Snippet #2461204

Next to a queen sized-bed, a loud buzzing sound of a cell phone on a dark cherry stained night stand. The stereotypical introduction of an proactive city's morning. The calls of roosters couldn't strike one's ears in New York since they migrated to the South. The alarm boosted his ego during the winters, lasting longer than rooster calls. An irritant sound that could continue unless it's purpose was achieved, which was catching the attention of a person, forcing them out of the subliminal cloud above them and into the real world.

The phone continued its vibrating hum until a tan-shade hand with white nail polish came forth from under a fluffed white comforter, quickly grabbing the phone to silence it. Whose hand was this? It was not soon after that the covers folded outwards to reveal, from the waist up, a young woman as complected as the hand. A black scarf was tied her head, covering the majority of her hair, but blonde and black peeked above her forehead. Her eyes felt like they were freed from being glued together.

She figured she would listen to some rhythmic therapy to shake the cobwebs away. The volume taking a break away from silent. From a playlist of random selections, the first song to makes it way to the top was an alternative Szjerdene. The dark ethereal introduction began as she strolled towards the small bathroom by the balls of her feet. She lifted her arms to the ceiling. Her clavicle getting a soft pop to relax after 7 hours of stiff tension and busy work, and if stretching didn't work, then the warm shower would.

However, the warm shower had to be brief. Why? A mandatory meeting at 11:30 am, and it was less than an hour and a half away. The landlady could have arranged a better time. Work was at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and Dee couldn't afford to miss even a second of it from her landlady talking on and on in her “Mob Wives” Brooklyn accent. For her third day in the apartment, Dee figured her landlady wasn't lenient, or assumed that all of her tenants were young and wild. With her wide curves and large eyes, this gave off the semblance of a daunting predator, and Dee was already one of her prey who made the first mistake checking out the apartments and signing her blood on the lease.

Because of the predator, Dee couldn't be belated to the mandatory meeting either, especially when it was 10 seconds of walking distance. Why make an excuse to be late or absent? Why even attempt it? Why already start the many days in Empire Heights on a negative note? Dee had to make this meeting on time. Even with the thought of boarding a subway in order to get to work. The time to walk and take the subway felt like eternity.

But until then, she had to start the day. She traveled to her scarlet hued curtains to separate them, lifting the blinds and her lips for a wide yawn. Chilly and snow white were the characteristics of New York's November through February days and nights. The large hot ball of plasma tried it's best to shine in the apartment, only for clouds to block its way. Instead, the wintery mix dominating the city the night before caused the aftermath. The entire setting illuminating in bright honeydew hue. Dee's apartment affected by this brightness, and also nearly blinded her. Her eyes squinting, but her raising hand saved the moment by blocking her view. Once her eyes began to adjust to the abrupt transition in lightness, she witnessed every second of life outside her window. People socializing as they dug their boots into the white layer above the sidewalks. Some sidewalks covered in dirty snow from being plowed to the side by a plowing machine, while what was left on the roads melted from the large packs of organically shaped Sodium Chloride thrown around. Since they didn't have machines for sidewalks, residents had to shovel a pathway from their doorsteps. The landlady was no different. A heavily-built man of middle age decked in flannel did the heavy work for her, pushing the shovel with ease as the landlady stood at the stoop with a cigarette in one hand and a grip of her long black coat with the other, trying to keep warm from the freezing climate.

Dee's nose felt the cold winds freezing her window, attempting to slither inside of her apartment and snatch all of the moisture from her clean body. Fortunately, it fell submissive to the knob-controlled heat circulating in the homely air, mixed with warm cinnamon apple pie fresh out of the oven. This was an illusion, and the Glade plug-in beside the window was the magician. However, a chill pierced at Dee's collar, and a reminder that Dee's belt was loosening from her waist.

But all Dee would hope for was the meeting to equate to skimming the many pages of a novel until the main points were discovered. After lowering the shades to prevent any lewd public acts, she practiced her morning ritual, like any female. It was prepared and unluckily long: Aloe Vera moisturizer on her limbs and face, winter clothing with undergarments underneath, ample pink plushgloss on her lips, black eye liner, and others in between that can't be mentioned. Her five10-hour long braids loosened from her fingers, flowing curly and wild above her chest. Her appearance was finished, but later than her expected time. 11: 10 am, which she proceeded to sigh over. The thought of her landlady being a rather strict woman over lateness of any kind. Dee couldn't let that strict side emerge, so her gait began to quicken.

Her breakfast had to be quick, so a banana, two slices of toasted cinnamon bread, and a cup of orange juice could fill her up temporarily to prevent the lion in her stomach to growl at the meeting. The plate and glass cup was empty. This time? 11: 24 am. She was ready to go to the meeting....

Wait...she had to brush her teeth, but the meeting was getting closer. She couldn't brush her teeth in time, but she couldn't cause a gas of “food and morning” breath to smother the room. People may think she's exaggerating, but she was a woman. That was more than enough.

Instead of brushing her teeth, she ran to her bathroom to search for mint mouthwash under the sink, rushing to pour a dose into her cup and pour into her mouth. The gargling wasn't as directed because of the time, but it got the job done. Spitting the mouthwash into the sink, she exited the bathroom to see how many minutes left until the meeting. 2 minutes.

What was left? Leather boots, purse, money, identification, keys. She thought this would take 30 seconds because of her rushed pace.

Now she was ready for her day. She snatched a black coat from her closet, turned her music off, and headed towards the door.

Behind the stairway, she could see people already sitting in the lounge, but no heavy lady in a gown. Dee didn't have to experience her strict landlady, or so she thought......

“11: 32 am. Fashionably late aren't you?”, a voice crept behind Dee. A voice that suffered from mucus down her neck, or future throat cancer.

The fear was beginning to happen. Only because Dee was two minutes late, she had to endure being thrown under a bus, or a finger bit off. Dee just had to deal with the pressure and reply with a nod.

“Hmmm..” the landlady continued as she scanned Dee's neutral winter style,“Since this is your first meeting, I'll be easy on you this time, but do not be late again.”

Dee's heart quickly dropped. In her mind, she was shocked over the landlady giving her a warning. Just a warning for being a new tenant. To prevent judging her landlady, she couldn't express it with her face. A warning. This thought conflicted with her motor skills. She wanted to freeze like a snowman at the door.

“Go ahead and a take a seat.”, the landlady quickly commanded Dee, causing her nerves to function again. Dee left her a grinning nod before heading to her seat. An improvised seat near a window, since the other seats were taken.