eighteen. “My cousin works inside,” Keira said, “She’s expecting me.”
“Yeah,” he sneered, “tell me another.” He moved closer again to block her, his breath reeking of garlic and beer. Keira wanted to throw up.
“My cousin’s name is Toby and I’m moving in with
Even though it had been ages since they’d spoken, Keira decided to give Toby a call. She dialed her number, and to her surprise Toby picked right up.
“Yeah,” said Toby, “what’s up?” her speech was slurred.
“Hey, Toby, it’s your cousin Keira. Remember me?”
“Sure,” Toby acted natural, didn’t seem at all surprised.
“It’s been a long time,” Keira said, feeling funny.
“No big deal,” Toby answered. “Things like this happen to me all the time. People I knew a long time ago are always popping up. What’s going on? How are you doing?”
Keira told her that she needed a place to stay for a little while and Toby said that she had a small room in her apartment that Keira could use. For a few bucks, of course. Keira was grateful. Then Toby filled her in. She worked in a club a few blocks from the apartment. She gave Keira the address and told her to meet her at the club to get the key, if she came at night. Everything was arranged in a few moments, and then Keira hung up the phone.
CHAPTER 10
Keira’s bus in arrived at the South Side of Chicago after 10 o’clock that night. The streets were narrow, dark and littered with garbage, scraps of metal and boxes of all kinds. The buildings were poor and run down. A sense of doom hung over the neighborhood, with people roaming around, glancing over their shoulders as they walked. A perfect place for the Shadows, Keira thought, feeling as though she’d landed in hell. She stopped a second, listened for hissing, but didn’t hear any. Not yet, anyway, she said to herself.
Then she straightened up and shook her head. Wait a minute , she thought, this is crazy. It’s just late at night in a strange city. Everything will look brighter in the morning. Besides, this is a good place to be now because it’s so crowded: with so many dark, miserable vibrations, if somehow the Shadows did track me here, they’d have plenty of other people to feed on.
Keira felt wrecked from the past few days and desperate to get a hot shower and good sleep. She took out the scrap of paper she’d where she’d written the address of the club Toby worked at. She had no idea what Toby did there. It had been so many years since they’d seen one another, Keira even wondered if she and her cousin would recognize each other now.
The club was called Rakanrovers, on West Ogden Avenue, just a few blocks south of the bus stop. Keira walked south and in a few minutes saw a seedy building with dimly flashing lights, surrounded by a steel yellow gate. Two large bouncers with giant muscles, stood at the gate checking ID’s, letting some in and keeping out others. A bunch of girls dressed in tight clothes, and guys in black shirts, straggled around, checking each other out.
Keira suddenly felt self-conscious about how she looked. She was dressed in slacks and a shirt that she hadn’t changed since she left the Torches. But for now, she had to forget about impressing anyone. She just had to get in, find Toby, get the key to the apartment and go there. Then she’d collapse on her bed and sleep for at least twenty four hours, she thought.
Keira walked to the gate boldly, acting as if she belonged. But, as soon as she got there, one of the bouncers walked over, stood in front of her, looked down at her and stopped her on the spot.
“Okay, baby,” he said, “where do you think you’re going? Show me your ID.”
Keira had just turned eighteen. “My cousin works inside,” Keira said, “She’s expecting me.”
“Yeah,” he sneered, “tell me another.” He moved closer again to block her, his breath reeking of garlic and beer. Keira wanted to throw up.
“My cousin’s name is Toby and I’m moving in with
Similar Books
