New date, new post!
Oh, and...happy New Year! *confetti*
Or, if you're like my sister and mom,
my condolences on your calendar turnover. May it pass as quickly as it came. Here's a tissue.
I've...been thinking about things lately. Mostly, that I shouldn't be afraid to post some of the stuff I've written over the years. For some reason, I had it in my head that if I posted anything, people would just go around plagiarizing it willy-nilly. But, they have checks and balances for these things, right? Not to mention, I can't exactly change the date for a post. Sure, I can rearrange how it appears, but, I cant actually make Blogger lie about stuff. Unless there's a hack for that. Can you water board a website these days...?
So, this is a story I wrote 3.5 - 4 years ago. I consider it to be one of the best fleshed out ideas I've ever had. It took just about a week to do, and those who have seen it tend to like it. I'm not saying it's fantastic by any means, but, I'm guessing it won't feel like a waste of time afterward.
Even though, it
was rejected by Glimmer Train...
Ah, rejection. My new-found skill.
Judge for yourself, though. Enjoy, even.
Leningrad
"The pale
moonlight silhouetted her slim figure, midnight light curving to every
movement of her body...." he began, his voice strong and convincing,
"...Robert had but one option when she approached. Do I embrace her,
loving her and yielding to her every whim, or do I kill her where she
stands and rid myself of this overbearing curse? The voice in his head
talked faster than he could comprehend as she seemingly glided across
the floor--"
"Freebird!" Someone shouted, the beer-logged gurgle in his throat accenting the last syllable.
"Ah, yes...." he said, fixing his glasses, "...I'll get to that in a sec.--"
"Moon River!" A woman yelled, giggling over the sound of her own voice.
"God Save the Queen! Do that!"
"Something Beyonce!"
"As I said, I'll get to the music in a moment, I just--"
"Danny Boy!" Someone said, his Irish accent too thick and goofy to be real. The bar moaned at the idea of it.
"Alright...." the
man on stage said, folding his papers and sticking them in his back
pocket, "...the new issue of Amazing Tales goes on sale this Tuesday,
with the rest of that story in it. Be sure to pick up a copy. And
now..."
In a few bars,
everyone knew it was an Roy Orbison song, and a few people let out a
'woo!' in victory. Sean filled out the song with his best imitation of
the late singer, his face twisting in some places trying to hit just the
right notes. People clapped and even sang along, the place lit anew
with enthusiasm. In minutes, it was over. He waved and smiled a thank
you, and crawled back down and ordered a drink.
"Y'know, if it
wasn't for the fact you can sing, Sean, I'd be hard-pressed to let you up
there again. Why don't you just quit writing and find a band er
something, and make a living offa that?"
"I know, Hess. You're not the first to say that to me, either. I just..."
As he trailed off, the lights dimmed down again, and a
woman dressed in something like an over-sized sequined tank top took the
stage. She pointed one crookedly painted blue nail outward and began,
her sways in perfect time with the song. A group of men clamored to the
front of the stage, some just happy to see a good-looking woman, some,
hoping that her dress would hike up enough to show something a little
more.
"Here's your 'manly' drink...the 'Fuzzy Navel'." She winked, her brown hair falling over as she leaned forward.
"Yeah, thanks. Sorry I don't have any Rubles this time. I guess just some American money will have to do, eh?"
He slid a 10 toward her as she mouthed 'smartass' at him.
Grinning, he turned his attention to the stage, sipping his drink
through the giant swirly straw Hess put in there on purpose. The woman
on stage was just finishing out 'Lady Picture Show', a light mist of
sweat making her already unkempt yellow hair flop about on her face with
every bob, swivel and turn. Sean watched, slightly transfixed at her
gypsy-esque magic that she seemed to spin on everyone with unabashed
flair.
"Hess.....who is that? I don't think I've seen her here before."
"That?..." she asked, head jerking stageward," ....Dunno.
She was here a week or two ago, but before that I've never seen her.
Why, not thinking about cheating on your boyfriend now, are we?"
