You'll Never Outrun What Waits for You Tomorrow

When Wednesday came around, I was at my worst. I couldn't believe that I had gotten fired and I was just stressing on how I would pay bills now and how i would feed myself. I didn't know what to do at all so I did the adult thing to do and ignored it all. Notice the sarcasm in my voice? No? Well let me very clear. I just don't give a fuck anymore.
I sighed as I turned my cell phone off and set up my easel. I needed to clear my mind and calm down with painting. Maybe if I make something worth a second look I could possibly sell it as a graphic design. That is how I made a living in my early years of living on my own. My face strained as I remembered my childhood, I used my emotion to start painting a piece that was in a high contrast of yellows.

About an hour later the phone rang and I jumped. Wiping my hands on my Paint apron I picked up my home phone on the 4Th ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello, May i speak to a Ms. Audrey Aries?" I didn't recognize the female voice.

"Speaking."

"Hello Ms. Aries, This is Lindsey Monoco I run Gallery Row in Downtown LA. We got a recommendation of your artwork and some samples sent in recently and we wanted to contact you to see if you would like to host a gallery collection at our next event?"

I was stunned and put a hand on my chest to be sure my heart was still beating. I gathered myself and spoke as if I hadn't just had a mini heart attack.

"Why I would be honored!" I smiled, "When is the event?"

"We were thinking sometime next month but we don't want to rush you, How many pieces do you have?"

"Definitely 30 plus." I said after a moment.

"Oh perfect," I could hear the smile in her voice, "Would you be willing to auction off some of your work?"

I bit my lip contemplating on getting rid of my work, However I did need the money.

"Yes of course." I said.

"Fantastic. Well Ms. Aries we will be contacting you in the next few days for information and the set up of how you'd like the gallery."

I smiled, "Thank you so much. By the way, May I ask who recommended me to you?"

"They chose to stay anonymous hun, I'm sorry."

I smirked expecting to be Kari, "No problem, Thanks anyways."

"You have a nice day, Goodbye."

I hung up the phone feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders. I decided after putting my easel away and setting my piece down to dry, I'd call Kari. After waiting for a few rings she picked up.

"Dude! I've been texting you all day! Where were you?" She chattered.

"I was painting," I stated, "Wanna get some lunch? I'm paying."

"Sure!" She seemed surprised.

"Alright, Come get me though I still have no gas."

"Okay I'll be there in twenty."

We hung up and that's when i noticed all the paint still on my arms. I ran up the stairs stripping on the way and hopped into the shower, I dried my hair and got dressed in just enough time before Kari was knocking on the door.

"You ready?" She smiled as I opened the door.

I nodded grabbing my keys and locking the door behind me. We arrived to an outdoor Mexican bar and ordered some drinks.

"So how are you doing?" She asked me.

"I've seen better days Kari... Better days." I sighed.

"I bet." She shook her head.

"By the way," I patted her hand, "Thank you for that art gallery recommendation."

She gave me a confused look and asked, "What?"

"It wasn't you?" I asked shocked.

Kari was the only person aside from my clients that has any of my work...

"I have no idea what your talking about so..." She trailed off, "But art gallery??"

"Yeah!" I smiled, "One gallery in downtown decided to let me host after getting a recommendation of my work."

"Wow! That's awesome!!" She smiled, "But I wasn't the one that recommended you..."

"Well..." I bit my lip wondering who did.

"What I wanted to ask you though... Is maybe you and Dj could bury the hatchet? The extremely rusty hatchet..." She couldn't even look at me knowing my exact look I was giving her.
When I didn't speak she continued, "I'm just tired of always getting in the middle of my own flesh and blood and my best friend. I'm about ready to use physical force on both of you!"

I sighed not wanting to get into this right now,"I appreciate you vocalizing your concern, But you are wasting your breath. At this point in my life, nothing, And I mean NOTHING, Will make me befriend that male."

