Souls - IV

Where the sky used to be is just a gaping hole of glowing lavender, no sun, no clouds, no stars, just pulsating light. It never gets dark any more, just that light slowly heaving like an old man struggling to breathe. You learn to sleep through it mostly, learn to live through it, but it never stops being unnerving. Streetlights always on, headlights always piercing the streets, the new sky illuminated just enough to be visible but it doesn’t emanate enough light to make everything clear. Shadows are everywhere, and sometimes those shadows moved. 

Good luck to you if that happens. 

Point is, it’s best to keep your view well lit.

I lock the door to my  motel room, which seems more than a little silly considering, but old habits and all that.

“Dan?” a gravely voice erupts from the dark corner of the motel landing. 

I turn, as the lavender above us pulsates I see him, flashing in and out of the shadows. I thought he’d be dead. I cleared my throat and work at lowering my voice to an effeminate man level.

“You alive? Figured you’d be done by now.”

He nervously shakes his head and smiles with his tiny teeth, the gums holding most of the real-estate in his mouth.

“Nope, still hanging on.”

“What can I do for ya?”

“Can I see it? Just for a second? I wont even touch it.”

“Now you know I can’t do that, I got a job to do here. Call me crazy but I believe in keeping some form of professionalism.”

“Please, just for a second. I don’t feel right the way it went down.”

“Ya gotta pay your debts my friend.”

His eyes spark with something approaching anger, “That ain’t a debt anyone can pay and you damn well know that.”

“You agreed to it, you stick to it.”

“A desperate man does desperate things. Come on, just a quick peek.”

“I’m headin’ to see the boss now if you wanna talk to him about it.”

He froze, all signs of anger and desperation disappeared.

I nod and head to the van. He shouts as I round the stairs.

“It all comes back ya know? You have your own debts.”

I stop, look up and nod, “Don’t I know it.” I try to flash a smile, but I can’t manage it. He hit too much truth to fake a smile.

“G’night, Denver.”

He only grunts in return, letting his back slide down the wall he was leaning on.

I shut the van door, placing the case in the passenger seat while I start the engine up.

BLAM. 

I’ve gotten so used to the sound of gun shots I don’t even jump anymore.

Denver’s corner lights up long enough for me to see the back of his head take off, eloping with the bullet, running away from the rest of his body and straight into the wall behind him.

I sigh, I couldn’t help it. I should be used to it, but I ain’t. I wonder if I ever will be.

I pull the van into reverse and leave the parking lot. 

Time to meet the man.