Locked Out of Heaven [Complete]

Part 7

Roberto squinted against the glare of reflected puddles in the sunlight. He pushed his sunglasses higher up his nose. A fine mist hung around everyone's feet from last night's rain. The dirty white blanket of slush had given way to the fresh brown soil underneath and the trees, sensing spring, put forth little brown buds tipped with green. Another perfect morning. It is almost dreamlike compared to the nightmare of the night before.

Roberto reached into his pocket. His hand closed around a familiar object. The key to his apartment. Or rather, Ashton's key to his apartment. A small smile graced Roberto's face. Ashton was never good with lockpicks.

He looked up at the blue sky. Only a few wispy clouds could be seen. It seems the world has moved on. And it was raining and thundering last night, too. His hand tightened around the key. The small pain of the key's teeth pressing against his flesh felt good. A small punishment. I'll definitely avenge you, Ashton. Just you wait. I won't forget. Next time, Galen won't be able to stop me.

The sun shone on as brightly as before. Roberto's spirit soon lifted and his mind was then occupied with the thoughts of the day ahead. If he had been paying more attention, he would have noticed his usual bodyguards weaving in and out of the crowd behind him. But what with his date with Adelina preoccupying his thoughts, he failed to keep up the guard that had served him tremendously well in the past. But that was only his first mistake. The silent shadows trailing after Roberto might have also been an omen to what is to come. Soon, darkness would engulf the sun and Roberto's delicate happiness wouldn't be the only cost to the mistake that would start the wildfire that would remake the underworld and his life... forever.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, Miss Carrara's resolve was being sorely tested on the other side of the city. Usually, a car door and window separated her from the jostle of city pedestrians, the splash of puddles and the occasional rat. As she progressed further from her home, the more and more her determination wavered. But she remained true to her spirit and stubbornly kept her hand from drifting to her cell phone. Zia would have been sorely aggrieved if she had known that most of Adelina's determination was fueled by the careless look of confidence and condescension she wore on her face when she sent her young mistress off.

But determination alone can't prevent Miss Carrara from becoming totally, fully and utterly lost. The well-kept green lawns had given way to cracked asphalt and overflowing trash bins. Not to mention the various odors. When she had asked for directions before, the instructions only confused her. More than several of the people she asked treated her like a tourist. The first time it happened, she was insulted and responded as such, but when it happened again, she was forced to admit she knew nothing about the city she's lived in her whole life. That was brand new feeling for her. To feel powerless. But since she's never felt powerless before, she didn't quite understand it and didn't despair. However, she did regret making Zia promise not to send her any assistance until she asked for it. She sighed.

A scrawny boy passed by.

"Excuse me, litt-" The boy turned his face and Adelina caught her breath. He had the fiercest blue eyes she had ever seen and his little mouth was turned down into a frown. If she hadn't been so surprised, she would have burst out laughing.

"I'm twelve. Since you almost called me a lil' boy, that'll be fifty fer directions." He held his grubby hand out. Adelina stared at it.

The boy smirked, pleased at himself. "What, lady? Surprised a little urchin can talk back to ya? You walk in here with your fancy clothes and feel sorry for us is it? Well, that's gonna cost ya." The boy puffed up with every word he said. When he finished his speech he looked so proud of himself he stood a whole inch taller.