Her tall boots stepped into a large puddle in the darkness with a loud splash as the sun was getting overshadowed by the moon as it set far into the horizon, the dirty muddy droplets clinging to her long grey pleated skirt as she hurried home from a long day of work. She didn't have the energy to feel anything but tiredness at her dirtied hem, conserving it for the walk back.

The streetlights had turned on a second ago, dimly lighting the cobblestone streets in a wash of synthetic light. Shadows crawled along the walls, moving with her body and dancing for her. Yawning, Charlotte ran a hand down her dark hair flattening down the strands that the furious wind was carrying along.

Her bag flapped along her side, and she picked up her pace since she was leaving quite late. Voices echoed from the streets near the main roads, but she avoided the large streets since she didn't want to get stopped by forthcoming men who wanted nothing more than a sweet body underneath them.

They caged her in once, and it had left her with a bad enough taste that she was willing to cross through some of the dark land to avoid it. She got out of that situation by blatantly lying about changing her work clothing into something more lively and meeting them later, but they were so drunk they probably didn't even notice that she didn't come back.

Her back ached from sitting in a chair for hours, and she ran a hand down to massage the pained area. Doing insurance work straight out of college was never her dream, but it paid the bills. She didn't have any long-term goals, content with her life as is, so she couldn't complain since she got a reliable job and was getting by comfortably.

Her parents were living somewhat easier thanks to the wiggle room that Charlotte was able to afford them. Her parents diligently supported her through university, whether that was emotionally or financially, and Charlotte was finally able to repay them despite knowing they would never ask anything of her.

Her thin jacket was nothing to ward off the cold, and she shivered underneath the train tracks that were roaring with the approaching express train. She didn't live far away, so she thought it better to save money by walking and breathing in the great air or rather the smog-ridden air characterized by the large city.

The bullet train whizzed past at incredible speed, making the bridge rattle under pressure, and Charlotte covered her ears slightly for the booming sound. She could barely see inside the train, but the bright light was enough to cast silhouettes. Technological advancement exploded a couple of decades ago, and the city was getting transformed for the better... or for worse as some would say.

The new water systems ensured the food supply would never die as the space for farmland had decreased to practically non-existent since most could be grown organically in labs. New vehicles created weren't to the level of hovercars but emitted less gas into the environment. The new title would be given to the factories.

Large industrial factories pumped immense energy to keep the city brightly lit day in and day out. If the factories stopped, the population would die. Ironically, The Shining City was the nickname for the city that never died. It kept on living and thriving down in the heart of the city, the Millennial Center. On the outskirts of the city, however, not so much.

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Charlotte hurried past the next neighborhoods that were shrouded in darkness with the occasional lamp if it was close enough to the main roads that transitioned to the middle of the city. The deserted shops around the area were eerily dark and silent. The wind howled and skirted a plastic bag across the street.

People disappeared at will, barely holding onto their lives in the place where it was always dark whenever the night came. Trash bins tipped over from the harsh wind, the loud crash startling Charlotte. Her frantic look to the side caught onto young children hiding in the corner who were also startled by her presence. 

The children had matching pink eyes and lime green hair, with one girl being older than the other, clearly siblings. Charlotte was caught off guard but gave them a hesitant smile at them, catching their attention, and Charlotte remembered that she had some leftover taffy in her bag. She motioned with her hand for them to get closer passing them the neon-colored candies.

They were a gift from her grandmother who made the trip down to the Millennial Center on an outing. They were rare as most candies were, especially ones from the center of the city. They were known as a prestigious gift and considered lucky. Especially if they came from the Millennial Center. The neon characteristic of the bright lights made the children gasp in shock.

"Thank you, ma'am," the small children whispered, their thin fingers brushed with grime grasping the candy in her outstretched hand.

"Of course. I hope you two live a lucky life," Charlotte said kindly as she patted them on the head.

Anyone nowadays needed a little more luck. Especially for those who live on the outer. The kids immediately scattered away, and she glanced around her surroundings once more, hoping that a loved one of the children was nearby. It was worrying, but Charlotte couldn't spare another minute. She also needed to scurry away.

Charlotte rounded the corner of the building continuing her trek back to her house, her steps slowly increasing in speed with a worrying, tap, tap tap. The shortcut was somewhat dangerous, but it was doable. She had gone this way multiple times already, and she could hold her own, but the uncomfortable feeling was still settling in her gut.

It was the sinister feeling gripping her throat, the wind following her, every sound echoing down the street. Grabbing the tiny pocket knife she kept as a box cutter and self-defense weapon in her purse, she palmed it. It wouldn't do much, but it would do enough, making her feel a little better. Living on the borderland of the middle ring and outer, it was better to be safe than sorry. 

Her instincts were telling her to get out of there, but Charlotte continued her walk. She twisted the rectangle-shaped item around in her hand and kicked a rock near her right foot idly. The rock skidded on the overgrown cobblestone pathing and suddenly stopped. She glanced up and screamed when she saw why.