Falquen's Nest

Chapter 2

Stepping off the streetcar at the designated stop, Janie hesitated and glanced questioningly at the driver. Surely this couldn't be right. Charlotte had said that the address was in the art district. Naturally, Janie was expecting art galleries, coffee houses and trendy shops. Instead, she saw only rows of questionable businesses including an adult video store, a couple of pawn shops, an old hardware store, a few empty buildings, a greasy spoon and an antique shop.

"Well, this is the stop you requested," the driver said with a shrug of indifference.

"Thanks..." she said as he closed the door on her face and drove away. Discouraged but not beaten, she glanced at the address again. According to the number, the place should be just around here somewhere... but none of these places appeared to be residential. Then staring across the street, studying the buildings better, she realized that there were indeed apartments above the shops. Well, this could be interesting, she contemplated. She hadn't considered living above a store as an option. Taking tentative steps towards the address on the clipping, she counted down the numbers on the storefronts as she walked until she found the one she was looking for.

It must be fate, she thought with a smile. An art store... a somewhat macabre looking one albeit, but the idea of living above an art supply store was a heck of a lot better than living above an adult video store.

Should she go into the shop first and ask about the apartment or simply ring the bell on the rickety door off to the side that led up to the second floor? Perhaps she should just ring the buzzer. She pressed it... waited... nothing. She repeated the process three times but got no response.

Stepping back, she glanced upwards and noticed there were no lights on upstairs. Not that she could see much past the black sheets hanging in the windows. Whoever lived up there sure liked their privacy... and skulls.

The black sheets that were used in place of curtains were covered in large sinister looking skulls. Yikes, whoever lived up there was most definitely not female, she guessed. Most women didn't have curtains like those. None that she'd ever met anyway.

Then again this was the art district, she thought skeptically as she glanced around at the handful of people walking past her. Mostly street kids and panhandlers, a leering drunk, and a particular creepy guy who'd already walked by her twice. He was obviously not right in the head because he spoke to himself quite loudly and none too politely.

She shouldn't have stopped at her favourite bookstore on her way over, she realized. She'd lost track of time in there. She checked her watch. It was only five o'clock but already getting quite dark. Even if she were to ever see the apartment, by the time she left, it would be pitch black. She adjusted her ruby coloured beret to cover her ears against the cold and shuddered at the thought of having to make her way back to Charlotte's on her own.

Comforted only by the fact that at least a few apparently normal people had come in and out of the art store, she figured she could go in and perhaps wait for whoever lived upstairs to return and show her the apartment. She would have called ahead if there'd been a phone number listed in the ad.

Janie was well aware of the possibility that whoever had listed the apartment might not be home when she got there. That's why she'd left this place for last, but honestly, she was getting desperate to find an apartment, a home of her own. This was her last shot and she would wait all night if she had to. The alternative, having to further intrude on her newlywed friend's hospitality was no longer an option for her.

All too aware of the creepy self-talker's return, Janie hesitated no longer and sought refuge within the walls of the mysterious art store. But instead of being greeted by the customary cheery sound of jingling bells as she entered through the shop door, a loud ominous creaking sound, followed by the jarring screeching cackle of a blinking skull with beady red eyes, announced her arrival. She let out a startled gasp of air and then reddened, realizing that a handful of patrons turned to look her way. To add insult to injury, the silly little animated skull on the counter, continued to cackle a few seconds longer as she attempted to regain her composure.