Vivika Widow's Blog, page 57

You Are Invited

A rounded frame full of life silhouetted in the door way. Tabitha was sat in front of the television. The presence caught her eye. She looked up. There was Aunt Tawny’s bright and engaging smile watching her from underneath a fawn hat.

“And how is my little Trouble?” she asked.

“Aunt Tee!” Tabitha cheered as she leapt to her feet and ran into the arms of the middle aged woman. Aunt Tawny flicked the hat off her head and planted kisses on Tabitha’s cheeks.

“I missed you,” said Tabitha.

“Not as much as I missed you,” replied the aunt. Her smile beamed again. Tabitha could feel her own cheeks tighten with glee. “Where is Ma and Pa?”

Tabitha shrugged her shoulders. “Out at a party I guess,” she explained. “They told me not to wait up for them.”

“You’re here by yourself? The door was open.”

Tawny sounded more stern.

“I prefer it when they aren’t here,” Tabitha said taking her aunt’s hat, putting it on her own head and dropping back onto the sofa.

“I can’t stay I’m afraid, Trouble. I just wanted to stop by and see you.”

Tabitha pushed out her bottom lip. “You don’t have to go.”

Tawny pulled her closer. Tabitha rested into her aunt’s warm body.

“I’m afraid I do,” she said. Her voice always had a musical tone. That evening the tone was a little deeper. “I have to go away and I may not see you for a little while.”

Tabitha sobbed. “Why? Did you do something bad?”

“No, no,” she said. “I did a good thing but it was a long time ago and it upset a lot of people.”

Tabitha tightened her shoulders and sat up straight. “Better to be bad then,” she stated. “When you are bad no one cares and you don’t have to leave.”

Tawny laughed. “People do care when you are bad. It just means they run away from you.”

Tabitha laughed too. She didn’t like the idea of Tawny being in danger. She was such a larger than life character that she couldn’t imagine Tawny being afraid of anyone.

“I have something for you,” she announced drawing a small, business card from the breast pocket of the lime green shirt she wore. The card was black with the words KNOCK KNOCK CLUB embossed on it in white. Two finely shaped women framed it in a white silhouette.

“What is it?” asked the little girl.

“It’s something I am building for you. When you are ready it will be yours. It is a club for adults. It is a very special club that will be yours to change things and make the city what you want it to be.”

Tabitha was mesmerised. She looked at her first invitation to the Knock, Knock club through a child’s eyes like it was a gate way to a fantastical world. In a lot of ways it was.

“You won’t leave me alone will you? Please stay a little while.”

Tawny leaned over and kissed her forehead.

They watched television together. Tabitha’s eyes began to feel heavy. When she woke again she was in her bed. Tawny must have put her there. Ma and Pa were home . Dawn’s early light was beginning to show through the window. There was a note by her bed.

I’LL COME BACK FOR YOU.

It was signed with a curling letter T.

Ma and Pa were arguing. Pa had thrown pots down in the kitchen causing a mighty crash to echo through the expansive house.

“You have ruined everything!” Ma was screaming.

Pa was probably still drunk.

Tabitha lifted the Knock, Knock card and held it close to her chest. One day she would have the power to change her shitty life. In her club, things would run her way.

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The Story He Left Behind

The room was small but clean. The carpet was thick under foot and the smell of various cleaning products fill

The room was small but clean. The carpet was thick under foot and the smell of various cleaning products filled the air. Sally had never lived on her own before so to her it was the smell of progress. It was the smell of a new life. She hadn’t met her new room mate yet but the student housing officer assured her they would be joining her the following day.

‘I wonder what she’s like?’ thought Sally to herself. ‘If we have to share this room then I hope we get along.’

Her phone jingled in her pocket. She pulled it out and on the screen was the smiling face of her long time boyfriend Brad. She opened his message and smiled warmly.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT FIRST DAY.

Where Sally had come to Filton University to study English Literature, Brad had gone to art college in the city.

“It’s only a bus ride away,” he had said. Nothing had to change between them.

She smiled as she began to type a message back. As she looked at her new surroundings a panel on the wall caught her eye. It was a lighter shade than the others. She put the phone back inside her pocket with her message unfinished.

