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    Backstreets: Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, #2
    Backstreets: Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, #2
    Backstreets: Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, #2
    Ebook173 pages2 hours

    Backstreets: Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, #2

    By Tanya Lisle

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    About this ebook

    While the backstreets may have once been a thriving community, a refuge away from the noisy city where they could practice magic in peace, they've long since been abandoned. The winding streets are easy to get lost in if you do not know where you are going - and sometimes even when you do. They are shortcuts for the fortunate, escapes for the desperate, and dead ends for the rest. 

    The few who do reside in them them are not the most pleasant. They may help, if you can handle the price. Cut a deal with caution, or you may never find your way out. 

    Backstreets tells the stories of those who managed to find them. People stumble in very rarely, but those unlucky few that do are usually trapped within the labyrinth with no hope of ever escaping - at least, not unscathed.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherScrap Paper Entertainment
    Release dateMay 9, 2014
    ISBN9781498990851
    Backstreets: Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, #2
    Author

    Tanya Lisle

    Tanya Lisle is a novelist from Metro Vancouver, British Columbia who has series littered across genres from supernatural horror to young adult fantasy. She began writing in elementary school, when she started turning homework assignments into short stories and continued this trend well into university. While attending Simon Fraser University, she developed an appreciation for public domain crossovers and cross-platform narratives. She has a shelf full of notebooks with more story ideas than pens lost to the depths of her bag. Now she writes incessantly in hopes of finishing all of them. Thankfully, her cat, Remy, has figured out how to shut off Tanya’s computer when she needs to take a break.

    Read more from Tanya Lisle

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      Book preview

      Backstreets - Tanya Lisle

      Toys

      GRANDMA ALWAYS TOLD Mikey that he was a good boy, unlike his no good brother, and if his rotten parents hadn’t stolen all her money she would have taken him far away from here to be raised up right. The city was no place for a child and their neighborhood was the dirtiest, slimiest and most rotten she’d ever seen. At six, Mikey had no idea what she was talking about, but knew well enough to nod along so he wouldn’t be seeing the back of her hand.

      He looked out onto the streets where there were children playing. All he needed to do was crawl out the window and down the fire escape so he could get down there and play with them, but he wasn’t allowed. They were a bad influence.

      What’s a bad influence? he asked.

      Something we’re not supposed to be around, Raphael, Mikey’s teddy bear, said. He got up on his stubby legs and hugged Mikey’s leg. It’s okay. You don’t need to be out with them, right?

      Yeah, Mikey said, though he still wished he could go out and play with them. He wanted someone else to play with besides just Raphael. You think we’ll stay up late enough tonight to see Leo?

      His brother, Leo, always got in long after Mikey’s bedtime every night, if he came back at all. When Mikey woke up in the morning, Leo would still be asleep until it was time for him to go out again, but maybe, just maybe if he stayed up late enough, Leo would still have the energy to do something. Especially since he wasn’t allowed to go out there with him or play with the other kids.

      Maybe, Raphael said. But it’s okay if we miss him. You still have me!

      Mikey tore himself away from the window after one last, longing look at the children below. They were scattering now that the street lights were flickering on, heading home to their own families. Maybe he could ask Leo to ask Grandma to see if he could go out and play with the other kids one day.

      His side of the room was covered in toys. Army men lined the foot of his bed, facing off against the toy cars covering his dresser. Transformers and toy guns were on both sides of the fight and all around the room. Tracks for a toy train had been taken in pieces and it, like the trains, were trying to build a ramp to get up to the bed. Other toys were scattered across the floor, some carrying guns and many looking for a way to get up onto the bed.

      Raphael patted Mikey’s leg. Come on, he said. The trains were going to have a sneak attack on the soldiers!

      Mikey shook his head and picked Raphael up. We gotta go see if Grandma made dinner now, he said. The streetlights mean it’s dinner time.

      I don’t like her, Raphael said, though he didn’t protest to Mikey hugging him under his arms and squeezing him tight before opening the door.

