He Is Mine
Chapter I
Day 196
I have no friends.
I woke up this morning, what an achievement. I got up and looked in the mirror, I saw a distorted nebulous blob of skin and hair so I put on my glasses...ah there I am. My hair is a very dark brown while my eyes are a very light grey. I have a disease called CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and ontop of that my immune system is horrible. Every morning I take a series of pills that keep me moving and from dying from breathing the same air as other humans. I feel like an alien sometimes..an outcast.
It’s been 196 days since I graduated and I left my best friend behind. I don’t even think I could call him my best friend anymore. Auburn York came out to me that he was a homosexual a week before we graduated. He told me that he loved me and I didn’t reply to him. If I saw him again today I still wouldn’t know what to say. He wanted me to go to the same college with him and I wish that I did. Now I am a working man who drinks red wine on the weekends and doesn’t go out. There’s a word for that now and it’s called an introvert.
I work at a publishing company in the mystery department. I have always wanted to be apart of the mystery department and it took me 3 years in the mailroom and a lot of hard work to get me here. I make sure that the editor didn’t miss anything when the book is being finalized. It’s not the funniest job for most but I enjoy it and it pays fairly well.
Today after work as I walked home I saw a small bookshop\cafe across the street. I had never noticed the place before, I felt the impulse to go and check it out and so I did. I didn’t know that walking through that wooden door would lead me on a new journey in my life...one that I didn’t expect to go on.
I slowly wandered inside the cozy inviting room. The fresh scent of coffee hit my nose and so did the smell of a vast mixture of old and new books. It was a good smell. I walked over to one of the book shelves and started browsing. A short guy came walking out of a back door holding boxes that covered his face. I ignored him like I ignore everyone but then I hear a, “wo-woAH!” and before I knew it I had a pile of boxes come tumbling over me along with the short store worker. My glasses fell off and the glass on them shattered. I saw this man face to face and I almost threw up in my mouth.
“Ash?!”
No one has called me Ash since the day I walked off my parents front porch. My co-workers only referred to me as Mr. Ryan or Ashton and even that was rare. Hearing it made me blank out and it sent shivers down my spine. I felt two hands tug at my arm to help me up so I stood, trying to identify my surroundings. I left my spare glasses in my car and I didn't feel comfortable relying on others to lead me there. I hadn't asked for help in a long time and I didn't plan on asking anytime soon.
"You stopped wearing contacts? Not the best decision huh?"
I let out a deep sigh and I turned to the short blur before me,
"Nice seeing you too Auburn."
I heard him chuckle and he said snarkily, "I should be the one saying nice to see you. I know you can't see me."
I felt so vulnerable and helpless. I didn't want his help, I felt as if I had betrayed him by leaving him behind and yet he still is standing here talking to me.
I felt a presence behind me, "Is everything alright here sir?" His voice was deep and I could feel his breathe on the back of my neck. I felt extremely uncomfortable and I looked to Auburn for help but he seemed to be frozen. I felt a cold metal object press against my back and my heart began to beat hard in my chest. A robbery? At a bookstore!? In the middle of the day?- at that moment I caught a whiff of alcohol coming off of the man. He shoved me to the cash register, I felt it in front of me, and I spoke calmly, "I don't work here so I can't even open this thing...and I'm blind."
The drunken robber glanced down at Auburn who had already discretely called the police by pressing the 'panic' button under the register. He saw that he was holding my half broken glasses. The man spoke harshly,
"Give him the glasses."
Auburn put them on my face and I could see out of the left eye because it wasn't cracked. Auburn handed me the key to the register and I slowly opened it. A thick hardback book fell from the shelf making a loud clapping noise like a gunshot and I ducked like a fool. Even if he did fire the gun I would have been dead anyway. Luckily, the loud noise distracted the thief and Auburn took the opportunity to smash a coffee pot over his head.
The man collapsed to the ground with a thud. He was out. I got up and looked at Auburn who was shaking and breathing heavily. He dropped the handle of the now shattered glass pot. I smiled,
"You did it! You saved my life!"
Just then the police ran in and took the man into custody. Me and Auburn stood there staring at the commotion and I said to him as I zoned, "wana get a drink?"
He slowly nodded and we both turned to the door simultaneously and wondered out the entrance which chimed as it closed.
