What really happened

This is a late exercise that is a changed point of view of last tuesday's submission by me: More than a home. It should have parallels but it gives what really happened front he perspective of Zach. I hope you like it.

I loved her more than I ever imagined. I did anything and everything for Vanessa. She was the light of my world and the only thing keeping me from descending back to that horrible place. I had lost everyone that ever cared about me. My dad was in jail for killing my mother. My sister disappeared shortly after with out a word. I was alone and scared. Alcohol helped me cope with the horrors. I kept up appearances where I could. It was either hiding from depression or hiding the sweet poison. No one knew, no one asked, no one cared but she did.

We met by chance. We were both late to the bus one day that it was raining. I had stupidly forgot anything to keep me from getting soaked. She was nice enough to share her umbrella with a wet mutt like me. I could see a shining kindness in her eyes, much like my mothers. So I chatted with her, told her how nice and good looking she was.  It was simple and easy talking to her and when I finally got her name I was smitten. Vanessa, unique and special just like her. She seemed interested in me. So why not try again.

I cleaned myself up. Shaved, hair cut, new clothes the works. I had to have her. It took me weeks to work up the courage to ask her out on a date, when she said yes I was ecstatic. We went to a nice Italian restaurant in town, I did anything and everything to woo her. It all paid off when she asked me to join her in her yearly garden party where she cooks a feast for her friends and family. I knew then and there we had something and that I loved her more than anything in the world at that point.

Soon after that we were going steady, going out, having fun at my place, movies, anything and everything. We were so happy, nothing could bring me down. We generally stayed at my place because her house gave me the creeps. Like someone or something was always watching. Vanessa told me that it was silly and that there was no one else in the house. It didn’t comfort me so I always convinced her to come over to my place instead.  It worked for some time but she always wanted her home, something my place couldn’t give her. She said it was perfect for her, always was since her mother bought it when she was little.

We began to fight, innocently enough until it grew too large to handle. Little things here and there would be a big deal like, how my place was always cold, or her leaving stuff on. It was childish to say the least. I turned to alcohol again to relax and to let the little things go. Of course it didn’t work, every fight turned into a reminder of my mother and father. How he beat her and I for her being strong. I became angry that I couldn’t control anything anymore. So I took matters into my own hands the only way I knew how. But it made things worse, she was gone and I was alone again.

Everything was a blur from then on, back to drinking anything to stop the pain. Whenever I checked in on myself I was stalking Vanessa; at home, on the bus, at work. I confronted her several times but each ended the same, her pushing me away. I finally found myself  in a gutter  with an empty bottle of the strongest liquor I could find. Breaking it on the dirty trashcan I left and went back to whatever is left of a home. Sobering up I tried for one Last Chance, trying to plead for my innocence.  I write this as an account of what happened, I hope it finds you well.

Business as usual

Sorry for the late post by me. This is for yesterday but wasn't finished till about a second ago.

Business as Usual

It started with a phone call that I could barely hear over the music. “Heloo this is Michael,” forming coherent sentences was hard as I tried to move to a quieter location. Which ended up being out the door and down the corridor of my apartment. There was the dance floor and my kitchen to cross, pushing past the bodies was a chore. “Excuse me,” I would say but did they really care?

“Michael!” I could hear faintly emanating from the phone. I had no idea who would be calling at such a late hour forgetting that caller-id even exists.

“Michael will be with you in a moment sir. He is currently indisposed.” I attempted to diffuse the tension of the angry man on the other side of the phone.

“Do you know who this is?” The voice asked it was familiar: strong, deep.

“Daddy?” I said reflexively, but I knew it couldn’t be. He had been gone for ages.

“No, this is Mr. Walker. Your boss.”

The color drained from my face and I throw up from the shots I had just ingested. This was bad. “Hey Mr. Walker, I didn’t expect you to call so late.”

“Obviously you have forgotten what happens in fifteen minutes.” He replied sternly. I checked the time it was 2:43a.m. but I couldn’t figure out what he wanted.

“Uh, they start serving breakfast at McDonalds?” I must have wanted food.

“No, Michael. In fifteen minutes if you are not on a computer logging in to the international executive meeting to give your presentation you will be fired.” With that he hung up and left me listening to dial tone.

“Three a.m. not p.m. you idiot” I say to myself realizing the weight of the problem. I had to give a presentation to the international executives while drunk off my ass. The room began to spin and my vision blurred. I slap myself across the cheek. “Pull yourself together.” I ran back to my apartment, I don’t have time to waste.

Entering the front door my first order of business was to disperse the party. I hook a left into my bedroom and into the closet where the breaker box for the apartment. I flip the breakers off. The music stopped and the lights went out. Some idiot screamed my cue to get them the hell out. I grabbed a flashlight walking back to the door of my room.

“Hey, everybody the power is out.” I yelled while turning on the flashlight. “That means the party is over.  Sorry to say it but you have to go.” Murmurs and abjections came from the void surrounding the flashlight but I could hear and see movement towards the door. I tried signaling like a police officer, “Keep it moving people.” but failed and looked stupid. With everyone gone I closed the door, in total it took two minutes, now it was time to try and sober up. What ever that means. Rushing to turn the power back on I formulated my plan. I had to make coffee, exercise and physically abuse myself to sober up as much as possible.

I turned on my treadmill that lay dormant in my room. Busting through to my kitchen I prepared the coffee: filter, grounds, water and bring the device to life. While I had time, I drank a glass of water to fight the deadly hangover tomorrow and splashed my face freshening it up. A fight ensued over which hand could slap the drunk out of me, both lost. With that the coffee was done, no time for cream and sugar, I had 8 minutes left. Pouring it into a sealable mug I brought the coffee with me back to the treadmill. Straddling the belt a brace myself with a swig the coffee burned my mouth and throat but I didn’t car. Jumping, I hit the ground running at 5.5 mph, “You got it Michael, steady… steady…” Attempting another swig I trip and fall the treadmill sends me flying back. With the mouth of the mug still open it dumps it hot contents all over me searing my skin. “For the love of god,” I screamed as struggled to pull off my now ruined clothes.

Four minutes left till my doom. I had nothing but boxers on but that was okay. I hopped over to my desk and found my computer wasn’t there. Where could it be? It is still connected to the sound system. I clamored over the furniture in my way, nothing could keep me from that laptop. I opened my MacBook and signed into to our meeting hosting software. One minute to spare, I had made it. Only I need to make sure my camera was turned off, they didn’t needed to see the mess I am in.

“Michael, it is good to see you have made it to the meeting. Are you ready to begin?” I could see Mr. Walker talking in one of the video screens.

“Let me just pull up the file… There we go. Can everyone see it?” I asked, responses in several different languages suggested it worked. “ Hello and welcome to the research division’s presenta--.”

The room goes black except for the glow emanating from my computer. I had lost connection with the meeting. The power was really out this time.