In Parties
The only chapter.
The room, the dance floor, it's all dark, and the man is nearly a shadow himself. But he lingers, and the music plays on in his mind, though the song he remembers hasn't been heard here in years. He stands there for a moment longer, shrugs his hair out of his face, and slowly makes his way to the door, looking back only for a second. He closes the door behind him and crosses the street to where his car is waiting.
There is someone at the car, and the man stares, puzzled, for a moment. This stranger is wearing all black, a contrast to the white car, so he's immediately visible. His hat shades his face, though, and the long coat he is wearing hides his form. But this strange man shifts slightly, and he is not a stranger after all. The face, the hair escaping from the side of the hat, his pose, it's all something he remembers. But mostly it's the eyes. “I know you.”
“Yes,” says the man who is not a stranger. “Yes.”
The first man stands there for a while, but eventually breaks out of his trance. “Fuck, it's been ages. Don't ever do that again.”
He walks unsteadily over to the other, and embraces him, crushing him against the car by mistake. The second man gasps slightly, but doesn't complain.
“How did you find my car?”
“It wasn't very hard to learn of the strange man who comes here each week after everyone has left and stands in the darkness. Do you think I wouldn't recognize you from that?”
“No, no. No.” He trails off, sounding short of breath. “Do you know how much I've missed you?”
“Probably.” The other smiles slightly. “Look, I walked here, and it's dark enough by now that walking back will be difficult. Do you think you could give me a ride?”
“That's not funny.” But the man smiles anyway. “Get in the car.”
The man gets into the car and puts in the key, but he hesitates, and leans over to the glove compartment. He rummages around for a second, and then finds a CD case. He wipes off the dust, opens the case, and inserts the CD in the car's player. He starts the car now. The other man has already situated himself in the passenger seat. The song begins playing.
Learning lines in the rain
Special effects by Loonatik and Drinks
The graveyard scene
The golden years...
They both sigh, and then exchange smiles. “I remember that night,” the second man says, though he doesn't need to. The first man nods and smiles once more, and they just sit there.
There is someone at the car, and the man stares, puzzled, for a moment. This stranger is wearing all black, a contrast to the white car, so he's immediately visible. His hat shades his face, though, and the long coat he is wearing hides his form. But this strange man shifts slightly, and he is not a stranger after all. The face, the hair escaping from the side of the hat, his pose, it's all something he remembers. But mostly it's the eyes. “I know you.”
“Yes,” says the man who is not a stranger. “Yes.”
The first man stands there for a while, but eventually breaks out of his trance. “Fuck, it's been ages. Don't ever do that again.”
He walks unsteadily over to the other, and embraces him, crushing him against the car by mistake. The second man gasps slightly, but doesn't complain.
“How did you find my car?”
“It wasn't very hard to learn of the strange man who comes here each week after everyone has left and stands in the darkness. Do you think I wouldn't recognize you from that?”
“No, no. No.” He trails off, sounding short of breath. “Do you know how much I've missed you?”
“Probably.” The other smiles slightly. “Look, I walked here, and it's dark enough by now that walking back will be difficult. Do you think you could give me a ride?”
“That's not funny.” But the man smiles anyway. “Get in the car.”
The man gets into the car and puts in the key, but he hesitates, and leans over to the glove compartment. He rummages around for a second, and then finds a CD case. He wipes off the dust, opens the case, and inserts the CD in the car's player. He starts the car now. The other man has already situated himself in the passenger seat. The song begins playing.
Learning lines in the rain
Special effects by Loonatik and Drinks
The graveyard scene
The golden years...
They both sigh, and then exchange smiles. “I remember that night,” the second man says, though he doesn't need to. The first man nods and smiles once more, and they just sit there.