In the afternoon, as the workday came to a close, a light drizzle began to fall over Metrocity. Eloise, carrying the weight of exhaustion in her bones, walked slowly in the rain, her movements sluggish as the pain in her waist intensified with each step. She passed by the towering buildings of the city, the cool rain against her skin doing little to alleviate the aching in her body.
Eloise reached a convenience store near Club Scarlet Heart, its bright lights a welcome contrast to the overcast sky. She stepped inside, the warmth of the store wrapping around her like a blanket. The employee at the counter greeted her with a polite smile.
"Miss, that's six dollars and forty cents total," the employee said as Eloise placed the cheap, flimsy umbrella on the counter.
Eloise glanced at the um
