The Beggar’s Bargain: Part Three

I stayed beside her until the rain stopped.

She never knew.

She walked home alone beneath the streetlights, pulling her coat tighter around herself.

I followed.

Not because I wanted to.

Because I couldn’t do anything else.

Every step she took pulled me with her.

Every doorway she entered became mine.

Every room she walked into became a room I could never leave.

I was bound to her.

The beggar had kept his promise.

I just hadn’t understood what the promise would feel like.

She opened the door to her apartment.

I followed her inside.

She turned on the lights.

I stood behind her.

Watching.

Waiting.

Hoping.

She dropped her keys onto the counter.

I stared at them.

I remembered those keys.

I remembered the first apartment we shared.

The nights we’d stay awake talking until sunrise.

The way she’d steal the blankets.

The way she’d pretend to be asleep whenever I complained.

I smiled.

Then I remembered.

She didn’t remember me.

The smile disappeared.

She walked into the kitchen.

I followed.

She opened the refrigerator.

I watched her grab a bottle of water.

Something inside me broke.

Not because she was drinking water.

Because I remembered buying that exact brand for her.

She used to tell me it tasted better than the cheap stuff.

I wanted to laugh.

I wanted to tell her.

I wanted to say,

You still drink it.

But my voice never came.

I tried anyway.

“Do you remember?”

Nothing.

“Please.”

Nothing.

I stepped closer.

“It’s me.”

She shivered.

Her hand stopped.

She looked around.

My heart would’ve stopped if I still had one.

“Hello?”

I stood directly in front of her.

She couldn’t see me.

She looked toward the hallway.

Then the kitchen.

Nothing.

She rubbed her arms.

“Why is it so cold in here?”

I closed my eyes.

I was standing inches away from the woman I loved.

And she was afraid of me.

That was the first night.

It didn’t get easier.

It got worse.

Every day I watched her live.

Every day she forgot me.

And every day I remembered everything.

That was the punishment.

I remembered every kiss.

Every argument.

Every laugh.

Every stupid little thing I thought I’d forgotten.

The sound of her footsteps.

The way she said my name.

The look on her face when she was trying not to laugh.

The first time she told me she loved me.

The last time she told me she loved me.

I remembered all of it.

She remembered none of it.

Sometimes I screamed.

Sometimes I begged.

Sometimes I followed her from room to room just hoping she’d somehow feel something.

Anything.

But all I ever got was a shiver.

A glance over her shoulder.

A whisper of,

“Who’s there?”

I was there.

I was always there.

And she was always alone.

At least…

That’s what she thought.

Then the dreams started.

The first time, she woke up screaming.

I was sitting beside her bed.

She had tears running down her face.

She pressed a hand against her chest.

“Who was that?”

I stared at her.

She looked around the room.

Then she whispered,

“I know you.”

My entire body went still.

She looked directly at me.

For one impossible second, I thought she could see me.

Then her eyes moved past me.

She didn’t know I was there.

But she knew someone was.

She closed her eyes again.

I watched her fall back asleep.

And then I saw it.

Her face changed.

She was dreaming.

I couldn’t hear everything.

But I could see myself.

Standing beside her.

Alive.

Smiling.

Holding her hand.

She smiled back.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

“No,” she whispered in her sleep.

I moved closer.

“Please,” she said.

My chest tightened.

“Don’t go.”

I reached toward her.

My hand passed through hers.

She suddenly opened her eyes.

She gasped.

The dream was gone.

But she was still crying.

She looked around the room.

“Why do I keep dreaming about you?”

I couldn’t answer.

She wiped her face.

“I don’t even know who you are.”

I whispered,

“Yes, you do.”

She couldn’t hear me.

But something had changed.

The dreams continued.

Night after night.

Sometimes she dreamed about places.

A restaurant.

A park.

A rainy street.

A little apartment with yellow walls.

Places I remembered.

Places we had been.

Sometimes she dreamed about conversations.

Things I’d said to her.

Things she couldn’t possibly know.

And sometimes…

She dreamed about me dying.

Those were the worst.

She would watch me disappear.

Watch me walk away.

Watch me stand in the rain.

Watch me drink the black liquid.

And every time she woke up crying.

Every time she would say the same thing.

“I don’t know him.”

But she always remembered my face.

Not during the day.

Never during the day.

But when she slept…

Something inside her refused to let me disappear completely.

And that gave me hope.

Hope was cruel.

I began waiting for nighttime.

The only time I could be near her without feeling completely invisible.

I watched her sleep.

I listened to her breathing.

Sometimes she smiled in her dreams.

Sometimes she cried.

Sometimes she reached toward the empty side of the bed.

Toward me.

One night, she whispered,

“Stay.”

I froze.

She reached out.

Her hand moved through the space where I was standing.

“Please.”

I moved closer.

“I’m here.”

Her fingers curled around nothing.

But she smiled.

For the first time since I died…

She smiled at me.

Even though she couldn’t see me.

Even though she didn’t know why.

Then she whispered something that made the darkness inside me disappear.

“I miss you.”

I couldn’t breathe.

I fell to my knees beside her bed.

She didn’t know who she missed.

She didn’t know my name.

She didn’t know our memories.

But somewhere inside her…

Something missed me.

I reached toward her face.

My fingers stopped just before touching her skin.

I couldn’t feel her warmth.

But I could see her.

And somehow that hurt more.

Because she was right there.

And I had never felt farther away.

Then her eyes opened.

She stared directly at me.

Not past me.

Not through me.

At me.

I couldn’t move.

Neither could she.

Her eyes filled with tears.

She whispered,

“It’s you.”

I almost screamed.

“What?”

She sat up slowly.

Her breathing became shallow.

“I’ve seen you before.”

I moved closer.

“Where?”

Her face twisted with confusion.

“In my dreams.”

My voice broke.

“You remember me?”

She shook her head.

“No.”

The hope disappeared.

“But I remember how I feel when I see you.”

I stared at her.

She reached toward me.

Her hand passed through my chest.

She pulled it back quickly.

Her face went pale.

“You’re cold.”

I looked down at myself.

I could see the streetlight through my chest.

“I know.”

She stared at me.

“Are you dead?”

I nodded.

She swallowed.

“Were you someone I loved?”

I couldn’t speak.

She started crying.

“Why can’t I remember you?”

I wanted to tell her everything.

I wanted to tell her how much I loved her.

How much I had sacrificed.

How I had given up everything just to bring her back.

Instead, I whispered the only thing I could.

“You did.”

She closed her eyes.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Then she whispered,

“Then why does remembering you hurt so much?”

I didn’t have an answer.

But somewhere outside the apartment…

I heard laughter.

That same laugh.

Deep.

Old.

Familiar.

The beggar.

I turned toward the window.

He was standing across the street.

Watching us.

Smiling.

I ran toward the door.

But before I reached it, his voice filled the room.

“You wanted her back.”

I froze.

His voice came from everywhere.

“You never asked what remembering would cost.”

I turned around.

He was gone.

She was still sitting on the bed.

Crying.

Confused.

And then she looked at me again.

“I know you,” she whispered.

This time…

I wasn’t sure if that was a blessing.

Or the beginning of something much worse.

Because if she could remember me…

Maybe the bargain wasn’t over.

Maybe it had only just begun.

