Blade Runner Mafia Day 2: Crazy (MAFIA HIT)
The phone on the table next to Bepa’s bed rang incessantly until finally the sleeping police officer picked up the receiver, dropped it, picked it back up, and brought it to her ear. Still mostly asleep after dozing off in the wee hours of the morning, she still managed a respectable growl at her boss.
“509 Bepa. Dial it.â€Â
Bepa smirked and looked over at her mood organ. Instead of dialing 501 (for a patient and understanding attitude) she chose her usual setting, 905, for an extra short temper.
“Done. What do you want?â€Â
“You didn’t dial 501.â€Â
“Fuck you.â€Â
“Ah, 905, pleasant. Bepa, this is serious. I need you to go back to the apartment today.â€Â
“Bryant, do you have any idea of the night I’ve had?â€Â
“Cheer up Bepa. It’s a new day. Full of new possibilities, new dead bodies…â€Â
“Dead bodies? Just what I need…I tell you what, how about I don’t go over to the apartment and we just skip right to who’s responsible. I’ll give you a hint; IT WAS THE ANDROIDS. Go, book ‘em, run!â€Â
“We’re not so sure. At least one death looks like an accident. The other body, though...there’s a good chance it was android foul play. You’re going to need to gather evidence. Do this by the book Bepa; if we can prove androids are responsible we’ll be forced to act.â€Â
This prospect encouraged Bepa slightly in spite of herself. Any way to get around the red tape of retiring androids was a good thing, after all.
“I’ll be over there shortly.â€Â
~.~
The killers were clearly being a bit more cautious this time around. While Bepa was more than willing to write off Madcow’s death as an accident (too sloppy for murder, really), the death of Rufus Deaner was another story. The schizo’s apartment was meticulously clean. Someone had even taken a mop to the floor recently; the tile in the kitchen was still damp. It couldn’t have been Deaner…Bepa figured he had been dead for at least three hours when she finally arrived at the scene. Oddly enough, he was unmarked. Poison, then? Somehow Bepa couldn’t imagine the special eating or drinking anything he hadn’t prepared himself, but what else could have killed him? And why had the killers mopped the floor and straightened up before they left when Rufus didn’t appear to have died violently? Shaking her head at the logic of a lack of evidence being evidence in and of itself, the police officer gathered up her notes and picked up the phone.
/ooc just to avoid a painful numerology discussion, I'll go ahead and tell you that the numbers used for the mood organ mean absolutely nothing. Stay tuned for more death tomorrow!
Vulash
21 years ago
But numerology is fun :( I think the Illuminati did it
ROzbeans
21 years ago
Caitlinn fingered the crime secne tape on the door and jiggled the handle. It was locked. With a swift kick, it wasnt locked. She let the door swing open into the apartment. She thought, 'Interesting Rufus escaped the lynching, but not the hit.' Peering in she noticed the unusual smell. Everything was clean. Clean being the peculiar scent.
Clean like a maid would do. Or a janitor.
Clean like a maid would do. Or a janitor.
Larene_Stormfire
21 years ago
Polarn was thankful today was one of the few days she could take a day to rest, she had no work to do at her office. And it gave her time to care for Shosho.
Turning on the shower, she set it to a mild heat. Leaving the bathroom she went to the perch her bird sat on, holding up her arm she said " Time for a bath Shosho, come on!"
As the bird left its perch and they walked into teh bathroom. Polarn heard a resounding crash. She carefully put Shosho down on teh special no slip perch in the tub, so the feather dust would settle on her and walked to the door. Flinging it open she saw the splintered door and Caitlin standing there.
Shocked she quickly shut and locked her door. Going back to the shower she found her bird throughly soaked and the feather dust settled in the bottom of the tub.
Turning on the shower, she set it to a mild heat. Leaving the bathroom she went to the perch her bird sat on, holding up her arm she said " Time for a bath Shosho, come on!"
