He signaled the bartender, who asked “Another?” This man didn’t know Ray was dead any more than the misses in the corner.
“Relax. I’m taking a cab.” And that was true, he suddenly realized. Someone was clonking up the stairs in his house now. And it would be a black and yellow calling when that person entered the bathroom. “Make it quick.”
Ray hoped the money he was piling up wouldn’t evaporate with him but had an idea it might.
He wondered who was about to find him. His ex wife? Impossible. She moved to Vegas more than a year ago. The incessantly chatty next door neighbor, then? Or someone else? Something else.
A memory pierced him. When he couldn’t still his hand on the knife, he hadn’t been alone in that bathroom. A woman had joined him, an insubstantial someone wrapping her arms around his shoulders placing her hands over his on the hilt. He had looked up when they made the cut together, caught her eye for the briefest instant in the mirror, and felt, rather than saw her extraordinary beauty.
It was her then creaking down his hall, hungry for him now like he had been for her in their brief moment of contact.
Ray stood too fast, tipping the stool in his hurry as he slammed another twenty on the bar. There was a cab outside waiting, right now, but he had to hurry or he’d miss it. “Night ladies.” He tipped a finger towards the booth. “Barkeep,” he called over his shoulder, “never mind about that drink.”
Jessie Powell is the Jester Queen. She likes to tell you about her dog, her kids, her fiction, and her blog, but not necessarily in that order. |
creepy. Perfect for this time of year!
Hop over and visit Carrie’s recent post Getting to the bottom of it {The Path You Choose}
so cool, so collected, so dead. it could be a great script for a spooky WITHOUT a TRACE.
I loved how he is the only one who knows he’s dead, that made the writing even tighter.
Oh Ray, what does the afterlife have in store for you now???
Hop over and visit Kir’s recent post For When I Wish I Had all the Answers
This: “It was her then creaking down his hall, hungry for him now like he had been for her in their brief moment of contact.”
brought it all together. Great feel for the piece.
Hop over and visit Lance’s recent post 100 Word Song – Poor Places
This is crazy good, Jessie. Ray’s insubstantiality is killing me!
Her beauty, their brief moment, his being about to miss it. So ephimeral, so deep.
Hop over and visit KymmInBarcelona’s recent post Not Feeling Yourself?
Very cool. Every time I read something of yours, I finish thinking “wait, I need to read this again”.
p.s. are things starting to calm down for you?
Hop over and visit Marie Nicole’s recent post Weekly Photo Challenge: Good Morning!
That is a bit creepy haha but I like it!
Shivers — nicely done.
Hop over and visit Lauren’s recent post Double Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
I love how you made the supernatural fit seamlessly into a real world setting. Nicely done!
Hop over and visit Trifecta (@trifectawriting)’s recent post Trifecta: Week Ninety-Eight
Agree with Trifecta 100%. This is so great. So original – and love the dead guy in the real world setting.
Hop over and visit Ilene’s recent post I Love Your Blog
This was creepy, but in a good way. I would love to see how you would expand on this story.
Hop over and visit Tara R.’s recent post Oh captain, my captain
How perfectly, seasonally, spooky. Hope you’re doing well, my friend. Sorry it has taken me a few days to get here. Better late than never, right?
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Hop over and visit Kathy’s recent post An Expat Experience of San Fernando, Ecuador (A Lesson about Abundance)