Story

Not part of the story I was writing, but just something I jotted down real quick. I might expand upon it, but I don't know where I would take this. Still, it's been awhile since I updated and I figured I might as well throw something down.


    Zeke zipped up his jacket tighter and took a long drag on his lit cigarette. It was a rare occurrence, but sometimes he just felt that need to chew on something. The butt of a cigarette worked wonders for that and the warm smoke filling his lungs, as acrid as it was, was almost soothing for such a cool night.

    He smoked maybe a pack, two at the most in a year, so he made sure to cherish each inhale as sickening as it was. Every time it he exhaled, he let the taste build up in his mouth to remind him why it was such a rare thing. It tasted terrible, but it was like a treat. He opened his mouth and let the smoke leave his lungs and watch it float up and away in the cool autumn air.

    The smoke left a hazy trail up into the immediate sky above him, only faintly blocking the stars, or at least the ones he could see. It annoyed him only being able to see a fraction of the cosmos. Zeke always wanted to see more of it for himself, but was only left to what he could find online when he had the time. Still, he took the time to appreciate what he could observe.

    Another inhale of smoke. He held it inside him, letting the warmth expand. The feeling made his fingers tingle a bit. He just wished that smoking wasn’t so unhealthy. If it wasn’t for how much it kills the body, he’d gladly pay the six dollars to keep the habit.

    But it is how it is and there’s no point in thinking about what ifs…Zeke thought to himself. Just so long as he made this count.

    VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVTTTTTTTT!!!!!!
    VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!

    The next exhale was more of a sigh at his phone’s vibration. He got a text and flipped it open.
   
    From: Hayley            Time: 12:54 A.M.

    Hey ba-

    Zeke flipped it back closed, “whatever…”, he said before stuffing it into his jacket pocket. At that point in time, he didn’t give a shit what it said. He just really longed to be alone, at least for a little bit.

    He reconsidered a bit. He flipped the phone back open and turned it off. He usually kept it on during a late night stroll such as this. He didn’t want to be mugged or hurt and not able to call for help, but decided this time, he didn’t even care.

    Zeke, though usually indifferent to much of life’s troubles, now he found he was growing quite apathetic to his own life in general. He shrugged to himself deciding that if he were to die on this walk, that night then and there, it wouldn’t matter if he had a phone or not. It was just giving him a false sense of security.

    He put up his hood and took another long drag on his death stick. Zeke probably looked more threatening to anyone else that should happen to be walking by at that time anyway. Only twice did he ever meet anyone on his walks. One of them was a homeless man who asked for some spare change. He gave him twenty dollars.

    The second was a man who said nothing. Maybe he was just like Zeke, just wanted to spend some time to himself. Maybe he was just walking home. Maybe he was homeless as well. Zeke didn’t stop him to ask and the man didn’t stop to tell his life’s story.

    His cigarette was just about out, so he took once last hurrah of an inhale and flicked the butt away. Holding that last bit of smoke inside of him, he let it spread throughout his body until he was finally content and opened his mouth. The smoked rolled out and like each path of smoke before it spiraled up into the sky above.

    As the last of the smoke finally rolled off his tongue, he decided to satisfy another one of his sense. He took out his iPod and placed the buds in his ears and tuned it to his “Relxa” play list. When he first typed it, the typo was an accident, but decided against changing. It seemed more natural that way, the way he originally typed it, and kept it there.

    Zeke scrolled down to a song called ‘Breezy’ and let it soothe and wash over him. It was hardly even a song. It was the sound of waves washing up on a shore with a Spanish Guitar playing a slow, happy melody. It was more relaxing than the cigarette.

    A coincidental breeze swept over him and gave him the chills. Zeke looked up at the moon and decided
maybe it was time to finally head back. Putting his cold hands in his pockets, and turn his iPod up, he turned on his heel and started his trek back.


    Zeke arrived at his doorstep finding himself unable to put his hand on the knob for a moment. He hesitated, but pushed through and walked in.

    “Darling!”, he was instantly greeted by his girlfriend, May.

    She jumped off the couch and leaped onto him. She latched her arms around Zeke and he embraced her warmth. It was soothing to have a warm body to hold and he loved how soft she was. May pushed him back for a moment and punched him square in the chest.

    “You dick! Can’t you at least let me know when you’re going on a walk this late?”, then she hugged him again.

    Zeke didn’t answer, but he held her tighter. If it was one thing he liked about her, it was her passion.

    “Sorry, I just kinda decided to go last moment”, he grinned and ruffled her hair, “now can you let go so I can at least take off my coat?”

    She stuck out her tongue and let go, “Why the hell do you feel the need to worry me and go out on a stroll anyway?”

    “Well, I just need to clear my head sometimes”, it was an honest answer; for the most part.

    May looked up into his eyes. There was something there that was troubling him, but as per usual, he tried to hide it. She bit her lip and put her hands on her hips. She gave him an accusing glance, but he just shrugged and grinned again. May sighed. If he didn’t want to talk about it, she wasn’t going to force him.

    Zeke walked over and put his hand softly on her cheek, “don’t worry. If there was something big going on, I’d tell you.”

    May rolled her eyes to which Zeke responded by kissing her. He loved her soft lips and as much as she loved his, she still pushed him away.

    “Hey, Ass Hat, don’t forget, you’re still in trouble for making me worry.”

    “I love it when you pout like th-”

    “Don’t you try to sweet talk your way out of it. Something is bugging you and you’re not telling me something”, she hated being out on something. It was an old habit of his she’s tried to break for years, but could barely even bend it.

    Zeke put his hands behind his head and just looked at her bright amber eyes. They were dazzling really. He knew that as long as he stared into them long enough, she’d melt and buckle. Resist as she might, he knew that she just loved him too much. Whenever he thought about it, the power he truly had over her, he got an odd twist in his stomach.

    “Listen…”, already, the cracks were starting to form, “you know I love you right?”

    He snickered, “Babe, I’ve known that since forever.”

    May punched him in the stomach, that was a new one, “then why do you insist on always making me worry?”