Collection with a Twist

Silver street, Everleason, September 22nd, 2006, 6:30 A.M

A young man, no older than 25 was running through the Everleason Central Business District in the early hours, it was so early that the sun was just beginning to lick the top of the Puzzle Solver's Annex, the tallest structure in the CBD.

The man's name was Felix Charris. He had light brown hair and shimmering green eyes. His face was smoother than a marble slab, his eyebrows were sharp, and without wild hairs.

He wore a dark burgundy jacket with two high visibility strips along the midsection. His shirt was white with the image of a navy-blue tie upon it, and it had buttons all the way down.

He wore dark blue jeans which also had high visibility strips along the sides of the leggings. He wore a black belt with a brilliant silver buckle.

He finally arrived at his first destination. He was breathing heavily. Sweat dripped from his forehead and he fished from his backpack his FORMAL access card and swiped it by the machine by the rear door of Silver Street studios.

He walked up a few flights of stairs and got to the third floor. He knocked on the door. But there was no answer.

"Myriam!" He yelled out. But there was no reply.

She must still be asleep. He thought. This was not just her workspace, no, she also had a bed inside. There was a kitchenette in the basement for the renters to use. Everyone was untrusting of others, so they would keep their personal food items somewhere in their studios.

Felix went over to a dark corner and took the step ladder hidden within and took it over to the door, he stepped up and took the spare key that Myriam hid upon the door's piston and climbed down and hid the ladder. He went to unlock the door... but there was no click. It's already unlocked? That's unlike Myriam. Felix noted. He now had the sense that something might be wrong. But what?

He calmed himself and opened the door. He looked around in the immediate area, but there was only a small pile of clothes folded by the door. Usually there would be slightly more.

He then noticed Myriam slumping at her desk. Oh, Felix realised. She just fell asleep. He sighed a sigh of relief and went to check on her. But when he touched her shoulder, she was cold as ice. Felix put his fingers on her neck... no pulse. Myriam was dead. Felix stood back in shock.

About five minutes go by and the intercom by Myriam's door buzzed. A man with a deep voice was speaking. "Myriam!" The man shouted. "I'm heading up."

Felix knew the voice well. It was Barry Gribbins, a 45-year-old business owner who receives many deliveries from Felix. Why is he here? Felix wondered as he made his exit. Does he know about Myriam? Does he know that she's a ripoff artist?

Felix, now outside, called the police and informed them about his discovery.