"Right, my boyfriend. The guy on Green street, right?" muted sarcasm accented every word.
"One in the same!"
"Look, just because I gave him some money and let him stay in my apartment for the night--"
"Ooh, sounds real romantical! When do we get to the bubble bath scene?"
"There was snow on the ground, and it was supposed to drop to below freezing! How was I--"
"Evening, comrades...." a voice said, cutting off the playful argument, "...How 'bout a drink?"
Sean felt a nudge
on his right, and saw the same sequined woman smiling up at him though
her dark painted eyes. She was intensely thin like a model, and just as
languid to match. He looked at her for a moment, caught off guard by the
enigmatic essence that still hovered in and out of her like a cloying
perfume.
"Sure, honey." Hester said, bailing Sean out of the awkward moment, "What'll it be?"
"Whatever he's having." she said, looking at the half-drunk peach colored concoction in his hand.
With a nod and a
smirk, Hess went about mixing. Lights flickered from blues and yellows
to pinks and reds as another person climbed up on the stage and began
singing something that should have been 'Lady in Red'.
"So..." she said, playfully chewing the corner of her mouth, "...My name's Allison. You?"
"Oh, sorry...."
he said, putting his drink down and wiping off the condensation on his
Dickies, "...My name is Sean. It's uh, nice to meet you, Allison." he
extended his hand as he cleared his throat.
"Cute." she said, looking at the hanging limb.
Two men nearby came over and moved in on her right.
"Hey, honey. What's your name?" the older one asked, his graying mustache twitching as he spoke.
"Allison. You live around here?"
"Sure do. Would you....like a cup of coffee? At my place?" he asked, the thick, tinted words barely hidden.
Sean put his hand down as he heard semi-intimate giggling
coming from the conversation. Chewing on the umbrella toothpick that was
left from his drink, he stood and watched, as the glitter in her eyes
and on her skin aimed at another target.
"There you go, sweetie. Anything else I can get ya?" Hess asked, her round face just was warm as her smile.
"No, I'm good..." Allison said, grabbing her glass and
walking away with her new-found friends, " ...He'll get my tab, wont
you, Sean?" she called over her shoulder, nearly seductive and inviting.
She never waited for a response and just as quickly
disappeared into the night, confident and cat-like. For a moment he had
hoped she'd forgot something and would come cascading back though the
door and maybe he might have a second chance to make some sort of
impression on her. Even though he had just met her, something stuck in
his head, buzzing about, annoyed and perplexed. And he knew he would see
her again.
"$14, please."
"Huh?"
"Her tab. Said you would get it. So pony up." Hester stuck out a thick hand and wiggled her calloused fingers.
"Wait....$14?! Why is it--"
"Well, $7 for the drink, $5 for the glass she took off with."
"But what about--"
"And the $2 is for trying to help you out. Tch, when was
the last time you went out with a girl, anyhow?" she withdrew her hand
and placed her fists firmly on her wide hips and cocked her head to the
side.
"Erica. " he said, quietly remembering the time they had together and the time they've been apart.
"Ah, her. The 'I-just-want-a-friend-with-benefits' girl."
"Right." he said, twisting his mouth this way and that, "I wonder what she's doing now...?"
"Well, she 'aint with you, so, I figure she's out there, somewhere, 'benefiting' friends all over the place."
"Hess!"
"Just sayin'."
---
Sometime after midnight, Sean began his walk home. The air
was cool, and the city slept soundly, with only the occasional train
whistle and hum of some nightlife far from where he was, peppering the
cricket chirps and steam hisses coming from the vents. He took the long
way home, despite feeling a little more buzzed than usual, hoping the
beat and thrum of the rustling trees and breezes would help him clear
his head enough so maybe this time he could wake up without the usual
fruit-scented hangover. He kept his head down and walked briskly,
stopping once or twice to wipe the fog off of his glasses. As he got to
the front door of his apartment building, he began to fumble around for
both his keys and his notepad.
"Every time..." he mumbled, somewhat amused as to how he
must look with one hand down his right front pocket and another in his
left back pocket.