As the bird left its perch and they walked into teh bathroom. Polarn heard a resounding crash. She carefully put Shosho down on teh special no slip perch in the tub, so the feather dust would settle on her and walked to the door. Flinging it open she saw the splintered door and Caitlin standing there.
Shocked she quickly shut and locked her door. Going back to the shower she found her bird throughly soaked and the feather dust settled in the bottom of the tub.
Mileron
21 years ago
Returning from picking up a day's worth of groceries (that he hoped would last him a week) Collin heard the door being kicked in.
As he peeked around the corner, seeing the police tape dangling in ribbons, he saw the woman inside, but quickly moved past to his own apartment.
As he peeked around the corner, seeing the police tape dangling in ribbons, he saw the woman inside, but quickly moved past to his own apartment.
Geeii
21 years ago
He was back on Mars, giving yet another pointless speech. It seemed to him now that every person there was only listening to later ridicule him. To later say they had seen the fanatic Professor. He wasn't fanatic, he just was passionate - they labeled him otherwise because he was passionate about something the culture didn't approve of.
As he was coming to a conclusion, an android from the speech, who had demonstrated capacity for love, suddenly stood up and ran towards Tyler. In a flashthere was nothing between Tyler and death. He was going to die at the hands of one he was trying to protect - and that would only speed their demise.
He noticed at the edge of his vision a police officer drawing an old style firearm. As the woman prepared to shoot, Tyler was acutely aware of the anger and pain in the android's eyes. Then suddenly....
*BANG!*
The crashing sound of splintering wood woke Tyler from his sleep. Hastily dressing, Tyler left his door ajar as he raced down the hall to the apartment the noise had come from.
It was Rufus Deaner's. And someone was outside. A woman.
'Oh no,' the professor said as he slowed his race down the hall. It was Caitlinn, and he wasn't even presentable. He glanced down, his sweats were on backwards and his bathrobe untied, exposing his chest. Self-consciously tying it closed he dimly noted she was looking at him.
'It's clean,' she said. What she meant he couldn't be sure? Had she checked for someone inside and decided there was noone there?
Sliding past her, he peeked in the room. She was right, it was clean. The only mess in the house was the splinted wood from the door being blown in from the impact of something - he assumed Caitlinn trying to get inside, and the police outline of a body which Tyler assumed was in the shape of Rufus Deaner.
Suspeciously Tyler eyed Caitlinn, backing a bit away.
'Why did you break in Rufus' door?' he asked, trying to keep the dread and fear he was feeling from coming out of his speech.
'It was locked,' she replied simply.
Still not convinced she was telling the whole truth, the professor raised an eyebrow and countered with, 'And....? You were trying to get inside why, exactly?'
As he was coming to a conclusion, an android from the speech, who had demonstrated capacity for love, suddenly stood up and ran towards Tyler. In a flashthere was nothing between Tyler and death. He was going to die at the hands of one he was trying to protect - and that would only speed their demise.
He noticed at the edge of his vision a police officer drawing an old style firearm. As the woman prepared to shoot, Tyler was acutely aware of the anger and pain in the android's eyes. Then suddenly....
*BANG!*
The crashing sound of splintering wood woke Tyler from his sleep. Hastily dressing, Tyler left his door ajar as he raced down the hall to the apartment the noise had come from.
It was Rufus Deaner's. And someone was outside. A woman.
'Oh no,' the professor said as he slowed his race down the hall. It was Caitlinn, and he wasn't even presentable. He glanced down, his sweats were on backwards and his bathrobe untied, exposing his chest. Self-consciously tying it closed he dimly noted she was looking at him.
'It's clean,' she said. What she meant he couldn't be sure? Had she checked for someone inside and decided there was noone there?
Sliding past her, he peeked in the room. She was right, it was clean. The only mess in the house was the splinted wood from the door being blown in from the impact of something - he assumed Caitlinn trying to get inside, and the police outline of a body which Tyler assumed was in the shape of Rufus Deaner.
