It had been a long day at work at the Good Rise Pharmacy that was inside a small marketplace at the lobby floor of the block complex of Peach Trees. It was a Tuesday afternoon and a Chinese woman with her scrubs top headed out of the market to see if the walls had remained open. There was always a schedule for each block in Hell's Kitchen for all blocks and hopefully, Melina had time to finish her job for the day and pay a visit at the Cedar Woods block to see how well her parents are doing. Even though they weren't that far, she often got homesick as she lived alone.

There was a man cooking some hot dogs at a stand and she smiled at him, approaching his cart, ordering two hot dogs with extra mustard and a cool Coke. While she watched him prepare her meal, a group of people her age hanging out in the corner of the lobby with tattoos caught her eye. The only girl of the group, had red as fire hair and unmistakably Spliced cat eyes. She gulped when the woman had caught Melina and she looked back to the hot dog cook with a nervous smile, taking her meal and sitting down. She sighed of relieved as she moved around her ankle, feeling the hunting knife well-adjusted and hidden inside her low-cut boots.

Elijah had just gotten back to Peach Tree. He looked like he had just gone through Hell. It wasn't that far from the truth. He was covered in dirt, grime and dried blood. He had been in a long battle with some unsavory sorts. The only upside to it was he made enough money to not be wanting for the next month or two.

He was good at what he did, and that skill came at cost. In every way possible. It was the life he choose. He had no one else to blame but himself. Even with that there was better ways to make a living. He wanted to find a better way, but he just never did it.

Elijah walked up to the nearest place he could find that allow him food. He needed it. He felt like he hadn't eaten in days. That was far from the case but it felt like it.

"Rough couple of days E.C" The guy behind the counter said.

"Ain't they all? I'll take double the usual." Elijah said reaching into his pocket and pulling out money to pay him.

"Don't worry abut it Eli, you look like shit. You look like you've earned it." He said with a smile as he handed Eli his order.

"Thanks Guy, Let me know if I can repay the favor." Eli didn't wait for a reply before leaving nor did the man give one.

Elijah sat away from the stand on the ground. He started eating, the best part of coming back home.

Melina began munching her food slowly as she watched with furrowed eyebrows, the exchange between the man who seemed to be a regular of the only hot dog stand at Peach Trees. His attire looked high military and he probably was. The tattoos were a huge giveaway for her to be alert. Well, lies, actually. It was most definitely the blood and grime that was intimidating. She found herself staring and analyzing at him so much that she flickered her eyes away when she felt he had caught her. She gulped down some Coke as her eyes flickered to the ground until she saw a scar on his arm only to fully look at him.

"I'm sorry," she lowly said as she nervously took another bite, her right foot fiddling around a bit, her ankles feeling comfort against the stored knife in her shoes.

This is what it was like to live in Hell's Kitchen.

Just a month ago, she was still trying to shake off the encounter she had with a younger man who had lizard optics and snake-like fangs, trying to get her number. Luckily, the curfew security was there to send him back to his apartment. She could feel the intent of wrongdoing coming and although it was terrifying at best, she was ready to use her judo.

Elijah could feel someone watching him. It wasn't all that surprising considered what he looked like right now. He looked up to see some Asian girl looking at him.

She had said sorry and quickly looked away. He couldn't blame her. He took a huge bite and swallowed it. "Don't worry about it. Its been a rough week." Elijah almost wanted to smile. A bad week would be the understatement of the year. He took another bite.

He looked around area, this place could either be Heaven or Hell and for almost everyone, it was Hell. There was worse he had seen that first hand, he tried not to think about it.