He found the notepad first and sat down on the steps and began.
"Robert awoke the next morning, breathing heavily.
Something wasn't right, he thought, something heavy and unchangeable. Did
he yield to the whims of his temptress the night before? Or was
it....something else? He felt weak, and looked a little pale...but there
it was, his pulse, fast and hammering. It was then he noticed a pair of
crimson lips..."
Sean looked up, feeling a sneeze working its way to his
nose and squinted. As allergic as he was to certain alcohols, it still
never stopped him from his ritual. Grabbing a semi-used tissue he had in
his pocket, he tilted his head back, squeezing, and waited. From the
corner of his eye, he saw a figure at the end of the block wiping
furiously at the corners of its mouth. A car passed, and from it's
tinted lights he could see a cobalt dress twinkle and shimmer before
fading back into the darkness.
---
"You...! What do you want from me?!" he shouted, "I cant bring him back, Sophia! Nobody can! Why cant you see that?!"
"Because..." she began, nearly gliding across the floor to where he stood, "Your powers--"
"Suck!" someone shouted, gaining a few belly laughs around the bar.
"C'mon, Sean!" A woman called, "Sing, already!"
"Alright, if I could just--"
"It's my biiiiiirthdaaaaaay!" a man with a slight lisp crooned, "Sing meeeeee a soooooong!"
"Uh, I......if I could just--"
As he started to speak, a glimmer of blue caught his eye.
She was alone again, her swagger and swing just as captivating as
before. Already, someone had noticed her, and began to chat her up.
With a sigh, Sean punched in a few numbers and 'Say it
Ain't So' came on loud and clear. He grabbed the microphone with a yank,
and sang, every pitch and note just as perfect as a radio, if not
better. A table in front drunkenly sang along, and a girl or two in the
back provided back up vocals when it was needed. When it was over,
everyone cheered for an encore.
"No, no..." he said, blushing slightly, "...Just remember
to pick up Fantastic Tales at the newsstand this Tuesday. 'Robert's
Tale: Part 4' ...don't forget!"
As he hopped off the stage, he looked for where Allison
was standing. If he was lucky, maybe she would forget who he was and
he'd have a second chance at a first impression. Maybe he could even get
her number this time, if he was smooth.
"What's buggin' ya, buddy?" Hess called out, a few feet away.
Sean walked over and sat down, brows bent, almost comically. "I thought I saw Allison."
"Allison who?"
"That girl..." he said, making small, obscure hand gestures as if to further explain the point.
"Raccoon girl in the blue dress?" she asked, half jokingly.
"Yeah." He said, face lighting up for a second, "She was here, right?"
" 'Course. Some guy tried talking to her earlier, when you
were on stage. He called her Michelle though, and kept asking about
some coat..." Hess shook her head. "Must of been fall-down drunk with
some sort of mistaken identity. She looked kinda mad about it too."
"Did she leave?"
"Nah, she's in the bathroom..." she said, waving. "...And, for you, your highness. One 'butch' Pina Colada."
"Do you find it strange I like mixed drinks like this?" He asked, half accusingly.
"Strange, no. Gay, yes."
"Do I really seem that--"
"Uh, Sean, no offense.....but, between the fem-drinks, the
'no 1-nighter' policy, the singing and the fact that you even care
about what you wear...." she said, trailing off, shrugging, "...seems
kinda gay to me. I mean, if I didn't know you and all."
He sat back and sipped his milky white concoction through
another ridiculously over-elaborate straw, fiddling with the yellow
plastic sword lancing the 2 cherries and pineapple wedge. "I guess...."
he said, thinking it over.
The lights washed over the bar as another song started up,
the first lines of 'Days of the Week' coming out bold and clear. A few
of the men who were sitting nearby all got up and walked toward the
stage, grinning from ear to ear. Sean turned to see Allison on stage,
swirling hypnotic prisms of blue capturing the attentions of anyone who
dared to look. Through her sways and near tantric hold on the
microphone, she spun her craft, and its hold was strong as any golden
noose. Aimlessly, he picked up his drink and followed, his legs taking
him before he could think about what he was doing.
