Little Red Sweetheart

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    The steady hum of the fan fills the empty shop, slowly putting me to sleep. I yawn, lazily slumping back in my chair. Pretty much just another day at Hastings' Delivery Services. Not that I mind, I like the silence. The pay is decent too, and Poppy lets me rent out a room above the shop, so all in all a pretty sweet deal. I smile, laughing in my head at the thought of Crystal trying to work here. I've known Crystal since middle school, even back then she was always rushing about cleaning and never sitting still. God she would hate it here.

   "Rose! Gotta 'nother delivery here!" Pops calls out. Poppy 'Pops' Hastings, my boss, landlord, and closest thing I got to a father. A burly, balding man in his late 40's, he almost always wears the same outfit; red plaid shirt and faded blue jeans. Pretty sure he wore it the day he took me in after I left the orphanage. That was the same day he offered me a job to help him deliver packages to his customers across Grindelwood City. 

    "On it!" I yell back, stretching, and grabbing my satchel. Pops opens the door from the backroom and hands me a small package. 

    "Who's it for?"

    "You can read can't you?" Pops laughs. He nods to the package and I flip it over reading the address. I grin.

     "So, the old hag needs some meds again?"

    Pops gives me a playful smack upside the head. 

    "Watch it, Ms. Cowell. You know that Mrs. Donin is our best customer and I know how much she spoils you! You better be on your best behavior."

    "Alright, alright, you know I was just playing," I laugh as I slide the package into my bag. "I'll be there in a jiffy, don't worry."

    Pops grumbles slightly, shaking his head, but spares me from any further chewing out. He knows as much as I do what a sarcastic little s**t I can be when I want to. Best to let me get away with a little mischievousness every once and a while than scold me non stop.

    I unlock my beautiful red bike that matches my black and red leather jacket and hop on. Making deliveries all the time, I know all the best routes in Grindelwood City. And which ones to avoid. I take off, the wind catching my long raven black hair. Shops whip by me as I pedal hard and fast, winding through crowds. A few yell at me and a car or two honks when I make a dangerously close cut across traffic, but I could care less.

    Gale Donin lives at the outskirts of the city in a large wood cabin on a plot of land her family has owned for years. She lives alone out there and often needs food or supplies delivered to her now that she's elderly. I've gotten to know her pretty well over the past few years, and know several routes to get to her place. The best one is down 7th street before switching to Meadow Street and taking a few more roads that wind out of the city. It's not the fastest road, but it is the safest. Which is why when I come to a big “street closed” sign on Meadow Street I pause. 

    "Damn it." I curse. Sure, I could turn back and take a few different streets there but it's gonna double my travel time. Which really only leaves one option. I look to the street to my left. Woods Boulevard. It's a much more direct route but...

    Grindelwood has always been a place of tension. With so many magically inclined beings I suppose it's not a surprise that violence occasionally erupts between groups. There's several groups of Witches all vying for power, more than a handful of Fairies who like to get their hands in everything, probably one or two Vampire Families who are hungry for influence, and that's not even mentioning the gazillion other beings all trying to cut out their little swatch of the city. But they're nothing compared to the Werewolf clans. 

    The clans have been here since the beginning, arguably they have the most right to a claim on the city since they probably founded it. They most likely would own the city if it wasn't for all the infighting. Clans rise and fall overnight, very few have stood the test of time and the ones that have, well, they're not friendly.     There's the Silverpelt Clan and Ironhide Clan, both of which are notorious for being ruthless, but they're nothing compared to the Halfmoon Clan. Halfmoons have been here since the city was founded and their members are part of one of the most ancient families in Grindelwood. They are without a doubt the largest and most powerful Werewolf clan. And Woods Blvd cuts right through their territory.

    I sigh, shaking my head. Am I really gonna do something this stupid? Their turf isn't exactly off limits, but people don't just wander on in without permission. I have my bike though, and I'm fast. Even if they did find out I was cutting through they probably wouldn't mind. Much. And if they did catch me everyone knows I'm the delivery girl.

    "Ah hell, I'll be quick anyways," 

    I push down and lurch my bike forward and turn down the street. The air already feels thick with tension and the shadows seem harsher. I shake off the uneasy feeling and speed up. Like I was expecting no one's really out and it's fairly quiet despite being in the city. A few shops pop up here and there, but mostly it's just residences or rundown abandoned buildings. I see a couple people pass me by, but not nearly as many as the places I usually travel. I've been down here once or twice, so I'm not completely lost but these aren't roads I'm used to. 

    I keep pedaling and start to slip off into my thoughts. I wonder what Gale needs delivered, the package was pretty small compared to other stuff I’ve brought to her. My mind keeps wandering as I pass street after street, and building after building. I always loved riding my bike through the city and getting lost in my thoughts. One of the many perks of this job.

    As I glance around at my surroundings, I  slowly realize I don't know where I am. I brake hard and look for a street name. 

     Water's Edge and Stonehollow?  Where the heck is that? I was on Woods, when did the street name change?

    I feel a small bit of panic start to bubble up but I force it back down. I got my phone, I can plug in the address and get to Gale's in no time. I quickly pull it out and start to type it in when I get an unsettling feeling. I look back and that's when I see him.

    "Hey there darling..."