The Beggar’s Bargain: Part Two

The paper was cold. Not cold like something left out in the rain. Cold like it had never known warmth. I held it between my fingers, staring at the strange symbols carved across its surface.

“What do I have to do?”

The beggar didn’t answer. He simply watched me. Waiting.

“For her,” I whispered. “I’ll do anything.”

“I know.”

His voice sounded different now. Deeper. Older. Like several voices were speaking through the same mouth.

He reached into his coat and pulled out a small glass vial. Inside was a thick, black liquid. It moved slowly, even though he wasn’t shaking it.

“What is that?”

“A gamble.”

I frowned. “A gamble?”

The beggar nodded. “You want her back.”

“Yes.”

“I can give her back.”

My heart skipped.

“But there is no guarantee.”

“Guarantee of what?”

His eyes narrowed.

“That she will remember you.”

I stared at him. “What do you mean?”

“When she returns, she may remember everything.”

Hope rose inside me.

“Everything?”

“Her childhood.”

He lifted one finger.

“Her family.”

Another.

“Her friends.”

Another.

“Her life.”

Then he looked directly into my eyes.

“Maybe even you.”

My heart began pounding.

“Maybe?”

The beggar smiled.

“Death takes many things.”

He held up the vial.

“Sometimes it takes the body.”

“Sometimes the memories.”

“And sometimes…”

He paused.

“…the people who belong to those memories.”

I didn’t understand.

“What happens if she doesn’t remember me?”

“You’ll know.”

“And if she does?”

The beggar shrugged.

“Then perhaps you win.”

“Perhaps?”

He laughed.

“You asked for a miracle.”

He stepped closer.

“Miracles are nothing more than foolish gambles with impossible odds.”

I stared at the vial.

“So what happens to me?”

The beggar smiled.

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether she remembers you.”

I swallowed.

“And if she doesn’t?”

His expression changed. The smile disappeared.

“Then you will become something else.”

“What?”

“A ghost.”

I stared at him.

“You’re joking.”

“Do I look like a man who jokes?”

No.

He didn’t.

“You’ll be bound to her.”

“For how long?”

The beggar’s eyes seemed to darken.

“Until she dies.”

I felt my stomach twist.

“And then?”

He smiled again.

“Who knows?”

I looked away.

This was insane. A stranger in the rain was offering to bring my dead lover back to life. And all I had to do was gamble everything.

“What are the odds?”

The beggar laughed.

“Does it matter?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to know what I’m risking.”

He stepped closer until his face was inches from mine.

“You already know.”

His voice dropped to a whisper.

“You’re risking yourself.”

I looked down at the photograph in my hand. Her smile. Her eyes. The woman I would give anything to hold again.

“What if she remembers me?”

“Then you have her back.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“You’ll still have her.”

I frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“She’ll live.”

He paused.

“She’ll laugh.”

Another pause.

“She’ll love.”

His eyes locked onto mine.

“She just won’t know that you were ever part of her life.”

My chest tightened.

“And I’ll be there?”

“Always.”

“Watching her?”

“Yes.”

“Unable to speak to her?”

“Yes.”

“Unable to touch her?”

“Yes.”

“Unable to leave?”

The beggar smiled.

“Never.”

Silence.

I looked at the vial. The gamble suddenly felt much bigger. But then I looked at her photograph.

And I realized something.

I wasn’t afraid of losing myself.

I had already lost everything that mattered.

I just wanted her back.

So I reached for the vial.

The beggar didn’t stop me. He only whispered:

“Foolish man.”

I looked at him.

“What?”

He smiled.

“Nothing.”

I uncorked the vial. The smell that escaped wasn’t chemical. It smelled like earth. Like a grave.

I raised it toward my lips.

Then stopped.

“One last question.”

The beggar waited.

“If she doesn’t remember me…”

My voice cracked.

“…will she at least know that I loved her?”

The beggar stared at me.

For the first time, he looked almost sorry.

“No.”

My heart sank.

“But she may feel you.”

I frowned.

“What?”

“A cold breeze when you’re near.”

“A shadow that follows her.”

“A presence beside her when she sleeps.”

He leaned closer.

“She may spend the rest of her life feeling like someone is watching over her.”

I looked at the vial.

“And she’ll never know it’s me?”

“No.”

I closed my eyes.

Then I drank.

The liquid was ice-cold.

Not the kind of cold that made me shiver.

The kind that felt alive.

It slid down my throat like melted snow, then suddenly turned to fire. I doubled over, clutching my chest as something inside me seemed to twist.

I couldn’t breathe.

My lungs seized.

I opened my mouth, but no air came.

Then I felt my heartbeat.

One beat.

Two.

Three.

And then—

Nothing.

My heart stopped.

I looked at the beggar.

He hadn’t moved.

He was smiling.

Then another heartbeat slammed against my ribs.

Hard enough to hurt.

I gasped.

A second later, another.

Then another.

Too fast.

Too loud.

Each beat sounded like a fist pounding against the inside of my chest.

I dropped the vial.

It shattered against the pavement.

The pain spread through my body.

My fingers went numb first.

Then my hands.

A strange tingling crawled beneath my skin, like thousands of tiny insects were moving through my veins.

I scratched at my arms.

Nothing.

The sensation wasn’t on my skin.

It was underneath it.

Deep beneath the flesh.

I looked down.

The tips of my fingers had begun to fade.

Not disappear.

Fade.

As though someone had taken an eraser to my body.

I could see the rain through them.

“No.”

I stumbled backward.

My shoes scraped against the pavement.

I grabbed my arm.

My fingers passed through it.

There was no resistance.

No warmth.

No flesh.

Nothing.

I screamed.

“What did you do to me?”

The beggar only watched.

My stomach dropped.

I could no longer feel the rain hitting my skin.

I could see it.

I could see every drop passing through my hands.

But I couldn’t feel a single one.

Then my skin began to crawl.

Not metaphorically.

I watched as the flesh along my arms rippled beneath my sleeves, moving against the shape of my bones.

My jaw clenched.

A pressure built inside my skull.

My ears began ringing.

Then came the whispering.

Thousands of voices.

All around me.

All inside me.

Some crying.

Some laughing.

Some calling my name.

I covered my ears.

It didn’t help.

The voices were coming from somewhere deeper.

From whatever part of me was still left.

My knees buckled.

I fell to the ground.

But I didn’t feel the impact.

I looked down.

My legs were transparent now.

The pavement showed through them.

My chest followed.

My ribs faded.

My hands.

My arms.

My entire body was becoming nothing.

I could see the street through myself.

The rain through myself.

The world through myself.

I tried to scream again.

But my voice came out wrong.

Thin.

Distorted.

Like it was being dragged through a long, empty hallway.

Then the cold reached my face.

It crawled across my skin.

Over my cheeks.

Across my lips.

Into my eyes.

I blinked.

And for one terrifying second, I couldn’t remember what it felt like to have a body.

I couldn’t remember the warmth of my own skin.

The weight of my hands.

The sound of my heartbeat.

Even my reflection began to disappear from the puddle beneath me.

I reached toward it.

There was nothing there.

Then—

Silence.

The voices stopped.

The pain stopped.

The cold stopped.

Everything stopped.

I looked up.

She was standing beneath the streetlight.

Alive.

Breathing.

Looking directly at me.

My heart should have been pounding.

But I no longer had a heartbeat.

