Kiur walked as casually as she could towards the metal sided building. She'd been told by a trustworthy source that what had been stolen from her would be sold here. At best, she could steal it back. At worst, she wouldn't be able to get it at all. Having to buy it back lay somewhere between these possibilities. At least she would have it back, even if she did have to pay for it again.
The bushes and flowers seemed an anathema in a place like this. Like a floral arrangement in a mechanic's shop, she thought.
Kiur walked up to the building and past the guards. She'd chosen her outfit today to stun and distract. Her blonde hair was perfectly coiffed, and her clothes were just slightly too tight. She walked with a confidence that claimed she knew just how sexy she was. If she hadn't known better, she might have believed the act herself.
The guards tried their hardest to pretend they hadn't noticed Kiur, while still pulling in their guts.
She passed cashiers and a manager. They were better at disguising their pleasure, but the effect was much the same. The harder she tried, the harder it was to pull off the act. She wasn't a confident person, but she needed to get it back.
The building opened up into a gigantic warehouse. To reach the higher shelves, forklifts were necessary. Anything and everything imaginable was for sale. Cleaners, chemicals, automatic weapons, paint, vehicles, food, lawn equipment, clothes, medical supplies. Everything. Since she wasn't around any employees, she didn't need to pretend anymore. She calmed down, anyone who saw her now would just be another customer.
The place was empty and lonely, with huge shelves towering above Kiur. She felt claustrophobic for the first time in a very long while. She felt like she was lost, but she knew she wasn't lost. The layout was too simple for anyone to get lost in. Simply parallel rows of shelves with signs at both ends indicating what was in the row.
Kiur focused on her search. Those signs might help her find her things.
No one could mistake her stuff for being anything but used. It was tailor made for her anyway. She almost missed the sign. Above one of the rows was a sign that read "Used Goods."
She walked down that aisle, and was stunned by the sheer volume of goods. Every shelf was brimming with items. And if she managed to find hers there, it was likely that many of the other items there were also stolen.
She had to sit down, this was going to take awhile. The store hadn't even bothered to organize the items, instead they had just piled the merchandise into large bins. She had to climb up to get in the lowermost bins and search through them. The task was daunting.
After awhile, Kiur decided it was time, she began digging through the merchandise. Most of the merchandise in this area seemed to have been sitting awhile. Kiur moved farther down the aisle, looking for any sign of newer items. She noticed that some of the items were reasonably priced, and others were not.
With pained relief, Kiur recognized it. It wouldn't, couldn't fit anyone quite like it fit her. She took a quick glance to make sure that she wasn't being watched, then put it under her jacket.
A voice behind her said, "You know you're not allowed." The man chuckled, how did she think she would get away with this? Everyone knew. Anyone could spot the forsaken.
Where did he come from? "But ... it's mine." She explained, nearly whining with desperation, "They stole it from me."
"You know that people like you aren't allowed to have happiness," he said gruffly, but with humour. "Now put it back in the bin."
Slowly, she pulled her happiness out of her jacket, and glanced at it. It was hers, what could they gain by refusing her? It wouldn't do them any good.
"C'mon already, lady," the man said tersely.
Impatient to relieve me of my happiness, she grew bitter. She set her happiness on the shelf and walked away, barely holding back the tears.
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