Beneath Your Lies

The lost girl in the tattered clothes brought many stares upon herself, especially when she was jumping from roof to roof in the middle of the night, the moon haloing behind her.
Until a familiar looking building came up, Isobel glided to a stop and headed through the first level. Her home consisted of three levels: a tarvan that served as both a bankrupted restaurant and for illegal drug dealings (ground level), the cramped rooms that disguises itself as a suitable living-space for a human being (middle level) and then the abandoned space on top of the building that use to be for government activities.
The whole skyscraper was meant for the government and the Royals to test their projects when things grew too dangerous and eventually became a growing pain for the neighboring residents and was then left as unsucceeded. A lot of their projects were often brought into the ‘cheap’ buildings in Downtown Sirensfret, leaving refugees and other citizens to find other holes to live in.
It was causing a problem decades before but after the war, it was obvious who had the upper hand.
She entered through the main level and was greeted with the strong aroma of greasy fries and the a very sweet scent that made Isobel’s stomach growl. She would spend her whole life dedicated to sweets and pastries if she had to.
“Ah, finally home huh? Took you long enough. Corlain’s asleep so don’t start murdering me with those useless questions,” the restaurant owner said, handing her a hamburger that didn’t quite meet its advertisement look.
“And hello to you to Quince. By the way I didn’t die today so I think I deserve a little more than just a burnt patty and some rotten cheese sprayed with chemicals,” Isobel replied, eating the thing anyways.
Quince grunted, his old figure laboring through to find a more suitable donut that he probably bought from the neighboring broke bakeries. “What did I tell you? Just on central five, didn’t I specifically tell you to stay away from those parts of the slums? And now you just caused more attention from the Officials, the Officials! Do you want to bring back trouble back here? I told you to steal me something valuable and yet somehow I always end up asking Gabriel to fetch you from one of the most dirtiest slum prisons yet to Man’s eyes. You know what? Sometimes I just feel like--”
Isobel held a silent hand and used her other one to take the necklace from her latest opponent. She took the golden chain and left the odd shaped charm to herself. Slamming the chain onto one of the circular tables, she smiled a smile that gave the shadows themselves a shiver. “You were saying?”
Quince stuttered for words that didn’t seem to quite get out of his mouth. He scratched his non-existent hair on his egg-like head and settled for a nod. He opened his mouth.
“Yes, it’s real gold. Right from the Black Viper himself, this will probably last your whole rent this month and maybe a couple of storage updates for your hologram,” Isobel explained, chewing on a piece of rock hard meat.
She turned around to retrieve the mechanical switch that lit up the holographic screen on the west side of the tiny room. She took a seat at one of the chairs and felt Quince’s body struggling to take a seat next to her. Together, they both sat with anticipation and watched the news that was only meant for the upper-class people to watch, but with a few switches and hackers, they managed to get all the channels the rich brats would hog to themselves.
“--government officials say that they had no part in the situation on central campus on Ciathryn grounds, late this evening but the students say other wise. Three Royal students died and fourteen were injured. The case is taken into higher authorities and their will be a jurisdiction throughout the week,” the reporter said, fluffing her hair while she was at it.
Isobel and Quince were talking last central cycle, how it seemed like if anyone had the opportunity to be live on holograms, they took every chance to act as if they were stars, wearing scandalous outfits, the typical bending over to retrieve something off the ground during a weather report, it often happened to girls which Isobel found really upsetting.
It wasn’t until they switched the cameras that shown upon the building that the illegal fighting was held, that caught their attention.
“Now we go towards the darkest areas of the slums, where the low-life scum bags live. We just caught word that the building collapsed with more than fifty injured and thirty three dead. Officials say they were planning to take hold of everyone in that unit until they found out who was murdering the students back on campus,” she said, biting her lip.
Isobel scowled, knowing how much the upper-classed people liked to blame all their problems on them. She called it a night, finally acknowledging the ache in her muscles and the pain in her head but it was still a thrilling night. She could just imagine that her eyes were a bit diluted and her face glowed.
“In fact, Officials managed to find out that there is a drug dealer with the possession of ‘D.L.S.’ by the name of the Scarlet Assassin. She is wanted over the Officials, the Royals and the West Coast Militia. Details will follow through later this week.”
Isobel stopped her tracks, then slowly counted to ten. That canal rat!
“What in the fires below happened? Wanted by the Goddamn West Coast Militia? Do you know how much trouble you put yourself into!” Quince shouted, spit dragging out of his mouth, face reddened to the point of no return.
“It was the Black Viper, I know it. He must’ve traced the information onto every opponent he fought with so that even if he was defeated, his death would still be able to do some avenging. Guess this was his goodbye present to the most recent fighter which so happened to be me, but I’ll take care of it, Quince. I promise I won’t let anything happen to Corlain or you,” Isobel lied, turning on her heel and walking up the stairs.
She didn’t want to treat Quince like that, but the shadows and stars had learned together that even contrasted enemies, rely on each other. The stars shine from darkness and the shadows are known through light.
She walked to the only room she could spare and saw Corlain’s tiny body wrapped inside a makeshift cocoon on the bed. They had the option to share but she chose to let him have the freedom and she took the ground.
Corlain was twelve but could pass as a eight year old with the way his body hadn’t begun sprouting. The two of them were homeless when one night, they saw each other with hearts that pounded wildly, one had mercy in his eyes, the other had survival in her mind.
Isobel smiled softly and turned to face the cracked mirror that showed four images of her. Four people, four golden eyes, four lives she couldn’t take anymore.
She tore of her wig and let her dark hair tumble in curls to her back, hair that someone use to brush; curtains that help her hide. Her hands sat useless at her sides, hands that use to be stroked with; now the art of death.
Her life was always spiraling out of control, her mind playing tricks on her in the way an alienist would see it. She dragged her bloody nails into her head, not noticing the scratches she left on her scalp and let out a breath.
She found a bloody towel and wet it so she could clean herself. After that, she refused to see herself. Isobel had known herself and always would see herself as bloodied and scarred, seeing the deaths she had caused.
She would never again see herself in the way she was before or else the glass cage that encircled her heart, would break.
Isobel turned to find the hidden tile wedged behind the sink and ledged it open. Inside was a bunch of money scrolls, a few journals, photos and a box. A shield of lies, a box to hide a weapon. A gun.
But it wouldn’t be for people outside her life, it would be for her if things couldn't get inside her life. If there were no more ways to escape, she would know that there is always a choice of leaving.  
She felt a tear in the corner of her eye and pitied herself. She was only a dark smudge on this world and wouldn’t be remembered at all. But that would be okay.
Isobel put on a fake smile and left her dungeon of regrets.