Haunted Roads

When: Before Dawn
Where: Outskirts of Seattle
Who: Silva and DEA - Narrative

"You ready?" the mans voice was too excited, a rookie on his first raid, Silva was nearly certain the guy was going to fuck up and make this more difficult then it needed to be. The new ones always got ahead of themselves; they rushed in guns blazing thinking it all a damned game still. Didn't matter how long they'd been street cops, they seemed to forget it all once they got into this. Silva knew first hand it wasn't a game, she had the fucking scars to prove it. The ones they went after weren't looking for jail time again. They'd kill every cop there if they could to get away. The only way to survive was to never give them that chance. Most cops didn’t like anyone saying shoot first and ask questions later…didn’t seem very kind, didn’t make it seem like they were giving them chance. Why give them chance? Why give them shit?

Silva didn’t care how “bad” it sounded. When it came down to it she pulled the trigger and she had no regrets. She was alive, they were dead, it worked for her.

“Hey, Silva, you ready!” the kid had a crush, he was warned a hundred times over by all the others to keep the hell away from her. But apparently that cold bitch thing just turned him odd. Gave him that urge to crack her, make her open up. He didn’t get it. Boy didn’t have a clue. Wasn’t her type and wasn’t ever going to happen. She didn’t even know the rookies name. Likely he wasn’t really that much younger then her but he acted like it, an excited little fucking puppy that looked like he was about ready to pee his pants the second you give him any attention at all.

She looked at him, and his eyes little up. How sad.

A look, nothing more, no answer, no reply. A look and then she looked forward again, watching the road as the car continued on. She could feel him staring, boring holes into the back of her head. She could even imagine him biting his lip, debating how to get her to look back again. To talk. Silva wasn’t much for small talk. It was just filler to the silence and she didn’t mind silence. Silence gave her time to prepare, to get ready. Back at the station they’d gone over the plan over and over again. Repeated till they could recite it like a song. She knew how it was supposed to go down, but rarely did things go as planned. She’d seen that enough in her life. Best plans often ended up the most fucked. Good intentions making that path right on into hell.

“Let it go man…” the voice was nothing more then a whisper, did they think she was deaf? The rookie glared at the other, stupid kid just wasn’t listening. He’d get the hint eventually, they all did. Hundreds of turned down dates later, too many attempts at conversations down the line. He wasn’t the first to try to make a move. He wouldn’t be the last. Silva didn’t get it, not in the least. She wasn’t exactly looking to either. If they wanted to keep wasting their time she’d let them.

( Almost there, everyone remember the plan? )

When: Night
Where: Alibi Room
Who: Nikolaos and Slade

Beyond the music played here at the Alibi room, was the sound of pounding rain. Thunderous as it beat against the pavement and those wandering souls that could not seem to get inside quite quick enough. The rain was still a strange thing to Nikolaos, a foreign sight that was not found within hells depths. Not in the same way it was found here. This rain held no heat and did not burn at its touch; any rain found in hell was more the falling of ash and cinders. What Nik found most amusing about the rain was how everyone acted as though it did them harm. Rushing through it, frantic to get away. Nik himself had walked for hours earlier, traveling through the shadows of the newly fallen night, uncaring of the rain that soaked his form.

Quite the sights were on the streets to see. The true nature of some beasts exposed with the darker weather so commonly found here. Shoving others out of their way, splashing them with cars, running before them to get a taxi or inside. So many shouts and sneers; cursing and frowns. Subtle little acts of chaos but each one had a domino affect. Angered by the acts of one the person snapped at someone else. Who pushed someone else aside. Who then nearly ran someone off the road with their car…on and on it went, building. Till quite the accident came to pass. Nik was an eye witness, close enough to watch the glass pierce the dainty cheek of a female driver. He could smell the blood and hear perfectly the scream caught in the wind.

He didn’t help of course, but savored that pain and anguish before leaving them behind to crawl out of the wreckage. If they were strong they’d survive…and if not they were meant to die.

His night was not meant for just wandering however, for all the interesting sights he ran across it did become quite tedious. Nikolaos needed a bit of variety. One plan and then another, of course many were already set up for him. An eager woman met underground nights prior wished for him to meet her again. She had that shine about her eyes that showed an eagerness for so much more. Nik had every plan to crush that pathetic little desire… But not until he’d had his chance for some continued play.

And play he had, the manager for the night at the Alibi Room didn’t seem to mind letting Nik use a lower room for awhile. A bit of cash to the pocket made him turn that blind eye. Typically that wouldn’t work well, not with how women did love to scream. But it hadn’t been difficult to find something to gag the pretty little thing with. The choked screams then were just for Nik’s ears alone…and scream she did. Pushing her limits, testing those lines, forcing the body to nearly reach its breaking point. He couldn’t push too far though…not in public as they were.

Not that a show wasn’t made. Especially when afterwards Nik simply adjusted his suit and walked out. The women had been more then a bit taken back. A few sharp words quieted her complaints quickly. Such pitiful tears in her eyes as she dashed off. Cruel thing that he was, just no concern for the heart. No…not at fucking all. The girl should consider herself lucky if she never saw Nik again. Another meeting and he just might have to really show her how pointless matters of the heart were. But by the time she left the parking lot her tears for the night would be gone. She'd scarcly remember a thing. The demons following in the shadows saw to such things.

With that temporary playmate dismissed Nik returned to the bar. A tucked away table to the back near to a window. Nik seemingly sat alone, though neither he nor his father were ever really alone. They always had eyes watching them, those eyes just happened to be rarely seem. Hidden in the dark corners, buried deep in the shadows. No true eyes, no real forms, but the darkness always held a presence for the demons.