She gave a tug and the panel clicked. She pulled it away. A few of the previous occupants of the room had stored miscellaneous items in there. Most of them were student treasures like packets of condoms and empty beer bottles but someone had stored a pen drive. It was a simple, silver device that gave no indication of the information it contained.

She removed the drive, leaving the other items behind.

‘I wonder who this belongs to?’ she mused.

She figured it would be old assignments that were no longer needed but she wanted to check and make sure. There could be photos on it. Some people were quite sentimental about those kinds of things. They may appreciate them back.

Forgetting the message she had started to Brad she pulled her lap top from the red back pack she had dropped on the bed she was claiming as her own. She plugged the drive in. She patiently waited on the start up screen to finish loading. Her desk top flashed with a picture of her and Brad’s smiling faces on a recent visit to the beach. Brad’s round nose and cheeks were red from the sun. Sally’s smile was warm and wide.

She opened the drive folder. There was only one file. It was a video file. Sally’s first reaction was to just delete it. The room had been unoccupied all summer. If someone really wanted it back they would have come to retrieve it by then. She couldn’t delete the file though. If curiosity killed the cat it certainly wreaked havoc with the human. She clicked on the video. The video player opened.

A young man of similar age to Sally appeared on screen. His greasy black hair had fallen in front of his eyes and he was smiling shyly.

“Say cheese!” another male voice teased from behind the camera.

The dark haired boy raised his grey eyes to the camera and his smile widened. The camera turned and the owner looked directly into the lens. He had a longer, slimmer face. His hair was fair and a growth of stubble had gathered on his chin.

“He’s a shy one,” he said and gave an over exaggerated smile.

The camera leapt as it was set down facing a bed. The room was bare. It was one of the university residence rooms but not the same one Sally stood in. She was going switch it off but then the two young men fell onto the bed together. Sally giggled. The dark haired student rolled onto his back. The fair haired one -the more confident of the two – stroked his face. He leaned over and kissed him. The dark haired one pulled him closer and his hands ran up the faired haired young man’s back, pushing the mustard coloured tee shirt he wore up.

“Oh dear!” Sally exclaimed with another giggle. She reached over to the computer to switch the video off before things between the two men went any further but the video cut to the dark haired student on his own. Sally would still have switched it off but for the horrified look on the young man’s face. He was crying. This time he was in the same room she stood in.

“My name is Dorian McElroy,” he said. His grey eyes stared directly at the camera without flinching. “I did a terrible thing,” he continued. “I don’t know who will see this or if anyone will but I have to tell someone or something…”

He sighed. His voice cracked. He cleared his throat.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I don’t know what I was thinking. Mum, if you are watching. I love you and I am sorry but I couldn’t take it any more.”

Some one came into the room. Dorian gave a quick glance behind him before switching off the camera.

Sally took a deep breath. What had began as an intimate moment had changed direction really quickly. Her heart stung for Dorian. He called out for his mother and this made Sally feel even more distraught for him. She wiped the tear that had formed in the corner of her eye.

***

“Dorian McElroy had your room last year,” the student housing officer explained.

Carol was a full figured woman who could barely fit on the swivel chair she sat upon.

“Sadly he took his own life,” she added in a more sombre tone. “You say you found belongings of his? I can have them sent to his mother,” she offered.

Sally thought about it. She thought of handing in the short video but she wanted to hold onto it a little longer.

“It was just some old notes. It’s nothing worth sending I don’t think,” Sally dismissed.

“Do you want to move rooms?” Carol asked. Her fingers poised over the keyboard of her desk top computer, ready to produce the necessary paperwork.

“No, it’s fine,” replied Sally.

She decided she wanted to get to know Dorian a little better. Staying in the room where he had lived, worked and died would bring him closer to her.

ed the air. Sally had never lived on her own before so to her it was the smell of progress. It was the smell of a new life. She hadn’t met her new room mate yet but the student housing officer assured her they would be joining her the following day.

‘I wonder what she’s like?’ thought Sally to herself. ‘If we have to share this room then I hope we get along.’

Her phone jingled in her pocket. She pulled it out and on the screen was the smiling face of her long time boyfriend Brad. She opened his message and smiled warmly.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT FIRST DAY.

