AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Exhaling, I swallow thickly. I have the five hundred Monica didn’t take, plus the one fifty I made last night and then my last paycheck from the bar. All that should give me the first and last month’s rent, I just won’t be able to eat until I get another job. But that’s okay, it won’t be the first time I’ve gone hungry.
“Could I come and have a look at the room?”
“Sure, when did you want to come?”
“I don’t have class today. I could swing by now?” I suggest.
“Well, I’m going out for coffee at four, but sure, let me give you the address.”
She reels off the address and I write it down on the conveniently placed Columbus State University notepad. “Perfect,” I say, exhaling a relieved breath. “I’m just on campus at the admin building, so I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”
“Awesome, the door is at the side, take the freight lift up to the second floor, we’re the second door on the right.”
“Okay, see you soon.”
Ripping the sheet of paper from the pad, I head over to the information desk and smile at the bored looking student, manning it. “Hey, my cell has died, would you mind giving me an idea of where this address is please.”
The girl rolls her eyes, then puts her hand out for the address. Without saying another word, she types at the computer in front of her, then reaches down and grabs a piece of paper and hands it back to me.
I take it from her, realizing she printed me off a map and directions. “Thanks.”
“You need to wear your student ID on campus.” She scowls.
“Oh, I left it in my dorm, I’ll go back and get it. Thanks for your help,” I call, keeping my smile fixed in place as I turn and leave. Just like I thought, the apartment is only about five blocks from campus, but as I walk toward the address, the streets become more and more industrial in style with apartment blocks changing from modern condos, to converted warehouses.
Considering this area is close to a popular university, I’d expected to find more bars and stores, but instead it has a very commercial vibe with signs for various companies hanging over doorways. When I reach the address, I look at the huge warehouse. The old building has clearly been converted into expensive looking apartments, and I wonder how Bea and her friends are managing to rent the place for only two grand a month. There isn’t an obvious lobby or entrance, but she told me to go to the side door, so I walk the perimeter of the building until I find it. When I push open the door and step inside, the vibe is still very industrial, but it’s clearly been well converted, and the concrete floors are polished to a shine. The walls are all exposed brick, with framed pictures of how the building used to look when it was still being used as a working factory.
On one side of the corridor is a small elevator with an ornate metal grill that slides into place. On the other side of the corridor is a door that’s propped open and leads to a huge freight elevator, with a wooden shutter. Following Bea’s instructions, I board the elevator, slide the shutter into place, then hit the button for the second floor.
It’s a nice building, but for some reason the hairs on the back of my neck are on end and I’m hit with a creepy feeling of being watched. Glancing up, I’m surprised to find a small camera positioned in the corner of the elevator. I guess it makes sense, I bet this place has security everywhere, but it’s not something I’m used to. In the places I’ve lived in the past, the closest to decent security they’ve had is an angry homeless person sitting on the stoop, to stop more angry homeless people from getting inside.
Once more, I ask myself why the rent on this kind of building is so cheap. Maybe the others pay more and the room I’ll be living in is a windowless cupboard under the stairs like Harry Potter had. Internally shrugging, I realize I don’t care if it’s a cupboard, it’s better than going back to the streets, which right now is my only other option.
The elevator is bumpy as it ascends to the second floor, jolting to a stop and sending my stomach plummeting back to the street. For a moment, I question why I didn’t just use the antique-looking people elevator with the fancy gold mesh. Shrugging to myself again, I decide to use that one on the way back down.
Lifting the wooden shutter, I step out, then follow the corridor until I reach a door that opens onto another hallway, similar to the layout downstairs. Up here, there’s more exposed brickwork, only instead of framed pictures, there’s huge canvases hung on the walls with awesome graffiti-style pictures painted onto them.
I’m so struck by the cool artwork that I almost forget why I’m here, meandering down the hallway like I’m at an art gallery rather than to find a new place to live. Blinking, I drag my gaze from the pictures and to the doors on either side of the hallway. Bea said it was the second door on the right. Spinning around, I check for a door I’ve missed, and realize it was on the other side of the door that led to the elevator.
Pulling in a deep breath, I glance down at what I’m wearing. If I’d have known I needed to impress a group of sorority row bitches, I’d have dressed up a little. But I’m hoping my black skinny jeans, ole faithful Docs and cropped, shredded tank top makes me look enough like a student that she won’t question all the lies I’ve told her.
Lifting my fist, I knock, then wait. A few moments later, the door cracks open and a girl appears in the doorway.
“Hi, are you Bea?” I ask.
“I am, you must be Ali?”
“Yeah.” I wave, smiling like a cheerleader on the top of the pyramid.
“Awesome, why don’t you come on in?” she offers, pushing the door open and then stepping to the side to allow me to enter.
“Thanks,” I say, tentatively stepping inside.
My eyes scan the vaulted ceilings and open plan space as I walk forward. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle again and I know I’m in trouble, but before I have a chance to do anything there’s a sharp pain in my neck and everything goes black.
CHAPTER 4
dimitri
