Break In

Ariadne-

I can bear the pain no longer. It has been weeks since I’ve spoken to anyone in our family, and months since then since I have even seen any of you. I hope you understand that with the passing of Benji, life has become too difficult. Everyone leaves, and in the end, it’s not worth the pain.

This is all I have. I hope you use it to start a new life, a better one. I do not trust Calliope with it - she has made her choices, and I do not agree with them. You are my only sister left, and I love you very much. You are special. Don’t let anyone tell you different. There is one who agrees with me, and you knew him long ago.

Call him. Please.

-Demeter

Ariadne crumpled the paper and tossed it away into the storm drain. She took a long drag on her cigarette and shook her head. She’d received the note in the mail, a day after her eldest sister’s disappearance. Along with the note, Demeter had included a check for six thousand dollars. The only thing that had kept her from shredding the check was her desperate situation.

She pulled her heavy plaid jacket closer around her. It was November in Brooklyn, and the cold air had begun to sting her cheeks a couple of weeks ago. She put her hand over her face, the wool of her shabby gloves scratching her cheek slightly. She sighed loudly, and she flicked away her cigarette.

“Had to do this to me, didn’t you, Dem?” she said under her breath.

She pulled her hood up and stood from the curb. She dreaded going back inside where she knew Justin would either be raging pissed or passed out cold on the bed. She wiggled the handle, but she discovered it was locked. She pounded on the door loudly.

“Justin!” she shouted. “Goddammit, Justin! Open the fucking door!”

Ariadne heard heavy footsteps, a struggle with the door, and then was greeted angrily by a six-foot tall figure stinking heavily of skunk weed and Jack Daniels whiskey. She pushed past him and said, “I’m going back to Pitt.”

“Youwha...?”Justin slurred.

She started walking toward the hall.

“I’m leaving in the morning,” Ariadne said. “I don’t know why I bother telling you. You’ll forget this whole night. You always do.”

Justin grabbed her wrist and said, “Y’not goin’ an’where.”

“Let go,” Ariadne said.

“D’ja hear me, dammit?”

“I heard you. It doesn’t change anything. I have to go.”

Justin’s grip tightened, and she yelped.

“I told ya,” he said, “y’ain’t goin’ nowhere, Daphne.”

Ariadne sighed and said, “We’re not even dating anymore, Justin. Let me go, now.”

Justin pulled her closer; she could smell the weed on his clothes and gagged at how heavy it was. She attempted to pull away from him, but he pulled her back. He put his lips on her cheek, breathing heavily on her. She yanked away, but his fist caught her across the cheekbone, and she gasped.

“Goddammit!” Ariadne screamed.

She pulled the bottle of whiskey from Justin’s hand and cracked him over the head with it. His eyes went blank, and he dropped to the floor. She let the bottle fall from her hand, and she walked to the back room to get her phone. It took her a minute to remember the old number, but she dialed it and soon it was ringing.

“H...hullo?” came a gruff voice.

“Paddy?” Ariadne said. “Is this Paddy Conlon?”

“This is he,” sighed the voice.

“It-” Ariadne took a deep breath and continued, “It’s Ariadne Vaughn. Do you know where Tommy is?”

“Ariadne?” chuckled Paddy. “That’s a name I never thought I’d hear again. Tommy’s down at the gym right now, but I can have him call you when he gets back if you-”

“No, it’s fine. Just tell him...I’m coming home.”