Monday, April 18, 2005

Ghostopia, Chapter 9: Meeting Nelson

"Conperson? You mean, as in conman?"
"Yup. Matter of fact, I got tricked myself first time I met her."
"B-but, HOW?" Darren felt the blood draining from his face. "What did she con me of?"
"She must've offered to help you sell whatever you were selling, didn't she?"
Darren slapped his face in dismay. Why hadn't that crossed his mind? She could very well be in some distant level selling off his papers for money.
"She does this quite often?"
"Made quite a name for herself, I've heard," smirked the guy. "By the way, I'm Nelson."
Darren studied the guy for a moment. He was one of those seemingly street-wise types, reminding him of his friend Robin. However, Darren did not dare put too much trust in him - not after the Kat incident.
"I'm Darren. Nice to meet you."
"So how did a young guy like you end up here?"
"Uhh...I was at my graduation, when suddenly everyone started screaming and running away from me. I felt this terrible pain all over me, and next time I knew, I was here."
"But what did you die of?"
"I don't know. You're only the third person I've met here."
"Let's see...the other two would be Kat, and Mortie?"
"Yup."
"So you found any place to stay yet?"
Whoops. Now that was something that'd slipped his mind completely. "Uhh...no. Not yet."
"You'd better. It gets pretty nasty here at night."
Suddenly it dawned upon Darren that he was a homeless, jobless, penniless, and friend-less guy. And if what this Nelson said was true, he had better change all of that by nightfall.
"Um, well, the thing is, I've got no job, and no money right now. Do they provide any free lodgings for newcomers here?" Darren asked somewhat in false hope.
"Heh, of course not. Nothing's ever free anywhere, not even after you're dead," Nelson laughed. "But if you're that desperate, I can fix you up a place in my house."
For a moment Darren was delighted to hear that, but soon his rational mind tuned in. Was this again too good to be true? If even Kat could cheat him, what would this Nelson do to him?

No comments: