Concept of Freedom

Chapter One

TWO YEARS LATER

The air is thick, laced with the scent of alcohol, sweat, and desperation. The sound of clinking glasses, off-tune singing, and drunken conversations filled the room. I leaned against the grimy, fingerprint-coated bar, waiting for someone to order.

"Hey, pretty little thing, why don't you get me a little drink, hmm?", A old man covered in dirt, smiled at me with sunshine-colored teeth. I force a giggle to fall from my lips.

Ugh, men. I heard the bar door open as I turn to make a drink for Mr.Yellow Teeth.

"I'll be right with you, take a seat where ever you like", I call over my shoulder. I finished pouring the drink and strut my way over to Yellow Teeth's table.

"Here you go sir-, before I could even finish my sentence the beast pulls me into his lap. Without hesitation, I shoved my elbow into his esophagus. He wheezed in pain and was met by an all too familiar sword. I looked up to see twinkling eyes and a mischievous grin.

"Miss me?", Julieso taunts. I jump from the stunned man's lap in excitement and anticipation.

"Everybody OUT!", my command is met with grunts of disapproval and trudging of feet. I slammed the door behind them and turn to face him. He wasn't my brother but the closest I ever had to one. I run into his arms, clinging to his neck.

" Of course I missed you, Julie", I mumble into his chest.

"Okay get away from me", he grunts, removing me from his body. He hates that name with every bone in his body. I giggle at his reaction.

" Oh come on, I've been calling that for years, you should just go with it by now", I rebuttal, walking behind the bar to grab my coat. It was unnaturally cold in Desormelda, unlike Beatue, but it's a small price I had to pay for freedom.

" I don't care if we're 80 and have dementia, I will never like that name", He retorts, with defiance written all over his face. I walk toward him, linking his arm in mine, and lead him out the front door.

" Too bad, so sad", I lead him toward my apartment building which wasn't too far from the bar. We strolled in comfortable silence down the crumbling cobblestone road. As we draw near to my building, the sounds of TVs, crying children, loud music, and screaming became inescapable. From the corner of my eye, I see Julieso cringe. He's always hated noise. Silence is the loudest if you really listen he used to say.

"It's on the second floor, not far ", I try to comfort him by pointing to the window, my window. I pull open the door of the building and head towards the stairs. I take them two at a time trying to hurry. I hear Julieso clomping behind me. We reach the second floor and walk down the dim hallway to 4b. I grab my key from my jacket pocket and jam it into the lock. After a couple of minutes of struggle and Julieso's quiet chuckles, I manage to open the door. I hold the door in a gentlemanly manner. Julieso chuckles at my actions and steps into my apartment. I close the door behind us and hang my coat on the hook sticking out of the wall by my door.

"So this is home, huh?", he asks, scanning the area. The linoleum floor was sticky and repellent of all cleaning possible. We're standing in the little kitchenette that I use once in a blue moon. The countertop is made of some unidentifiable material. Even after being scrubbed religiously, was stained a pee yellow. The small sink shined a sterling silver, which might I add took six months to get like that. The fridge hummed annoyingly, and the stove sat as quiet as it did when I moved in. In the far right corner of the apartment was a twin bed, covered with two blankets I had found and one pillow. In the left corner, sat a TV and a chair. The TV sat beside the door that led to an infinitesimally sized bathroom.