Where Sally had come to Filton University to study English Literature, Brad had gone to art college in the city.

“It’s only a bus ride away,” he had said. Nothing had to change between them.

She smiled as she began to type a message back. As she looked at her new surroundings a panel on the wall caught her eye. It was a lighter shade than the others. She put the phone back inside her pocket with her message unfinished.

She gave a tug and the panel clicked. She pulled it away. A few of the previous occupants of the room had stored miscellaneous items in there. Most of them were student treasures like packets of condoms and empty beer bottles but someone had stored a pen drive. It was a simple, silver device that gave no indication of the information it contained.

She removed the drive, leaving the other items behind.

‘I wonder who this belongs to?’ she mused.

She figured it would be old assignments that were no longer needed but she wanted to check and make sure. There could be photos on it. Some people were quite sentimental about those kinds of things. They may appreciate them back.

Forgetting the message she had started to Brad she pulled her lap top from the red back pack she had dropped on the bed she was claiming as her own. She plugged the drive in. She patiently waited on the start up screen to finish loading. Her desk top flashed with a picture of her and Brad’s smiling faces on a recent visit to the beach. Brad’s round nose and cheeks were red from the sun. Sally’s smile was warm and wide.

She opened the drive folder. There was only one file. It was a video file. Sally’s first reaction was to just delete it. The room had been unoccupied all summer. If someone really wanted it back they would have come to retrieve it by then. She couldn’t delete the file though. If curiosity killed the cat it certainly wreaked havoc with the human. She clicked on the video. The video player opened.

A young man of similar age to Sally appeared on screen. His greasy black hair had fallen in front of his eyes and he was smiling shyly.

“Say cheese!” another male voice teased from behind the camera.

The dark haired boy raised his grey eyes to the camera and his smile widened. The camera turned and the owner looked directly into the lens. He had a longer, slimmer face. His hair was fair and a growth of stubble had gathered on his chin.

“He’s a shy one,” he said and gave an over exaggerated smile.

The camera leapt as it was set down facing a bed. The room was bare. It was one of the university residence rooms but not the same one Sally stood in. She was going switch it off but then the two young men fell onto the bed together. Sally giggled. The dark haired student rolled onto his back. The fair haired one -the more confident of the two – stroked his face. He leaned over and kissed him. The dark haired one pulled him closer and his hands ran up the faired haired young man’s back, pushing the mustard coloured tee shirt he wore up.

“Oh dear!” Sally exclaimed with another giggle. She reached over to the computer to switch the video off before things between the two men went any further but the video cut to the dark haired student on his own. Sally would still have switched it off but for the horrified look on the young man’s face. He was crying. This time he was in the same room she stood in.

“My name is Dorian McElroy,” he said. His grey eyes stared directly at the camera without flinching. “I did a terrible thing,” he continued. “I don’t know who will see this or if anyone will but I have to tell someone or something…”

He sighed. His voice cracked. He cleared his throat.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I don’t know what I was thinking. Mum, if you are watching. I love you and I am sorry but I couldn’t take it any more.”

Some one came into the room. Dorian gave a quick glance behind him before switching off the camera.

Sally took a deep breath. What had began as an intimate moment had changed direction really quickly. Her heart stung for Dorian. He called out for his mother and this made Sally feel even more distraught for him. She wiped the tear that had formed in the corner of her eye.

***

“Dorian McElroy had your room last year,” the student housing officer explained.

Carol was a full figured woman who could barely fit on the swivel chair she sat upon.

“Sadly he took his own life,” she added in a more sombre tone. “You say you found belongings of his? I can have them sent to his mother,” she offered.

Sally thought about it. She thought of handing in the short video but she wanted to hold onto it a little longer.

“It was just some old notes. It’s nothing worth sending I don’t think,” Sally dismissed.

“Do you want to move rooms?” Carol asked. Her fingers poised over the keyboard of her desk top computer, ready to produce the necessary paperwork.

“No, it’s fine,” replied Sally.

She decided she wanted to get to know Dorian a little better. Staying in the room where he had lived, worked and died would bring him closer to her.

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The Witch King

The eldest child of the good King Roman of Navaria, James has not had it easy.

