(Only twenty or so days after the OP. Go me!) (Also, sorry in advance about the lousy way it's put together. I might fix that in the future.)
"Stop, Silverton Heights." Bran barely heard it through his earplugs. He had been staring at his hands for most of the trip. The bus around him was simply teeming with distractions he couldn't afford. He carefully stood up, picking up his suitcase and ignoring the imperfections he left in the seat, and walked off the bus, saying nothing to the driver. The doors closed and the vehicle pulled away, leaving him in a trim bus center in the middle of the city. Looking around, he noted several industrial buildings, a book store across the street, and a cheery (and partially defaced) sign declared this place the 'Northern Silverview Transit Center'. Ignoring the people around him, he walked down the street, looking for 'Phillips Rd.'. "I wonder if it was some ass from a century ago that it's named after..." Bran ground his teeth, trying to suppress the voice. Bad things always happened if he listened. "Hey, boyo, you should go clock that fat guy over there. He looks like he needs some attention." Pointedly looking away, Bran continued walking, trying to stop himself from visibly shaking his head. The voice went away, and he gradually relaxed, finally finding his street. He walked down it, carefully noting that the neighborhood seemed to deteriorate as he continued. After about eight blocks, he found the squat, grimy apartment building that was apparently going to be his home for the foreseeable future. Unless the job fell through. But the jackass on the phone made it sound like it was a done deal. Enough that he'd taken that bus all the way out here. He had no idea what was going to happen if it didn't go through. Bran carefully rubbed his temples. He doubted it would be a problem, but it'd be a pretty shitty situation if this didn't work out. Crossing the street to his future 'home', he looked at the filthy structure with distaste. Maybe his room would be better... Not that it was likely. Shaking his head, he reluctantly opened the door, wondering if his room would have somewhere to wash his hands, at least, and look around. A stairwell of questionable integrity climbed up to the top floor, which was only four stories above, and he looked around to see if he could find the landlord. Having little luck, he pulled out the cell-phone that was his only tenuous link remaining to the world he knew, and dialed the number he was given. He heard a phone ringing in the room to his immediate left (101, how clever) and something that might have been muttering. Carefully pulling out his earplugs and waiting silently in front of the door, holding the phone to his hear, he visibly cringed when the moron on the other side of it yelled "What?!" into the phone. Recovering quickly, Bran simply said "I need to talk to you. I'm in front of your room." Hanging up (With more then a little of a satisfied grin) he waited, and the door in front of him opened, revealing a disheveled middle-aged man who looked more then a little disgruntled.
"You got a problem, buddy?"
Somewhat taken aback, Bran replied "I'm the guy who called four days ago. Bran Greene? You were going to give me a room?"
Grunting, the man cleared his expression, even managing something that didn't look entirely like a smirk. "Ah, Bran. Yes. You're *lucky*, my friend. You get the glorious suite, room 105!" Gesturing to the door across the hall, Bran turns to look at a (somewhat) battered brown-ish door with the number relatively intact. Walking up to the door, the man continues "I didn't clean the place out yet. The guy just sorta vanished the night before he was supposed to give me rent, and uh, to be honest, he scares the shit out of me. I think it's should be all right in there, but watch your step, and rent's due in five days." With that, the man turns around and goes back into his room, leaving Bran looking with some apprehension at the door, realizing that the man had somehow slipped the keys into his hand.
I'll put together a proper inventory list for the upcoming turns, but as it stands Bran has his suitcase, which contains two changes of clothes (casual) one change of clothes (business) his wallet (contains one bus ticket stub, twenty dollars, and a driver's license), a packet with seven pairs of earplugs, and the printout for his job. In his current clothing (Casual) he has a pair of earplugs, used once. He is wearing a (battered) pair of shoes.
Any comments, suggestions, that sort of thing, feel welcome to post. I'm now taking actions, and I'll figure out some way to choose among the mess when it comes to that.
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Topic: Madman Walking: Apparently Postponed (Read 10559 times)