Within The Urban Jungle

SimonW

SimonW

Well-known member
WITHIN THE URBAN JUNGLE

Chapter 1: City Before The Dawn…

A myriad of looming skyscrapers bathed within the early morning light that cascaded countless shadows upon the concrete ground. The highest rise was the tallest tower within this city. A beacon of grand architecture, High Rise Mountain, a steel structure that would outlast even the bricked up slums would be a testimonial of artistic vision.
One such artist, a Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge, appreciated it when she first moved into this ensuite apartment complex within the middle of this man made marvel tower merely five years ago.
Awakening to the early dawn of another day within her roomy apartment, she gazed out with eager eyes to the day ahead of her. Though being a trust fund Duchess of supposed distant noble birth, she had settled herself within this city ten years ago freshly out of college with a degree in artistic design, eager to share her vision upon the fashion scene. In the last two years, she had already made herself widely known in the fashion world as a trendsetter and visionary genius. Sure, it took her a lot of hard work and funding from her rich relatives to make her dream a reality but she stuck to it and made a name for herself with her skill and passion for her art. But in truth, despite all the glamour and fame, the now thirty six year old found she craved solitude to herself so she could be inspired daily once more whilst letting her creations speak for themselves.
Smirking ironically to herself before taking a sip of her early morning coffee within her white porcelain mug, Henrietta savoured the aroma before allowing her tastebuds to encapsulate the bitter yet mild sweetness of the freshly roasted blend that started her day refreshingly chipper and blissful in sophisticated eloquence.
Putting her mug full of coffee down upon her marbled kitchenette countertop, Henrietta allowed herself to be drawn to the scenic viewpoint of her room that overlooked the city of Urban Jungle like a black panther surveying the wilderness before it upon a canopy of the vast rainforest.
‘So, what do you have for me today?’ she thoughtfully pondered to herself.

( to be continued… )
 
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Copperfox said:
This makes me think of the relatively-old movie "The Devil Wears Prada." Waiting to see if your story ends up dramatic, humorous or both.
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I had that same thought in the back of my mind. An underrated movie when it came out in my opinion.
Well, you know me. It may end up as both. Have no clue as of yet, though.

( chapter 1, part 2… )

Silhouettes reflecting off the sunlit sky dappled through Henrietta’s eyes, almost blinding her were it not for the window that led out to a balcony and the building opposite across the street offering a shaded protection from the sun’s harsh rays.
Opening her balcony door made of glass, Henrietta effortlessly ventured out into the crisp and cool air before being bombarded by the muted sounds of street life below.
With a small smirk upon her almond rounded face, the fashionista of the city boldly leaned herself upon the sturdy steel beamed bannister with ease. Lounging without fear or worry, her arms draped over the side and felt her white nightgown flow effortlessly around her body whilst staying firmly attached. It was one of her older designs, one she prided over and was happy with. A simple design that was a wrap up motif, akin to what Egyptian White Silk was capable of with a wrapping of crossed mother of pearl satin that flowed out into a simple white cotton dress with an almost see through effect whilst keeping modesty at bay around the bodice with an inner layer of silk for comfort and flexibility in bed. All in all, one of her better all purpose wears that she wore as her own nightgown. There were no straps, the wrap around motif serving as all the support one would need without any worry for restraint.
With this thought of nostalgic designs cycling within her mind, Henrietta let herself relax with thought as she breathed out a sigh of contemplation.


The Urban Jungle seemed restless, the ever constant presence of life within the city in the early morning.
Upon the backdrop of the streets, the side alleys opened up like relentless shadows cascading to escape the sun. The steel and brick mortared buildings beheld the be-speckled dew of early light, the cold air of morning sunshine showing the drops of water upon the sides of these buildings.
Within one such alleyway a presence was felt, but not that of the usual rats that infested this city. A lowly cur of a dog was still sound asleep, the raggedy clothing a small blessing to the homeless man that called the streets his home. He was startled awake as a passing siren of a police car passed by his alley.
Known as just Hobo Ben, this once dignified man in his late fifties maintained his demeanour from his rude awakening. The haggard looking and weary eyes still had a faint spark of a life worth living with a haphazard sheen of experience of witnessing things in his troubled past. The unkempt yet immaculate beard was his main feature of his face, bespeckled white with edges of gray that rose to under his hairline that was covered with a grungy faded green beanie cap. As he slowly crawled from his stack of discarded newspapers he had as a bedding, Hobo Ben clung closely to a ragged overcoat of some military regimental garb, possibly the only keepsake of an identity long since past. It was now a warm comfort to protect against the chilly nights and rain.
As he stood to his feet, Hobo Ben noticed his baggy and patched trousers hanging slightly loosely around his gangly frame. He paid his shaggy appearance no mind, just glancing up and down his alleyway abode to see if anything new was to be scavenged.