      Raphael went limp as soon as he left his room and started down the hall. He knew the rules as well as Mikey did. There was to be no imagination outside of his room. No talking animals or moving cars or anything. If there was, or if he even talked about it, Mikey knew he would get in trouble.

      There was no smell in the hall today. At the end of the hall, he could see the living room faintly lit by the television. Grandma leaned back into her recliner, curly white hair spread out around her head and pink house coat stained with coffee. Her mouth was open and he could hear her snoring mixed in with the newscast she was watching.

      Sometimes he wondered what Grandma watched on the television. She had banned him and Leo from watching with her. She said it would rot their brains with useless garbage. Now it was showing an old man yelling about a pretty girl not wearing enough clothes.

      He could sort of remember watching it when he was little. There were bright colours and it made him happy when he was sitting on the floor in front of it. Raphael was there. Sometimes Leo sat with him. Sometimes his mom was there, too.

      He couldn’t really remember his mom anymore.

      Mikey closed his eyes and forced the tears back. He shouldn’t think about things that made him sad. Leo said that there was no point trying to remember the people who were already gone. He said nothing would bring them back anyway, so he should try to forget them instead. Forgetting them was easier.

      He turned into the small kitchen and opened the cupboard, looking for something to eat. There were half empty bags of crackers and chips, bags of baking supplies and several unmarked cans. Mikey reached into the back where Leo hid a bunch of food for him just in case Grandma forgot to make him dinner and pulled out a bag of cereal.

      Mikey stood back up and closed the cupboard door as quietly as he could before going to the fridge and grabbing a can of coke. Leo said the coke was the only thing it was safe to eat in the fridge because Leo was in charge of getting it. Some of the containers that lined the shelves had been in there for a very long time and Mikey couldn’t tell which ones were still edible. Grandma wouldn’t want him eating them anyway.

      Who’s there?

      He froze as Grandma’s voice rose over the television.

      Is someone there? Get out here!

      In his arms, Raphael gathered together the food Mikey had collected. He dropped out of Mikey’s arms, clumsily trying to balance it all and looked back up at Mikey. You don’t have to.

      Get over here, boy!

      Mikey jumped and ran to his Grandma’s voice. If he didn’t go, it would be worse. It was always worse if he didn’t come when he was called.

      She was sitting up in her recliner, staring him down as he came closer. He stayed just out of arms reach, looking up at her wide eyed and fearful. Her hair flared out around her like snakes and her wrinkles looked even more menacing as she scowled at him.

      Come closer, boy, she said.

      Mikey inched closer, trying to avoid her gaze.

      Were you stealing my food, boy?

      Mikey shook his head.

      Look at me! Did you steal my food?

      Mikey made himself look her in the eyes and shook his head again. He didn’t talk. He knew better than to talk. When he talked, she got more mad.

      "Did you take my food, boy? Did you?"

      Mikey froze as Grandma raised her hand and smacked him hard across the face. He hit the carpet and, tears streaming down his face, he tried to keep his sobbing quiet. She got mad when he cried.

      That’s what you get for being a thief. Just like that no good brother of yours and your deadbeat parents. I give you everything and you still steal from me! Get out of my sight. Middle of the night, you think I wouldn’t catch you out of bed? Get back in the bed I got for you, boy! Get in bed and learn your place in this house.

      He scrambled to his feet and ran down the hall to his room. He knew they were waiting for him, but he didn’t want to talk to them right now. He tried to wipe away the tears streaming down his face and sniffed the snot back into his nose. Raphael was there with the food on his bed, looking expectantly at Mikey.

      Go away, he said between his tears. He turned out the lights and he could hear the toys scrambling to their places on the dresser and into a box at the foot of the bed.

      Mikey threw himself into bed and hid under the covers, bringing them up over his head. Raphael hid the food under his bed and crawled up beside him, hugging him tight as Mikey tried to keep his sobs quiet.

      We could get her for you, Raphael said. We can protect you. It’ll be easy and then you’ll never have to deal with her again.

      Mikey hugged Raphael closer and shook his head. You can’t really do anything. Grandma says everything is all in my imagination and I’m not allowed to use that with her. She says it’s all lying.

