THE HOSTAGE'S DILEMMA
She looked maybe sixteen, tops, wearing an oversized hoodie and ripped jeans, utterly out of place amidst the tarnished silver and dusty electronics.
I walked further into the cluttered space, my combat boots crunching faintly on something gritty. Every surface was crammed with forgotten treasures and desperate necessities: guitars missing strings, cracked porcelain dolls with vacant eyes, an array of gold chains that looked suspiciously fake, and a stack of dog-eared comic books. I doubt anybody will ever come to get these things, so why is this shop still open?
“Can I help you?” she finally mumbled, not looking up. Her voice was surprisingly deep and bored. Another bubble popped.
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