Suspeciously Tyler eyed Caitlinn, backing a bit away.
'Why did you break in Rufus' door?' he asked, trying to keep the dread and fear he was feeling from coming out of his speech.
'It was locked,' she replied simply.
Still not convinced she was telling the whole truth, the professor raised an eyebrow and countered with, 'And....? You were trying to get inside why, exactly?'
ROzbeans
21 years ago
Caitlinn looked fully at the Professor. He was older, dishelved and an addict. Most pitied his kind, albeit privately. Life for her was...monosyllabic. Very, black and white. Loose ends perplexed her. 'How and why, Professor Anderson. We know why, but more specifically...how.'
Geeii
21 years ago
Tyler waited for a response and didn't fail to notice the slightly disdainful look she cast when she looked at him, for what may have been the first time, ever.
"How and why, Professor Anderson. We know why, but more specifically...how?" she finally managed.
Taken aback by the quick change of context it took the professor a moment to answer.
"I suppose you are right, we shouldn't be placing blame yet, we should look into this first."
With that he motioned towards the kitchen and said, 'Looks like Deaner wasn't safe after all. Someone got to him, we have to figure who. Maybe I was more right then I thought when I said he was dangerous, but it was to whom that danger was presented was wre my mistake lay."
After a brief look from the ex-cop, one that could have been suspicion or contemplation, Tyler turned and walked away.
"I have someone to talk to," he called over his shoulder, "Don't dissappear on me, Detective."
"How and why, Professor Anderson. We know why, but more specifically...how?" she finally managed.
Taken aback by the quick change of context it took the professor a moment to answer.
"I suppose you are right, we shouldn't be placing blame yet, we should look into this first."
With that he motioned towards the kitchen and said, 'Looks like Deaner wasn't safe after all. Someone got to him, we have to figure who. Maybe I was more right then I thought when I said he was dangerous, but it was to whom that danger was presented was wre my mistake lay."
After a brief look from the ex-cop, one that could have been suspicion or contemplation, Tyler turned and walked away.
"I have someone to talk to," he called over his shoulder, "Don't dissappear on me, Detective."
ROzbeans
21 years ago
Caitlinn stood for a moment and listened to the Professor scurry out of the apartment. Suddenly she realized it was lunchtime. She closed the broken door as best she could. She heard soft clicks of doors being closed behind her. Everyone was supicious and kicking the door in probably wasn't a great idea, but it was effective.
Walking casually by the Anderson's apartment she stopped. Knocking softly on the door, he answered, surprised to see her. He had managed to get on slacks and a grimey button up shirt. It was partially opened. Caitlinn remarked, for his age he was still a handsome man. Her thoughts trailed.
'Yes?'
Caitlinn's eyes focused back again on Anderson. 'I'll be around.' She left before he could say anything further. Returning to her apartment she recalled the strong smell of disinfectant in Rufus' room. Her mind kept returning to the janitor.
Opening her door she was greeted by her pet. 'Lunchtime little guy.' Setting out some food she kneeled down to watch the black cat sniff at the food and then stare back up at her. 'You never eat much, do you?' Picking up her cat she walked to her balcony, her cat snizzed at the dust. She slowly stroked the animal and watched the filtered sun thru the dust clouds.
Walking casually by the Anderson's apartment she stopped. Knocking softly on the door, he answered, surprised to see her. He had managed to get on slacks and a grimey button up shirt. It was partially opened. Caitlinn remarked, for his age he was still a handsome man. Her thoughts trailed.
'Yes?'
Caitlinn's eyes focused back again on Anderson. 'I'll be around.' She left before he could say anything further. Returning to her apartment she recalled the strong smell of disinfectant in Rufus' room. Her mind kept returning to the janitor.
Opening her door she was greeted by her pet. 'Lunchtime little guy.' Setting out some food she kneeled down to watch the black cat sniff at the food and then stare back up at her. 'You never eat much, do you?' Picking up her cat she walked to her balcony, her cat snizzed at the dust. She slowly stroked the animal and watched the filtered sun thru the dust clouds.
