By Alexander Ballard
Published January 28, 2014
A little later then I had planned but here is part 2. Feel free post your comments and story suggestions.
Tricks and Traps – Part 2
Beer and Pad Thai served from a roadside cart the finest 3am dining in the golden crescent. The night market was still going strong along the colourfully lit street between Canada Town and Little Thailand. This was one of the last refuges of the old world. It was where the night people came to shop, to trade, and to sell. It was a place free of the digital delude that saturated other parts of the city. Here you could barter and haggle for real goods not the practically disposable printed items that were available at any kiosk. Here you could be harassed by hawkers, tricked into buying fake narcotics or aphrodisiacs, and mugged all in one night.
But the people were friendly to the regulars and the food was good if you liked noodles, or poutine. It had been a long night and I had worked up quite a sweat. My evening had been exhausting but fun. But then a girl could get in to all sorts of trouble at the edge of the Hive in the middle of the night. It wasn’t the safest of places during the day but at night things were an altogether different story. In the warren of collapsed buildings and makeshift homes there were far worse predators then just men. It was an easy hunting ground for the Kine. They came in different species and flavours but they were all dangerous and cunning with a taste for human.
The Kine had torn their way through the veil and into our reality from across the void between dimensions. Clawing, biting, and devouring everyone in their path. People said it was the LHC that started all. That it had acted as a beacon shining across dimensions drawing them from their shadowy world to ours like moths to a flame.
The first Kine shattered the walls of reality at CERN and sent fractures throughout the world. Whether that was true or not didn’t really matter anymore. A flood of Kine had torn through the hole and scorched most of Europe off the map. Even after the initial deluge The Kine were still coming in through the gaps in the world.
“Another beer Su.” I asked the tiny Thai woman who worked the cart. She smiled and nodded handing over another ice cold beer. I was never sure if Su understood English or not. The woman had never spoken more than the odd word, but her food was cheap and tasty.
“Hey beautiful want some company?” A rather sleazy drunken businessman asked.
“No, get lost.”
“Come on don’t be like that.”
“Take your arm off me.” I said in disgust as he pulled up a seat and put his arm on my back.
“I’m just looking for a little a fun and you look like the kind of girl who likes to party. So how much is your time going to cost me? I have some fairy dust if you want get really freaky.”
“So you see a girl in tight black shorts and a red tube top and you think you think she’s a working girl? Or do you just think your money and charms make you irresistible?” I replied in revulsion while trying to decide if it would be simpler to just smash a bottle in his face. But then if I did I might not be welcome at Su’s noodle cart in the future.
“Aren’t you the feisty one. Come on babe don’t be like that.” The drunken man continued putting a hand on my knee. Narrowing my eyes I slipped the EL blade from my pocket and shifted the dial all the way to the bottom. The hand sized metal tube glowed with a pale emerald light and sparked. With a thin smile I jabbed the EL blade into the drunken man’s side causing him to convulse violently and then throw up all over the paved street before collapsing into a pool of his own vomit.
“Oh no, what’s the matter did you have too much to drink?” I asked with mocking sincerity while searching through his pockets; taking his wallet, watch, and the small glittering bag of fairy dust. Leaving a twenty on the country I slipped on my leather jacket and headed down the street. It slowly began to rain and after all the nights activity I decided that what I needed now more than anything was a hot shower to wash off the filth.
Home was just a sky train ride away. The mag train glided slightly through the city weaving between skyscrapers and above the large lush green park. Glittering lights and walls of concrete and glass were everywhere. Projected screens painted advertisements and commercials on the sides of buildings. Sometimes the tech kids would hack the ad network for a laugh covering whole blocks with videos of cats in costumes or propaganda messages.
I called the steel and glass Tyco Tower home. It was in the cannel district near the glittering lights of the Entertainment Mile and the financial hub known as the Emerald City. Most of the hexagon shaped windows were dark; anyone with any sense was asleep. The building was beautiful in its own way and most importantly it had sturdy security and there was little chance of an unwanted visitor slipping in unannounced. And if there was one thing that a girl like my likes in this day and age it’s her privacy. When you make your living off hunting the Kine the last thing you want is one attacking you in your sleep. And sleep was exactly what I needed right now just as soon as I could get cleaned up.
The Aspiring Writer 