This Blood Is Gonna Wake the Night

The train was quite loud due to the fact that it was crowded. I found the couple across from me intriguing. I'd never really seen anyone apart from my parents acting in a lovey-dovey way. These two were like my parents. They were cuddled up, holding hands and having 'thumb wars'.

The brown haired one saw me staring and said 'What?' to me. I just ignored him and turned to look out the window again. Everything was a big blur though. I could just see the green of the trees. I'd seen them when I was on the road with Bert too. I couldn't wait to get out and touch one!

"Yeah, that's what I thought!"

"Russ, c'mon! Don't start a fight now!" His black haired companion said.

"It's not my fault there's a homophobe wishing he could kill us, right now!"

I knew that a homophobe was someone who hated homosexuals. I don't hate them.

"I'm not a homophobe!" I insisted.

"Well, stop eyeing my boyfriend up, then!"

"Stop it, Russ!" His boyfriend insisted.

"But I don't want some skank giving you the eye!"

"Just don't look at him!" He insisted "Here, look, why don't you put your iPod on?"

The brown haired guy sighed and put some headphones in, fiddling with something in his pocket. Moments later, he started bobbing his head happily and tapping the table to a certain beat. The guy with black hair looked at me and smiled again.

"Sorry about that!" He said "He gets kinda' defensive at times."

"More like possesive," I mumbled to myself "It's fine!" I said so he could hear me.

He smiled again and turned back to his boyfriend, who smiled stupidly and cuddled up to him some more. I let a low growl escape my throat when he gave me a filthy look. Then I sighed and looked out the window, wishing Jersey would arrive already. . .

. . . Ladies and gentlemen, we are now arriving in Belleville, New Jersey.

"That's our stop, babe," The black haired guy said, kissing his companions cheek before getting up and grabbing a bag off of the rack above his head.

I got up and followed them towards the nearest exit. The brown haired one looked at me and made an 'Uuh' sound, rolling his eyes at me. I scowled at him with venomous eyes.

"Look, Frankie, we've picked up a little stalker!"

"Oh, well I'm sorry for living in New Jersey!" I replied sarcastically "I didn't realise you were the only inhabitant! Shall I find the nearest temple so I can worship you?"

The guy with black hair snorted softly with laughter. His boyfriend glared and, as soon as the doors opened, dragged him off. I pursued them with a smirk. Then I scanned the area for any familiar yellow vehicles lurking around.

I finally spotted one and made my way over. The driver was about forty and very fat. He had a flat cap on to try and hide the fact that he was losing his hair and he was smoking a cigarette.

"Taxi?" I questioned as he rolled his window down.

"Get in, cheif," He replied.

So I got into the back of the cab and sat forward a little.

"Where to, chief?"

"Um. . . hold on a sec, I can't remember the address," I said "Uh. . . ten. . . slate street? Is it slate street?"

"You mean slade street?"

"Yes! That's it, thanks!"

The cab driver started the car up and reversed out of the parking space he was in. I looked out the window at the passing buildings, my heart beating like a drum. This couldn't be real, could it? I was finally going home. My Mom and Dad would be there! Maybe not Mikey 'cause he must be about twenty four now. Maybe he had a girlfriend or a wife and kids.

If so, I'd like to meet them. . .

. . . "Here we go, chief!"

I looked out the window at the familiar house. But all my Mom's pretty flowers I remembered were now dead and uncared for. The lawn was an overgrown wilderness. No way did my parents live here! They'd never let their home get like this!

"Are you sure?"

"Ten slade street, chief!" The cab driver insisted "That's fifteen bucks, chief!"

"Right, um. . . that's a ten and there's a five!"

"Okay, thanks chief!" The driver said, taking the money.

I got out and said thanks to him for driving me.

"Just my job, chief!" He insisted "You take care, okay? You seem a little soft for this place, if you don't mind my saying so!"

"No, it's fine!" I replied.

He touched his cap briefly and drove off. I turned to look at the house in front of me. The old black door had been changed for a dark brown one. I took a deep breath before walking up the stone path that led to the house.

I hovered shyly in the doorway for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and knocking.