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…

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 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.

No More Voices

I haven’t been hearing your voice or whispers lately.

Have you left or escaped me?

I crawl and check my closet every single day,

And every single day I see your lifeless body.

You have not gone anywhere.

You’re still in my closet.

Why then can I not hear your voice or whispers in my closet?

Why is it just another quiet night?

Why do I constantly think about the blood on the wall?

I have so many questions,

But no one can answer them for me.

Maybe I shouldn’t be thinking about such questions,

I don’t have the time to do such a thing.

I’m dying right now,

And I have no interest in surviving.

There’s just no point in living anymore,

Now that you two are gone.

My vision is slowly blurring,

Breathing has become such a tedious exercise.

My blood is rapidly leaving my body,

Never to return to me.

The pain in my arms is everlasting,

Death is now here for me,

Waiting patiently to take me away from this dark, cruel place.

Tonight is the night that I die,

But before I let death take me away,

I need to see you one last time.

I need to make sure you suffered.

I need to ensure my revenge is complete.

I need to believe you’re gone for good.

For one last time,

I crawl over to my closet,

And open the door.

I see your lifeless body,

And I see his soulless body as well.

I weakly push him out the way and embrace you.

I can’t hold on to you very long.

I don’t feel anything from you anymore,

You’re no longer in this world.

You’re gone for good,

And now I can finally die.

And end this terrible nightmare.

Suddenly, I can’t feel anything.

Darkness is all around me,

I’m no longer trying to breathe,

I no longer have control over my body.

Death has me in its hold.

But most importantly,

There are no more voices.

Just silence.

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

Purple Eyes: Part Four

There’s a decision that must be made tonight.

It’s a hard choice for anybody to make.

The woman with purple eyes wanted him to have that choice.

She would not say which was the right choice,

It was for him to decide so late into the night.

Could he fight his personal feelings and finally find peace?

Or is peace no longer an option?

It’s frightening and scary to see my own body,

I can’t believe I was butchered and slaughtered like a pig.

I can’t believe so much blood left my body.

It’s sickening to see all the stab wounds on my body.

I was brutally murdered in this alley,

And no one could save me.

Wait,

That’s not true at all.

Some people could have saved me from my pain and suffering,

But they just chose to watch.

They watched as I was crying,

They watched as I was losing the will to live,

They watched as I was begging for mercy,

They watched and did nothing about it,

They watched me slowly die.

The woman with purple eyes lets go of my hand,

And walks deeper into the alley.

I reach for her,

But she continues to move further and further away,

Until she suddenly stops

And has her arms wide open for me.

I’m realizing now that I have to make a choice.

I can go to her,

And be free from this terrible, dark world

And welcomed to paradise,

Or I can be brought back to life,

But do I really want to come back to this cruel place?

All alone late at night in the city,

Where nightmares are a reality for me.

An inescapable prison of my own making.

I decide to reject the woman with purple eyes,

And be brought back to life.

For I have unfinished business that I must attend to,

I need revenge,

I need to make them suffer like I did.

I need it more than anything,

And it’s the only way for me to move on.

The woman with purple eyes disappears,

And leaves me all alone and broken,

But I don’t care.

I don’t care about peace or freedom,

Nor do I care about the woman with purple eyes.

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.

The White Mask: Part One

Dylan is patiently waiting in line at a floral shop. He has five stemmed roses in his hand for a special girl on his mind. They’re having lunch together for the first time on this Saturday, and Dylan is anxious, nervous and excited about it all. There are only three people in front of him, and he is in no rush at all. He’s in his uniform because he has work in about an hour at 2:00. He’s working a full eight-hour shift at Sam’s Club as a stocker. The floral shop is only a few minutes away from it. He’s excited because there seems to be a pretty, attractive girl at the register. She’s a brunette with blue eyes and a pretty smile. Dylan tries to look at her nametag, but he can’t see the name on it. He needs to get a closer look. Eventually, it’s his turn in line. The girl smiles at him with her perfect white teeth and motions for him to come to the register. He approaches the register, and he can finally see that the girl’s name is Emily. She says, “Good afternoon, sir, how are you doing?”

