Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Elysium was situated at the heart of what was once a sizable city and now sits within a massive stone wall, its only defense against the dangers beyond.
The original name of the city, lost to time, is now known as The Wastes, a desolate landscape of crumbling structures and whispering winds.
The once-thriving city was now a skeletal frame of crumbling buildings and silent streets, and those who were wealthy enough, escaped to Elysium.
Over time, the city decayed into a slum, the forgotten buildings casting long shadows over streets choked with poverty and refuse.
The Wastes are home to Exiles—criminal vampires or those who have been shunned because they couldn’t pay their taxes.
When you are deemed an Exile, you’re thrown to The Wastes, where you soon become starved for blood.
Your body slowly uses all the food reserves it stores, and as it does, you feel weaker, and your skin will become dry.
Eventually, brain function begins to shut down and your body starts withering from the inside out.
Before death, Exiles are alive, but only just. It’s a terrible price to pay, although they can return to Elysium if they pay their dues to society.
Driven by the desperate hope of reaching the paradise above, most will risk anything in The Wastes, making them incredibly dangerous.
I walked down the dusty and desolate streets that snaked through the city, crossing my arms across my chest from the frigid cold outside.
The cracked, decaying walls of the buildings loomed over me, their silent stories whispering of a grandeur lost to the war and were stained with centuries of grime.
A thin layer of snow crunched underfoot, and the dim, flickering lights in windows cast long shadows on the snow-covered street.
I assumed, by the gossip, that it would be a busy night at The Carlton, but my eyes didn’t catch any sign of movement.
Turning my head toward the snowy ground, I saw the imprints of several pairs of feet heading toward the town square, their patterns slightly veiled by a light dusting of fresh snow.
I followed the trail, the moonlight illuminating my path, until I saw a large fountain shimmering in the pale light.
Walking around the empty basin, I ran my fingers along the surprisingly thin layer of ice atop the undisturbed snow, feeling its brittle texture.
Rough, uneven piles of snow were heaped around the square, some near the fountain and others pressed against the cold stone of the surrounding buildings.
Passing one of the mounds, I stifled a gasp as a thin, cold hand clamped around my ankle.
My wide eyes, filled with shock, looked down as my mouth dropped open at the sight of an Exile on the brink of death.
Its withered, yellow-gray body looked brittle, and its bony fingers, thin as twigs, seemed as if they might snap if they grasped too hard.
Its face was terrifyingly gaunt, and thin wisps of hair stuck out from its skull, reminiscent of a decaying zombie from a vintage horror movie.
“Blood…please.” A raspy, broken voice, barely a whisper, escaped their cracked lips. “I can…smell the blood. Please help…me.”
With a sharp yank, I pulled my foot from the Exile’s grasp, eliciting a high-pitched shriek piercing the air. I wasn’t sure if it was in pain or upset that I got away.
Secretly, I hoped it was in pain for startling me.
I eyed the towering mounds of snow, their surfaces trembling slightly, and noticed they were shaking. These beings, on the brink of death and their bodies wracked with chills, were too weak to lift a finger.
Following the icy trail leading away from the town square, I rounded a bend and found myself atop a tall stone staircase, completely glazed with ice.
Latching my hand firmly around a rusted metal railing, I slowly made my way to the bottom, taking care not to cause injury to myself.
The bottom of the stairs led to the remains of a charming park, and I could almost smell the freshly cut grass and hear the laughter of children on a bright sunny day.
Years of neglect dulled the playground’s charm.
The central pavilion was weathered, a broken seesaw lay beside it, and a rusted death-trap of a jungle gym stood nearby.
I couldn’t help but empathize with the park, a place that was once filled with happiness, but was now a shell of its former self.
The din of the night was creeping over the town, and my stilted breathing blew white clouds into the air.
Following the footsteps, I rounded a corner into a narrow alleyway, where an ominous red glow was emanating at its end.
A five-story brick building, weathered and worn, met my gaze as I peeked around the corner.
A large, buzzing neon sign in swooping red letters cast a lurid glow on the alleyway that read, The Carlton.
I raised a skeptical eyebrow, noticing the unsettling absence of people outside the building or behind me, not a single sound or movement.
Was there another way to get here that I wasn’t aware of?
Anxiety told me not to continue further, but I pushed it aside and, without another thought, stole down the alleyway.
