Many would have considered the Terrace Heights Apartments a dump. It was a square five-story building that stood atop a small ridge in southwestern Madison WI. The exterior was covered fake fieldstone, including the small balcony outside each apartment. That fieldstone was dirty and weathered from years of neglect. The first floor hallway was dimly lit. The dark green paint on the walls didn’t help any.

The area off that hallway which held the vending machines was lit by the lights inside the machines themselves. The alcove where the mail boxes were had more lights, however, most of that light was absorbed by the dark wood paneling. The laundry room was well lit. However, lint from ten white dryers gave them and the six white washing machines a dirty, dingy appearance. The empty soap bottles, bent hangers and cracked laundry baskets that were always in the room made it look cluttered as well.

The basement was even darker. Two dozen wire mesh storage lockers lined the walls that had been painted black. Three lone bulbs hung from the low ceiling by lone wires. They allowed someone coming down here to see the various locker doors and the small puddle in the middle of the room, but little else. Each locker had a similar bulb that would light up the contents of that locker, but barely.
The second through fifth floors held apartments. There were four apartments on each floor. Each was a small two bedroom place. They all had the same basic layout. At the back of the apartment, the larger of the two bedrooms could hold a couple dressers in addition to a king size bed. It sported a walk-in closet. The other bedroom could hold a single dresser, but only if the bed was queen size or smaller. The apartment’s single bathroom was near the doors to the bedrooms. It was just wide enough to house a bathtub. And it was just long enough to put a couple magazines between the toilet and the sink on one side and between the toilet and tub on the other side.

The kitchen had a sink with a cupboard to either side of it on one side. On the other side of the cupboard was a stove. There was a row of cupboards above them. On the other side was a refrigerator and a couple cupboards. In between the linoleum floor was just wide enough for two people to pass. At the end of the kitchen alcove was a breakfast nook. It was just large enough to hold a small table and four chairs.

The main area of the apartment was the living room. It was big enough to hold a couple couches or twice that many easy chairs along with a modest entertainment center. It also had a set of patio doors that led to a small balcony that was surrounded by a low “stone” wall.

The Terrace Heights Apartments was more than a mile from the University of Wisconsin. That meant it couldn’t command the high rent that apartments much closer to the campus could. However, it was still more than what the average student could afford. Normally multiple students would share the two bedroom apartments. Even at that high rent that it charged, there was a waiting list to get into the apartment building. Usually a student would hook up with another student and then take it over when they graduated or left. Then they would bring in other students to help with the rent.

Despite the limited number of parking spots available for rent in the small lot behind the building, there was almost always a number of spots available. Most but not all of the residents of Terrace Heights were students. Between the nearness to campus and lack of parking on campus, few students felt the need for a car. Most used bicycles, at least in good weather.

A lone figure walked up the sidewalk to the front entrance. It pulled open the glass door and stepped in. Without a glance down the dark hallway, it started up the stairs.