Pulvani
21 years ago
(Posted near the elevators on all floors):
NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS:
Please remember that the basement is for building furniture storage only and should not be used to store your own personal belongings unless you have permission from me.
All maintenance requests must be submitted in writing, either to my apartment (3C) or in the envelope outside the janitor's closet on the third floor.
If you need assistance in removing a stain or need professional strength cleaning products, please ask me and I'll be glad to clean it for you or give you the products you can use.
If you would like the locks changed on your apartment, this may be done for free for a limited time. Remember, don't give a copy of your key to anyone you do not trust.
-Jed
(and scribbled at the bottom,)
P.S. If anyone knows who broke into my janitor's closet between yesterday evening and this afternoon, please let me know. I don't have a problem letting you borrow my stuff, just ask my permission first and I'll get it for you.
NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS:
Please remember that the basement is for building furniture storage only and should not be used to store your own personal belongings unless you have permission from me.
All maintenance requests must be submitted in writing, either to my apartment (3C) or in the envelope outside the janitor's closet on the third floor.
If you need assistance in removing a stain or need professional strength cleaning products, please ask me and I'll be glad to clean it for you or give you the products you can use.
If you would like the locks changed on your apartment, this may be done for free for a limited time. Remember, don't give a copy of your key to anyone you do not trust.
-Jed
(and scribbled at the bottom,)
P.S. If anyone knows who broke into my janitor's closet between yesterday evening and this afternoon, please let me know. I don't have a problem letting you borrow my stuff, just ask my permission first and I'll get it for you.
Jinheim
21 years ago
Jacob was returning home from a long night a work. He had slipped up this evening, a careless error. He was now missing another chuck of skin from his left hand, another scar among dozens. A police car had zoomed past the front of the store, sirens blazing, and he'd looked up at the wrong moment. The knife had taken out a big chunk out of the meaty part at the base of his thumb, and it had bled forever. The blood had gotten all over a tub of diced lettuce, and he'd had to throw the whole thing out. He'd picked up a new pack of smokes on his way home, and he was packing them as he stepped into the elevator. It stopped well short of the 14th floor, but when the doors opened he heard quite a bit of commotion and confusion. He decided to step off and see what was going on.
People were clustered around the open door of Rufus Deaner's apartment. Jacob nudged them aside and brushed away the police tape to look inside. The place was completely spotless and pristine. There wsa not a speck of dust or spot of dirt, and the smell of recently applied, powerful cleaning agents itched in his nose. There was a chalk outline on the floor, in the shape of Rufus Deaner.
He turned and walked out the door, having seen all that he needed to see. He got back in the elevator and punched up the 14th floor. The elevator lurched upwards, then began a slow and smooth decent towards its apex. As the humming of gears filled his head, so did thoughts of the recent deaths. Madcow: one of the few jovial and kind-hearted souls left on this rock, had "fallen" off a very high balcony. It was no accident, and they all knew it. Jacob took solace in the fact that he had not helped Madcow "fall". He had been several meters away when it happened, and had in fact been trying to quell the violence. The others would have to live with their guilt (if they lived at all), but when it came to Madcow, Jacob's conscience was clear.
Rufus, however... He had never liked the guy. He had more than a few screws loose, and if he had been the one standing too close to the edge, Jacob just might have been one of the ones to help him "fall". That opportunity had pass, though. Rufus was dead, now, but he had been killed quietly and privately. He had been killed for a purpose, most likely a sinister one. His death as not a result of a mob's paranoia. Maybe he had been wrong about Rufus, and the man had really been just another harmless special? His death absolved him of any guilt, and Jacob wished he had had a chance to speak to the man before his death, to apologize for ever suspecting him. He shut his eyes, and sighed deeply.