“Her…”

I took a step toward her.

She stepped backward.

Fear filled her eyes.

I reached for her.

“It’s me.”

She stared at me.

Confused.

Afraid.

Then she whispered:

“I’m sorry…”

She shook her head.

“I don’t know you.”

I froze.

The world seemed to disappear around me.

“No…”

I looked toward the beggar.

He was gone.

Only the rain remained.

I turned back to her.

She couldn’t see me anymore.

I screamed her name.

She didn’t move.

I ran toward her.

My hand passed through her shoulder.

She shivered.

She looked around.

“Why does it feel so cold?”

I stood beside her.

Crying.

Screaming.

Begging her to remember me.

But she couldn’t hear me.

She couldn’t see me.

She couldn’t remember me.

And somewhere in the darkness behind us…

I heard the beggar laugh.

That’s when I realized the truth.

It was never a gamble.

The beggar already knew how the story would end.

I hadn’t gambled with my life.

I had gambled with my place in hers.

And I had lost.

To be continued…

The Beggar’s Bargain: Part One

I wish I could see her again.

Just once.

To hold her in my arms
And feel the warmth of her breath against my skin.
To hear her heart beating,
Slowly, softly,
Until it fell in sync with mine.

I would give anything for that.

Anything.

I still can’t believe she’s gone.
Some mornings, I wake up expecting her to be beside me.
Some nights, I reach across the bed
Only to find cold sheets beneath my hand.

She’s gone.

And no matter how many times I tell myself that,
My heart refuses to believe it.

God is cruel to me.

How am I supposed to keep living
When the person who made life worth living
Is no longer here?

So I stopped trying.

I stopped going home.
Stopped answering calls.
Stopped sleeping.
Stopped eating.

I started drinking instead.

It was easier.

There’s more liquor than blood inside of me now,
And every night I pour another glass
Hoping it will drown the memories.

It never does.

Her face still finds me in the dark.

Her voice still whispers in my dreams.

And every morning,
I wake up disappointed that I survived another night.

That night, the rain had soaked through my clothes.

I wandered through the city without knowing where I was going.
Streetlights flickered above me.
The sidewalks were empty.
Every window I passed was dark.

I felt like a ghost
Long before I ever died.

Then I saw him.

A beggar sitting beneath a broken streetlight.

At first, I barely noticed him.

His clothes were filthy.
His shoes were worn down to the soles.
His hair hung over his face, dripping with rain.

But something about him made me stop.

Maybe it was the way he sat perfectly still
While the rain poured around him.

Maybe it was the way he wasn’t shivering.

Or maybe…

It was the fact that he was staring directly at me.

I looked behind me.

There was no one else.

I turned back.

He was still watching.

His eyes were strange.

Too dark.

Too focused.

Like he wasn’t looking at my face.

Like he was looking through me.

I tightened my grip around the bottle in my hand
And started walking.

“Please.”

I stopped.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

I slowly turned around.

He held out one trembling hand.

I reached into my pocket.

“How much?”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, his head tilted slightly.

Then he smiled.

There was something wrong with his smile.

Too wide.

Too deliberate.

Like he had been waiting for me.

“I don’t want your money,” he said.

I stared at him.

“Then what do you want?”

His smile disappeared.

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then his eyes dropped to the photograph in my hand.

The one I carried everywhere.

The last picture I had of her.

My stomach tightened.

“How did you—”

“You want her back.”

It wasn’t a question.

I stepped backward.

The beggar slowly rose to his feet.

For the first time, I noticed how tall he was.

Far too tall.

His wet clothes clung to a body that looked unnaturally thin, almost skeletal.

He took one step toward me.

Then another.

“You’ve been asking for a way,” he whispered.

My heart began pounding.

“A way to see her again.”

I couldn’t speak.

He stopped inches away from me.

His breath smelled of something rotten.

Then he leaned toward my ear.

“I can give you what you want.”

I looked into his eyes.

“What would it cost?”

The beggar smiled again.

This time, I saw something behind his teeth.

Something that made my blood run cold.

“Everything has a price.”

He reached into his coat
And pulled out a small, black piece of paper.

He held it between two fingers.

“Make a deal with me…”

The rain suddenly stopped.

And the streetlight above us went dark.

“…and you can have her back.”

I should have run.

I should have thrown the bottle down
And disappeared into the night.

But desperation has a way of making monsters look like miracles.

So I reached for the paper.

And that was the moment
I made the worst mistake of my life.

To be continued…

Under the Red Umbrella

The rain started wrong tonight,

A whisper instead of a warning,

A hush laid over the world,

Like something trying not to wake the dead.

Each drop felt deliberate.

Measured.

Like a countdown I couldn’t hear finish.

I walk anyway,

The night wraps around me,

Like a secret too heavy to hold.

It was almost a good day,

Balanced on the edge of something whole.

Until it split open.

Until she slipped through the cracks,

That I pretended weren’t there.

I reach for my umbrella,

But absence answers me.

It’s an empty space,

Something familiar that should be with me,

Just like her.

Five minutes to the bus stop.

Twenty minutes to wait.

An eternity to remember.

The rain thickens,

Not heavier,

Just closer.

Clinging to my skin like it recognizes me.

A second rhythm threads itself into the night.

Footsteps.

Sharp as glass.

Soft as guilt.

I turn.

It’s a woman behind me.

Stitched together by shadow and distance.

Walking beneath a red umbrella,

That bleeds color into the dark.

The red umbrella glows.

It’s not bright,

But it’s alive.

Something in me recoils.

Something else leans closer.

Something too familiar,

Reminds me of her.

I keep walking.

So does the woman under the red umbrella.

Our steps braid together

Mine and hers,

Until I can’t tell

Which sound belongs to me.

The rain swallows everything else.

The city dissolves.

And suddenly,

I am not alone with what I’ve done.

The bus stop waits,

Empty and hollow,

A place meant for leaving,

That feels more like being found.

She stands beside me now,

Close enough that the air shifts.

Close enough that I feel colder for it.

The rain unravels,

The world blurs,

Edges melting,

Colors bleeding,

Until everything becomes one long wound of red.

Silence falls like a curtain.

I’m dry.

The storm stops touching me,

As if I’ve stepped outside of it,

Or into something deeper.

I’m under the red umbrella.

I thank the woman for covering me,

She doesn’t answer.

I look at her face,

It’s fragmented,

Like a broken mirror,

Reflecting something I don’t want to recognize.

But I do.

Memory rises,

Like something drowning,

The argument,

Sharp and spiraling,

Her voice cracking,

My hands tightening,

The moment everything fragile gave way.

The rain that night,

Just like this night,

It was soft enough to hide the sound of something ending.

And the umbrella was red,

A bright wound against the dark.

I left her there.

Folded into the pavement.

Wrapped in silence.

Sheltered by something that couldn’t save her.

My breath fractures.

Her head tilts,

Slow and mechanical,

Like grief learning how to move again.

She steps closer.

Close enough that I fall into her shadow.

Close enough that I see what’s left of her.

She’s not whole.

She’s not human.

She’s just a memory,

Reshaped into something that refuses to stay buried.

Her fingers find mine,

Cold as the space between heartbeats.

She cries that I forgot her.

Her voice isn’t sound,

It’s pressure,

It’s weight,

It’s the echo of something that never stopped screaming.