Accused of witch craft and of the murder of his father, he was stripped of his crown and held in the dungeons of the old king’s castle.

He has his own demons to face as he fights for the crown that is rightfully his. Gaining his throne will be but the start of his journey. There is a curse upon his kingdom that he must break. His people have long lived in fear of a great evil that has penetrated the castle itself.

James is tall, noble and striking. He has a kind heart but a fiery temper. He places the lives of his loved ones and his people above all else. Raised to rule it is a responsibility he takes very seriously.

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The Sleeping Queen

One of two daughters, Veronika, found herself the victim of a plot by her elder sister, Henrietta.

The only way to keep Veronika safe was by placing her under an enchantment. She slept a magical sleep and whilst she did she was safe from mortal weapons and magical ones.

Veronika didn’t sleep forever though. A proud and determined young woman, she would rise against Henrietta’s evil and restore her islands to their former glory.

The kingdom of Fute is known throughout the land for its prowess in ship building and battles on sea.

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The Golden King

King Benjamin presides over the Kingdom of Elgany. A glorious southern kingdom known for its warm climate, it’s inventive people and it’s vast wealth.

King Benjamin is friendly and kind. However, he doesn’t much like confrontations and has been known to throw gold at his problems rather than facing them head on.

His beautiful and fashionable queen, Manon, provided him with four daughters – Marie, Gillian, Rachel and Mathilde. However, his pride and joy is his only son, Jean Louis. Jean is a the youngest and was a sickly infant until after a visit to Navaria where he made a miraculous recovery. On that same visit the eldest of the girls, Marie, died under mysterious circumstances.

Both Gillian and Rachel were killed during the Elaris School Massacre which marked the beginning of the peasant revolt in Elgany. Gillian was beheaded by the peasant leader, Remi, and Rachel was hung from the school.

The peasant revolt began through King Benjamin’s flash lifestyle. The rich in Elgany are wealthy beyond imagination but the poor struggle for survival. The class divide in the kingdom is steep. The peasants believed Benjamin cared nothing for them and so civil unrest erupted. The peasants laid siege to the elite school, killing hundreds of school children and their tutors. Benjamin, driven to anger at the deaths of the princesses, responded irrationally and the lives of many of his subjects were taken – most of them innocent. It was a dark time for the golden kingdom and one which nobles and peasants alike wish to see again.

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The Warrior King

Zanzee presides over one of the most dangerous kingdoms in the fairy tale world of Red Snow.

Susiname is a land of giants, trolls and other monsters.

He is physically strong and is rarely found without his elite Okoje Guard by his side.

Killing his three brothers and his sister after their father died Zanzee is no stranger to the importance of keeping enemies of his crown at bay.

The red sash around his neck has been passed down for generations. It is the regal symbol of Susiname and Zanzee will protect it to the death.

Susiname has no alliance with the other kingdoms but will join the fight for enough gold.

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The King Impostor

He is king of one of the strongest kingdoms in the fairy tale world of Red Snow.

He is not of royal blood but when the old king, Alfred, was looking for his successor and someone to marry his daughter he looked to his dedicated Knights Guard.

The Knights Guard of Ravensedge is legendary. Training from boyhood they are the most dedicated and most skilled knights in the land. Henry was one of the best. He was a champion jouster and a deadly sword weilder but he just couldn’t catch the eye of the king or of the beautiful Princess Anne.

Something or someone gave Henry what he needed for that final push to take the crown. When Alfred died, Henry assumed the throne and took his new bride.

There are rumours the king impostor brokered a deal with a powerful being and one day this being will return to him for payment for such a steep rise to power.

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Red Crown: (episode 16): Eternally Bound

Months passed. Francesca was crowned Queen of Navaria and the land was alight with celebrations in her honour. All cares were forgotten and for a while it seemed the horrors of her past would no longer haunt her.

“There’s something you have to know,” said Francesca to Annabelle as they ate breakfast together one morning when the snow fall was so heavy it didn’t allow a comfortable walk outside. The fire was blazing in the black marble fire place. The two women sat across from each other in a small parlour in the east side of the castle, away from the hustle and bustle of the court. Most of the noble women tried to endear themselves to the new queen in the hopes they would find themselves in her favour but even after all that time only Annabelle kept her company.