As Jacob reached his floor and stepped off, his eyes fixated on a paper posted to the wall. Had it been there forever, or was it new? He couldn't tell. He read it all the way through for the first time, then went off to find the Janitor. Maybe he would be able to answer some of his questions? Had he had a hand in the killing? Had he lent out any of his cleaning supplies, or noticed any of them missing? If the notice was new, why post it now, in the midst of all this chaos? He would talk to Jed in public or in private, it didn't matter. He just needed some answers. Jacob had learned long ago that it is best to mind your own business in these dark days, but he had to figure out what happened to Rufus.
People were clustered around the open door of Rufus Deaner's apartment. Jacob nudged them aside and brushed away the police tape to look inside. The place was completely spotless and pristine. There wsa not a speck of dust or spot of dirt, and the smell of recently applied, powerful cleaning agents itched in his nose. There was a chalk outline on the floor, in the shape of Rufus Deaner.
He turned and walked out the door, having seen all that he needed to see. He got back in the elevator and punched up the 14th floor. The elevator lurched upwards, then began a slow and smooth decent towards its apex. As the humming of gears filled his head, so did thoughts of the recent deaths. Madcow: one of the few jovial and kind-hearted souls left on this rock, had "fallen" off a very high balcony. It was no accident, and they all knew it. Jacob took solace in the fact that he had not helped Madcow "fall". He had been several meters away when it happened, and had in fact been trying to quell the violence. The others would have to live with their guilt (if they lived at all), but when it came to Madcow, Jacob's conscience was clear.
Rufus, however... He had never liked the guy. He had more than a few screws loose, and if he had been the one standing too close to the edge, Jacob just might have been one of the ones to help him "fall". That opportunity had pass, though. Rufus was dead, now, but he had been killed quietly and privately. He had been killed for a purpose, most likely a sinister one. His death as not a result of a mob's paranoia. Maybe he had been wrong about Rufus, and the man had really been just another harmless special? His death absolved him of any guilt, and Jacob wished he had had a chance to speak to the man before his death, to apologize for ever suspecting him. He shut his eyes, and sighed deeply.
As Jacob reached his floor and stepped off, his eyes fixated on a paper posted to the wall. Had it been there forever, or was it new? He couldn't tell. He read it all the way through for the first time, then went off to find the Janitor. Maybe he would be able to answer some of his questions? Had he had a hand in the killing? Had he lent out any of his cleaning supplies, or noticed any of them missing? If the notice was new, why post it now, in the midst of all this chaos? He would talk to Jed in public or in private, it didn't matter. He just needed some answers. Jacob had learned long ago that it is best to mind your own business in these dark days, but he had to figure out what happened to Rufus.
pharren
21 years ago
At last the sun reached a point in it's decent where it's rays were able to sneak past the defenses of Simon's heavy eyelids. Simon let out a slow groan of discomfort as he rolled over, stretched, and sat up to face the dusky, sunset-red and orange-toned walls of his room. The shadows cast by his vertical blinds created a jail cell effect that he did not find pleasing at all.
He reached up and snapped on the light by his bedstand, and crawled out of bed to cross the bedroom floor and close his blinds. When he reached the window, he saw a silvery glint in the distance on the shiny bumper of a vehicle driving away. An ambulance. Another ambulance. No lights or sirens this time, either.
He closed his blinds with a sigh and turned to once again face his bedroom. He noted the near-empty bottle of Vodka on the floor by his bed. Sleep had not come easy last night. He grabbed the bottle and shuffled into his kitchen to pour himself a "morning" drink.
"The best cure for a hangover" he said to himself. He began making his plans for the day: Take a shower. Get dressed. Make his bed. Call Susan and have her get him out of this hellho - wait - scratch that. He'd destroyed his holophone last night and it was too late to go out and buy another. Tomorrow, then.
---------
Simon stumbled into the hallway and turned around to lock his front door. It took him three tries. He took a second to straighten himself, running a hand down his chest to smooth the front of his casual button-down shirt. This particular shirt cost more than most occupants of this building would earn in a month. It didn't phase Simon. He turned to face the elevator, paused for the moment of disorienting dizziness he expected to come (and was pleased when it didn't), and headed off down the hallway.