The umbrella dips lower,

The red spreads wider,

Dripping into the world,

Dripping into me,

Until I can’t tell where it ends and I begin.

The rain beyond it is no longer rain,

It’s thicker,

Heavier,

Falling like consequence.

I understand now,

I was never walking home.

I’ve been walking inside the moment I tried to leave behind.

Looping it.

Living it.

Becoming it.

Because she never left.

She just waited.

Patient as the rain.

Quiet as regret,

Under the red umbrella,

Where I left her.

And it is now where I stay.

I Whispered His Name to Death

I remember the first time I saw him,

He was arrogant and loud,

He still is to this day,

He is a man swollen with a twisted belief,

That nothing in this world stood above him.

The rules bend around him like frightened servants.

He is a true menace in plain sight.

Yet everyone adored him,

They worshipped the man who never loses,

The man who lives for the race,

The man who runs,

As if Death itself could never catch him.

But I saw the truth in him,

He is a thief wearing a crown

And then there was her,

The girl I loved in silence for a year,

From the shadows,

From the corners where my eyes could linger,

Without ever being seen.

She was perfect.

Too perfect for the world that surrounded her.

Her smile was soft,

Like something sacred only meant for me.

She was supposed to be mine,

And he noticed me staring at her.

He looked at her,

Then at me,

And asked if she’s mine.

I froze.

Just for a moment.

A single moment too long,

And that was all he needed.

He walked over to her,

As if she were a prize,

Waiting to be claimed.

He made her laugh in ways

I had rehearsed a thousand times in my head.

Her smile widened for him,

Her voice was soft and gentle,

Sweet enough to haunt my dreams.

Her body leaned toward him,

And his hand rested against her arm,

Like it had always belonged there.

She was supposed to be mine,

And he stole her from me,

Like it was nothing to him,

Like taking a coin from a beggar’s hand.

So I confronted him.

I demanded what was mine,

And he laughed,

Laughed like I was a joke

God forgot to finish writing.

Then he offered me a race for her.

He would even give me a head start.

He asked with a wicked smile,

“How badly do you want her?”

He knew.

He knew I couldn’t beat him.

But I ran anyway.

Because she was watching.

Surely she would see the truth.

Surely she would see that he was a monster.

A man who didn’t deserve her.

A man who would treat her like another trophy,

To hang on his wall.

I looked back,

And saw her clinging to him,

Looking at him like he was a god.

Why couldn’t she see what I see?

I ran,

I ran until my lungs burned,

Slowed down a little,

Not even sure if I was close to the finish line,

I had to look back,

Not understanding her devotion,

To her new god she just met.

As I was looking back,

He started running,

And he was already past me,

Eyes locked on the finish line,

Not even acknowledging me.

What happened to my head start?

He won.

Of course he won.

Years passed.

He never stops running,

He never stops flaunting her in my face,

She has his children now.

He doesn’t care about her,

The way I do,

He doesn’t love her,

The way I do,

He stole her from me,

Because it amused him.

Because it was a game to him.

I hate him.

I hate him in ways that poison the blood.

Every breath I take tastes like him.

Every night his laughter crawls through my skull.

I cannot outrun him.

I cannot beat him.

But there is one thing that can.

I whisper his name to Death.

Softly.

Over and over again.

Like a prayer spoken in the dark.

Death listens.

Death is patient.

Death waits for the right door.

And when Death finally knocks on his door,

I will be waiting.

Take him.

Break him.

Make him feel the terror,

Of being chased.

Let him run,

Until his legs shatter,

Until his lungs drown in fear.

Make him understand what it feels like to lose.

I would gladly give my life,

For that moment.

Take my breath.

Take my soul.

Take every second I have left.

Just for a chance,

For him to see Death.

A Little Race with Death

People have said that I’ve gone mad,

But they don’t understand,

I have always needed something to outrun.

I’m obsessed with racing the very best.

Obsessed with tasting victory like it’s rum,

Letting it burn my throat,

Letting it scorch my insides.

Winning is a flavor I savor slowly.

I roll it across my tongue,

And swallow it whole.

It is sweeter than candy,

Sweeter than love,

Sweeter than prayer,

I refuse to let go of its taste,

It’s irresistible and delicious.

I refuse to lose,

And I don’t care what I have to lose.

Or who.

Winning is the only god I bow to.

The only altar I kneel at.

The only voice I obey.

No one can beat me.

No one ever has.

No one ever will.

Death comes knocking at my door one evening.

Not gently.

It says my time has expired,

And my body belongs to it.

My wife collapses at my feet,

Crying, begging, praying

My children cling to her like loose fabric in a storm.

Their fear irritates me.

Death just stands in the doorway,

Tall and patient,

Certain it has won.

I feel it creeping into my lungs,

Freezing them from the inside out.

And my legs tremble,

For the first time in my life,

I feel slow.

So I make a proposal,

A race.

I tell Death I will run for my life.

That I had beaten better opponents than it.

Death laughs,

And whispers I’m already halfway gone,

My life alone is not enough of a wager

I smile,

And tell Death if I lose the race,

It can have me, my wife and my children,

Death pauses,

Saying it’s not their time,

I shrug and respond I’ll make it their time.

My wife gasps,

And says my name like she doesn’t recognize me.

I don’t look at her or my children,

Winning requires sacrifice.

Death laughs harder than before,

At her horror.

At my devotion.

And decides to accept my challenge.

Death offers me time to prepare,

But I refuse,

Because I never needed time.

Only a finish line.

The race begins without warning,

No starting pistol or countdown.

Just my heart trying to abandon me.

Death moves like smoke beside me,

Effortless.

Unbothered by me.

The ground beneath us fractures into shadow.

Each step feels stolen from eternity.

My lungs collapse inward.

Blood fills my mouth.

My vision splinters at the edges,

And Death pulls ahead.

Its fingers brushes my shoulder,

Cold.

Certain it had won.

But I lean,

I lean like I’ve never leaned before,

And I cross first.

There is silence.

Death stands at the line,

Defeated.

Studying me.

Bewildered that I have bested it.

Death admits I have won.

I collapse.

Gasping for air.

But I am alive.

My wife rushes to me.

My children sob against my body.

Their hands tremble with relief.

I push them away.

Their touch feels small,

And means nothing to me.

I am staring at Death.

At the thing that had never been beaten.

And I had beaten it.

The rush floods me,

Hotter than blood,

Sharper than oxygen,

I stand slowly,

And ask for one more little race

Death tilts its head.

I explain that one victory proves nothing.

My wife begs me to stop.

Calls it a miracle that I won.

But it wasn’t a miracle.

This was proof.

Proof that I was faster than the inevitable.

Stronger than the grave.

Better than the end.

I demand for Death to race me again.

Death studies me longer this time.

And says that I barely survived,

I grinned,

Then I barely needed to win.

The sky darkened.

Death began to fade.

And say that I cannot outrun it forever.

I laugh.

And respond I don’t need forever.

I only need to beat it again and again.

My wife whispers that I’m scaring her,

And I finally look at her,

And realize something important.

When I crossed that finish line,

I felt more alive than I ever had holding her.

More complete than the day our children were born.

Because they were never my greatest achievement.

Winning was.

Death starts to disappear.

I call out to Death,

It pauses.

Death feels something new with me.

Not fear.