“What is it?” asked, although her interest was waning.

Francesca was carving a shiny red apple with a knife. “I’m with child.”

Annabelle stopped starting at the window immediately. She turned her attention to her companion. A rush of emotion flooded her but it trickled away. She remained unmoved.

“The king must be pleased.”

Francesca stabbed the blade into the apple’s flesh and dropped it on the table.

“He doesn’t know yet,” she said.

“Don’t you think you should?” pressed Annabelle.

“You and I both know the implications of this. My child will be strong. They will be unstoppable. The true power they have may frighten Roman. Roman will wish to raise the child unaware of their own strength,” She paused for a moment and pulled the blade back out of the apple and examined the point.

“Then there is Charles. Roman must forget the boy at The Hand.”

“You are rightful queen,” Annabelle replied. “Natalya’s child could never replace yours.”

“I won’t take any chances whilst my blood runs through this kingdom. Charles will have to die.”

She waved the knife at her companion.

“He may be just a little boy now but people can put ideas in little boys heads. He will grow and whilst a part of Natalya remains my place in this kingdom could be challenged.”

Annabelle shrugged her shoulders. “You will do as you wish regardless of my opinion so why ask for it?”

Francesca turned blade in her long fingers. “You forget your place if you think I was asking for your opinion. I was instructing you. Get rid of Charles and put Natalya to rest once and for all.”

Annabelle said nothing so she continued. “Besides, you have been looking out of sorts lately. Some flesh will put you right.”

Annabelle stood, pushing her chair back with a rough drag across the crimson coloured rug on the floor.

“It must be tough for you being eternally bound to the one who destroyed everything you had,” said Francesca with a grin.

Annabelle shook her head. “You know I don’t see you that way.”

Francesca laughed. “Every night I fuck the one man you ever loved. How does that make you feel?”

Annabelle’s face remained free from expression but her glare burned. She approached Francesca slowly. Francesca didn’t move. She watched her companion draw closer with confidence. Annabelle clutched the pendant around her neck. She leaned over and her lips met Francesca’s with a kiss. When she stood again she said, “I love you Francesca. I always will.”

Francesca rolled her eyes. “Just kill the boy,” she said. “Consider him my gift to you.”

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Red Crown: Episode 15 (A Life Anew)

She was running. The snow added weight to her already heavy footsteps. Tears formed in her emerald eyes. They were bitter, angry tears made fatter by being forever bound to the witch who had taken everything from her. The pendant hung heavily around her neck like a noose. She couldn’t throw it away. She couldn’t escape it. Francesca saw to it that they were bound together for all eternity. Beyond the grave Annabelle would still be tormented into servitude. Given what they had done it wasn’t a pleasant after life that awaited them anyway. Francesca couldn’t see that. She had her king now so what did it matter?

Annabelle stopped by a crooked tree that sat at the end of gardens of the castle. She took a deep breath and her lungs filled with ice cold air.

Someone was following her. The party was still carrying on inside so the lights shone onto the snow, casting long shadows. The silhouette was a broad, rounded frame of a man.

It was Vasinov who had pursued her.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” said Annabelle. “It is far too cold.”

Vasinov was out of breath. He had come after her at a run. A sweat had gathered on his brow.

“I was worried about you,” he said. “You left so abruptly. I worried it was something I had done.”

Annabelle’s lip flickered in the left corner with amusement.

Vasinov was a handsome man. He and Roman had dark curling hair from their shared ancestry but where Roman wore a full beard, Vasinov was clean shaven and youthful. He had a sweet temperament and from the moment he met Annabelle he was like a loyal hound at her feet.

“I was overwhelmed,” she said politely. “I needed some air.”

Vasinov offered his arm. “Would you like to walk together? You must see the rose bushes. They were planted by my own dear mother.”

Annabelle linked her arm with the Count’s. As the ystarted to follow a path she hadn’t noticed before she came to realise that this was the life Francesca had been seeking. She had fallen in love with Roman but in order to be together she had been compelled to shed the wickedness of her past. It was true Francesca had destroyed everything Annabelle held dear but as she walked arm in arm with a Lord of Navaria swapping stories and laughter she came to realise that Francesca had given her something she would never have thought possible, the chance of a life anew.