Sean held his breath, utterly and completely captivated.
Allison smiled, and hooked her bony finger at him, dark eyes
smouldering.
He blinked, slightly dumb. And the song ended before he could even move.
She hopped down from the stage, and her admirers flocked
to her side. Sean felt his moment slip away from him again, and sighed.
From where he stood, he could see her laughing, her ruby red lips
pursing, puckering, glowing. All aimed at someone else.
He walked back over to the bar and sat, more chewing than
sipping at what he had. Defeated, he put his head in his hand and spit
the cherry stem on the bartop.
"Buddy....buddy..." Hester said, wiping a rag over where
the dessicated stem was, "....you gotta pounce when you get the chance.
And you gotta stop messing up my counter here."
"I know."
"Well, if you did, then why didn't you?"
"I....Well, I.....I don't know. I had lead in my shoes the second she...the second she..."
Sean could feel the words, but couldn't say them. What he
saw, and what almost everyone saw, was a force beyond recognition. In a
way, he nearly felt embarrassed and stilted at the totality at which she
could ensnare her victims, effortlessly, with even just the mere flick
of her wrist. But yet, here he was, as was a handful of other men,
longing to chat her up, and even a little confused as to why.
"Evening comrades..." came a voice from behind him, ".....how 'bout a drink?"
Sean nearly spun off his stool when he turned.
"Allison...uh...h-hi." he said, nervously, his mouth suddenly turning dry.
She grinned, her eyes half lidded. "You remembered."
He smiled, the blood rushing around his head making him a little high from being this close to her again.
"What'll it be, sweetie?" Hess said, cheerfully breaking up another awkward moment again.
"Whatever he's having." she said, nodding slightly to her left at Sean.
"Sure thing." the barkeep said, flicking the now mute boy in the arm with her thick rough fingers.
"I saw you the other night..." he said, the words falling
out slightly ungraciously, "...on the corner across from the pawn shop."
"Really..." she said, not really looking at him, "....what was I doing?"
"You were....uh.....walking. And you stopped. It looked
like you were trying to fix something." he could feel his confidence
trickle back in with the proof of knowledge.
"Wasn't me."
"A-Are you sure?" he said, feeling slightly red, "I mean, it looked just like you. It looked--"
"How?" she asked, slightly interrupting, "How did I look?"
Temptation hung in her words as she looked him dead in the
eye. He could feel her pulling him in closer without ever touching him.
"You looked...." he trailed off, as another man came up behind her, and put her arm around her.
"Ready?" the guy with the red hat asked.
"Sure." she said, grabbing the drink that Hess made before
she could even put it down or say anything. "You got this for me, right
Sean?" she asked, smirking as she walked.
"You remembered..." was all he could reply before she floated off, never turning for his reply.
---
He had a little more than he did the time before, so by the end of the night, putting on a jacket somehow seemed a little funny.
"You gonna be okay walking?" Hess asked, handing him his scarf.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I can still walk. I'm not that drunk yet."
"I can call you a cab...." she asked, concern peppering her usual blunt way of talking.
"Nah..." he said, shaking his head, "....it's only a few blocks away. I'll be fine, trust me."
He said his goodbyes and pushed the thick, heavy door that
lead outside, the latch clicking closed before he started to feel the
cold from the city start to work its way into the fuzzy heat coming off
his body. The still of the night and the scent of impeding rain helped
motivate him on his way home, the fog of sneezes hanging just minutes
away. Despite all this, he took a different way home, avoiding the
direct route and main streets as much as he could. Tomorrow, he would
wake up, go to work, and work on another chapter. And then...
Sean stopped to wipe his glasses off, pressing his tongue
to the roof of his mouth to stop the tickle that wormed about his
sinuses. As he looked down, a still-lit cigarette butt bounced in front
of him, the ruby kiss at the end of it making it somehow more playful.