"But--"

I stopped her, "Have you even asked Dj about this? I bet his answer is quite similar to mine." I smirked.

She shook her head, "You two are ridiculous.. Just wait and see what happens."

"Ooooo Girl!" I smiled, "Was that a threat?"

She grinned sweetly, "Nay Bitch."

I laughed and drank a sip of my drink and she went for hers.

Silently under her breath she said, "It's a fucking promise."

I almost choked on soda and we both bursted into laughter.

"Just wait and see hun." She smirked, "You both will end up liking one another, Mark my words."

"That'll be the day." I smiled.

Thursday rolled around quickly and I decided I should start on my newest project for the gallery. Inspiration had been slim so I decided to take a walk around my backyard at sunset so I could find a perfect area to paint in the dark. Usually, when I would tell other artists this method of mine they’d give a strange look and tell me I was crazy. I believe people see more clearly during the night sky, while all the naughty people are awaking. That, my friend, is when real art work comes out. I grabbed the house phone and retreated under the stars and in front of my easel. Slowly and carefully I started painting very fine lines, I was an abstract artist by trait, So don’t even ask me what I was planning to do because even I didn’t know yet.

I had just finished with some outlines of swirls when the home phone rang. Sighing I put my brush down and wiped my hands before grabbing it annoyed.

“Hello.” I answered harshly.

“M-may I speak to Audrey please?”

How come so many random people are calling me?! How are they getting my number?

“Speaking.” I spoke casually while lighting a cigarette.

“Audrey… It’s mom.” The woman spoke.

I froze exhaling my last hit before swallowing the lump in my throat, “I have no mother, Maybeth.” I spat her name out.

“Audrey, sweetie this is important.” She spoke softly.

“How important huh? As important as I was to you?” I snarled before hanging up.

It wasn’t even a second later when she dialed again, and again, and again. Finally I picked up annoyed with her constant bugging.

“What? What the fuck do you want?!” I answered.

Her voice cracked as she spoke her next sentence, “Jordan is dead.”

I closed my eyes holding back the memories that tried to claw their way through my memory block, “How did he die?”

“Drug overdose.” She replied.

I laughed wickedly, “Well congrats. May he rot in the confinements of hell.”

“Audrey Lee Croach, Don’t you dare say that about your brother!” I flinched at my birth name.

“He was never my brother.” I snarled.

“Can’t you just let bygones be bygones? He was family, And blood, You need to come to his funeral.” She commanded.

I laughed at this, “I don’t NEED to do anything. The only reason I would set foot in that funeral home would be to spit on his fucking grave myself. You’re a fucking idiot for thinking I’d give you an answer other than this one right here. You listening maybeth? Huh? Listen real closely now! FUCK. YOU.”

There was a moment of silence before the woman that birthed me spoke, “How can you be so cold blooded?”

“HOW COULD I?!?” I screamed into the receiver, “After all they ever put me through, After all they have done to me, After YOU left me behind to rot with them while YOU escaped! Your answer is let bygones be bygones?! I have no family. For all I care, You and the rest of you shit head clan are dead.”

She didn’t respond but I knew she had heard me. Why is everyone asking me to bury hatchets with assholes?

“Again I say, Fuck. You. Don’t ever call this number again.” And with that I hung up.

I took another hit off my cigarette and then set it out on the easel right in the dead center of the painting. I ran a hand through my tangled hair and went inside to take my medication. I jogged upstairs and dressed down into my pj’s for the night and layed on my bed.

Jordan was dead now. And to me, so was everyone else. No, I did not feel bad for saying what I said about my ‘brother’, he never will be that to me. Not one piece of that side will ever rain down on me again. I shut my eyes and focused on fixing the holes in my memory block. It was as if my brain was a zombie apocalypse, it was a wooden house I lived in along with my friends Mr. and Mrs. Slaughtered meat. Those zombies punch and try to break there way in while I frantically fill in the holes. It was just another plank and nail on the wall.
But even then…
I have to run out of wood sometime…