November 27, 2018/ Middle of the night.

The smell of blood and flayed flesh filled my nostrils, as I made odd noises in my throat trying to clear it. My lip curled as I pushed my tongue out. I left the room minutes ago, but the smell still lingered on my clothing. The streetlights lit the paved pathway, lighting up my steps. I walked on the pathway with a steady and loose gait. I was brushing the skin near my eyes. The stench of blood wasn’t the only thing aggravating me, the feel of it left a lasting mark on my skin, and that dumb bitch covered my face in it. So, I couldn’t help but scratch until I felt there was nothing there.

“tch.”

So much for the dark dreamy mysterious vibes, I was going for. I probably looked like a psychopathic idiot, scratching at my face and turning my face up while covered in blood. It wasn’t a typical New York thing to see, so I stuck to the shadows, but the lighting was too good out, so nobody would take me seriously if they saw me out right now. I fidgeted as I imagined everyone seeing me look like a dorky red tomato walking like a psycho.

“Fucking V,”

I mumbled while rubbing the back of my neck, still scratching the blood off near my right eye.

She told me to keep my wits about me as I rendezvoused with someone.

I sighed at the sky because she didn’t even give me a description of the person or location. I was just supposed to find this mysterious man two blocks away on 3rd avenue next to a noticeable chicken spot.

She seemed way too sure, that I would know exactly where it was when I saw it. I bit into my cheek as my lips pressed together. My eyes narrowed as my brows tightened closer to each other. I was shit with directions; I had been my whole life. I was one of the younger generations who thought it impossible to get around without a phone.

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I also didn’t have my phone because of V so there was that too. Nothing besides the thought of not cleaning up back there helped clear my anxiety.

I did wanna find them, I felt it was my obligation, I was the one who lost them. Maybe this person I was meeting would know where to find them.

I chose my moments dodging and weaving between bright lights and shadows.

One block down and two more to go. I didn’t know if I would know if I was there or not, but I did trust that V knew me somewhat well. Plus, this was a lot of trust in me so I had to come through, no matter my feelings about her. I could still tell the story of how fucked up she was, but for this case, we were on, we had to work together, bitter rivals coming together.

All I could do was chuckle. This is another crazy night to pile on like the others.

After another block in the shadows, I was now on the lookout for the noticeable chicken spot. From the way she laughed and smirked at me, it was definitely a dig at me, but I didn’t care, I was just hoping it would be noticeable and not some stupid inside joke of her I didn’t understand.

I was starting to think I had gone the wrong way when I noticed a shorting, flashy, sign near the end of the last block, ahead of my destination. The blue and yellow signs were really noticeable, but not to just anyone…no, only to a disgruntled half vampire with severe burning trauma. I refused to give it another thought as I shook my head and walked away to regain my composure.

Before I walked off into the shadows, I put my middle finger up towards the building, because who in their right mind names their spot ‘THE BURNT CHICKEN NUGGET’ I couldn’t picture a single thing being sold here.

I walked along the building's dark strange exterior, letting the shadows lead me to the alley out back.

The sounds of rats or other critters scurrying made me rush into the alley. I wasn’t scared, but the thought of them smelling the blood on me made me flinch, so I go the hell out of there.

The pathway was littered with trash around a large dumpster. The irony wasn’t lost on me, the whole city should burn if Veronica lived through this ordeal.

I waited by the dump for nearly 5 minutes. Nobody was here not coming down the alley, so I grabbed that lone white bucket to the side and place it upside down, and sat down. I scoffed out loud because if it was another vampire, I was meeting then I knew I was in for a wait if they were anything like Veronica. So far all of them had been real pieces of work, except master's ofcourse.

This wasn’t so bad either, I could continue with the story now, and our dark walk into my dark life.

…really?

It was neither?

Fine… let's just get back to it.