Urban Healing Saint

Author: Sarah Garcia

Chapter 1: Entering The City

Words : 1825 Updated : Sep 24th, 2025

"This is Leaville. Please gather your belongings and prepare to exit the train." The conductor announced over the PA as the train eased into the station. Ramon Baxter had come from a remote mountain region with no high-speed rail, so he'd taken the regular train. When he heard the announcement, he slung on his backpack and joined the flow of passengers heading out. Leaville, a metropolis brimming with promise, rose before him. Coming straight from a secluded village, he felt completely out of place. Outside the station, a line of unlicensed cab drivers scanned the crowd, waving like they had just spotted a big fare, grinning and calling out. "Hey, where are you headed?" Ramon had barely stepped out before several drivers converged on him. "No, thanks." He turned away and made for the bus stop. His destination was inside the city's inner ring road, Yhuwell Residence. His mentor, Alistair, owned a place there, an apartment his senior in the sect had bought for Alistair. Alistair would sometimes come down from the mountain but refused to stay at his disciple's place, so Ramon's senior had purchased an apartment and left it for Alistair. But it had been years since Alistair left the mountain. Ramon had no idea whether the apartment was still theirs. Ramon had been adopted by Alistair, who claimed affiliation with the Tranquil Sect, a peculiar school of cultivation. When Alistair sent Ramon for mortal mind practice, Ramon had no money. Alistair had given Ramon his only asset, $500. If Ramon wanted to get by, he'd have to rely on himself. Alistair had set off to roam in pursuit of the cultivation. Ramon still remembered Alistair's words. "Your cultivation has hit a wall. Go down the mountain and temper your heart. You may find what you do not expect." And with that, he'd been sent packing. What mortal mind practice actually meant, and how to improve the cultivation was something he'd have to figure out step by step. ... After an hour on the bus, Ramon reached the front gate. He gave the guard the owner's name and was waved through. Building 3, 808, was where Ramon would be living. At the door, he punched in the password on the digital lock. It beeped and clicked open. A spotless floor gleamed back at him, the furniture neatly arranged, and a bowl of fruit on the dining table. "Someone's living here?" He froze. If no one lived here, it wouldn't be this clean, and there wouldn't be fresh fruit on the table. As he stood there, the bathroom door opened. A woman stepped out, toweling her hair. She was naked. Her hairy private part and the full swell of her chest making Ramon squint and jerk his gaze away. "Aah!" The woman realized that a man was standing in the living room, staring at her. She jolted and screamed, a sharp cry that must have rung through the whole floor. The woman's scream snapped Ramon back to himself. He spun around, face burning. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it. I thought no one was here." There was a frantic rustle, then the door slammed so hard the windows rattled. Camilla Bexley was furious. A stranger had seen her naked. Had she heard him say this was his place? She had been about to call the police. She paused, phone still clutched in her hand, then got dressed, stuck her head out of the bedroom, and snapped, "Who are you? Explain yourself or I'm calling the police." Camilla worked as a flight attendant with Southwest Airlines. She'd fly three days, then be off four. Not wanting to live in company housing, she'd found a place downtown. She'd planned to rent a studio, but two colleagues talked her into renting a three-bedroom. In the end, they bailed on her. The lease was already signed, and thankfully, the rent wasn't steep, so she moved in alone and made do. "I'm sorry. I truly didn't mean it. The owner is Eugene Chandler. I had no idea he'd rented it out," Ramon said quickly, knowing he was in the wrong. He had grown up in the mountains with Alistair and had barely dealt with the outside world. Confronted with Camilla's questions, he grew shy, barely above a mumble. Hearing him give the owner's name without hesitation, Camilla relaxed a little, though she kept her eyes on him. "It's rented to me now. Please leave." Ramon faltered. Leaville was a maze to him. He had no idea where to go. Still, since the place was rented, he had no intention of lingering. He cast an apologetic glance toward the bedroom. "Sorry to disturb you." "Wait..." He'd just turned to go when Camilla stopped him. He looked like an ordinary country boy, wearing plain clothes, nothing about him threatening. The wheels started turning. Renting this place had drained her savings. If the owner had turned up, could she get some of it back? "What is it?" Ramon asked, turning. "You seem honest. First time in the city, right?" Camilla gave him a quick once-over, sounding sure. "Yeah. I grew up in the mountains and hardly ever left," Ramon said, nodding. "So you have nowhere to stay?" "Yeah." "This place is big. I live here alone and am away most of the time. Why don't you stay and split the rent with me?" She watched him as she floated the idea. Normally, Camilla wouldn't have picked a male roommate. But fate had dropped Ramon in her doorway, he looked harmless, and he knew the landlord. So she made the offer. "Can I? How much would I owe you?" Ramon asked. "Rent's $350 a month. I already paid three months plus a $1,000 deposit. Just give me a thousand back," Camilla said after a quick mental tally. "I don't have a thousand. I only have five hundred on me," Ramon replied helplessly. "Five hundred works. Then you owe me five hundred. Pay it back soon." With their terms settled, Camilla finally left the bedroom and came into the living room, phone still in hand. Only then did Ramon really see her. Her features were sharply defined, every line precise. Tall and lithe, she had curves in all the right places. Her long hair, still wet, lay over her shoulders and dampened her shirt. Her bright eyes were even more striking beneath her wet bangs. Ramon had never been this close to such a beautiful woman. Heat rose to his cheeks. He turned away, unable to meet her gaze. Seeing him flustered, Camilla straightened, confidence returning. "We don't talk about today. Pretend it didn't happen."

Urban Healing Saint

Chapter 1: Entering The City

Comments (0)