Dylan smiles and responds, “I’m doing alright. I’m just little anxious, nervous and excited, so a pretty good combination.”

Emily laughs and asks why Dylan feels the way he feels. Dylan explains, “Well, I’m taking this pretty, amazing girl out on a date for the first time today, and I’m so scared. I just want it to be perfect and for us to take things to the next level and all.”

Emily nods her head in understanding Dylan, and she says to him that all he has to do is be himself and everything will fall in to place naturally. “Plus, you’re on the right track too with the roses. I know that she’ll definitely love them. I wish guys at my high school would give me roses, but they just want to ‘shoot their shots on IG or snap,’ and it’s just so lame. You know what I mean?”

Dylan shakes his head and explains that he doesn’t have social media. He’s really old fashioned. It came to a shock to Emily, and she asks him how old he is. Dylan responds that he’s 30 years old. Emily is impressed that he doesn’t have social media, then Dylan smiles and asks, “So what does shooting the shot mean? Is it like a bucket or something?”

Emily laughs and says, “Oh my gosh, you seriously don’t know? I mean, it’s something like that. Hold up, let me get my phone out and show you what I mean.”

Emily gets out her nice iPhone and shows Dylan some messages of guys “shooting their shot” with her. He got close to her and saw all kinds of weird messages and pictures on her phones. Dylan shakes his head and says, “Ok so let me get this right. Guys send you messages about how ‘bad,’ ‘delicious,’ ‘exquisite,’ and ‘fine’ you are, and if their compliment is good enough to you, then you proceed to talk to them?”

“Yeah pretty much, romance and chivalry are dead,” Emily says.

“Whoa, whoa, don’t say such things. Yes, there are guys that are no longer chivalrous or romantic, but there are a few of us that are hopeless romantics in this world. Don’t worry, your knight in shining armor is coming to save you.”

Emily appreciated the words, and Dylan paid $18.50 for his five roses. He thanked Emily, looked at his roses and handed her one of the roses. Emily smiles at the sweet gesture and thanks him for the rose. Dylan smiles and says, “It’s no problem young lady, you’re absolutely gorgeous and deserve all the roses in the world for your sweetness.”

Emily blushes, and Dylan for a second thinks about asking for her number. However, he changes his mind because he already has a special girl waiting for him.

Dylan heads to work with his four roses, and he makes it to Sam’s Club with 30 minutes to spare. He walks in and says hi to a few people along the way. Then, he finally makes it to the back room and sees a few people eating their lunches in the break room. He looks to his right, and he sees the only black person in the break room, his coworker and friend Elijah. Elijah is listening to music on his phone and scrolling on Facebook. Dylan sees Elijah and yells, “Yo, what up my brother?”

Elijah hears Dylan, pulls out his headphones and looks at Dylan. He shakes his head, chuckles and says, “Hey what’s up man.”

“Nothing much, just happy and excited to be here. Happy to be alive, what are you listening to ?” Dylan asks.

“That’s what’s up, man. And I’m just listening to J. Cole’s ‘No Role Models.’ Such a good song, man,” Elijah responds.

Elijah starts singing a little bit to Dylan, but there’s a little part that’s weird to Dylan. It’s part of the chorus, it’s “Don’t save her, she don’t wanna be saved.” Dylan didn’t understand that part. Then, Elijah asks, “By the way, what do you got in your hands? Do you have a secret admirer or something?”

