I stand on the platform that will carry me upward.  I feel a light breeze in my hair as I rise.  Even  with all the windbreakers here, the above ground cities always have wind.  There are no ropes or pulleys like the elevators of long ago.  I travel up.  I am here.  As I step off the platform, I can't help but glance at the colorful cobblestone. 

In this lowest level of the city, our cobblestone are factory rejects from the stories above, but they are colorful nonetheless.

There are no automobiles anymore.  Everything you could possibly need are just a few steps away.  We can order anything we want to come directly to us, but most shops stay open to the public to promote social interaction with one another.  It was the current health craze.  We did have our moments in the past where shops were all bankrupt from the invention of mailing everything to your doorstep.  Depression began to be an all high from people never coming out.  We began to bring shops back to increase our morale. 

I smell the doughnuts from the nearby shop, and coffee.  I take orders for the both of them before I go to my next stop:  the local police department.  I have been charging the food I bring to this building for a long time now.  They all pitch in with their salaries so everyone can eat.  I would not be able to eat without them.  The food and drinks float on their delivery trays and follow me to my destination.  I carry my own vegan doughnut with maple syrup, and coffee with non-dairy milk. 

I meet Jerry, the chief of police at the corner.  Dark skin, forget-me-not blue eyes.  He greets me with a smile. 

Jerry loves his chocolate eclairs and his coffee a strongly brewed black.

"Just in time, Lil."  He takes my offering from his floating trays.  They unclasp instantly from the touch of his recognized finger prints.  This method prevented anyone else from getting his order.

"I need to go change into my uniform," said Jerry.  It was the custom for most people to keep their work uniform in their lockers now, with a laser to keep them clean.  "Dandan will meet you at the desk," he continued.

I smile.  Dandan was a sweet tempered girl of Chinese descent, from her mother's side.  Her name means "cinnabar," named after the red stone.  It was given to her to commemorate her red hair, her natural color.

I bring Dandan her cinnamon roll, and her caramel latte. 

"Oh, hello, Lilleth," she says so brightly.  She smells her offerings and takes a slow sip.  "Mmmmm."

"So that's your name."

I hear an unknown voice behind me.  I turn around and see a beautiful woman in a green gown that matches her eyes.  Warm toned skin.  Platinum hair in soft curls.

"I have been following you for a long time," the lady continued.  "Why do I never see you go higher than this level?"

This part of the city was the working place.  All the places to sleep were up above.  I say nothing.  If a bottom feeder were ever to be caught....

Dandan came to my rescue.  "Lilleth has been working with us for a long time."  She puts her hand on my shoulder.  Truly, Dandan was the only other woman I have known to be as petite as me.  "The things Lilleth does for us can put her in danger if she was well known."

The woman in green narrowed her eyes.  "Explain."

"Jade," said Jerry, entering the room.  "What are you doing here?"

"I'm following this vagabond that you appear to be spending all of your time with."

"Honey, I know what you are trying to do, but you need to stop.  That young woman saved my life, and you need to keep that in mind."

"What could she possibly be doing that is so important?"

"That is entirely classified," said Jerry.

"As your wife, I believe I have the right to know."

Jerry looked resigned.  "We will have this conversation later."

"If that is how you want to play..." she turned away and walked out the door.  I felt so frightened. One of my "gifts" is being able to read people's minds. This woman would call to have a person exterminated if she even suspected a bottom feeder.

Jerry put his hand on my shoulder while Dandan checks her messages at her desk.  "Don't worry," he says.  "We won't let anything happen to you."

"She's going to go over your head," I say.

"She can try," says Jerry with quiet determination.

"He's here," says Dandan.

"He is?" asks Jerry.  "How did we manage to arrest him?"

"They caught him in the act of molesting a child, and he ran.  We managed to arrest him for indecent exposure."

"Was the child a registered citizen?"

"Unfortunately, no."

That meant this child was not going to get any protection.

"Well," said Jerry.  "if we can uncover enough evidence on him, we can at least prove that he is a threat to society and should put him away as a prevention." Jerry turns to me.  "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I reply.

Jerry leads me to the room behind the mirrors.  I see an old man with graying hair, morbid black eyes, and ashen skin.  Those eyes hone right at me, and he breathes in deeply.  He knows I'm here!  I clamp my hand over my mouth and I run to the nearest toilet, spilling my guts out.  I sit on the floor, rocking myself back and forth.  I don't even need to use my "gift" to know this man is a monster.

Jerry slightly opens the door.  "Lil, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not," I sob.

Jerry helps me up and leads me to his private office.  He sits me down on the leather couch while he sits behind his desk.  "What did you see?"

"He's a monster," I say.

Jerry smiles grimly.  "That much we know."

I close my eyes.  I don't tell him that I don't need to use my gift.  I rely only on my memories.

"I see a dark room.  There are chains on the wall.  I am drugged and I can't move."  I tremble all the more.

I can't go on.  We are interrupted.  I hear the door open.  I open my eyes to see Jade file in the room.  She smiles a smile that is not kind.  "Look who I happened to meet at the coffee shop?  Jerry, meet Damien.  Damien Draco-"

"The Hunter?" asked Jerry.

"The one and only," she says.

I see a man step out of the shadows.  Olive tone skin.  Dark hair and eyes.  Gentle waves cascading his shoulders.  His gloved hand covering his mouth in deep thought.

I say out loud, accidentally, and just barely above a whisper, "Dream lover?"

Author's note:  Leona Lewis, as Jade; unknown woman as Dandan, unknown man as Jerry, and Mario Blanco as Damien.  Tiling images can be found from this link:  https://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/dear-human-recycled-molded-paper-tiles.html