Hunger.

I let Death know that I’ll find it.

The room feels colder.

I’ll chase illness.

I’ll chase war.

I’ll even chase rooftops and speeding cars.

Just so I can put myself in Death’s path,

Until it has no choice.

My wife starts crying.

Death watches her,

Then looks back at me.

For the first time,

It smiles at me.

It whispers that it’s looking forward to it.

Then Death vanishes.

I step outside,

And begin running.

Running away from my family,

And running towards Death,

Because now I understand something.

It isn’t life I’m trying to preserve.

It’s victory.

A high that rushes my veins,

And has me eager for more,

And there may come a day,

When Death finally wins,

But it won’t be because I slowed down.

It will be because I asked for one last race,

Just a little race with Death.

A Familiar Shadow: Part Five

Jaden and Marvin have been living in Jeremy’s house for a few weeks now. Jeremy lives in the house as well, but they never see him at all. In fact, they’ve never seen him before. If anything, they mostly see his shadow lurking and creaking through the hallways at night in the house. This was Jeremy’s request to Jaden and Marvin. Jeremy wanted them to be in their rooms from 12:00 am – 3:00 am, so that he could roam the house freely at night. Marvin did not care about the request, but it was strange to Jaden. Plus, there was something strangely familiar about Jeremy to Jaden. He just couldn’t figure it out.

It’s close to midnight, and Jaden and Marvin are playing Mortal Kombat together in Marvin’s room. Jaden still has not forgotten about the fact that Marvin nearly choked him out to be in this house. He desperately wants to get far away from Marvin, but he fears that he’s trapped. However, Jaden is doing his best to keep things normal and casual with Marvin. Jaden does not want to anger Marvin again.

They’ve been playing Mortal Kombat for a few hours now, and they’re on their last match of the night. Marvin is using Sub Zero, while Jaden is using Lui Kang. While they’re playing, Jaden hears the floor creak outside of Marvin’s room. Jaden takes a quick look, but he sees nothing but a person’s shadow on the hardwood floor. Jaden thought to himself that it had to be Jeremy’s shadow. It’s not midnight yet, so Jaden wonders why Jeremy is outside his room at this hour.

Before he can think about it any further, there’s a loud yell from Marvin as he ends up beating Jaden the third round in Mortal Kombat.

“Let’s go! I am the greatest of all time! No one can stop me,” Marvin yells.

“Be quiet, I just got a little distracted,” Jaden says.

“Whatever man, all I do is win, win, win, no matter what. Now, if you want to get that work again, I got you.”

Jaden laughs, but there’s something strangely familiar about the back-and-forth between him and Marvin. All of a sudden, Jaden receives a text message. He’s worried about looking at the message because his mom was recently admitted to a hospital. She doesn’t have very long to live. Jaden starts tearing up because he wishes that he was with his mom and sister.

Marvin quickly gets up and embraces Jaden. Jaden shakes his head and explains, “It’s just hard being here and not at home, especially with my mom being sick and everything. It’s only getting worse for her, and —

Jaden suddenly stops and realizes there’s something weird and strange going on. He feels like he’s said that before. Jaden starts sobbing in Marvin’s arms.

Marvin whispers, “I got you, bro. You’re my best friend, and I’m always going to be there for you. You gotta push through the pain and hurt, alright bro?”

Marvin’s words are strangely familiar and eerie to Jaden. He doesn’t know why. Jaden looks at his phone and sees that it’s a text from Maria.

The text reads, “Hey, I miss you. I was wondering if you wanted to come over and you know.”

Jaden drops his phone, and he’s starting to freak out and shaking. Marvin doesn’t understand what’s going on. Marvin quickly picks up Jaden’s phone and sees that he got a text from Maria.

Marvin smiles and says, “Bro, Maria is trying to get a piece of you.”

“What do you mean?” Jaden says without even thinking. He quickly puts his hand on his mouth and can’t believe the words that he spoke.

Marvin lets out a big sigh and responds, “Jaden, my clueless friend, she’s trying to get with you and smash tonight.”

This is sounding all too crazy and familiar to Jaden. He doesn’t understand or know what’s going on right now. Then, Jaden adds, “Well, I’m not trying to see her bro. She’s getting married in a month.”

“Ok, and? She’s trying to have a little fun with you before she’s committed to someone the rest of her life. She’s entitled to a little fun. Plus, you’ve been boyfriend #2 for two years and now you’re trying to dip on her? Know your role bro,” Marvin says.

“I never wanted this role in the first place. This is annoying! I want something more than just fun and sex. It’s just been pointless and meaningless.”

“You’re just tripping, bro. Why did you start this in the first place, then?”

“I never wanted to start this situation in the first place. It just happened, and I thought she would break up with her boyfriend and be with me. It just never happened, and I’ve been a fool this entire time. I’ve been trusting and believing the wrong people.”

After Jaden said those words, there’s an awkward silence between Jaden and Marvin. Before Jaden can say anything, Marvin admits that he’s hungry and needs something to eat. Jaden’s heart starts beating faster, and he once again hears the floor creak again outside of Marvin’s room. Jaden looks and sees the shadow outside of Marvin’s room not moving at all.

Before Jaden can say anything, Marvin says, “You know, this might sound crazy but maybe we should go to the Purple Eyes diner and —

Jaden interrupts, “Marvin, do you not know what’s going on right now? We’re reliving that night at Purple Eyes!”

“What are you talking about, Jaden?”

“Marvin, doesn’t tonight seem a little too familiar and coincidental to you? We’re playing Mortal Kombat, we were talking about my mom, Maria sent me a text and you were about to convince me to come with you to Purple Eyes. We did all that before going to Purple Eyes.”

Marvin gasps and realizes that they are reliving that night in their own way. It’s not completely a copy of that night, but it’s pretty close. Marvin catches his breath and whispers, “Alright, this is a little freaky and weird. Ok this is no problem, all we have to do is not go to Purple Eyes and we’re good, right?”

Before Jaden can say anything, Marvin gets a random text message from Jeremy. It reads, “Come to the living room.”

Marvin shows the message to Jaden, and Jaden quickly looks back at Marvin’s open door and finds the shadow no longer there.

“Hey man, I don’t think you should go to the living room. I think we need to stick together and get out of here.” Jaden pleads.

“What are you talking about, bro? We’re gonna be fine as long as we don’t go to Purple Eyes. Plus, Jeremy is our landlord, so we really can’t ignore him,” Marvin explains.

“I don’t know man, he seems kinda shady and weird too tonight. I kinda saw his shadow in the hallway, and why is he now trying to see us?”

“It is a little strange, but I think we’re okay. You’re more than welcome to come with me, I’m going to see him real quick and be right back.”

Jaden tries to stop Marvin, but he’s quick to maneuver Jaden and get out of his room. Jaden is scared and worried about his friend. He thinks about getting up and following Marvin, but for some reason he’s struggling to move.

All of a sudden, Jaden hears a shriek sounding like Marvin and something heavy tumbling down the stairs. Jaden’s heart is beating faster and faster now.

Then, he hears Marvin yelling and begging for Jaden to help him. Jaden rushes out of Marvin’s room and goes to the steps. He sees his best friend’s body at the bottom of the stairs. Before Jaden can do anything, he’s pushed down the steps by someone. Jaden tumbles down the hardwood steps and ends up on top of Marvin.