Dylan didn’t understand, but then he realizes that he has the four roses in his hand. He forgot to put them in his locker. He quickly ran to his locker making sure he was hiding the flowers. He didn’t want them to be seen. Then, he opens his locker and places the roses in his locker. Then, he rushes back to the break room to Elijah. He’s out of breathe, and Elijah asks him if he’s alright. Dylan tells him that he’s fine and begs Elijah to not tell anyone about the roses. Elijah promises to keep the roses a secret, then he asks Dylan about the roses. However, Dylan doesn’t want to say. He doesn’t want Elijah to know who he’s taking out on a date. Elijah asks him how come he doesn’t want to tell him, but Dylan tells Elijah that he’s just not comfortable in sharing information about the roses. Dylan expects Elijah to persist with the questions, but Elijah decides to drop it. This is a relief to Dylan, but then Elijah adds, “I don’t understand why flowers are so romantic to girls sometimes.”

Dylan frowns and asks Elijah what he mean. Elijah continues, “I mean, flowers are the most inconvenient romantic gift ever to me. Like those roses you got probably cost $20 maybe $30 dollars top. Roses are just so expensive for no reason. Then, a girl now has to buy a vase for the roses because if she doesn’t then they’ll die. So, it’s not really a romantic gift if each party has to pay some money for said gift.”

Dylan just shakes his head and says, “No bro, like you don’t understand. You see a rose is like a delicate, sweet poem. It speaks a different language to a woman. It makes her feel loved and appreciated, Elijah.”

“You know what else makes a woman feel appreciated? Food, time, candy, chocolates, poetry, a love letter, hot Cheetos and so many other things, like where’s the creativity and ingenuity at these days? Flowers are just gonna die, and it’s such a waste of money. There are plenty of other things to give a girl than flowers, I swear,” Elijah exclaims.

“So, I’m guessing you’re never gonna buy a girl flowers then,” Dylan asks.

Elijah laughs and responds, “I’ll probably reluctantly buy flowers for my soulmate or something if they mean so much to her. It’ll probably be if we’re dating for years or something, never the first few dates at all.”

Dylan is confused as to why Elijah wouldn’t buy flowers for a girl on a first date. They both look at the clock and realize they have five minutes left till work. So, Dylan asks Elijah why he wouldn’t give a girl flowers on a first date. Elijah responds, “Well, excluding the cost and inconvenience of them, they bring off the wrong impression. They show that you’re desperate to impress someone with a gift and not by your personality. Also, you’re dependent on a material thing making you look good to a woman. And it sends off the wrong message to a girl in a way.”

“What message is that?” Dylan asks.

“In my opinion, roses are only given because of what you look like on the outside. You see, roses are pretty to look at, and you’re basically telling a girl that she’s pretty to look at with roses. I’m just speaking about a first date, by the way. It’s not the case if you’ve been with someone for years.”

Dylan just shakes his head and tells Elijah that it’s not true at all. Dylan explains that flowers are so romantic to girl, and Elijah just wouldn’t understand because he’s never experienced love. Elijah laughs and says, “That’s true, I’ve never been in love. Maybe you know more than me, and I’m tripping. Also, if those flowers are for a date, I would just do a single rose, but that’s just my advice.”

Dylan shakes his head and reluctantly thanks Elijah for the advice. They talk for a few minutes later, then 2:00 hits. They clock in, and it’s officially time to work.

Dylan and Elijah are working together stocking in their area. They do good work, and it’s eventually 6:00. It’s time for their hour-long break.

Dylan rushes to the backroom, clocks out and rushes to his locker. He grabs the roses and puts them behind his back. He’s about to leave the backroom, when he’s stopped by Elijah. Elijah asks him if they’re having lunch together, but Dylan explains that he has plans with someone. Elijah doesn’t ask any other questions and lets Dylan go. Dylan rushes out of Sam’s Club, goes to his car and waits patiently for his “date.” He’s holding the roses behind his back. A few minutes pass, and he finally sees the woman that’s on his mind. She’s walking to him with her Sam’s Club uniform on as well, and Dylan can’t help but show off a big smile. The woman eventually reaches the car and says, “Hey Dylan what’s up?”

“Hey Melanie, are you ready to go?” Dylan asks.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

This is the end of “The White Mask: Part One.”

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

On Thursday, I will be sharing and posting part two of “The White Mask.”