![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
naughty-bangles.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
tamingthemuseTitle: Underground
Author: naughty_bangles
Rating: Gen
Prompt : #363 Great Barrier Reef
The tall buildings of a disused industrial park were imposing their intimidating shapes in the grey no man's land that surrounded them. Everything looked dead in the area. Even Mother Nature seemed to have given up on her right over the deserted human ruins. Some ill-looking herbs had attempted to grow here and there, but the whole land had proven inhospitable to the green.
Rosalee paused for a moment, running her eyes over the grim background she had reached.
She double-checked the instruction she had been given.
It was the place. But it couldn't be, not if she was meeting anything else than the ghost of the past economic glories.
The woman made a face, wondering why she had taken on the job. Oh, yeah. The money. Being a broke freelance writer sucked sometimes.
Repressing a sigh, she resumed her walk towards a smaller building on the left side of the zone. Her steps were muffled by the dirt that covered most of the place, but were still possible to hear in the silence covering the area, only broken from time to time by a blow of wind that didn't do anything to lighten the atmosphere. Rosalee zipped the front of her sweater, wishing she had taken a warmer coat.
She was less than a mile away from her destination when she spotted something moving at the entrance of the building. Or, she realised quickly, someone. Hoping it was her contact, she hurried a bit, waving in his direction. Even if it wasn't the man who had called her, there was no way he hadn't already located her. Not when she was the only living thing moving it the whole place. If it was some psychotic serial killer instead of her contact, she was doomed anyway. She wondered how long it would take to find her body in here. She had let the address near her computer, just in case, but it could take days before someone noticed she has disappeared. The downside of being fiercely independant, she mused.
The man who went out of the building didn't look like a serial killer, but rather like a nice, educated, reasonably handsome man in his mid-forties. Ted Bundy looked nice too, she thought before reaching the man with a few long steps.
"Miss Marciano ?" the man asked, a little unsure. Rosalee smiled, extending her hand for a shake.
"Mr Velandson, I presume", she answered lightly. "I must say it's quite an unusual place for a meeting."
The man made an apologetic face. "I'm sorry for this, but it's the easiest way to lead you to my house I could think of. If you will follow me ..." He gestured toward the inside of the building. With a casual shrug, Rosalee went after him in what had been a small printing place. Some worthless metallic panels were the only witnesses left of the former activity of the space, and the woman wondered if Velandson considered the empty industrial relic as his house. She chose not to ask.
They reached the wall on their right, and Velandson tapped some of the bricks in what looked like a definite combination. After a few seconds, the ground at their right revealed the entrance of descending stairs.
"Welcome in Trent", Velandson said, gesturing toward the stairs. "You should go first, so I can close the ground after us."
Rosalee gave a look at the newly-apparead access, unsure about where she was about to go, but engaged in it anyway. Grabbing the railing on one side, she went down a few steps until she was completely undergound.
There was a city at the bottom of the stairs. Not as large as the biggest one above the ground, sure, but a city nevertheless. As Rosalee took on the sight in front of her, her steps became more assured, and she absent-mindedly reached the street while Velandson closed the entrance and joined her on the underground.
Rosalee turned to him, smiling broadly. "You know, I had heard about cities like this in the Great Hall, but it's something else to see it for real."
Velandson half-smiled. "I guess. I was born and I have lived all my life in here, so I wouldn't know." He began to walk on the street, leading her to their final destination. Around them, the city was busy with its day-to-day business and activities. If most inhabitants walked by without a look, Rosalee felt inquisitive looks on her as she made her way through the crowd. It made her feel uneasy, but she tried to stay cool, hiding her fear under a studied coat of confidence.
"Only a few witches have been allowed in here", Velandson commented, having noticed the looks too. "This is a supernatural city. Every individuals benefit from, and are useful to the society."
"Like an ecosystem", Rosalee observed. "The High Concil and its love for commanding wouldn't go along very well."
Velandson looked at her, unsure about how to react, then, seeing her amused expression, smiled lightly. "It's true. A new element like this would destroy the balance we have reached here. The same goes for a disappearance." His tone became more serious. "That's way I called you. My people are disappearing, and we need to put a stop at it before it destroys the whole community."