Jaden’s body is hurting and aching, and he cannot move or do anything. His vision has been compromised. Everything is a blur now. He’s scared and shocked. Marvin pushes Jaden off of him, and Jaden can kinda see Marvin trying to crawl away. Jaden listens as he hears someone walking down the stairs. He turns his head towards the steps and sees a black figure coming down the steps. The black figure is a blur to Jaden, and the figure mostly looks like a shadow. Jaden is assuming the shadow is Jeremy.

The shadow goes over to Marvin first. Jaden cannot move or do anything. All he can do is watch and listen. He watches and listens to Marvin begging to have his life spared. Jaden listens to the constant and consistent stabbing taking place, the stabbing is loud, true and unbearable for some odd reason. Jaden listens to the cries his best friend is making. Jaden hears the laughter from the shadow for this is simply a fun, sick, thrilling game the shadow never wants to stop playing.

This was all too familiar and crazy to Jaden. The stabbing comes to an abrupt stop. Jaden looks over and sees his best friend with multiple stab wounds in a pool of his own blood. Jaden watches the shadow figure get up and look at him. Then, he whispers, “You’re next.”

Jaden instantly recognizes the voice. It’s his classmate’s voice from the night at Purple Eyes a few years ago. He’s alive, Jaden thought to himself.

“How are you still alive? You’re Jeremy, right?” Jaden weakly asks.

There is no response from the shadow that is quite familiar to Jaden. The familiar shadow walks over to Jaden and gets on top of him. Jaden can see the butcher knife in his hand, and it looks like the familiar shadow is going to stab him.

Jaden starts crying and realizes that he’s about to die. Then, Jaden whispers, “I’m so sorry.”

Jaden starts whispering more things, but the familiar shadow cannot understand the unclear, desperate whispers. The familiar shadow chooses to ignore the whispers. The familiar shadow kneels down to Jaden’s face and whispers in his ear, “So beautiful.”

Jaden is shocked by this familiar statement, and he continues to whisper. The familiar shadow gets off of him and stands up. It’s as if the shadow figure is waiting for something to happen. Then, Jaden realizes what he must do. Jaden reaches and begs for help, but he’s kicked in the face by the familiar shadow. The blurry figure gets on top of Jaden again, and Jaden understands and knows his life will be taken away from him. Still, Jaden whispers and whispers while he’s being stabbed repeatedly by the familiar shadow.

A Familiar Shadow: Part Four

A few years have passed since the events that took place at the Purple Eyes Diner. Jaden and Marvin swore to never speak of that night ever again. They both graduated from college, and they were living in an apartment together after graduation. The lease on their apartment is up next week, and they’re trying to decide if they want a new lease or move somewhere else together. However, Marvin proposes an interesting opportunity to Jaden.

“Hey bro, someone reached out to me about us renting two rooms in this really nice house in the city. You have to look at these pictures,” Marvin explains to Jaden.

Marvin attempts to show Jaden the pictures, but he’s not in the mood to see them. Marvin asks Jaden what’s wrong with him. Jaden explains that he’s thinking about moving back home with his mom and sister.

Jaden explains, “I don’t know man, I feel like I should be back home now. Everything has been on my sister to take care of our mom, and I need to help out in some way.”

Jaden starts to tear up, and Marvin is quick to embrace him. He whispers to Jaden, “I get it man, you want to be back with your mom and sister. They could use you right now, but your mom and sister want you to live your life. They want you to be happy and free.”

“I don’t know if that’s true, man. I just talked to my sister a couple of days ago, and she’s the one that asked if I was thinking about coming home. She wasn’t telling me to come home, but it felt like she was kind of hoping that I would come home.”

“Jaden, you don’t know—

“Marvin, my sister has taken care of our mom for years! She needs a break and deserves a life too. It’s selfish of me to just live on my own, I have to help in some way or help even more now than ever! I have to go home!”

Jaden pushes Marvin off him, but Marvin is quick to embrace him again and Jaden struggles to get out of his embrace. Then, Marvin says, “I’m sorry, bro. You’re right, maybe it is best for you to go home and help your mother. Maybe that’s what’s best for you. I just want to show you this house, and I just want you to think about how happy and free you’ll be living in this place. Just for a moment.”

Jaden sighs and reluctantly allows Marvin to show him pictures of the house. Marvin gets his phone out and shows Jaden the beautiful home in the city. The kitchen is perfect, the living room is spacious and there’s a huge backyard. Jaden is stunned that it’s a remarkable house, and the bedrooms are spacious and have their own bathroom. Jaden can’t believe the house, and Marvin says the best part is the rent. Jaden asks how much the rent is, and Marvin says that it’s only $500 for the both of them. Plus, they do not have to worry about paying for utilities or a deposit.

Jaden is shocked and excited, but he is somewhat skeptical. The deal and offer sounds too good to be true for Jaden. He asks how Marvin came across this house, and Marvin explains that he was emailed about it by the homeowner. Jaden is confused, and Marvin shows Jaden the email. It read that there were two rooms available at the homeowner’s house that the homeowner was looking to rent out. The email was sent by someone with the name Jeremy.

Jaden thinks the email is strange, then Marvin says, “Before you say anything, I emailed him back saying that we were interested in the rooms and got to Facetime with him.”

“You Facetimed the guy? What was he like?” Jaden questions.

“He was kinda quiet and didn’t say much, but he was cool for the most part.”

“Did you see his face? And did you ask him why he was renting out the rooms?”

“Geez, so many questions. Yeah, I kinda saw his face. He was just talking about how he just wanted to make some extra bucks.”

“Wait, what do you mean you ‘kinda saw his face,’ Marvin?”

“He just had on a hoodie, and he had the hood over his face. It was just kinda hard to see his face.”

Jaden sighs and says, “Bro, do you realize how sketchy and weird that sounds? I don’t know about all that, but if you want to live there then you go ahead. I’m going back home.”

“Here’s the thing, I kinda need you in order to live there.”

“What do you mean?”

“The rent is only $500, if you’re also going to be there. If you’re not, then it’s going to be $2,000 for me to rent a room, and I can’t pay that at all.”

Before Jaden can say anything, Marvin begs him to consider living in the house. Jaden refuses and says, “No, I just have a bad feeling about that place. Plus, I just told you that I want to go home. And how can you come up with that agreement without talking to me at all? I’m sorry bro, but you’re on your own.”

Jaden tries to walk away, but Marvin stops him. Then, he has this menacing, strange look on his face. Marvin coldly says, “Did you forget what I did for you that night? Did you forget how I saved your life? I didn’t leave you on your own, but now you’re trying to leave and abandon me?”

Jaden tries to assure Marvin that he’s not abandoning him, but Marvin pushes Jaden to the ground and continues, “You were almost going to have us killed that night. You owe me for what I did for you that night. You owe me your life.”

Jaden doesn’t know what to say, but Marvin quickly adds, “Or if you feel like you don’t owe me anything, then maybe I should cut ties with you and tell the cops you were the one that murdered that kid that night, while I watched in horror.”

Jaden shakes his head and can’t believe what he’s hearing from his best friend and roommate. It doesn’t make any sense to him. Marvin then gets on top of Jaden and starts choking him. Jaden is struggling to breathe and get out of the chokehold Marvin has him in.