As he put his glasses back on, he looked in the direction of where it
came from. In the streetlight, he could see a silhouette against the
wall, yellow hair flopped in front of her face, cerulean sparkles
calling to him.
"Allison...?" he asked, not sure, if he really did drink too much that night.
She lifted her head, smoke billowing out of her nose like a
great dragon from ages past. Her arms wrapped around themselves in an
attempt to cover her bare arms.
"Hey..." she said, slightly slurred.
"Are you....okay?" he asked, not sure as to why he was asking it.
" M'fine." she said, eyes locking on him.
"Do you need help getting home?" he said, nose starting to run, sniffling.
"I live far away...." she said, head drifting off in another direction, "...You live around here?"
"Yeah..." he said, feeling his head begin to flush, "....Just a few blocks from here."
"Well, lets go, then." she said, smiling, moving, it seemed on the air itself.
"T-to...I mean, with me?" he asked, taking a few moments too long to register the inflection.
"Well...." she said, promise hanging in her voice, ".....I -am- cold. Unless you have any other ideas."
Sean grabbed the tissues out of his jacket and took it
off, smoothing it out slightly before handing it over to Allison. "Until
we get there." he said, smiling.
---
Sooner than he had realized, the two were at the front
door to his apartment. He clumsily searched his front pockets for the
keys, nose running, and grinning against the pre-rain mist. In his
mind, he could spend as much time as he wanted talking to her, getting
to know her, and then maybe even stealing a kiss by the end if things
went well. If not, then he could always try in the morning, over
breakfast, when both of them were sober. His waffles could dazzle
anyone.
The door opened, and with it, the first few patters of a
storm followed. Both of them hopped inside and closed the door, creeping
up the hallway that connected with the stairs that led to every floor.
The lights were out, as they usually were, and with the
growing drizzle outside they climbed up nearly blind. Sean held
Allison's hand and wrapped the other around her shoulders, and tried as
hard as he could not to let his seemingly huge jacket trip her any more
than it did.
By now the sniffles were full-blown sneezes. Holding a wad
of napkins in front of his nose, he let a few fly before finding the
key to his front door. Through the darkness, he could feel her smile as
he opened it.
"Well..." he said, flicking the lights on, "....it's not much. But I'm working on it."
"Did you just move?" she asked, noticing the lack of furniture.
"Yeah, kinda." he lied.
"From where?"
"The suburbs..." he said, thinking of his parents' house, "...around where that big church fire was last year."
"I see." she said slurring nearly gone.
He looked around his living room and realized just how
basic it was. A sofa, a coffee table, a small T.V. on a wide stand,
and a pair of cheap curtains. He inwardly kicked himself.
"Ah, well, I'm getting some paint next weekend...." he said, trailing off.
"Cute." she said, taking a seat.
A minute passed before he could think of anything to say.
"Oh, um, I-I'm sorry...." he said, suppressing the urge to
curl up in a sneezing ball and hit the reset button, "...can I get you
anything?"
"Whatever you're having..." she said, playing with the scarf tucked into the neck of the jacket, "...no coffee though."
Inside his tiny kitchen, Sean poked his way in and out of
the cabinets. Cereals, sugary mixes, chips, cookies and other assorted
things were pushed around before he came across a tin of chocolate
macadamia nuts. It was one of the only things he had that wasn't packed
with artificial everything, and seemed sophisticated enough for company.
He thought for a moment about making her some tea, but ceded that it
might be the same as coffee at the moment. Instead, he grabbed a pair of
cherry wine coolers and walked out into the living room, blowing his
nose as much as he could before turning the kitchen light off.
He deftly opened one of the drinks and handed it to her
before opening the other one and the tin. As he set both of them on the
coffee table, he saw her taking big thirst-quenching gulps as she
drained her entire bottle.
"Oh...um...would you like another?" he asked, slightly amazed.
"Sure...." she said, slyly, taking his bottle from the table. She popped two nuts in her mouth as if to accent her actions.
"Heh....well, do you wanna watch something?" he asked, charmed.
"No."
"Okay. Well....what about 20 questions?" he said, half jokingly.
