Consumed - Chapter 3

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It seemed like it had been weeks, but truthfully, it had only been a few days. Glanni decided to leave his mom’s home in LazyTown and return to MayhemTown. He left a note--well, two notes--one for his mom, and one for Robbie, telling them not to worry about him, that he was fine, he just wanted to return home and be alone for a while. Deep down he knew his mom would most likely make calls to check up on him--calls he probably wouldn’t answer. Robbie knew to give Glanni his space, so the catsuit-clad criminal didn’t have to worry there.

He also knew they’d both be disappointed if they knew how much he’d spiraled in only these few days. He went back to his old vice of drugs, the only thing that could make him feel okay. He walked through the alleys in MayhemTown, scratching at his arms, as the track marks were quite itchy. He ran out of money, and hoped he’d spot someone that looked like they’d be the type to take pity on him, and at least give him $20.

After a few minutes of lurking in the alley, and observing people, he spotted someone. A woman, who looked around his own age. Surely, she’d give him some sympathy, right? He slipped out of the alleyway and over to her, lightly tapping her shoulder. She turned, looking at him, a concerned expression on her face.

“I--I’m sorry to bother you, but… do you have $20 you can spare?” he hadn’t noticed that he was shaking at this point.

The young woman stared a moment, before speaking. “Are you okay?” she asked, grabbing her purse from the stroller in front of her. Glanni hadn’t even noticed the stroller, but he couldn’t help but do so at her actions. Inside, was a tiny baby, dressed in pinks, about the same age Svanhildur would have been. A small smile crossed his lips, as he reached a hand towards the infant.

“What are you doing?” the woman’s voice broke the silence. She was glaring at him now, not as concerned for him as she had been.

Glanni quickly withdrew his hand, as if he had been burned, and looked at the woman. “Can I hold her?” He looked at the woman, a look of hope in his eyes.

“What?! No!” she shoved her hand towards him. “Take the money, and get away from us.”

“But… I…”

“Go! If I see you anywhere near us, I’ll call the police!”

Glanni took the money and walked back towards the the alley. This wasn’t the last she’d see of him, oh no, not by far. As he walked down the alleyway, the money clutched tightly in his hand, he couldn't shake the image of the baby from his mind. Yes, she was the same age Svanhildur would have been. Glanni longed to hold her; he held Svanhildur's stillborn body when she was born.

He found a spot to sit and leaned his back against the brick wall. The drugs were calling to him, whispering sweet nothings in his ear. He thought about the woman and her baby, and how angry she was when he reached for the infant. He didn't blame her, really. He knew he looked like a mess, and he probably scared her. But he couldn't help the way he felt. He needed something to hold onto, something to remind him of what he lost.

He took out the syringe from his pocket, hesitating for a moment before injecting the drugs into his veins. As the high started to take over, he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. This was the only way he could cope with the pain and emptiness he felt inside.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Glanni spent his days in the alleys of MayhemTown, lost in his addiction and despair. The only time he ever left was to buy more drugs or to steal from unsuspecting victims.

One night, as he was rummaging through a dumpster for scraps of food, he heard a noise behind him. He quickly turned around, his heart racing in his chest. It was a woman, but not the one from before. This one was different -- her hair was short and dyed green, and she had tattoos covering her arms.

She looked at him with a mixture of concern and disgust. "You're Glanni, right?" she asked.

Glanni tried to stand up straight, but the drugs had taken their toll on him. He slurred his words when he spoke. "Yeah, that's me. What do you want?"

The woman took a step closer to him. "I heard you've been looking for some work. I might have something for you."

Glanni couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What kind of work?"

The woman smirked. "I need someone to help me with a heist. We're going to rob a jewelry store. You interested?"

Glanni didn't hesitate. He nodded, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "I'm in."

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