There was a crude sign posted next to the up/down buttons, printed on some ancient personal computer no doubt, the kind with a laser printer. Simon snatched the paper off the wall and held it up to his blurred eyes for a closer inspection.
NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS:
"I'm no resident" Simon remarked to himself as he read the notice. He was about to make another comment when he noticed that the last paragraph he'd read seemed rather... curious.
If you need assistance in removing a stain or need professional strength cleaning products, please ask me and I'll be glad to clean it for you or give you the products you can use.
He had heard the news of the previous night's murder before leaving his apartment. The walls here were thin, after all. He heard of the meticulous cleaning of the crime scene, and wondered if this note posted by the building's janitor had any connection. At the bottom was a note scrawled in the janitor's handwriting:
If anyone knows who broke into my janitor's closet between yesterday evening and this afternoon, please let me know. I don't have a problem letting you borrow my stuff, just ask my permission first and I'll get it for you.
Very curious indeed.
Simon thumbed the "L" button on the elevator's controls, and tossed the crumpled note onto the floor of the hallway before the elevator's doors slid shut. "That will give our restless janitor friend something else to clean up" he said to himself with a mischevious chuckle, and the elevator began its downward journey to the lobby awaiting him below.
He reached up and snapped on the light by his bedstand, and crawled out of bed to cross the bedroom floor and close his blinds. When he reached the window, he saw a silvery glint in the distance on the shiny bumper of a vehicle driving away. An ambulance. Another ambulance. No lights or sirens this time, either.
He closed his blinds with a sigh and turned to once again face his bedroom. He noted the near-empty bottle of Vodka on the floor by his bed. Sleep had not come easy last night. He grabbed the bottle and shuffled into his kitchen to pour himself a "morning" drink.
"The best cure for a hangover" he said to himself. He began making his plans for the day: Take a shower. Get dressed. Make his bed. Call Susan and have her get him out of this hellho - wait - scratch that. He'd destroyed his holophone last night and it was too late to go out and buy another. Tomorrow, then.
---------
Simon stumbled into the hallway and turned around to lock his front door. It took him three tries. He took a second to straighten himself, running a hand down his chest to smooth the front of his casual button-down shirt. This particular shirt cost more than most occupants of this building would earn in a month. It didn't phase Simon. He turned to face the elevator, paused for the moment of disorienting dizziness he expected to come (and was pleased when it didn't), and headed off down the hallway.
There was a crude sign posted next to the up/down buttons, printed on some ancient personal computer no doubt, the kind with a laser printer. Simon snatched the paper off the wall and held it up to his blurred eyes for a closer inspection.
NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS:
"I'm no resident" Simon remarked to himself as he read the notice. He was about to make another comment when he noticed that the last paragraph he'd read seemed rather... curious.
If you need assistance in removing a stain or need professional strength cleaning products, please ask me and I'll be glad to clean it for you or give you the products you can use.
He had heard the news of the previous night's murder before leaving his apartment. The walls here were thin, after all. He heard of the meticulous cleaning of the crime scene, and wondered if this note posted by the building's janitor had any connection. At the bottom was a note scrawled in the janitor's handwriting:
If anyone knows who broke into my janitor's closet between yesterday evening and this afternoon, please let me know. I don't have a problem letting you borrow my stuff, just ask my permission first and I'll get it for you.
Very curious indeed.
Simon thumbed the "L" button on the elevator's controls, and tossed the crumpled note onto the floor of the hallway before the elevator's doors slid shut. "That will give our restless janitor friend something else to clean up" he said to himself with a mischevious chuckle, and the elevator began its downward journey to the lobby awaiting him below.
Rasberry
21 years ago
As Dana walked down the empty hallway, she could hear the stifled murmur of a television through the apartment walls. The hallway seemed cold, even dangerous, and she wondered at the wisdom of being out here alone. Would you be any safer in your own apartment? Rufus wasn’t...