I have no friends.
I woke up this morning, what an achievement. I got up and looked in the mirror, I saw a distorted nebulous blob of skin and hair so I put on my glasses...ah there I am. My hair is a very dark brown while my eyes are a very light grey. I have a disease called CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and ontop of that my immune system is horrible. Every morning I take a series of pills that keep me moving and from dying from breathing the same air as other humans. I feel like an alien sometimes..an outcast.
It’s been 196 days since I graduated and I left my best friend behind. I don’t even think I could call him my best friend anymore. Auburn York came out to me that he was a homosexual a week before we graduated. He told me that he loved me and I didn’t reply to him. If I saw him again today I still wouldn’t know what to say. He wanted me to go to the same college with him and I wish that I did. Now I am a working man who drinks red wine on the weekends and doesn’t go out. There’s a word for that now and it’s called an introvert.
I work at a publishing company in the mystery department. I have always wanted to be apart of the mystery department and it took me 3 years in the mailroom and a lot of hard work to get me here. I make sure that the editor didn’t miss anything when the book is being finalized. It’s not the funniest job for most but I enjoy it and it pays fairly well.
Today after work as I walked home I saw a small bookshop\cafe across the street. I had never noticed the place before, I felt the impulse to go and check it out and so I did. I didn’t know that walking through that wooden door would lead me on a new journey in my life...one that I didn’t expect to go on.
I slowly wandered inside the cozy inviting room. The fresh scent of coffee hit my nose and so did the smell of a vast mixture of old and new books. It was a good smell. I walked over to one of the book shelves and started browsing. A short guy came walking out of a back door holding boxes that covered his face. I ignored him like I ignore everyone but then I hear a, “wo-woAH!” and before I knew it I had a pile of boxes come tumbling over me along with the short store worker. My glasses fell off and the glass on them shattered. I saw this man face to face and I almost threw up in my mouth.
“Ash?!”
No one has called me Ash since the day I walked off my parents front porch. My co-workers only referred to me as Mr. Ryan or Ashton and even that was rare. Hearing it made me blank out and it sent shivers down my spine. I felt two hands tug at my arm to help me up so I stood, trying to identify my surroundings. I left my spare glasses in my car and I didn't feel comfortable relying on others to lead me there. I hadn't asked for help in a long time and I didn't plan on asking anytime soon.
"You stopped wearing contacts? Not the best decision huh?"
I let out a deep sigh and I turned to the short blur before me,
"Nice seeing you too Auburn."
I heard him chuckle and he said snarkily, "I should be the one saying nice to see you. I know you can't see me."
I felt so vulnerable and helpless. I didn't want his help, I felt as if I had betrayed him by leaving him behind and yet he still is standing here talking to me.
I felt a presence behind me, "Is everything alright here sir?" His voice was deep and I could feel his breathe on the back of my neck. I felt extremely uncomfortable and I looked to Auburn for help but he seemed to be frozen. I felt a cold metal object press against my back and my heart began to beat hard in my chest. A robbery? At a bookstore!? In the middle of the day?- at that moment I caught a whiff of alcohol coming off of the man. He shoved me to the cash register, I felt it in front of me, and I spoke calmly, "I don't work here so I can't even open this thing...and I'm blind."
The drunken robber glanced down at Auburn who had already discretely called the police by pressing the 'panic' button under the register. He saw that he was holding my half broken glasses. The man spoke harshly,
"Give him the glasses."
Auburn put them on my face and I could see out of the left eye because it wasn't cracked. Auburn handed me the key to the register and I slowly opened it. A thick hardback book fell from the shelf making a loud clapping noise like a gunshot and I ducked like a fool. Even if he did fire the gun I would have been dead anyway. Luckily, the loud noise distracted the thief and Auburn took the opportunity to smash a coffee pot over his head.
The man collapsed to the ground with a thud. He was out. I got up and looked at Auburn who was shaking and breathing heavily. He dropped the handle of the now shattered glass pot. I smiled,
"You did it! You saved my life!"
Just then the police ran in and took the man into custody. Me and Auburn stood there staring at the commotion and I said to him as I zoned, "wana get a drink?"
He slowly nodded and we both turned to the door simultaneously and wondered out the entrance which chimed as it closed.
♠ ♠ ♠
To be continued