The faded grandeur of The Carlton, dwarfed by the towering buildings around it, whispered tales of a bygone era as a charming boutique hotel.
The beautiful glass turnstile and vibrant awnings were now just memories, replaced by decaying wood and boarded-up windows.
A small metal door, painted a dull grey and bolted shut, served as the hotel entrance, its sheer weight and imposing presence hinted at a deliberate effort to keep people out.
Or in.
Wrapping my fingers around the cold, metal handle, I pulled with all my might, but the heavy door remained stubbornly shut.
Hesitantly, I knocked, but nothing happened.
I heaved on the door one last time, the cold metal biting into my palms before letting out a frustrated groan and throwing my arms up.
How could I come this far to let a door get in the way? I wasn’t about to give up now.
“How many?” a voice came from behind the door.
A metallic partition slid open with a grating sound, revealing a face pale as bone, and dark eyes that seemed to absorb the light. I don’t think I should be here… Have I made a mistake? Gabe told me The Wastes were dangerous. Why didn’t I listen? “J-just me.”
The large metal door opened with a low groan, revealing a small, dimly lit foyer, plush chairs, and mirrored tables gleaming faintly under the sparse lighting.
A single, lopsided chandelier cast long, distorted shadows across the dilapidated lobby.
The smooth white and black tiles shifted beneath my feet from ages of decay as I approached the wooden desk, where a wizened vampire sat hunched over, his long, hooked nose nearly touching the ancient, leather-bound book before him.
Bits of white hair peeked from his ears, contrasting with the sharp gleam of his black eyes, which sparkled merrily behind his small, round glasses.
As I approached the desk, the old man moved away from his worn novel and fixated upon me. “Welcome to The Carlton, will you be joining us tonight?” His raspy and dry voice had a curious lilt at the end of each phrase, as if every sentence were an unspoken question.
I nodded, wondering if I should turn and run out the door. Was this a mistake? What was I getting myself into?
“Ah, a first timer.” His smile was sharp, and a flash of white teeth glinted in the dim light, catching my eye.
The man rummaged under the dusty desk, his knuckles cracking as he held a dented metal bottle to me.
“The party is in the ballroom on the first floor; you should have no problems finding it. That damn music is so loud.” He shook his head, and his lip curled.
“With entry, you have access to all five floors of the hotel. Each level has at least one bar where you’re welcome to fill your bottle with blood, free of charge. ”
A gust of frigid air rushed in as the door behind me swung open, making me shiver violently as the cold seeped into my bones.
A strangled gasp escaped my lips as my head slowly turned, expecting Gabe’s furious glare behind me.
Instead, I saw a tall, slightly overweight, bald man in a rumpled suit, his upturned nose wrinkled as if he’d smelled something rotten.
I swung my head around to be out of eye sight, knowing full well his outfit meant he was a politician of some sort.
If he recognized me, my father would instantly be alerted to my defiance, and I’d find myself back in my penthouse within seconds.
Turning to the old vampire behind the desk, I nodded. “Understood, thank you.”
“One moment, young man.” He held up a finger, its skin so wrinkled and prune-like that it looked as though it was soaking in water for years. “If you choose to go to any other floors, you’ll need to purchase a locker. You cannot wear outside clothes on those floors; there are robes in each locker.”
Fuck. I didn’t even think to take some coins from my stash before I left my penthouse.
I’ve never had access to actual money, just the few stray coins or crumpled dollar bills I managed to find here and there.
Everything I’ve always wanted has always just been…
paid for. For sixty-five years, money was never a thought or concern for me.
“I-I’ll just go to the party,” I mumbled.
The man behind me dropped a few coins on the desk, each leaving a dull thud on the wooden desk. “I’ll pay for him tonight.” He gave a sly wink as his lips curved into a slight smile. “I hope to see you inside.”
A hand brushed my butt, the unexpected touch causing me to stiffen, and I instantly slapped his hand away. My skin tingled with a mixture of anger and revulsion. “Thank you,” I muttered before grabbing the gold keychain the old vampire man was holding.
“Enjoy yourself, wherever the night may take you.” His words, accompanied by a sly smirk, caused a buzzing sound to fill the lobby as the lights on the large metal door switched from red to green, a low hum vibrating through the floor.