MEET ME AT DAISY MART, SAVANNAH
It was 4:17 am when I turned my head to yet again peer at my alarm clock sitting on my night table. Another sleepless, pointless night, I thought to myself. I just lay there, a flat, perfect position, facing the blank ceiling. My eyes, they searched for a sign. A message perhaps, that could tell me something of my fate. My bottomless thoughts and questions wouldn’t be getting me anywhere, not tonight, and neither was my beat up body. My…thrashed and bruised body, sitting numb now since this brutal, but victorious evening jerked pain at any sudden movement. But that wasn’t going to stop me; I was determined out of bed, out of this dull painted room. Sticking my elbows under me, I took turns in unison to painfully lift up my upper body, squeezing my abdomen where lay my bandaged fractured rib. The excruciating pain made me clench my teeth and squeeze my eyes but no sound dared come out of me. Taking deep breaths, I coughed into an excruciating pain. Two ribs laying within me were fractured and as painful and present as it was, it wasn’t that serious or else within a sickening hospital I would find myself. And I know I was going to be fine on my own as I have been more than a few times in my fascinating past.
Sitting up now, I pressed my hands against my face, slowly pulling them down against my skin. I then steadied my hands on either sides of me and clenching my teeth again, I swung my sheet covered legs over the bed to have myself sitting up now, feet off the bed, head down, hair dangling. I blinked and opened my eyes wide, periodically as my mouth did from the head-spinning stabs at my abdomen. My covers were all tangled up from waist down, intertwining between my legs. Removing the sheets with an arm, I was free and up on my two feet. I felt the draining physical exhaustion alongside emotional drainage. Being drained into this empty, numb state was my normal. My silenced depression, caught up in a storm of never- to- be- spoken- thoughts eats away. Medicine can’t fix it, and how the heck are you supposed to tell your therapist or counsellor your inexplicably complicated thoughts?
Pulled back to reality at a wakening vibration I felt a sudden surge erupt through me. Blinking with my hand at my chest I walked over to my night table and breathed out the sudden jump of fear. A message lighted the screen:
“Hey, come to Daisy Mart?” read the message. A message from Will. Looks like I’m going somewhere after all. Grabbing my large dark green hoody off the hook, I slowly slipped it on over my head and rustled my hair. Quietly, I walked over to the door, holding my stomach. I pressed my ear against it and heard silence. Then the low noise from the TV came into range. He must have fallen asleep; 4:00 am, no conscience and enough beer should be enough to have knocked him out. Breathing out confidently, still drained, I slowly made my way down the stairs to my shoes. Me and those shoes, we’ve been through a lot. Not really smiling at the thought, I stopped at the end of the staircase and took a cautious look around. Yup, he was passed out alright, on that devil chair placed right in front of his cheapskate TV. The darkened room was dimly lit from the light being given off the small TV. Quietly heading towards the door I grabbed my shoes and backed away, back to the stairs. Then I stood there for a second, just looking at that figure passed out on the couch, slumped, head back, no worries besides getting more money for beer. And then there’s me, having to be hidden, out of sight, inexistent. I was getting fidgety just standing, thinking about that dirt-faced redneck. He deserves a hell of a jaw kill, a kick in the face...maybe I could just go and choke him out right now. Right here, right now. I was furious; I could feel my eyes glowing with fury and rage. I was changing, transforming into a monster… like him. I could give him a serving of what he deserves, of course I could, just like how I survived this evening but I have bigger plans, bigger fantasies. He would have been deep under the ground by now if I really wanted to teach him a lesson. I turned away, back to the staircase. Or maybe I could smash a bottle on his head. Shaking my head, I dismissed anymore urges. Grabbing my stomach area, I started to slowly proceed up the stairs with small steps, trying not to lift my legs. Back to my room now, I put on my shoes, took some money from under my mattress and shoved it into my pocket then out the window I went. It was the same old routine, done countless times. I walked down the same street, to the same spot, to find the same Will. And yes, I have done it at such ridiculous timing before.

I hadn’t met Will all day. He had no idea what happened and I felt bad not telling him. We told each other everything. But I wouldn’t just blurt it out, that’s far from what I am. I’m horrible at communicating but still that hasn’t prevented our closeness. Will…gave my life purpose. He was my best friend. He was my family, pillow, tissue, and everything else in between. We both shared abrupt messed up lives. And we both fight through it together time and time again.
