"Keep your pace and hold your head up."

“Yes sir,” John nodded. “My Mama and my Papa…a-and let’s not forget Tommy! He’s my best friend! He visits me every day he can.” John sighed. “He refuses to go on his journey until I get better- but I’m starting to think that day’s never coming.”

“A..Tourist? Well, you’re half-right, anyway. I’m actually here on business. I am in Stow-on-Side town, right?” he’d ask the boy adorning a mask. 

Allister moved inside and let the door swing shut with no comments, though as he thought about America, it sounded like it were Unovian almost. Oh well. He stepped up to the counter, peering over it to bore holes into the receptionist.  When the man was all checked in, Allister lifted his gaze to stare at him, “You don’t know what a corsola is?” He repeated with a questioning tone. He made a mental note to pick his corsola up and maybe next time he saw the man, he’ll introduce them. “Oh.” The hand gets extended to him, Allister reaches out with his gloved hand to take it and shake politely, then letting go a bit too quickly. “… If you ever see me around, I can help you if you need it, since you’re visiting Stow-on-Side.” He offered, before turning to go to the doors, “I’ll show you what a Corsola is…” 

“What time are you free. I’m guessing that there’s a school around here you go to during the day, right?”

“A..Tourist? Well, you’re half-right, anyway. I’m actually here on business. I am in Stow-on-Side town, right?” he’d ask the boy adorning a mask. 

Allister stood still as stone, staring up at the man with void-like eye holes of the mask, no glow in sight just yet. Gently, he swayed from side to side, seemingly unable to hold still despite his zombie act.  “You’re welcome,” He says, not yet making a move, but at the question he looked to the door, shrugging slightly in response. “… M’ always out at night.” He informed him, though he did reach out to grab the door, pulling it open. The little bell inside jingled, and Allister waited to let David in first. “Only for a minute… I’ll stay to help you check in. Where are you from?” He asked. “Do you have pink corsola there?” 

“A..Tourist? Well, you’re half-right, anyway. I’m actually here on business. I am in Stow-on-Side town, right?” he’d ask the boy adorning a mask. 

“Hi, David.” Allister says quietly as he dragged his feet along the sandy ground, his shoes making a krch krch noise with each step. He’s going to lead David out of the artist district and head closer to the west side of the city. Near a lot of spraypainted and coloured tiles.  “… Oh, right.” He sounded surprised that he forgot, but it dwindles back down to something more quiet, hardly audible. “M’ Allister. Nice to meet you…” He says, coming to a stop and pointing up at the building– he was standing right under the flickering lights of a hotel sign. 

“Do you wanna come in? It’s pretty dangerous for a boy like yourself to be out and alone at night, wouldn’t you agree?” Seems like the man’s fatherly instincts were going into effect.

“A..Tourist? Well, you’re half-right, anyway. I’m actually here on business. I am in Stow-on-Side town, right?” he’d ask the boy adorning a mask. 

“Call me David.” came the reply almost as quickly as it left. “And I guess this is where you tell me your name, right?” he’d ask rhetorically.

“A..Tourist? Well, you’re half-right, anyway. I’m actually here on business. I am in Stow-on-Side town, right?” he’d ask the boy adorning a mask. 

“The doctors told my Mum and Dad, but…not me” John sighed. “When I first got in here 4 years ago, I thought I just had a cold…I keep telling myself I’m getting stronger, but I think in actuality I’m slowly getting worse. It takes a lot of effort just to stay awake anymore. I just want to go home and sleep in my own room with my own stuff.” John vented. 

“Ah! Thank you sir!” John said, taking his hand and leaning his upsettingly light weight into the man for support. “Yes I would like to sit down.” “I’ve been in here since I was 7…I really would like to get out one day…” John sighed as he shuffled across the floor, his slippers making soft sounds against the concrete floor. “I really hate it here some days…as much as I hate to complain.”

Kneeling down, he’d scoop the child up and into his arms, quickening their march over to the chairs. Though...as he held the kid, he’d feel the weight, or, rather....lack thereof. This child was light as a feather....deathly so. “You...mentioned that you’ve been here since you’re seven? What...are you hear for, kid?” the man would ask, taking a seat in the chair before gingerly placing the lad beside him in the chair next to him.

He used the wall as a support, and shuffled his way down to the waiting room.

🙏🏾💰💵

“I can’t stand seeing Raven like this for much longer…”

“Yeah, but it’s like this everywhere. Even back where I’m from, there were humans that gave off an aura of wanting to do… lewd things, with me.”