Prayer For The Heartless

I was finishing up a full-back tattoo on my best friend, Tucker, when the bell on the door of our shop rang. I swiveled in my chair and pulled back the curtain on my booth. Leaning forward, I yelled, "Oh, I'll be with you in a moment!" Wincing, Tucker shifted slightly on her stomach to allow me to finish her Apocalyptic scene. I just had to finish the shading on the sky and this five hour work of art would be perfect.

Tucker and I were the only artists left in Pins & Needles; the shop we opened with our friends only two years ago. The other girls had gone out for the night. Friday nights are for parties and no twenty-five year old single woman wants to stay home every weekend, something I had an odd proclivity for.

"There, all done. This is the best Apocalypse I've ever done. I hope you love it," I beamed as Tucker gasped in joy. She tackled me in a hug and whispered, "I love it. You are the best, Jen."
I kissed her cheek, smiled, and went up front to help the young man who had come in earlier. When he turned around, I stopped dead in my tracks. "Oh...my...gosh. You're Mike Fuentes," I stammered, "What can I...how can...how did...you..uhh..".

He chuckled at my loss of speech and smiled. Gesturing toward his upper arm he said, "I've been wanting an awesome half sleeve and heard you were the best shop in the area." Tucker slid in front of me and pulled out my portfolio. "What do you want? JennaBeth is awesome with skeletons and scenes. She just finished my Apocalypse."

"Yeah," I cut in, "but Tucker is better at characters. She did my sleeves- one is Nightmares, one is Sweet Dreams." We proudly displayed our ink for him to admire. As he began discussing what he had in mind, I got an idea of my own. I ran to my booth for some sketch paper and began drawing rapidly as soon as I got back to the counter. This tattoo would be the best piece I've done yet if it turned out right.