Blood Shed

Come and Claim Your Queen

Elena’s eyes were somewhere else for some time. I studied her growth. She had gotten taller. Her eyes bluer. Her nails were longer. Her guitar chase shivered along with the rest of her body. Was that an epiphany?

“Ele-“

Before I could say another thing the pretty boy bartender jumps in front of her.

“Move it.” I grunted as I took one step closer to him. I bumped up against his shoulder.

“Get out of my bar. Now.” His eyes were full of fury.

“You don’t understand Elena-“

He shoved me back, I didn’t go far, and he was so weak compared to me. “It’s Ely!”

I sighed and looked behind him to a shaking Elena. She looked scared, like the little girl Roman and I discovered so long ago. I missed that little girl. This woman wasn’t whom I remembered.

I moved my head so Elena’s eyes could see me without trouble. “What happened to you?”

Pretty boy’s fist was closing in on my face. I caught it easily and twisted it back. I could easily break it if he said one more thing. He cursed under his breath and put his head down in defeat.

Elena’s eyes went wide. “Remember this?” I asked her, hoping that she would.

She nodded slowly. Her finger found her mouth. She nibbled on the fat of her finger. She looked terrified. She stepped forward.

“Bill? I want to leave, now.” Her voice was breaking. She would cry soon.

“Alright let me just deal with this trash.” A smirk slid across his lips.

With that the back of his shoe flew up. Right into my family jewels. I let go in that instant and clenched at my groin. Damn, this kid could hit there hard.

His hands found my shoulders and pushed me back, right on my ass.

“Get the hell out of my bar.” His voice was stern, filled with power.

He cradled Elena in a tight embrace and walked her out of the bar. Right out of my life. I put my hands to my face. What the hell just happened?

There on the floor I sat until a janitor kicked my side. “Closing time, sun’s up.”

I sighed and stood up. The kind, elderly janitor put his hand out for support. He must have thought I was drunk. I waved his hand away and went out to the suns slow entrance.

My Rolex beeped loudly. “Shut up.” I turned the alarm off.

If it were a normal night I would just be leaving Roman’s place. Now I would just be going there. I jogged the few short blocks to his crib. I had to tell him what had happened.

I banged loudly on his front door. I heard giggling. He wasn’t done with his nightly hooker yet? I gladly let myself in and ran up the steps.

I opened the door to find Roman in the nude. Balls and all. Masturbating to some porn.

I spit in disgust. “What the fuck man?” I shielded my eyes from the horrible sight.

He chuckled and turned over on his side, so I could see everything. “Come on, ya know you want this. I can’t hold this in any longer Day. I just can’t.”

I turned around so I could see the light walls of his hallway. “I found Elena.” I said it as if his nakedness didn’t exist.

“Fo real?” His voice turned from seductive to happy in an instant.

“She didn’t even look like she recognized me.” I leaned against the doorframe. “Would you turn that shit off? It’s ruining my good mood.”

“Yes sir.” He turned off the TV and I heard him putting jeans on. I heard something light fall on the carpet.

I turned back around to him. Weed. Dope lay all over the floor. It must have fallen from his pocket. He screamed and dropped to his knees. He licked at the carpet.

“Come on man. I have to kill chicks on that.” I virtually face palmed myself. He wouldn’t even remember any of this now, nor tomorrow, nor the day after that.

“That’s cool. Where is she?”

“She left. I’m going back to Sal’s. I’ll wait for her there. You want to come?” I looked into his large pupils.

“Later I shall cum. But as for Elena yes I’ll go now.” A queer smile went across his face.

I walked down the stairs and out of his house. He would follow me if he wanted to. I didn’t give to fucks at that moment. Roman’s an odd one for sure.

A taxi cab pulled around the corner. I stuck my hand out in the manor a New Yorker would. It stopped and let me in.

“Where to?” He sounded exhausted from a day of bringing lazy fucks like me to places they needed to be.

“Sal’s.”

He laughed. “You’re just like my regular. Always going to Sal’s. I was never in it though. Mind if I join you for a drink or two? I could use that now.”

“Sure. Mind if I ask who this regular is?” I pulled out some Bens.

“Name’s Ely.”

Bingo. I tossed him the Bens. He looked at me funny then tucked it away in his wallet. Just as the money was almost secure until I put Missy to his throat .

“Take me to her place. Now. You better swear on your life that you don’t get it wrong or I swear I will slaughter you to bits.” I breathed heavily onto his neck.

“Okay!” He slammed on his gas pedal.

We flew right down First Street, me still standing up oddly in the back, until we came to an old, brick house. Elena always said she wanted to live in a brick house like this one.

“I will be right back. Don’t you run from me. If you’re right I’ll drive you myself to Sal’s and buy you all the Bloody Mary’s you want. If not..that’s your own fault.” I gripped his neck tightly for a second before I got out of the car and ran up the cement stairs to the door.

I knocked on the door once, twice, three times. No answer. I looked back to the taxi car, which was still there. That man’s face was scared shitless, he should be. An older man came to the door. His hair was frazzled, he yawned.

“Can I help you Sir?” He asked rubbing his eyes.

“Yes, you can. Is Elena home?”

“No, there’s no Elena here. Sorry.” His rob danced in the soft winds passing by us.

“Sorry to bother you sir. Have a nice day.”

“You too.” With that he smiled and shut the door gently.

If this were a movie this would be the part where I turn around and give the taxi driver a pissed off look. I did just that. He screamed, even from outside the car I could hear him.

I tucked missy into my shirtsleeve and went to the passenger side of the taxi. “Drive to Locust Alley.”

“Y-Yes.” He stuttered.

We swerved and turned around twisted, old roads. By the time we reached Locust Alley the taxi man was crying so hard his sobs sounded like screams. Then I pulled out my trusty gun, whom I named Gun. Gun was the thing that ended that man’s life.

His brains were blown against the windshield. Blood dripped down the windows. He let out a puff of air before smashed his forehead onto the horn. A loud beep came off of it. I jumped out of the car and walked away slowly. Curious civilians surrounded the man.

Things didn’t have to end that way.

From there I went off to Sal's on foot. I sat at that same bar stool. Red head was back as bartender. He threw me a Sam and told me it was on the house. There I waited for Elena to show again.