The Sharpest Lives

“Natalie?” Gerard said out loud, looking the little girl dead in the eyes.

“Hi!” She shouted, running towards him. “Isn’t it weird that we keep running into each other like this?”

Gerard nodded slowly. “Where’s you mother, Natalie? Don’t tell me you’re here alone.”

“No, silly, I’m not here alone. Mom’s right around the corner, come on, let’s go get her!” Natalie said in a cute voice, grabbing Gerard’s free hand and pulling him towards the next aisle over.

“Mommy, look who I ran into!” Natalie dragged an uncomfortable Gerard towards her mother.

Natalie’s mother nearly dropped the can of soup she was holding at the sight of Gerard. Her jaw slacked and her eyes went wide. “Natalie, who is this?” She demanded furiously.

“It’s Gerard, from the bus last night.” Natalie explained calmly. “You must remember him.” She said, throwing her arms in the air.

Gerard chuckled. He loved the way Natalie exaggerated everything, made it seem bigger than it really was. He ran his fingers through his hair awkwardly, looking at Natalie’s mother with a small smile on his face.

“Well, I guess I should properly introduce myself, since Natalie had taken such a liking to you. I’m Laurie Muir.” She extended her arm.

Gerard took her hand and shook it. “Gerard Haddow, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said quietly, letting go of her hand and letting his own fall to his side.

“Your last name is Haddow? I like it, it’s pretty.” Natalie beamed cutely, making Gerard smile again. Laurie smiled, too, but took her daughter’s hand and looked at Gerard apologetically.

“I’m sorry, but we really must be going.” She said, already walking away with the small girl, who smiled and waved goodbye to Gerard.

He smiled back and waved himself. Why did this little girl have such a strong effect on him? He smiled for the first time in months - probably years - because of her. No exaggeration, he was just an unhappy person. Most of his life he had been that way.

He walked to the first checkout aisle he could find and asked for a pack of cigarettes while he paid. He took out eighty dollars in twenty-dollar bills, left it on the counter, telling the cashier to keep the change. He didn’t really care about money, although he could sorely use some. He lit a cigarette the second he walked out of the store, a bag on either side of him, and walked home to his empty apartment.

-

A blood curdling scream rang out through the apartment. It had escaped from a girl’s lips, her face covered in blood. Gerard silenced her by turning the television off, dropping the remote beside him. He’d had enough mind numbing motion pictures for the day.

Outside, it was dark. New Jersey street lights dimly lit the inside of the apartment. It was eleven thirty.

Gerard was perfectly conscious of the fact that he had to work the next day, and he was quite tired, but he couldn’t will himself to go to sleep. When he finally did haul himself to his bedroom, it was closer to twelve o’clock. He set his bedside alarm clock for six o’clock AM and buried himself in his sheets.

Then it was quiet, excluding the whistle of the wind through his bedroom window. The sound of the rain had vanished, he almost missed it. He slowly drifted off to sleep without it.