( to be continued… )
 
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( chapter 1, part 3… )

Upon the other side of Urban Jungle, the police cruiser that bypassed Hobo Ben’s alley haphazardly made it’s way across Boulder Boulevard, crossing from the Great Bridge that led to an outskirts portion of the city.
The police vehicle slowed as it made it’s way across the bridge, coming upon a gritty off shoot down to the Cabal Waterway where some idle police cars were already parked a safe distance from what was obviously an incidental crime scene.
Turning off the engine as they came to a stop, two uniformed officers of the UJCP opened their doors and stepped out into the mud riddled embankment.
Surveying the scene in front of them, Officer Merkley and Officer Stevens were witnessing a crane winch pulling up a drenched car wreckage from the river’s waters halfway, the beige car drenched in seaweed and water.
Chief Detective Gregory Fonda was sighing from a safe distance, the lead inspector upon the scene and did it from behind the already taped off scene of discovery.
“Welcome to the show, boys,” Chief Detective Fonda grunted coarsely with a slight disgruntled tone in his voice.
Officer Merkley and Officer Stevens both gave a small salute in greeting Chief Detective Fonda, their motion causing Detective Gregory to grunt in favourable acknowledgement.
“I know you boys are eager to prove yourselves, but this is strictly guard duty. Understood?” Detective Fonda stated, his undertone holding a note of caution to the two rookie officers.
The two fresh faced officers glanced between themselves before looking back at their chiseled and rugged supervisor and boss before both nodding in the affirmative. They had not forgotten the hijinks from last month that had landed their well intended yet misguided eagerness on the job into being transferred with reprimands and warnings to be more careful in their line of duty.
‘They are running on thin ice and they know it,’ Chief Detective Gregory Fonda acknowledged in his head, watching the two officers with keen insight.
Chief Detective Fonda was convinced he got the point across and turned from the two of them to watch the proceeding of the car being hoisted from the murky waters.

( to be continued… )
 
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Copperfox said:
Waiting to see whether Merkley and Stevens become comedy relief, or day-savers.
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Or a little bit of both? We shall see in due course.


( chapter 1, part 4… )

The crane slowly lowered the water-logged vehicle onto the muddy ground where the police had already searched and had taken a wide birth in order to lower the car in the first place.
Officer Roger Merkley craned his neck towards the wreckage in a curious manner as he and his partner were looking from the back angle to the sides of their commanding officer that was leading the investigation.
“Looks like a simple case of accidental road incident to me,” Roger Merkley stated out loud in pondering thought as Officer David Stevens seemed to echo by simply nodding in agreement.
“That’s why you two are still rookies,” grumbled Chief Detective Gregory Fonda, leaving the two incredulous officers behind him as he walked up to the beige wrecked car with purpose.


The car was barely rusty, as the waters of the Cabal Waterway was a freshwater broad river that had muddy embankments that led to miniature forest preserves on both sides. A slight smell of seaweed marshes was the only pungent smell emitting from the once submerged vehicle.
With careful consideration of this, Chief Detective Gregory Fonda approached the car whilst circling it with concentration etched upon his face. A hazmat wearing officer also approached, taking multiple angle shots with a camera for police documentation to look at later if need be for the investigation.
With a contemplative sigh, Chief Detective Fonda allowed the forensics team to do their own thing, not liking to admit he was an “old-school” detective that did not get all the scientific evidence that they proclaimed about. Besides, he could peruse the case files later.
But, he could still observe and noted the fact that nobody was in the car as far as he could see.
‘Small blessings, at least for now,’ he mused thoughtfully to himself as the science team gave the all clear and backed away from the car for the time being.

( to be continued… )
 
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