Miss Artist Can Suffer

Help finds the way

For the last half of an hour, Gerald was trying to match the figures. He was about to fire the secondary accountant who made its basic draft when he finally dicovered a very stupid mistake of his own. He rubbed his forehead and furiously corrected the disfigured figures.

Just admit it, you are thinking about Keira: Love.

No he isn't: Rational spoke in behalf.

Uh, hello? We're in his head. We can see every thought he's having: Love.

Suddenly Jess, his secretary popped in, "Mr. McKinley, there's a very hysterical woman out there, demanding to see you."

"Shouldn't you call security?" He asked, very much annoyed. Can't they do one single thing on their own?

"We did but she's claiming that she's been living with you for past few weeks?" Jess's carved eyebrows were raised so high that they almost touched her hairline.

Gerald hastily stood up. "Ahhh, yes, I mean no. Umm, I know her. Urghh, send her in."

Jess futilely tried to raise her eyebrows more to show her heightened curiosity, but she knew better. She went out and in few seconds, a very angry Keira barged in.

"What do they think of themselves? You've got some poor working staff, let me tell you-"

"Keira, is there any reason why you decided to intrude my office in your... umm, night dress?" Gerald had to try hard to muffle his laugh. If it had been anyone else, disturbing him when he was already pissed; he would've chewed his head off. He was, so to speak, only slightly annoyed.

She looked down at herself. Ridiculous was the word which could describe her perfectly. But she remained unfazed. She glared at him, "Nightdress? I've taken this many efforts to actually find where you work, get out of house and get through all of your ridiculous staff to have you comment on my wear?" She took a deep breath.

"Gerald," she said in controlled voice, "I know where Sharon and Peter are."

For a moment, Gerald stood stupefied. 

"Gerald!" she urged.

He came out of his trance, "Yeah, yeah I heard. Where are they?" His voice was hushed, like he couldn't believe it.

She stared at him. "Okay, this is going to sound weird. But here goes..."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~

"Almost two decades ago, all the news channels were buzzing with the news of the 'Criminal Town'. Apparently, few rejects and outcasts of the society had come together to form a town of their own. It wasn't exactly a town filled with escapees of Fort Knox but surely no saints lived there."

Keira was speaking like an expert narrator. They were in car and Gerald had to drive otherwise he would've stared at her face in awe. She continued,

"The town is much forgotten now but at that time, it was all rage. Tourist companies would give out 'daredevil' packages for those who dared enough to venture in the town. At that time, Sharon used to spend time with us. You know because..." She looked at his face. But Gerald merely nodded. If he was pained, it wasn't shown. 

"One of my distant uncles lived there. He lived there long before the criminal town was formed, due to some fight with my family from father's side."

Gerald frowned, "Did you mean the same uncle when-?"

"Yeah."

"Do you mean that my sister is stranded in a town filled with criminals?" he more or less shouted.

"That's where I was getting," Keira slowly said, "Just let me finish. So, my uncle, Marcus, lived in the outskirts of the town. His house was very far from all the civilization. He was a bit of a lunatic in fact. Broke of all the connections with my dad's family and lived half his life there. When all of the news was going on, my mother acquired his number and called him.