Then Marvin whispers, “I could talk about how I was whispering and whispering like crazy that night. How I was begging for you to stop the stabbing and killing, but you just wouldn’t listen. You just kept going and going, and you never wanted to stop and think. You were just so sick and twisted that night at Purple Eyes.”

Jaden begs for him to stop and Marvin lets go of Jaden. He gets off of Jaden and says, “Great, I’ll let Jeremy know that we’ll be moving in next week.”

This is the end of part four of “A Familiar Shadow.”

Be sure to like, share and comment your thoughts on this short story.

The final part of this short story series will be posted next Thursday

A Familiar Shadow: Part Three

Jaden and Marvin find themselves trapped behind a dumpster in an alley, and they’re not sure what to do. The guy that Jaden recognized as his classmate starts walking into the alley more. Jaden and Marvin can hear his footsteps getting closer and closer to them. Marvin looks under the dumpster, and he can see the guy’s shadow getting closer to them. Jaden starts shaking and trying his best to control his breathing. Then, they hear more footsteps approaching.

The shadow figure that was drawing near Jaden and Marvin stops in his place. He’s begging and pleading for his life to be spared.

“P-p-p-please, p-p-please, please leave me alone. I-I-I-I I’ll give you my wallet,” the guy stutters.

Jaden and Marvin hear the guy crying and pleading for his life to be spared. Jaden wants to do something, but Marvin stops him.

Jaden whispers, “We have to do something. We can’t just let my classmate get hurt and beat up like this. I can’t listen to this”

“We don’t know what’s going on or how many people are trying to hurt him right now. We need to be quiet and protect ourselves first,” Marvin whispers back to Jaden.

Suddenly, something hits the dumpster that startles Jaden and Marvin. Then, they hear something hit the ground. They both decide to look underneath the dumpster and see Jaden’s classmate’s body on the ground. Jaden’s eyes meet his classmate’s eyes, and his classmate is reaching to him for help. He’s begging and hoping Jaden will help him out of this frightening, horrific situation. Jaden does not know what to do, but he does not have time to do anything.

Pocket knives are stabbing Jaden’s classmate’s body. The stabbing is loud, true and unbearable. Blood starts creeping and slowly moving closer to Jaden and Marvin. So much blood is being lost now. Jaden is close to throwing up, while Marvin is in shock with what he is witnessing. Yet, Jaden’s classmate still reaches for him. Despite the suffering and pain he’s enduring, he still reaches out to him. Jaden still watches in horror. Marvin and Jaden hear laughter from the attackers for this is simply a fun, sick, thrilling game that they never want to stop playing.

“We have to do something, Marvin. I can’t keep watching and not doing anything about it. This is sick and wrong, we have to put in an end to it. I’m calling the cops,” Jaden whispers.

Jaden reaches for his phone, but Marvin quickly stops him. Then, he whispers, “We can’t do anything right now. It’s too late. Even if we did call the cops, they would get away and we would be the ones in trouble somehow.”

“You don’t know that, we have to do something. They’re murdering a guy right in front of us.”

“I know, but we gotta think about ourselves right now. The best thing we can do right now is stay hidden and be quiet, Jaden.”

“I can’t just be quiet, I have to do something. Do you not see a guy being stabbed over and over again? Do you not care at all?”

“Of course I care. But what are we going to do about it? Join him and die with him because it’s the right thing to do? No, I don’t know this dude and neither do you. He’s just a shadow in your class, but if you want to die with him too. Be my guest.”

The stabbing comes to an abrupt stop. Marvin and Jaden kneel down again and see Jaden’s classmate’s body lifeless on the floor. Then, they hear footsteps walking away from the alley. They wait a few minutes before doing anything at all. Marvin eventually gets up and takes a quick peek to make sure nobody else is around. Marvin sees that no one else is around and assures Jaden that the coast is clear.

They get out from behind the dumpster and find themselves stepping in a pool of blood. Jaden sees his classmate’s body with multiple stab wounds and almost throws up. Marvin tells Jaden that they need to hurry up and get out of here.

Jaden replies, “No, we need to call him an ambulance and—

“You’re still trying to save this dude! We don’t have time for all that. We need to get out of here and get back home where it’s safe,” Marvin interrupts.

“What are you talking about, Marvin? He needs medical attention, we have to do something.”

“Bro, we need to leave! If somebody sees us right now, we’re going to be in some deep and serious trouble.”

“We didn’t though, and we can prove it to them. We can just explain that we—

“What did we do exactly, Jaden? Oh yeah, we watched a person literally get murdered and did nothing about it. We’re technically accomplices to murder, I think,” Marvin interrupts and yells.

Jaden does not know what to say, then Marvin continues, “Plus, we don’t even know where his attackers are or anything at all. They could still be in the city. They could be waiting for us right now because of all that whispering you did behind the dumpster! Maybe we should stop wasting our time trying to save a dead man! Maybe we should be thinking about getting out of here and worry about saving our own lives right at this very moment!”

Jaden understands where Marvin is coming from and agrees that they should get back to campus. Then, Jaden feels a hand on his ankle. He looks down and sees it’s his classmate’s hand. He’s still alive.

He whispers to Jaden, “Help me, Jaden, please.”

Jaden is shocked that his classmate knows his name, but he can’t believe he’s alive. There’s blood all over his classmate’s face, so he can’t really see him at all. Jaden is not sure he can help his classmate, Jaden does not know what to do. Marvin quickly comes over and kicks his hand off of Jaden’s ankle. Then, Marvin kicks him in the face. Jaden is stunned.

Marvin turns to Jaden and says, “Let’s go, Jaden. We don’t have time for this. We need to get out of here right now. Come on.”

Marvin runs out of the alley and yells back for Jaden to follow him. Jaden quickly kneels down to his classmate’s level and whispers he’s sorry. Before Jaden can leave, his classmate points at the wall. Jaden looks and sees a mural of some woman in a black veil with purple eyes. Then, his classmate whispers to Jaden, “So beautiful.”

He starts coughing up blood, and Jaden wants to help him more than anything. Instead, he runs away from him and follows Marvin out the alley. As he’s running, Jaden hears his classmate calling and begging for him to help him. Jaden ignores his classmate’s call for help and continues running out of the alley. Never looking back once.

This is the end of part three of “A Familiar Shadow.”

Be sure to like, share and comment your thoughts on this short story.

Part Four of “A Familiar Shadow” will be posted next Thursday.

A Familiar Shadow: Part Two

For Jaden and Marvin, the city is within walking distance for them. The college campus is only ten minutes away from the city. They both quickly get dressed, leave their dorm room and head to the city. It’s close to midnight, and Jaden is still feeling a little nervous about being in the city so late in the night. The city is different at night. It’s not as lively or chaotic during the day. There’s this eerie, strange quietness of the city. The city is a different world with nearly no one in sight. If there are people out in the city, they are simply lurking and hiding in the shadows. There are plenty of shadows and dark corners in the city. You never know what to expect, and the city late at night is a place where nightmares can become reality.

Jaden and Marvin finally make it to the city, and they find themselves a few minutes away from the diner. As they’re walking, Marvin is still trying to convince Jaden to go see Maria.

Marvin says, “Look bro, all I’m saying is Maria is fine, and you need to get with her tonight.”

