Page 4 of Dark Endures

The cobblestone streets and wrought iron lamp posts are works of art themselves, but the graffiti lining the walls of the park should be in a museum.

The road is blocked off to everything but foot traffic, which only makes sense if there was a special event going on, but there’s nothing but a few people walking down the street and lots of kids playing in a playground and a dozen kids playing soccer alone on the street.

Where are the adults?

Oh, there they are, down a little further shooting hoops. My heart stops… Hot dads… I shouldn’t stand here and gape, but it’s incredibly challenging to pull my gaze away. It lands on graffiti I’ve been dying to look at and the drool-worthy guys are forgotten. I wander into the little park to get a better look.

It can’t be.

Why would one of the best street artists, maybe the best modern artist of my generation, paint on this random building? This neighborhood is too gentrified for street art.

“Do you like it?” An older woman practically sneaks up on me.

“No.” It’s not my style of art at all. “But the line work, color play, and depth are amazing. I’d almost swear it was done by Jacko.”

“That’s because it was many years ago. He’s freshened it up a few times as the sun has bleached the colors, but the intensity has always been there.”

“Do you know—” What am I seeing? Who in their right mind walks around with that many diamonds on? They’re real. I mean, I can’t be sure, but there’s something about the way this woman holds herself that screams old money. “Are you crazy?”

I shouldn’t have said that, but she has to be.

“A little bit. But not in the way you think. Willow Street is safe.”

No place is that safe, especially in Urbium.

A knife appears in her hand. “And if your world isn’t safe, you make it safe.”

How? What? That’s brilliant and impossible. “Did I step out of the subway into a fantasy land? Kids are playing in the street. More hot men than I’ve ever seen at one time in my life are running around. The sculpture on that fountain looks like it should be in a museum. And a knife appeared like magic.”

The woman laughs. “Anything can happen on Willow Street.”

Maybe I overslept, and this is all a dream. Even I couldn’t imagine the detail on the fountain or all those sculpted bodies.

“You’re new around here. Did you just move in?”

Like I could afford to live in a neighborhood like this. “No. I’m here for a job interview.”

“Good. You single?”

“Very. You a matchmaker?” Why did I just say that? I have no plans to give my one go at marriage a try yet.

She looks me up and down. “Sometimes. You have potential, but we’ll see.” As fast as she showed up, she disappears down a back alleyway.

This is strange, even for Urbium.

Though I want to linger in the little park and examine all the details of these works of art, I don’t want to be late for my interview. It’s too tempting not to trail my fingers through the fountain on my way out. Maybe the dream of this place won’t wear off when I step into my interview.

But first, I need to make it past the hot dads without drooling. To make it even more of a challenge, they’re playing shirts versus skins.

Do they have no care for the delicate female sensibilities? I almost snort at my own joke. Delicate isn’t a word that I would ever use to describe myself, even as a child. That doesn’t stop me from feeling the need to place my hand on my forehead and fan myself as I walk down the street.

That should either be illegal, or broadcast on the local television for the edification of womankind.

I sigh with relief as I make it past and stop at the door to an elegant brick building. The glass and metal door is yet another piece of art. Sadly, one I don’t have time to appreciate.

Game time. I plaster a smile on my face and step into the building.

Even the lobby of this building is fancy with its pretty chevron floor. They’ve got it shined till it’s almost a mirror.

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