Klempner - Twenty-Six Years Ago
She’s gone.
What now?
I stare out of the window of the apartment I bought for her, overlooking the harbour with its yachts and pleasure boats, ice-cream kiosks and artsy-craftsy shops. Sunshine glints outside on the water, gleams on fresh paint, blue and white, and on polished timber decks, then spills into the room. But there’s no warmth in it. Tugging my jacket around me, I hiss as pain stabs through my hand. Gashed flesh swollen and heated, seeps blood.
I should dress it…
…
Later…
I thought I had it.
I thought I had her.
I really did.
…
…
It’s so cold.
Walking through to the kitchen, I limp a little where my ankle twisted as I fell…
Would he really have run me down?
… then clumsily, working with one hand, I make coffee, splashing in a hefty measure of whiskey, then more until the cup teeters on overflowing.
You had me fooled, Larry. You really had me going. When you left, I was coming to see you… and then I saw them…
Returning with the drink to stand in the scant heat of the sunshine, I watch holidaymakers and tourists going about their moronic activities. Hot alcohol and caffeine sear a trail down my throat but still, there’s no warmth inside me.
She was coming to see me…
Coming to say she’d be with me…
Shivering, I drain the dregs.
Bitter as bile, churning and toxic, regret wells up inside me…
Enfolds me in its harsh embrace…
Overwhelms me…
There’s not enough air. Pain draws a band around my chest, tighter; ever tighter.
Dropping to my knees, I cover my face.
Hide from the world…
Is this all there is?
Hide from myself…
She ran to him…
and
Conners...
something flickers; a flame fanning up to burn hot
… Lighting the darkness.
can breathe again. Inhaling, I draw one deep lungful after another, sucking at the air until my head clears and I'm able to stand. Using the window ledge to support myself, I pull myself upright again, plunging hands
brushes against them; small, cold and
?
object. A butterfly dangles from its chain, twinkling silver as it spins in
How…?
?
?
snagging on something which
streaming from sliced fingers and palm. Digging into a
She was wearing it.
His gift…
boils inside me. Fists clenching, the pain lances through me, waking me, making
Conners.
*****
James
Michael considers the slip of paper in his hand.
we
Michael stuffs the paper into a pocket. “I’m going to drive across there tomorrow and see what the area looks like. I don’t want a repeat of last
planning on
But I want to check at least that there’s a door to knock
“Fair enough.”
*****
Michael
A classic city edge…
address. Written in a careful hand, printed capitals, it is quite clear. This
of movement, but paintwork is
can
*****
Charlotte
and Michael get out of the car with me. Michael leans back against the vehicle, arms folded, legs crossed
a downstairs window; movement inside, shapes silhouetted against
up the will to move. My feet drag. My heart flutters and
Enough already…
on the door.
What if she answers?
Will I recognise her?
she know who I
a turning lock, the clunk of a bolt being
face. A young man, perhaps thirty.
was looking for Michelle? Is
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