Author: naughty_bangles
Rating: Gen
Prompt : #363 Great Barrier Reef
The tall buildings of a disused industrial park were imposing their intimidating shapes in the grey no man's land that surrounded them. Everything looked dead in the area. Even Mother Nature seemed to have given up on her right over the deserted human ruins. Some ill-looking herbs had attempted to grow here and there, but the whole land had proven inhospitable to the green.
Rosalee paused for a moment, running her eyes over the grim background she had reached.
She double-checked the instruction she had been given.
It was the place. But it couldn't be, not if she was meeting anything else than the ghost of the past economic glories.
The woman made a face, wondering why she had taken on the job. Oh, yeah. The money. Being a broke freelance writer sucked sometimes.
Repressing a sigh, she resumed her walk towards a smaller building on the left side of the zone. Her steps were muffled by the dirt that covered most of the place, but were still possible to hear in the silence covering the area, only broken from time to time by a blow of wind that didn't do anything to lighten the atmosphere. Rosalee zipped the front of her sweater, wishing she had taken a warmer coat.
She was less than a mile away from her destination when she spotted something moving at the entrance of the building. Or, she realised quickly, someone. Hoping it was her contact, she hurried a bit, waving in his direction. Even if it wasn't the man who had called her, there was no way he hadn't already located her. Not when she was the only living thing moving it the whole place. If it was some psychotic serial killer instead of her contact, she was doomed anyway. She wondered how long it would take to find her body in here. She had let the address near her computer, just in case, but it could take days before someone noticed she has disappeared. The downside of being fiercely independant, she mused.
The man who went out of the building didn't look like a serial killer, but rather like a nice, educated, reasonably handsome man in his mid-forties. Ted Bundy looked nice too, she thought before reaching the man with a few long steps.
"Miss Marciano ?" the man asked, a little unsure. Rosalee smiled, extending her hand for a shake.
"Mr Velandson, I presume", she answered lightly. "I must say it's quite an unusual place for a meeting."
The man made an apologetic face. "I'm sorry for this, but it's the easiest way to lead you to my house I could think of. If you will follow me ..." He gestured toward the inside of the building. With a casual shrug, Rosalee went after him in what had been a small printing place. Some worthless metallic panels were the only witnesses left of the former activity of the space, and the woman wondered if Velandson considered the empty industrial relic as his house. She chose not to ask.
They reached the wall on their right, and Velandson tapped some of the bricks in what looked like a definite combination. After a few seconds, the ground at their right revealed the entrance of descending stairs.
"Welcome in Trent", Velandson said, gesturing toward the stairs. "You should go first, so I can close the ground after us."
Rosalee gave a look at the newly-apparead access, unsure about where she was about to go, but engaged in it anyway. Grabbing the railing on one side, she went down a few steps until she was completely undergound.
There was a city at the bottom of the stairs. Not as large as the biggest one above the ground, sure, but a city nevertheless. As Rosalee took on the sight in front of her, her steps became more assured, and she absent-mindedly reached the street while Velandson closed the entrance and joined her on the underground.
Rosalee turned to him, smiling broadly. "You know, I had heard about cities like this in the Great Hall, but it's something else to see it for real."
Velandson half-smiled. "I guess. I was born and I have lived all my life in here, so I wouldn't know." He began to walk on the street, leading her to their final destination. Around them, the city was busy with its day-to-day business and activities. If most inhabitants walked by without a look, Rosalee felt inquisitive looks on her as she made her way through the crowd. It made her feel uneasy, but she tried to stay cool, hiding her fear under a studied coat of confidence.
"Only a few witches have been allowed in here", Velandson commented, having noticed the looks too. "This is a supernatural city. Every individuals benefit from, and are useful to the society."
"Like an ecosystem", Rosalee observed. "The High Concil and its love for commanding wouldn't go along very well."
Velandson looked at her, unsure about how to react, then, seeing her amused expression, smiled lightly. "It's true. A new element like this would destroy the balance we have reached here. The same goes for a disappearance." His tone became more serious. "That's way I called you. My people are disappearing, and we need to put a stop at it before it destroys the whole community."
