Thursday, September 13, 2012

RED AS POPSICLES (The Runaway--XIV)


Nik lay face down on the mattress. Water blasted from the bathroom sink. When Josh saw his friend, relief turned to anger.

“Where the hell have you been?” Josh said.

Nikko didn’t stir. Josh shook him. Nik moaned.

“Jesus, Nik, wake up! We missed singing tonight.”

“Tired.” Nik rolled on his side, back to Josh.

Josh stood up. The red light on the phone blinked.

“Someone stole the guitar,” Josh said. “And the desk wants us to pay up. They’re gonna evict us.”

“No money.”

“No money?” Josh asked. “We should have a thousand dollars left.”

“Gone.” Nik’s hand flopped over the side of the bed.

Ice burned in Josh’s gut. He grabbed Nik by the shoulder and rolled him over. And that was when he saw the red lines streaking down his inner arm, streaks red as the popsicles they ate last summer, red as the color of blood.
 
***
Here, the 14th installment of THE RUNAWAY, a story in THE MINISTER'S WIFE, a novel under construction. Will this baby ever end? Still a ways to go... but it is going to get gritty and real, real fast.
To read the previous installment, go HERE. As always, thank you dear readers for taking time to linger here. Peace...

5 comments:

  1. Those are some dire straits they're stuck in!

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  2. Oh dear. My fears for Nick seem to have been realised. And the pain I felt for Josh who has been betrayed by a friend are also realised. Till this time next week then...

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  3. Great writing. Last paragraph in particular I found very moving and descriptive! Will tune in again next week! :)

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  4. Yikes! I'm so worried now, I want to rush and get cloths and water and slap Nik awake.

    Jai

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  5. Yes, this is almost rock-bottom. A bump in the slide. Dire Straights. I love that band ;^)

    Thanks all for reading--I'll be popping around the blogosphere later today. Peace...

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