A chill ran through her body. She hadn’t known Rufus, only known of him, heard the complaints of strange noises emanating from his apartment, and the late night screaming. When she heard such stories, she was always glad that she lived on a different floor; the story she had heard this morning was something entirely different though. He may have been creepy, but she wouldn’t have wished that on him. And what about that woman outside? And Madcow...
She stopped, closed her eyes, and forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. She was, after all, on a mission for cat food.
When she reached room 6F, she saw that the door was slightly ajar.
"Mr. Anderson?" she asked almost inaudibly. She pushed lightly on the door and it slid open with a long eerie creek. From the hall, she could see that the kitchen and living room were unoccupied. "Mr. Anderson... are you home?"
She stood for a moment, alone in the hallway, debating about whether she should just forget the whole thing and go home, but despite the fact that every sane bone in her body was against it, she took an intrepid step into the apartment. "Mr. Anderson? It’s Dana again..." she said as she slowly moved deeper into the room. The lights were on, and she could see an open vid screen buzzing with static. Her voice shook as she spoke."I was wondering if you had any of that tuna left... the soy..."
As she approached the bedroom, her eyes fell upon his body, laying face down on the floor. Oh god. She quickly ran to him, dropping to her knees and trying to turn him over onto his back, but he was too heavy and she only succeeded in knocking a small orange bottle out of his hand, causing several white pills to tumble out onto the carpet. The body began to snore.
Jesus Christ, he’s just passed out.
She placed her hand over his open mouth, and felt his breath warm against her skin. Yeah, he was alive all right. Besides, she was pretty sure dead people didn't snore. Content with her evaluation, she pulled a blanket from his bed and draped it over him. He looked quite peaceful actually, now that she could take a moment to look at him. She wondered if he was dreaming.
Before she left, Dana made her way to the kitchen. She took two cans of tuna for her cat, leaving a wadded up five dollar bill resting on the counter before shutting the apartment door behind her.
A chill ran through her body. She hadn’t known Rufus, only known of him, heard the complaints of strange noises emanating from his apartment, and the late night screaming. When she heard such stories, she was always glad that she lived on a different floor; the story she had heard this morning was something entirely different though. He may have been creepy, but she wouldn’t have wished that on him. And what about that woman outside? And Madcow...
She stopped, closed her eyes, and forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. She was, after all, on a mission for cat food.
When she reached room 6F, she saw that the door was slightly ajar.
"Mr. Anderson?" she asked almost inaudibly. She pushed lightly on the door and it slid open with a long eerie creek. From the hall, she could see that the kitchen and living room were unoccupied. "Mr. Anderson... are you home?"
She stood for a moment, alone in the hallway, debating about whether she should just forget the whole thing and go home, but despite the fact that every sane bone in her body was against it, she took an intrepid step into the apartment. "Mr. Anderson? It’s Dana again..." she said as she slowly moved deeper into the room. The lights were on, and she could see an open vid screen buzzing with static. Her voice shook as she spoke."I was wondering if you had any of that tuna left... the soy..."
As she approached the bedroom, her eyes fell upon his body, laying face down on the floor. Oh god. She quickly ran to him, dropping to her knees and trying to turn him over onto his back, but he was too heavy and she only succeeded in knocking a small orange bottle out of his hand, causing several white pills to tumble out onto the carpet. The body began to snore.
Jesus Christ, he’s just passed out.
She placed her hand over his open mouth, and felt his breath warm against her skin. Yeah, he was alive all right. Besides, she was pretty sure dead people didn't snore. Content with her evaluation, she pulled a blanket from his bed and draped it over him. He looked quite peaceful actually, now that she could take a moment to look at him. She wondered if he was dreaming.
Before she left, Dana made her way to the kitchen. She took two cans of tuna for her cat, leaving a wadded up five dollar bill resting on the counter before shutting the apartment door behind her.