      Are you just imagining me hugging you right now?

      Leo says it’s my imagination, too.

      Leo isn’t here to help you, Raphael said, sounding bitter. He’s never here. He always leaves you alone with her.

      Leo said it was only for a little while. Soon he’ll find a way so we can leave. It’s just for a little while longer.

      You trust Leo too much. He isn’t that great.

      Yes he...

      Mikey fell silent at the sound of slippers walking down the hall. He hugged Raphael close to his chest to muffle anything the bear might say. He went very still, trying not to make a sound. He held his breath and waited, his heart pounding louder and louder as the footsteps came closer.

      The door creaked open and he didn’t dare make a move.

      The door closed a moment later and the slipper covered footsteps padded away.

      Raphael pushed off of Mikey’s chest and took a deep breath. Is she gone?

      Mikey nodded and let Raphael go. He sat up, adjusting the covers over his head, and pulled out the flashlight from under his pillow. Raphael got the food from under the bed and joined him under the covers.

      Are you sure you don’t want us to do anything about her? Raphael asked.

      Mikey was already shoving the cereal into his mouth. He shook his head and took a drink of his coke. It had just enough fizz left in it. She doesn’t mean it. She’s just old and forgets.

      Raphael grunted and crossed his arms, but said nothing else as Mikey continued to stuff his face with a few handfuls of cereal. He gave Raphael some of the marshmallows to play with and ate until he was full.

      Leo needs to get more, Raphael said.

      I’ll tell him when he gets home.

      You should leave a note. You probably won’t see him.

      I’m going to stay up tonight, Mikey said, closing the cereal bag and throwing it under his bed. The can was still cold, so he held it up to his face where his cheek was sore. I’ll tell him.

      He doesn’t get in until real late, though. You sure?

      Mikey nodded. It’s been ages since we played last. I’m going to stay up until he gets home and he’ll play tonight.

      He’s probably going to be tired.

      No he won’t. He wants to play with me more.

      But if he doesn’t, then we can play instead. I’m better at games than Leo is.

      Not at cops and robbers, Mikey said, crossing his arms and staring down at Raphael. You can’t even hold a gun.

      Raphael poked at the marshmallows in front of him and kept his head down.

      Mikey picked him up and hugged him tight. You can play with us.

      Maybe.

      Raphael wriggled out of Mikey’s grasp and gathered up his marshmallows into a little pile.

      Mikey’s cheek was starting to throb, but there was nothing left for him to put on it. The can of coke was empty and warm now, and he didn’t dare leave his place under the sheets. If Grandma decided to check on him again and he wasn’t in bed, he would be in even more trouble.

      He picked up the flashlight and checked under his pillow for something cold he could put on his face. There was a water pistol with a little water left in it. He shot himself in the cheek with it and gently spread the water over where it hurt.

      Leo would want to play cops and robbers with him. He would.

      He heard a noise in the hallway and immediately dropped his head down to his pillow, the blankets falling around him. Raphael dropped too as Mikey listened to the sounds in the hall. It was the front door opening and closing and the sound of shoes being thrown to the side. Leo was home.

      He’s early, Raphael said, crawling up until his head was under Mikey’s chin.

      Quiet! Mikey hissed at him, hugging Raphael close and listening to the footsteps as they stopped at the door. They only lingered a moment before walking the rest of the way down the hall. Mikey pressed his ear against the wall to hear what was going on and Raphael did the same.

      Look who’s back, his Grandma said.

      Here. Leo sounded tired already.

      What’s this?

      The mail with your government check and a receipt for the rent. Ms. Smith said you didn’t pay her for the last two months.

      How many johns did she have-

      You’re lucky I was able to cover for you! We can’t get kicked out. We don’t have anywhere else to go!

      Don’t you raise your voice at me, boy! You’re lucky I let you or that thief brother of yours in here! Sneaking out in the middle of the night to steal from me. And you waking me up-

      It’s seven. Wait, did Mikey get any dinner? You’re supposed to-

      "Don’t you talk like that

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