The bar that had gone silent as the woman rushed through, now had returned to it’s idly buzz. Nikolaos’s eyes were trained upon the window, watching the humans scurry about. Despites “laws” in Seattle a cigarette was at Nik’s lips and a tall glass of amber liquor rested next to a wineglass with blood red contents half finished inside of it.

Week Three
Dates: Monday February 18th through Sunday February 24th
Season: Winter 2008
Month: Late February


Announcements:

All This Week: Octopus Week: Hands-on kids' activities, daily octopus feeding and talks, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today-Feb. 23, The Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle; $10-$15 (206-386-4300).

Monday: A suburban area break in has left one man in intensive care after armed intruders broke into his home then bound and assaulted him. Elsewhere in Seattle, an up and coming drug ring was put to rest by Seattle DEA.

Last Night! "Hamlet" A five-actor version of Shakespeare's masterful tragedy, adapted and directed by SCT regular Rita Giomi, and streamlined for an audience aged 11 and up. Doing the honors in the title role is Connor Toms, a fresh-faced, eager, not-crazy Hamlet who should win many a young patron over to his cause. 2 and 5:30 p.m. today-Sunday. Seattle Children's Theatre, Eve Alvord Theatre, 201 Thomas St., Seattle; $17-$33 (206-441-3322 or www.sct.org). .

Tuesday: Police are looking for a man who robbed a Belltown convenience store Tuesday night.. Police say the suspect fired a double barrel shotgun in the store and shot a hole in the wall. In an unrelated story, an unidentified man has died after being found stabbed on bainbridge. No arrests have been made over the stabbing and police are encouraging any witnesses to come forth.

Last Night! "Into the Woods" A student production of the Broadway musical, based on well-known fairy tales and created by composer Stephen Sondheim and writer James Lapine. 7:30 p.m. today, 2 p.m. Sunday. Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett; $9-$11 (425-257-8600 or www.villagetheatre.org).

Wednesday: A three alarm blaze in Delridge left one woman dead. The cause is yet undetermined. Police are seeking a tall man driving a Bentley in connection with the incident.

Thursday: A Seattle company has been fined nearly $30,000 for the illegal cutting of seven pines on state property.

Friday: Seattle health officials have indicated that three people were bitten by an apparent pet monkey. It’s unknown where the primate came from and the animal has not been seen since. Please be wary if you see it and do not attempt to capture, pet, or otherwise come in contact with the creature. As always, it’s suggested you contact animal control.

Saturday: A local blood bank is under investigation after several employees were found to be selling blood at local concerts and parties. Two of the suspects are held in county jail pending bail while a third remains at large. In other news, a local man, paragliding with his pet chihuahua had to be rescued Saturday after becoming stranded in a tree.

Sunday: A birthday celebration turned deadly Sunday as first the balcony where apparently too many had gathered collapsed, injuring at least a dozen. A fire pit turned over in the crash, spreading flames into the home as well. In all two people were killed and twenty one were injured, some seriously.

Ongoing: "Bugs!" There's something exactly right about the exclamation point in the title of this 3-D IMAX feature — it makes the film seem reminiscent of 1950s horror movies in which some hapless insect is irradiated, grows to monstrous proportions and terrorizes a town. Of course, nothing is irradiated here, but thanks to the IMAX screen, they do seem to grow to monstrous proportions. Good (if occasionally gross) fun. 40 minutes. No rating, suitable for general audiences. (IMAX at the Pacific Science Center, see movie listings for showtimes).


Weather:
Monday February 18th: Mostly cloudy (High: 51°F Low: 39°F)
Tuesday February 19th: Rain showers all through the day (High: 50°F Low: 37°F)
Wednesday February 20th: Partly cloudy with a cooler night (High: 52°F Low: 35°F)
Thursday February 21st: Cloudy through the day (High: 54°F Low: 39°F)
Friday February 22nd: Mostly cloudy (High: 55°F Low: 42°F)
Saturday February 23rd: Light rain in the morning, colder nights for the next few days (High: 53°F Low: 37°F)
Sunday February 24th: Cloudy with a night breeze (High: 55°F Low: 34°F)

Who: Roxy and Tavin
Where: Old Town Towers
What: Jerzy's cat is loose again, so Rox brings her home
When: Early evening

She'd been hauling in groceries when she'd first spotted the thing - the little furball that went dashing through the open door of her apartment. It looked vaguely like the kitten she'd seen prowling around the hallway days before, one that had been retrieved quickly by a dark-haired kid from down the hall. Was the poor thing loose again? Seemed to be the case, though dashing into Roxy's apartment might have been the worst choice. Sure, she had a cat but she also had a dog who was used to sharing the place with it's feline family member. This new intruder probably wouldn't be welcomed warmly.

Dumping the bags onto her kitchen table, she closed the door before the whole trio was running loose in the building, following the loud growling she could hear down the hall and into her bedroom. Jinx, the cat that already called the apartment home, was curled up on top of her pillow staring balefully at the source of all the noise. Crouched down so that he could peer under her bed - and growly rather loudly - her white pitbull, Saint, had the poor kitten back into a corner. Literally. "Ok, ok, that's enough," leaning down, she pulled him back by the collar, leading him back out into the hall and closing her bedroom door. It took a few moments of coaxing to get the poor kitten to come out of it's hiding place, looking about as traumatized as could be. Little thing probably hadn't expected such a greeting.

Scooping the cat up into her arms, Roxy figured taking it back down the hall was the best course of action. Besides, the kid would probably be out looking for it again so she'd save him the time and effort. She stepped over Saint and grabbed her keys, kitten snuggled up in one arm as she headed down the hall. Her memory couldn't exactly pull up which number it was, though A5 looked to be the right distance from her place. Oh well, only one way to find out. Raising a hand, she knocked loudly and waited until the door opened to hand back over the little escapee.