Orphan Times Two (Aidan)

[Aliyah]

The sunlight was finally disappearing over the horizon, blanketing the city in darkness. The safety it provided would soon allow the vampires of the area to roam freely through the streets. Aliyah peeked through the thick blue curtains of the living room and watched the streets below, wrinkling her nose at the zombies shambling about. As much as she loved Corvidae, the fact that it resided in the Quarantine Zone served as an annoyance. Every time she went to walk outside, there was a mess of zombie parts left in her wake. And they always seemed to respawn. For such a small area of the city, there was never a shortage of the walking corpses.

The blonde grumbled as she slipped into her boots and jacket, slinging her purse over her shoulder. Before leaving, she double checked that everything was off and the door was locked. She slipped out and made her way to the elevator, waving a hand to one of the various unknown neighbors making their way inside their apartments. She pressed the button and did her best to wait patiently, planning out her night. There was loot to sell, ammunition to buy for Ever, a visit to the Mausoleum, and then her daily hack. As she formed the "to-do list" in her head, the elevator doors opened.

She stood there blankly for a long moment. Long enough that the doors to the elevator closed once more, likely moving off to another floor to pick up some other poor soul that lived in the building. Her daze ended in a sudden moment of clarity, her palm slapping against her forehead. Why she was bothering to walk throughout the city when she had a tome to the Den only proved her lack of common sense. She took the small object from it's permanent place in her purse, holding it tightly within her grasp. She closed her eyes to concentrate on the power it held within. When the blue orbs opened once more, she stood before the elevator with the various traps to her back.

Without a glance over her shoulder at the summoned creatures guarding the family location, she moved to the elevator that would take her down in the only station. It creaked and groaned as it made its way up the shaft, cluing her in on its age. A small shudder ran down her back at the idea of the old machine breaking down, sending her into an abyss at the bottom with a mess of broken metal and fire. The image caused a round of anxiety to curl its way through her veins, as if the Den didn't make her anxious enough with all its portals.

Blocking out all thought of her doom, she stepped inside the car as its doors opened, quickly slamming her hand down on the lower floor of the Den where the majority of the magic happened. The seconds passed by slowly, and so when the car finally released her at her destination, she hurried moved out of it a few steps. She then stopped with a hand to her chest, as if slowing her unbeating heart.

Once she had settled in a sort of calm, she sighed and forced herself in the direction of the Den shop. How Pi and Elliot managed to keep shopkeepers down here was a wonder to her, but she had never thought to ask. Occasionally, she would catch Michael down there, doing this and that as Pi asked, but he was allowed to go as he pleased. However, the same shopkeepers always seemed to grace the Den.

For whatever reason, they smiled and waved in greeting, familiar with her face. She returned the gesture and made her way to the stall. It was time to sell.