Page 75 of Something Blue

I push the people away from me and turn away from the chaos.

Without a word, I run.

I keep running until I can’t breathe and still I run some more.

Perhaps I can run myself to death.

I run until I reach the city center, the park. It’s dark, lit by tall, ornate lamps that spill pools oflight in bright circles breaking up the pitch darkness of the night.

I walk along the tree line, staring into the man made forest, wondering what horrors lurk between the thick trunks.

I must have blacked out at some point because I wake up to a homeless man kicking me.

“Hey, asshole, you’re in my spot. This is my spot. I been coming here for years. You can’t come here and take someone else’s spot.” He reeks of booze and sweat. Or maybe it’s me.

I groan as I sit up, finding myself on a bench in the very early hours of dawn.

Light is glowing over the horizon, the sun threatening to welcome in a new day.

I stand up, finding myself still drunk.

“Hey, hey, you can’t leave. Maybe you can give me some food first. I won’t buy wine. I swear it. I just want food.”

Shoving my hand into my pocket I fish out my wallet.

I take the entire wad of cash out, a couple thousand, and hand it to the man.

“What? Is this a joke?” he asks, staring at his hands.

I’m surprised no one mugged it off me while I was passed out, anyway.

“No joke.” I mutter, closing my eyes for a second to hold the headache at bay.

The homeless man is still talking when I walk away.

I need to get home and shower.

I need to find Neve. I need to fix this. I can’t give up.

I won’t stop until I know I’ve exhausted every option of getting her back.

She is my wife. She is my world and I want her. I want her by my side. I want to love her.

I want to be loved by someone so pure and so beautiful.

I might not deserve it - but I willfight for it.

I get home and Rufino and Masaccio are waiting for me.

“Fuck, Celso. What happened? Your car blew up. Did someone attack you?” they ask.

“I did it.” I mutter, pushing past them into my penthouse.

“What the fuck do you mean you did it.”

I chuckle and glance at Rufino. “Ask the Red Dragon. He’ll understand.”

“Where’s Neve?” Rufino asks.

---