The house, as it was known, was in the usual disarray. It was an old abandoned hostel that still sported a front desk, rooms were still rented, but the key was an envelope of the poison of choice. The owner manning the desk saw her come in, nodded to her silently, and the transaction went without a word.

Riley liked to keep the Dust out of her apartment as much as possible. If she ever went down for identification fraud, she didn't want a trumped up drug charge too. One would land her in a white-collar prison if she got a good lawyer, the other meant she'd never see the light of day again. She takes the key out of the envelope where it was apart from the clear bag junk, heading down the hall and to the tiny room that would be her home for the evening.

The room was a hollow shell of yellow-stained walls and boarded windows, the old white tiles with floral patterns were cracked and torn. Just a few wooden chairs and thin mattresses for means of comfort.

She heads inside, locking herself in and settling down on the stained bed sheets. It was a 50/50 chance she'd end up with lice again from this damned filthy place. She unloads the paraphernalia from her purse, lying it out on the clean linen strip she brought with her and prepping up. Within minutes she's flat back on the bed, staring at the ceiling and unable to move her own arms. The needle still hangs out as she coasts euphoria.

As perception begins to shift and blur, a silhouette appears under the empty frame of the door with arms crossed. Completely out of place, delicate and angelic. Dressed in an elegant suit out of time.

"My dearest, I was so looking forward to meet you."

Riley struggles at the sound. Transcendent pleasure or not she had never heard voices. She tries to gather herself to fend off whoever was here, but is left helpless, merely twitching.

The shape walks forward, in a sway that made it even harder to know whether he was a man, a woman or something in between. It kneels by her, carefully taking the needle out and resting it on a chair aside.

"You are so precious to me, and here you are doing such horrible things to yourself." it shook its head and smiled warmly, reaching down to rest a cool hand against her forehead, brushing her hair aside carefully.

"Who.." She manages barely, her tongue flicking out over her lips and yet she still couldn't manage to speak properly.

"Don't struggle, I am here to take care of you. To make sure nothing bad happens to you. I am your own guardian angel." the stranger smiles, resting a soft and cold kiss on her forehead.

"I want to tell you so much, but it is not time yet. This is only your first vision, the curtains part and I stand before you. I will be here when you need me."

The figure stood and waved a brief goodbye, blowing a kiss from its fingers. Shifting like a mirage at the end of perception, gone as it had come.


Don't close yet - More to come