She stood up, shedding his coat as she moved. She flicked
her hair up and out and reached for the straps on her dress, sliding
them down her shoulders, slowly, letting gravity take the last third of
it.
"How about this?" she purred, stepping out of her clothes and her heels at the same time.
Sean sat muted, his jaw hanging slightly slack. A sniffle caught his attention as he swallowed deeply.
"A-Allison....I...." he said, shaking his head slightly, his focus being pulled in five directions, "....I can't....."
"Why not?" she playfully asked, her dark, dark eyes locking his gaze.
"Because I...don't know you yet..."
"So ask me." she said, climbing on top of him, leaning in
so her bare chest was just inches away from his. She pecked his cheek
with a slow, soft kiss.
"Oh....uh....." he stammered, holding his breath slightly, trying to concentrate, "...Where are you from?"
"I told you..." she said, moving her hands under his shirt,"...far from here."
"A-Are you Russian?"
"Nope." without much effort, she had his shirt off.
Sean could feel his body betray him as she swayed a trail of light kisses down his neck.
"Please....I don't...." he said, his pulse quickening.
"Ask me." she said, sliding over him, back and forth, teasing, taunting.
"Do you have.....a boyfriend?" he could barely get the words out.
"Right now I do."
---
He remembered waking up the next day in a heavy cloud of
chocolate and cherry fog and post sex bliss. He wanted to hold on to the
feeling as long as he could, burying his head in the over-stuffed
pillows that cluttered up the first half of his bed, inhaling deeply.
Despite the sour taste in his mouth, and the slow churning in his
stomach, he felt good, better than he had in a while. The night before,
he felt powerful, intense and strong, like a warrior coming home. And
the morning after he felt a little unfocused, wrapped in clean sheets
and completely drained. He knew he wouldn't write that day, and even
considered not going to work.
Sitting up, he looked for his bed-mate. She was gone, and
had probably left hours before, the warmth from where her body would of
been long gone. Through everything, he never got a chance to ask what
she does for a living. A question he would have to ask later.
He walked over to the bathroom and turned the lights on,
missing the first two times. Looking in the mirror, he saw himself
behind a cherry smudge kissing the glass. A little bit of the haze from
that night wafted in, as he touched the spot, inwardly smiling. He hoped
she'd left her number somewhere. If not, he knew where to find her.
After a shower and a shave, he made his way into his
kitchen. The bottles were still sitting on the counter, next to the
near-empty tin of chocolate macadamias. He grabbed the closest box of
cereal and ate, without the bowl or milk, hoping the pure sugar spike
might make him feel a little more grounded. There were no dishes in the
sink, so she didn't eat anything before she left. He wondered what she
would of done if he had made her something before she went. He imagined
that she would of liked it.
Minutes before he had to make his way to work, he
scrambled about the living room for his pants. He picked them up,
whipped the belt off and put it on, then dove into the pockets for his
keys and wallet. He stuffed the keys in his right front pocket and
opened his wallet, hoping he would have some extra cash for a nice lunch
today.
And it was empty.
The various cards and his one credit were all still there,
and even the soda tab he kept in there for good luck was where it
should of been, but all the bills were gone. He thought back and tried
to remember just how much he had spent, knowing that whatever he did, he
usually kept enough for the rest of the week. Maybe he really was that
bad that night. Maybe he should curb himself more.
He thought about calling up the Leningrad and talking to
Hess, hoping she could help him sort out what he did. But it would be
hours before they opened, and if he was going to catch the bus, he had
to leave now. He took his notepad and wedged it in his back left pocket,
just in case, and picked up his coat. It was still pooled on the floor
where she had left it, and her scent still faintly misted the inside. It
would have to be enough for today. When he came home, he would feast on
popcorn and gummies, and look for wherever the night took his scarf.
---
As he finished out the last half of 'Blue Velvet', Sean
thought about doing another song. Even though his diet recently was
nothing short of unhealthy, between the gobs of sucrose and fat, he
still was pitch-perfect and flawless.
