Excerpt: The House of Huntington

“Ah, you’re new here, ain’t you,” he snapped at her immediately. “Name.”
Again, she thought dully. “Zynith-Arte. Call me – ” Every time she tried and it had failed, but who honestly cared – ”Arte.”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care.” He squinted at her nametag, then at the customers. He didn’t look at her face once. “You’re new here, so you don’t know. Haeden’s won’t be here today, so don’t expect the extra tip. But go and work your ass off now if you want business to boom.” He arranged his tie as the bell clanged, and stepped his ungainly stride up to the new Guest. “Hello, and welcome to The Dining – please make yourselves at home…we feature the best array of…”
Arte idly twisted open the small bottle of laxatives, and emptied the contents into the vat of wine. Maybe she’d get figured out, maybe not. It would be worth it, given the sight of the arrogant couple coming in. She hoped that the dress of the Lady would take hours to get off – judging by the tightness, it sure as hell would.
Arte smiled, twirled her hair, and then mixed the wine some more.

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The man at the crosswalks was waving his orange sign as an attempt to staunch the rushing traffic but he was far from succeeding. A bright yellow can hung like a dead dandelion underneath his neck and across his chest.
Of course it was empty.
Give money for your local traffic police, it had written on it.
Then, out of nowhere, a hand suddenly blinded his face for a second and he heard a sharp clanging right in front of him.
A girl with sharp red hair, chopped haphazardly across the length of her shoulders, stared at him.
“That’s one penny I won’t miss,” was all she said, before she swiftly turned away.
He didn’t call after her because he was taken aback with shock.
She was already gone.

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