Turning the block, there was another person on the street Daisy Mart was on. Feeling the switchblade in my pocket, I just wasn’t afraid. I wasn’t intimidated by such things; I guess I was just immune to it. It appeared to be a shady male, with a dark hoodie over his head, being several steps ahead of me. Then I reached Daisy and suddenly relaxation took over. I realized I had been holding my stomach area this entire time. Picking up my pace I approached the only person who was worth anything.
“Jeez Van, it’s been a while.” Said Will in a droopy tone. His eyes were droopy… and red. He was extremely relaxed, taken back. We walked over to the wall, out of the dim light the sign was giving off. Then he smiled that foolish smile and handed me a paper bag. Leaning against the wall, having not much to say, the day improved a bit. I pulled out a folded up bill and smacked it into his hand, winking.
“Hey, hey. What’s mine is yours.” Said Will pushing back my offer.
“Well, I hope you’re hungry.” I said being the few words I spoke the entire day out of isolation. I looked at my knuckles, bruised, reddened, telling a story. I wonder what mark it left on his face. I wish it blinded him even one eye would be satisfactory. Yeah, it would be glorious if I could mess up his face. Make him more miserable. I once again shook my head and dismissed those thoughts.
“Be right back.” I said walking towards the Mart.
“Oh and hey, save some for me too.”
It was empty outside, no one around this crazy to be out so early…or late. Thank god this was a 24 hour joint mart I thought to myself as I entered into the familiar surroundings of the convenience store. It was just me and the owner who wouldn’t for the world peel his eyes off me. He was a friendlier person though, not one who would kick you out for browsing for too long. I awkwardly passed the owner without eye contact and tried not to head too into the back. I made it into a comfortable aisle, out of sight, and not too far back where I could play my tricks of security engineering. Man I was good at manipulating and beating the system. I was always one step ahead. I guess situations shape who you are, your actions, your thoughts. Then like countless times, I quickly smuggled an item or two, nice and smoothly not needing to look over my back. That idiot will never know anything went missing I knew confidently. They never do. Not looking suspicious, I grabbed a food item I passed on the way to cashier and placed it on the counter. And this is the part where you make up a price in your head I thought to myself. Looking up and flashing one of my horrible smiles, I reached in my back pocket to pull out a bill.
Then POW! The sudden sound startled both me and the clerk and I felt everything crash inside me. I felt nauseous. I wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. Forgetting our business we both exchanged looks of fear and confusion. The clerk bent behind the counter and pulled out a gun while I ran to the door. Life being its usual unfair self, left my only soul-lifter where I’d left him laying bloody on the ground. I ran to my foundation of hope, to the only person on the face of the entire freaking earth I cared and would ever worry about. I fell to my knees, beside Will. His eyes were searching for something in mine. Searching for something in my terrified, worried filled eyes. I held his hand and looked into his dark, dark eyes. His lower abdomen had been pierced with a single bullet. My heart, as you could imagine, ached a incredible ache. I could feel, but I didn’t want to feel this way. No not this way.

Then out of nowhere I let out a raging scream: “AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!” with my head thrown back and my cheeks burning. I could hear Will breathing, making hurtful sounds from the burning bullet. My eye caught a figure, fleeing the scene. The same shady figure. Oh of course I thought, who the hell else? Rage, fury, and a burning ball waiting to explode got me up on my feet, got me sprinting to this funny grim reaper. I was running. I was running like hell. From the ground, to my feet, spread within me, adrenaline. It took over, the monster. I pulled out my blade, flicked it open and jumped right onto his back. His back crushed into my ribs giving off a new degree of stabbing pain. The gun was still in his hand, I was choking him from the back and a few seconds later, he toppled over. With blade still in my hand, I aimed for anywhere on his face. I stabbed three times into his left eye. I couldn’t hear his shrieks, just the fury in my head. He had dropped the gun and had grown immensely weak, passing out. I grabbed the gun, ran past Daisy Mart where the clerk was standing over Will with a phone in his hand. I ran past the familiar street past the familiar houses. I ran and ran and ran, then crashed into the house blatantly enough to wake up the drunkard passed out on the couch. I pointed the gun to his head, a startled fear and confusion formed in his eyes. I then smiled the smile he smiled. We both knew it was over. I could feel the crazy in my eyes and pulled out my blade again. Jumping on him I pierced the blade into his eyes, covering his mouth, holding him down with my knees. I then aimed for his jugular and shoved into his neck for him to let out a gurgling sound. Still clean, I took the weapons, ran up the stairs, grabbed my emergency bag-back from my closet and went out my window. I wasn’t going to get caught this easy.