The Assassin's Tree

( 18 )

It was late in the afternoon when I finally pulled into my building's parking garage. The lowest lot was already filling up- those working 9-5s were just getting home from their cushy office jobs.

I parked the Caprice among other little grey cars, hoping it would be harder to notice among the similar builds. I killed the engine, climbing out of the car and slipping the keyse into my pocket. It had gotten a bit chilly, and my tattered t-shirt wasn't doing much to keep me warm.

I made sure to stay out of the open as I approached the garage elevator. I looked all out of sorts, and I had a reputation I needed to keep up. Being seen covered in blood, though it was my own, wouldn't do me any good.

I made it into the first elevator unnoticed, and pushed down the lobby button. I would have to go through the lobby to access the second elevator, which would take me up to my floor.

It would be much harder to avoid being seen in the lobby.

At the end of the short elevator ride, the doors slid open and I inched out into the lobby. For now, the only people around were the front desk clerk and the cafe barista. Neither had noticed me yet.

Keeping my head down, I hurried over to the elevator at the far end of the room. Impatiently, I pressed the call button several times, running a hand through my knotted hair.

A bit paranoid, I looked back, and locked eyes with the clerk behind the desk. She was staring me down, and now began to approach me.

Shit.

"Sir, are you okay?" Her name tag read 'Jerzie'. I had never seen her before. She must've been new.

"Perfectly fine, thank you. Long day." I turned away from her, just as the elevator door opened. "Excuse me." I ducked inside, slapping the 'close door' button. Her expression was twisted in confusion as the door slid shut on her face.

Once I was alone, I relaxed a bit, dropping my shoulders as I hit the '20' button. My apartment was on the top floor of the complex. It wasn't huge, but it was everything I needed. And I had views of the ocean from my balcony. I just hoped that the elevator wouldn't make any more stops on the way up. Which... was doubtful.

As I ascended, I removed Dean's keys from my pocket, looking them over. There was the car key, and several other keys varying a size. They were labeled with colored marks. There was a key chain in the shape of a guitar pick, that read 'Always being played.' I chuckled, shaking my head. "What a dork," I murmured aloud, allowing the keys to fall back together with a soft clink as I replaced them in my pocket.

Finally, the elevator jolted to a stop, the doors sliding open to let me out on the twentieth floor.

Peeking out of the elevator, I checked to assure that the halls were empty, before quickly making my way down the left hall. My apartment was the farthest down on the left, number 2052.

Arriving outside the door, I pulled Dean's keys from my pocket, taking the smallest two off the ring. In my rush, I dropped one on the ground. Cursing, I picked it up, my hands starting to shake as I began to pick the lock.

To my horror, however, I discovered that my door was already unlocked.

A chill ran down my spine.

With a newfound fear, I cautiously pushed open the door. All the lights were off. Taking a deep breath to brace myself, I flipped on the foyer light. So far, everything seemed in place. I moved inside, closing and locking the door behind me. I double bolted it, just to be safe. Though, if someone was already in my home, locking the door wouldn't do anything for me.