The Girl In The Shadows
The city of New York was never quiet, whether it be day or night. However, during the night, it was easier to get around unseen- the perfect time for her to move in the shadows unseen.
From the outside, the building looked, in every sense of the word, condemned. Moss-blackened bricks, cracked window panes- some even shattered. Rusted fire escapes clung desperately to the structure. Overgrown weeds surrounded the base, with vines creeping steadily along the walls.
Inside, however, there was life, no matter how small. Amid a tangle of stolen, half-broken technology and a mess of wires, she thrived. She always had eyes and ears on the neighborhood, refusing to be caught off guard.
Only 11 years old, smaller than most, and with eyes that had seen far too much. All she had to her name was the clothes on her back- far too big for her frame-her wits, a procured butterfly knife, and a scar on her cheek.
And a rusted, ornate silver key with a name and initial long worn away:
‘THEO-… V’
She lived by three rules to keep herself alive
Stay hidden
Trust no one
always have a way out
But there would come a time where even the shadows-and the rules she always followed- wouldn’t shield her from whatever was to come. It started with a single bird. An owl. Then came another. And another. Then came the letters Oh those damned letters. But after nearly a whole month of refusing to open even one,
Someone is sent to check on her
Soon, she will learn that her story is far from mundane-much to her displeasure.
I wonder what will become of you,
dear Theo