"Sing another!" a woman cried out, face ruddy from drink.
"Myyyyyyy biiiiirthdaaaaay is toooooodaaaayyyy!" the man with the lisp said, "Siiiiing tooo meeeee!"
The tables around him groaned, and his buddies giggled, sloshing foam on the table as they clinked glasses.
"Go, Sean!" another man with a thick accent shouted, a thumbs-up in approval encouraging.
"Heh.....thanks guys...." Sean said, feeling a little
sheepish now that the attention was on him directly, "...Maybe later
tonight. But for now, don't forget to get the latest issue of Amazing
Tales on Tuesday. Look for 'Robert's Tale: Part 5'...it's the best
yet!"
Hopping off the stage, he felt confident. Since the last
time they were together, he had practiced a few things in his head that
he would say to Allison, aiming for polite, yet, easy talk. He didn't
know whether or not what they had did would of been okay for
any roundabout conversation, so he thought if anything, she would be the
one to bring it up if it was significant. Now, all he had to do, was
sit and wait.
"You seem happy tonight. What gives?" Hess asked, smiling.
"I dunno. I just...feel good, I guess." he said, smirking.
"Well, since you feel so good, I made you an extra-pretty
strawberry daiquiri." she said, lancing the last of the three
sugar-coated berries, topping it all off with a big umbrella and crazy
straw.
"You're so good to me." he said, half-joking.
"Don't you know it!" she said, putting a paper doilie under the pink mess, "My widdle Seannie!"
As he sat and slurped, he caught a familiar sparkle out of
the corner of his eye. She was talking to someone at the end of the
bar, animatedly. Her smile faded as the man stood, and the two seemed to
argue. Sean crept closer, concern dashing his thoughts, and a little
fearful of having the possibility of fighting someone who looked much
stronger than himself.
"Just give it back!"
"I don't know what you're talking about! I've never seen you before in my life!"
"Bullshit, Tracy! You and I walked out of here a few nights ago, and next thing I know, my watch and my money are all gone!"
"It's not my fault you lose your crap! Go blame someone else!"
Allison stood and
marched over to the ladies room before the man could get another word
out. Sean watched as the guy made a move to go after her, but stopped
and slugged the rest of his beer instead. He spit a line of curses in her
direction and slammed the mug down as he left. As he passed, Sean
noticed he stumbled as he opened the door.
Sean sat down just as Hester came over to collect the mug.
"What was that all about?" she asked, a little confused.
"Dunno. He was arguing with Allison over some stuff. And
he called her Tracy. Must be drunk, I guess. He nearly tripped over the
threshold when he left."
"Huh..." she said, rolling her tongue in her cheek,"...seems to happen a lot to her, dont'cha think?"
"Nah. People just
need to keep track of what they do, that's all..." he said, sighing,
"Speaking of, Hess, can you stop me when I'm about to spend my last
dollar?"
"Since when have you ever done that?" she asked, amazed.
"The last time I
was here. The next day my wallet was empty. I remember having a lot that
night, and since then I've been eating nothing but what I had in my
apartment."
"Sweetie..." Hess
said, slowly, with caution, "....the last thing you did before you got
your coat was have me break the large bills in your wallet. Even your
last drink was on me. You definitely had money when you went home. What
else happened that night?" she asked, reaching out for his arm.
"Well, I was here, then I left, then, I..." he said, not finishing his sentence.
Before either one
of them could say anything, the lights flashed as another song was
starting. He heard the first few lines of 'Wicked Garden' and turned to
see Allison on stage, swirling, mystical and blue. Her lips were curled
and red, sensual sinuous slithers of glitter dancing and spinning,
hypnotic and inviting. Men followed aimlessly to the stage, cheering,
cat-calling, wanting more. And there, on her otherwise bare neck, was
his scarf, waving.
Sean held his breath, and smiled.
There! You made it to the end! Was it as bad as you thought it would be? Terrible? Perhaps, even...dare I say it, mediocre? (And let's not get into the grammar and numerous typos, I'm sure...)
I await all comments.
Until then.
