Page 135 of Fallen Princess: Shadow Stalker

The woman leaves the handwritten bill on the table and I shove my phone back in my pocket without any interest in returning anyone’s call. Sliding out of the booth, I get up, grabbing the paper, and take out my wallet to leave a couple of bills tip for the waitress.

Making my way towards the cashier, my gaze shifts towards the liquor store next door. Lights are still on and I know a bottle of Jack sits on a shelf waiting for me. The course of my evening is already scripted in familiarity – mirroring the past two nights. Sitting on the steps of my empty trailer, staring at the stars. My faithful Tennesse friend, cradling in my hand. When the bottle’s empty, I’ll crawl back into the oversized trailer and pass out like the pisshead I’ve become until the first light of dawn pierces through the forgotten unshaded windows.

No idea what I’ll do with myself on that blasted yacht in two days. Perhaps, a plunge into the unforgiving sea, drown and be eaten by shrimps – a fitting end to the wasted 27 years of my existence.

Cash or Cheuqe. No cards.

The sign behind the cashier of the shop rings loud in red and white. I fork out the forty dollars and grab a paper bag from the counter, shaking my head at how slow some places are to reverting to the digital age. My bloody phone doesn’t even have full bars here. Changing the entire world into a fully functioning digital era is impossible.

Removing the bottle from the brown bag, I toss the bag into the rubbish bin beside the entrance, filled with empty bottles of beer cans and whatnot. They don’t recycle here, either. Settling Jack on a wooden bench, I take out my old metal box and roll a fag, and then proceed to put the rest away, lighting it up and taking a deep inhale. Exactly what I need as I slowly exhale, pick up my bottle and trudge back to the trailer park that’ll be my home until tomorrow.

Every step I make is accompanied by the soft crunch of gravel beneath my worn boots as I stroll through the darkness of this deserted town in the desert. With every drag I take from my fag, the dim red glow flickers against the black night.

This melancholic stillness could cause a man to go crazy here, yet somehow, I find a comforting solace here. Away from civilization, the only audible sounds are the distant whispers of wind through the skeletal frames of abandoned buildings and the occasional creaking protest of a weather-beaten sign.

The trailer park, a cluster of dimly lit rectangles, comes into view.

“Where the fuck were you?” I hear a voice approach me. I turn to find Eden with Storm and Rick trailing them at a short distance. Locked within my thoughts, I must have not heard them draw near.

I stand staring at her, barely visible in her all black ensemble and long dark hair. Her skin is dark and tanned, while the only thing that stands out like sparkled jewels are her bright emerald eyes that now possess so much energy.

“The guys are back at your trailer. We all planned to sit down and hear the new track we recorded back at the studio in LA. You forgot?” her eyes travel down to my hand holding the unopened bottle, realizing I have no plans to join them this evening.

I watch her entire face frown in disagreement, even though I haven’t yet uttered a word to her.

Instead, I take a final drag from my fag, casting its remains into the dark void. The glowing ember arcs through the air, momentarily painting an ephemeral streak before extinguishing on the dusty ground.

I bend down and beckon Storm over, he looks up at her and then wanders over, pulling her holding his leash. I brush my hand through his coat and patt his neck, standing up only to find her face to face with me.

“You shouldn’t be wandering this town alone,” I say, knowing she’s protected by Rick. He stands there silent and alert as always.

“I have Rick. And why do you even care? It’s not like you bother to be around anymore. Using every excuse to slip away like I’m some bad smell.”

I chuckle silently at her words.

If she only knew the truth.

“Don’t concern yourself with my welfare, siren. Carry on your way, luv.”

“Why are you such an asshole?”

My brow rises in surprise.

“Are we going to do this now?” I say, sounding bored, but I really just want to annoy her so she can fuck off back to her boyfriends and leave me wallow in my self-appointed misery.

She takes a step back and addresses Rick, handing him Storm’s leash.

“Can you take him back to the trailer with the guys? I’m fine with Callum.”

“Mam, I’m to accompany you everywhere,” he replies, remaining solid as a rock.

“That’s right,” I smirk, “now carry on walking Storm and keep moving until you both reach the trailer.”

“I thought we were friends?” I can’t help but notice the pain etched on her face, and she makes no sign of hiding it. “I understand you don’t see me like the others do. But I miss us. Just having a laugh. I miss your company, but all you want to do is disappear each night to god knows where. To someone's bed? Is that it?”

Is she jealous?

“Why the fuck do you care, Eden? Innit enough that you’re fucking three bandmates? You want us all?”

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