Brone Barnheart Apt. 223

I was on the sidewalk, trying to light a cigarette. It was raining, of course. After one to many failed attempts, I gave up and let it just hang there. I was sucking on nothing. I had a few buck and nothing to do. My feet immediately took me in the direction of the bar. I saw her in the gutter, crying, rocking herself. No time to crack jokes. I reached out my hand to touch her shoulder, console her, but I hesitated. There was nothing I could say, knew how to say. So I silently slipped off my trench coat, and placed it around her. She didn't look up but grabbed the edges, continually rocking. I left her there, there was nothing more I could do. As I walked on I glanced across the street and noticed that my woman in red was not behind the counter, a guy this time. I sighed. As the bar windows came into view I spit out the unlit cigarette. My hand on the door I saw the red scarf on the coat hanger. “Heh.” There she was at the bar, beautiful and mysterious, my kind of woman. I walked in, sat down on her right and ordered a red Russian. Luckily I was not carded. She didn’t talk much, and always wore a poker player’s face. It was hard work to learn even the slightest detail about her. As the day turned to night, I learned some of her dislikes; idleness, delay, boredom. She hid her emotions, but I saw something very familiar in her eyes, trouble. I like trouble. Her body language was screaming out something to me too. It looked like the night was about to get interesting. I grinned. I looked past her and I saw…no…it couldn’t be! My smile evaporated. I was paralyzed in my chair. Outside the bar, it was….it was Meredith. Was I dreaming? Another Nightmare? I rubbed my eyes and looked again, just in time to catch the wisps of her hair leaving the window view. She was heading into town, shit. She was the one who had killed my heart all those years ago. There was only one reason she was hunting me down now.
“I….I have to go.” I said lamely. I quickly got up and left the bar. Meredith was nowhere to be seen. I chanced a look back inside. Was she, was she crying? No time to worry about her now. I called Seebach.
“Michael, what the hell. Give me my ID."
"I need it much more than you idiot. Don't think you can trade me a hundred bucks for it."
"Unbelievable huh? but that's not important, of course I'm calling you for a reason. So listen carefully, because I'm serious about it."
“I think I saw Meredith.”
He said something about meeting, but I already knew this was my problem. I went back into my apartment and laid down. Looks like my dreams were catching up to me, but how was it going to end? Sleep took me and there she was, standing pretty with a pistol.

Brone Barnheart Apt. 223

I was not walking in the rain, today it was sleeting. My feet decided it was a wonderful day for a walk, and there was really no point in arguing. “It didn’t have rabies in its life, I swear!” the tiny taxidermist trying to hustle me, as always. “Nah, it’s just not for me” I responded, and shuffled on. As I passed the laundry mat the owner shot me a look. I rolled my eyes and continued on, figuring I was not welcome. The glass doors retracted as I entered. I smelled that distinctly sickening smell of purified air and pine tree scent. Capitalism at it’s finest. “Welcome to Manny’s,” A pimply faced teen said with complete apathy, smacking her gum. Suddenly I felt as if I had the urge to go somewhere. I quickly turned left walked a ways and then turned left again. “Oh, of course.” I was staring at Manny’s shoddy looking Alcohol section. “Hmmm, a 7$ no name-brand vodka….” It was tempting. I went back and got a basket. After gabbing 3 bottles of the no name vodka I went and got 2 cartons of orange juice. I may be able to hold my liquor but I’m no maniac. Besides, it will make it last an extra day, maybe. I approached the teenager at the register. She looked at my basket, and then she looked at me, frowning.
“Sir, are you 21?” My expression turned cold,
“I’m 28.”
“I need to see some proof.” It was at this point I realized that Michael was currently changing the name on my I.D. for no particular reason. This was going to be a pain.
“Have you ever tried to clean up shards of window pane with a broom?” I said.
“You don’t scare me,” she retorted, blowing a bubble.
“…”
“…” It popped.
“…I have a gun.” I finally said.
“Re-Really?!” her face brightened up.
“Uh, ya.”
“Can I see it!!” she was way too excited.
“Huh?”
“Come on, lemmie see you gun!” She got louder. I hate kids.
“Calm down asshat”
“PLEEEEAAAASE?” People were starting to stare.
“Alright look, ring up my stuff and I’ll wave it around for you.” I said.
“Really?” She was like a puppy that needed to be kicked.
“yeah….really.” I said.
“AWESOME” She finally rang up my stuff.
“That’ll be, 35.31.”

I wonder if my wallet has any money. I checked. A new 100 was staring me in the face. “huh…” I gave the twerp the hundred, and she quickly returned my change.
"Now can you show me?”
“Nope, Bye!” I grabbed my grocery bag and sprinted out of the door. She couldn’t even react, all just part of the job. I kept running though for fear she would chase me down.
Then I saw a little girl skipping ahead,
And without a second thought I jumped high overhead.
As I landed my bottles clinked and rattled.
She looked surprised so I thought it best to skedaddle.
Back in my apartment I drank many drinks.
Then I fell asleep, me thinks…Hic.

Brone Barnheart Apt. 223

It was dark. I lit up my watch, 6:20 A.M. Wait, that can't be right…oh I must have slept all day yesterday, sweet. I got up and took a shower, the first one in a long time. I grabbed my stuff and headed out. As I passed the ominous steel door of 226 I heard the light tapping of a keyboard, working as always. It’s truly scary the things he comes up with when he’s bored. I took the stairs one at a time, letting my fingertips slowly glide over the cool black handrail, until I touched something sticky. I quickly wiped my hand on my pants in disgust. Just then, some college kid flew past me taking the steps 3 at a time with an eggo waffle hanging from his mouth. I grinned, “Never again.” My feet lead me to the graveyard. Upon entering I froze. I had never seen it up close but this was the exact graveyard from my dreams. I was standing exactly where I had always been standing. “That means she would be,” I looked for her…no one. I breathed a sigh of relief. I sat on the lawn and spaced out. I felt a cold wind cut across my face but I ignored it. I yawned, “man, I slept to much, it’s time for a nap.” And with that I laid back and passed out.

----------------------------------

I was to soon awoken by my growling stomach. I grimaced and got back up. I looked around and saw a bakery. “That’s convenient,” I said to no one in particular. Upon entering I was greeted by a smile. The woman behind the counter had very, very clean dark hair. “Interesting,” I though. I walked up to the counter, put my hand down, and then raised it again in thought. She stared at the counter. I looked down. There was a smudge where my palm had been. I looked back up. She twitched. I pulled my long sleeve down and tried to wipe it away, but that only made it bigger. She twitched more. I got nervous. Finally, she produced a bottle of hand sanitizer and a napkin, the smudge was gone in milliseconds. “No worries,” she sighed. I put my hands in my pockets. There was something off about her, I liked it. “Got any baguettes?”
“no,” she replied not turning around to look.
“Muffins?”
“no.”
“Vienna bread?”
“nope”
“…what do you suggest?” I finally asked.
“Bagels,” she said instantly.
“Ok, I'll take two.”

She grabbed the two closest and placed them neatly in a bag. I looked in my wallet. There was a crumpled 5 and a crisp ten, so I gave her the ten. She handed me my change and I let the coins fall into the tip jar.
“See you around,” I said turning to leave.
I left the quant little bakery and went past a warehouse. Then I froze, mid bite. Way across the way there were two eyes, in a tree, watching me. “Creepy,” I thought and wandered on.