The path circled round the grounds and returned to the crooked tree. There was a little girl stood beside it. She was watching Annabelle with a hunger on her lips that would only be satisfied by flesh.

Vasinov noticed her sudden hesitation. He looked at the tree but could see nothing.

“It’s a grim old thing,” he said, referring to the crooked trunk that was almost black. “It’s stood here for generations,” he explained, still assuming it was the tree that Annabelle was staring at. “It is said that the fate of the kingdom rests on it. It’s a symbol of strength in these parts. That is why Kroestov was built here.”

Annabelle was still watching the little girl. The little girl was smiling back at her. Vasinov could still see nothing.

“Go back to the castle,”Annabelle instructed.

Vasinov laughed at first, made uncomfortable by the sudden seriousness of her tone.

She turned to him.

“Go back to the castle!” she said again.

This time Vasinov obeyed. He turned and followed their footprints in the snow through the gardens.

“What do you want?” Annabelle asked the little girl.

The little girl opened her mouth. Her young lips and tongue formed words but there was no sound. Annabelle smiled despite herself.

“Francesca was right,” she said. “You have no power over us. You are just ghosts of the past and you can’t hurt us.”

The little girl continued to speak but still no sound came out. Her face contorted in fury. A terrible face with blackened eyes and a mouth of razor teeth framed by pretty brown wringlets.

She reached out and tried to snatch at Annabelle. Annabelle leapt back, not trusting the vision. The little girl began to fade.

“She killed you all!” she groaned to herself. “Have the decency to stay dead.”

The snow below where the little girl had stood had turned red. They couldn’t harm them on the grounds of the great grey castle but somewhere Their strength was building.

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Lost and In Pain (A Muse Extract)

There was a thundering knock at the main door. Alex’s eyes opened with a start. It was still the dead of night. The only light was the green glow of the clock on his night stand. It read four. The early birds hadn’t yet begun to sing. Impatient, the knocking continued. Now the blood was coursing through Alex’s body carrying with it that sense of fear that only comes from someone urgently needing your attention at such an hour.

He climbed out of bed and wandered to the window. He peeled back the violet curtains Mrs Watt from downstairs had made for him and looked out onto the street below. Mrs Watt had taken a shine to thirty year old Alex. She was an old school woman so when she learned a young man was living alone above her she made it her duty to take care of him. Alex hoped the knocking hadn’t woken her.

A police car lay in wait. It was making no noise but the blue light pulsated. He couldn’t see anyone. The entrance way to the duplex apartment building was obscured from view. The knock came again, this time heavier.

He dashed from the bedroom, pulling a black bath robe that hung on the back of the door and pulled it on as he descended the steps.

Three shadowed figures stood on the other side of the main door. Alex pulled it open, wide eyed and ready to face whatever challenges awaited him.

There was a large, burly male officer. His face was mostly shadowed by his hat. He was accompanied by a smaller, female counterpart. Between them, barely able to stand was a young man of similar age to Alex with shaggy, bleached blonde hair and a deathly pale face that Alex knew all to well.

David had been Alex’s closest friend for many years. They were more like brothers than most blood related. David was giving him a bleary eyed stare. If it weren’t for the officers holding him upright he would have fallen at Alex’s feet.

“What the Hell happened to you?” Alex gasped, ignoring the police officers that had brought him.

“We are so sorry to disturb you sir. Are you Alex Ferrald?” asked the woman officer.

Alex acknowledged them with a courteous smile. “Yes, that is me.”

“We found him in Coldridge Park. He insisted we brought him here.”

“He didn’t cause any trouble did he?” Alex asked wrapping David’s arm around his shoulder and helping him inside.

The burly male officer stepped forward to assure David was steady but he was starting to be sturdier on his feet already.

“He was causing a disturbance but nothing we will be taking any further at this time.”

“Thank you officers,” Alex said as he ushered David inside using his free hand to close the door over.

The male officer reached out a great bear paw and stopped the door.

“If it happens again we will.”

“I’ll explain It to him when he sobers up,” Alex offered. He should have asked what the disturbance was but he was afraid of what the answer would be. David was an artist and so that came with some eccentricity. However, lately he was completely spiralling out of control.

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