Untitled
In the beginning
He sat ridged, bolt upright between the fresh quilt and mattress. His bed shirt, an old band tee, hung gracefully from his rounded shoulders. Another tear drop ran down the fold in the sheets as it glistened, becoming smaller as the soft fabric absorbed it. He hugged his arms around his body, moving slowly as not to wake his fiancee. She moved in her sleep a lot, and it would keep him awake each night. Especially when she was drunk, every night way the same. The cot in the far corner was barely visible as Keely's soft murmur could be heard. Shed been awake nearly 20 minutes now, but hadn't cried out for anyone. Hadn't even moved that much. Keely was his nine month old daughter and she was really finding her voice of late. Especially when she was screaming at the top of her lungs.
Frank tightened his grip around his body. He felt so alone, even with these two around him. He didn't feel whole. But fragmented. He needed to get away from here for a while, somewhere where he could think. He wanted to slip away.
Shifting his legs to the side, he felt the carpet between his toes as he planted them upon the floor. His boxers moved up his legs as he pushed away from the bed. The boards beneath were solid, they didn't creak as he moved away. But he still tiptoed.
"Keep on being beautiful for me babes" Franks voice broke out a hushed whisper as he stroked the babies head. Her skin so soft and warm in his palm as her silk like hair all began to go the same way. Her eyes were so big. She gurgled with joy as she sucked on her fist. This made everything feel worth while for a moment as he stared at his firstborn. But the moment was snatched away from him as his partner began to stir back in bed, behind him. Peering over his shoulder at the sound he knew he had to get away now, before she woke up. He wanted to take his baby with him, but knowing what the outcome would be, he thought it wasn't really worth endless threats again.
"Sleep now beautiful" He touched the end of the babies nose softly. "I love you..." He lent over and kissed her forehead and then he turned to leave.
He would often go there. The river always calmed him when he was feeling messed up. The bridge also gave good shelter for when the weather wasn't so good. But tonight it was okay as Frank carefully shut the front door behind him. Having got fully dressed and shoving on a coat, he locked the door and placed the key gently inside his parkers pocket, swiftly walked down the path way to the cranky picket frence, running his fingers along the green estate that was parked there. He liked walking at night. It was interesting. The air was always colder then his body heat, and the sensation of it filling his lungs with every breath had a soothing effect. The feel of it on his cheeks as he briskly walked to 'his area' was so uplifting. The trapped nerve at the top of his spine twanged again, making him wince alittle.
"Another injury" he sighed as he traced his steps back to the night before. He had taken this very route after the fall out between him and Jenny, his long term girlfriend, turned fiancee. They seemed to fall out a lot. And he always used to feel the brunt of the pain.
A young couple, rushed into adulthood before their time, no money and a baby on the way ended up in one pretty abusive relationship. Sure they wasn't perfect, no couple is, but if it meant he could see his daughter, he'd have to stick around.
Lifting his arm he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to relieve the ache. It wasn't much good, but he knew he'd learn to live with it, like all the other times. He reached the side of a motor way, the wire fencing blocking him from the slope, leading down to his heaven. When no one was insight he pulled at the bottom of the fencing, creating a small gap, just big enough to fit his small frame through. Standing only 5ft 4 Frank wasn't the biggest of men. Perhaps that's why he couldn't stand up for himself against his own girlfriend. But then again, who can take having plates smashed over your head and such liking?
Finally through, he placed the fencing back were it had been and made his way down the steep grassy verge. The familiar smell of Marlboro smoke filled the air around Frank as it did many a time when he came here. This made his heart race as his steps became lengthened. He would meet up with someone here. Someone who knew how to make him feel alive, someone that had set a spark alight in Franks heart. Frank pictured the persons face in his head. The soft black hair, swept across his forehead. His small white teeth, oddly shaped but beautiful in their own right. Marble white skin and lips full, and lastly his eyes. Eyes that could pierce steal, always thickly rimmed with black.
The image vanished from his sight as he reached the bottom of the slope. The concrete banking two meters wide with a sheer drop to the moving water. The bridge above creating a perfect area. Frank looked around, the moon light illuminating the space. But it was empty. There was no body there. Frank stood alone. A sense of losing something came across him. He was to late.
Frank tightened his grip around his body. He felt so alone, even with these two around him. He didn't feel whole. But fragmented. He needed to get away from here for a while, somewhere where he could think. He wanted to slip away.
Shifting his legs to the side, he felt the carpet between his toes as he planted them upon the floor. His boxers moved up his legs as he pushed away from the bed. The boards beneath were solid, they didn't creak as he moved away. But he still tiptoed.
"Keep on being beautiful for me babes" Franks voice broke out a hushed whisper as he stroked the babies head. Her skin so soft and warm in his palm as her silk like hair all began to go the same way. Her eyes were so big. She gurgled with joy as she sucked on her fist. This made everything feel worth while for a moment as he stared at his firstborn. But the moment was snatched away from him as his partner began to stir back in bed, behind him. Peering over his shoulder at the sound he knew he had to get away now, before she woke up. He wanted to take his baby with him, but knowing what the outcome would be, he thought it wasn't really worth endless threats again.
"Sleep now beautiful" He touched the end of the babies nose softly. "I love you..." He lent over and kissed her forehead and then he turned to leave.
He would often go there. The river always calmed him when he was feeling messed up. The bridge also gave good shelter for when the weather wasn't so good. But tonight it was okay as Frank carefully shut the front door behind him. Having got fully dressed and shoving on a coat, he locked the door and placed the key gently inside his parkers pocket, swiftly walked down the path way to the cranky picket frence, running his fingers along the green estate that was parked there. He liked walking at night. It was interesting. The air was always colder then his body heat, and the sensation of it filling his lungs with every breath had a soothing effect. The feel of it on his cheeks as he briskly walked to 'his area' was so uplifting. The trapped nerve at the top of his spine twanged again, making him wince alittle.
"Another injury" he sighed as he traced his steps back to the night before. He had taken this very route after the fall out between him and Jenny, his long term girlfriend, turned fiancee. They seemed to fall out a lot. And he always used to feel the brunt of the pain.
A young couple, rushed into adulthood before their time, no money and a baby on the way ended up in one pretty abusive relationship. Sure they wasn't perfect, no couple is, but if it meant he could see his daughter, he'd have to stick around.
Lifting his arm he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to relieve the ache. It wasn't much good, but he knew he'd learn to live with it, like all the other times. He reached the side of a motor way, the wire fencing blocking him from the slope, leading down to his heaven. When no one was insight he pulled at the bottom of the fencing, creating a small gap, just big enough to fit his small frame through. Standing only 5ft 4 Frank wasn't the biggest of men. Perhaps that's why he couldn't stand up for himself against his own girlfriend. But then again, who can take having plates smashed over your head and such liking?
Finally through, he placed the fencing back were it had been and made his way down the steep grassy verge. The familiar smell of Marlboro smoke filled the air around Frank as it did many a time when he came here. This made his heart race as his steps became lengthened. He would meet up with someone here. Someone who knew how to make him feel alive, someone that had set a spark alight in Franks heart. Frank pictured the persons face in his head. The soft black hair, swept across his forehead. His small white teeth, oddly shaped but beautiful in their own right. Marble white skin and lips full, and lastly his eyes. Eyes that could pierce steal, always thickly rimmed with black.
The image vanished from his sight as he reached the bottom of the slope. The concrete banking two meters wide with a sheer drop to the moving water. The bridge above creating a perfect area. Frank looked around, the moon light illuminating the space. But it was empty. There was no body there. Frank stood alone. A sense of losing something came across him. He was to late.