Jaden is still unsure about going to Maria’s place, and he responds, “I don’t know man, I still feel like it’s wrong. Yeah she’s pretty and beautiful, but she has a whole boyfriend. Plus, it’s kinda late and who knows how long we’ll be at this diner. It’s probably going to be too late to see her anyways.”

“I don’t think so, bro. We’re probably going to be at the diner for at most an hour, and I think she’ll still want to see you at 1:00 am. I think she wants you that badly, and you can have so much fun with her tonight.”

Before Jaden can respond, they’re about to walk past the bus stop but see someone waiting there. Marvin tells Jaden to be cool, and Jaden listens to him. They walk past the bus stop and the person waiting there. Jaden takes a quick look at the person at the bus stop and instantly recognizes the person. The person is someone familiar at the bus stop. This person was a guy with glasses, a long sleeved gray shirt and blue jeans. He was someone in Jaden’s chemistry class. Jaden forgot his name, but he remembers the guy mostly keeping his distance and not really talking to people in class. He is this shy kid with a lot of anxiety, and Jaden wonders why he is in the city so late at night. He’s looking nervous at the bus stop, and Jaden thinks about going back to talk to him.

Jaden tells Marvin that the person they passed is in his chemistry class. “Maybe I should just check on him real quick and make sure he’s alright. He seemed kinda nervous and scared at the bus stop,” Jaden explains.

Jaden is about to turn around, but Marvin stops him. Marvin tells Jaden not to worry about him because they’re almost at the diner. Marvin also believes the bus the guy is waiting for will be coming for him soon anyway. Jaden is still worried about the guy, but he trusts Marvin.

As they’re still walking to the diner, Jaden gets a phone call from Maria. Jaden forgot that he didn’t respond to her, and he’s nervous and reluctant to answer it. However, Marvin pushes Jaden to answer the phone. Jaden answers the phone, and Maria quickly asks if Jaden had received her message. Jaden admits that he received it, but he was not sure if he could come over.

Marvin mouths, “What are you doing?”

Jaden tells him to shush, and Maria asks Jaden why he can’t come over. Jaden is trying to find a good excuse, and he comes up with a reasonable, good excuse. He says, “Well, my roommate and I are heading to this late night diner, and I’m not sure how long we’ll be there. I don’t want to keep you waiting.”

“Oh that’s okay Jaden, I’m a night owl and typically go to bed around 3:00 am anyways. Plus, I don’t mind waiting for you,” Maria responds.

Before Jaden responds, Marvin shouts, “Actually, we’ll probably be back on campus around 1 or 1:30 am, so Jaden will be all good to come to your place around that time.”

Jaden could not believe Marvin said that. Maria quickly says that time would work perfectly for her, and she was really looking forward to seeing Jaden later tonight. Jaden tries to object, but Maria adds, “Please Jaden, just for an hour, that’s all I need. I promise you that I won’t bother you for any more.

Jaden contemplates going over to her place, and he sees Marvin telling him to go over to her place. He reluctantly listens to Marvin and agrees to see Maria.

She is happy to hear that Jaden is coming over and adds, “Just text me when you’re at my door. I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight, and I just know you’re going to love our study session a lot.”

Jaden understands and hangs up the phone. He turns over to Marvin and sees this big smile on his face. Then, he says, “I see you, Jaden! Playing hard to get, that’s actually really smart of you because now she really wants you.”

Jaden shakes his head, and he can’t believe the situation he is in with Maria. As Jaden was thinking about Maria, Marvin and him find themselves in front of the diner they were hoping to get to. The name of the diner is called “Purple Eyes.”

“What kind of name is ‘Purple Eyes’ for a diner?” Jaden asks Marvin.

“I don’t know, I kinda dig it bro. Also, everything in there is purple. It has a nice feel and vibe to it,” Marvin adds.

They both head inside the diner, and they’re able to find a booth for themselves. A waitress comes up to them and asks if they want anything to drink. They both decide to get water, and they ask if they could have a few minutes to look over the menu. After a few minutes, Jaden decides to get some pancakes, eggs and sausage. Marvin decides on a burger and some fries. While they’re waiting on their meals to come, Marvins brings up Maria to Jaden.

“I don’t know man, I don’t know if I want to do this,” Jaden explains to Marvin.

“You’re not going to regret it. Look, I’ve had a lot of fun times with cheating girlfriends.”

“You have?”

“Yeah man, they’re something else. The best part about them is that they know what they’re doing and there’s no commitment involved. It’s honestly like a fun, exciting game messing with a cheating girlfriend. A fun, little Mortal Kombat game,” Marvin smiles and explains.

“How so?”

“Well sometimes you’ll have flawless victories with girls that cheat with ease. Sometimes you’ll lose when girls change their minds, and that’s perfectly okay. Girls have a right to change their minds. Other times, they fight and start second guessing themselves. They’re not sure if they want to cheat on their significant other or not. So, you have to come up with the right moves and combinations that puts her mind at ease. Once you do that, you’re having fun times with a cheating girlfriend,” Marvin responds.

Marvin was making a little sense to Jaden, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to play such a game with someone that has a boyfriend. Marvin then asks Jaden what’s stopping him from playing such a fun, exciting game.

Jaden takes a deep breath and says that he wants something more. He wants love. Marvin looks at him and starts laughing.

Then, he says, “Jaden, love is overrated, especially in college. Take it from me when I say that college is all about trying new things and having fun. Don’t lose out on Maria. Have fun with her and who knows, maybe you two crazy kids will fall in love. Also, maybe things are not going so well with the boyfriend, and she’s trying to take a chance with you and start something new. Just take a chance man and go for it, too.”

Their food comes after Marvin makes that statement to Jaden. While they’re eating, Jaden wonders how true Marvin’s words are to him. Jaden is not sure what to think anymore.

After they’re done eating, they leave tips for the waitress and head out of the diner. They both enjoyed their food a lot and admitted that they would want to come back to this diner again for their food.

“Yeah man, that diner had a nice, chill vibe to it and the food was so good,” Marvin says.

“I know it, we gotta come back here again. Also, the service was pretty good,” Jaden adds.

As they continue to walk back to campus and praise the diner, they are surprised by someone running towards them. It appears to be someone crying and begging for help. They both see some blood on the person’s face. Marvin and Jaden cannot tell who the person is, but they can tell that he’s been hurt and in a lot of pain. They think about helping the person. Then, they see three figures chasing after the person. Marvin pulls Jaden back and tells him to run and follow him. Jaden listens to Marvin.

They end up running back near the diner, but they’re not sure about going inside the diner. Marvin directs them through the alley that’s next to the diner. They rush through the alley, and Marvin pulls Jaden near a dumpster. They hide behind it and start to hear footsteps.

Their hearts are beating, and they’re not sure what to do. Jaden asks Marvin if they should call the cops, but Marvin tells him to shush and be quiet.

Jaden and Marvin hear the footsteps getting closer to them, and someone yelling, “Can you two please help me? These three guys are trying to rob and kill me. I tried to get into the diner, but the doors were locked. Can either of you call the cops or something? Help me, please.”

The voice sounds familiar to Jaden. He thinks it’s the one guy from his chemistry class. The guy that was alone and scared at the bus stop.

This is the end of part two of “A Familiar Shadow.”

Be sure to like, share and comment your thoughts on this short story.

Part Three of “A Familiar Shadow” will be posted next Thursday.