This was originally published on my tumblr:
http://nice-b-ass.tumblr.com
Taptaptaptap tap.
The rain smacked uneasily against the thin café windows, wind screaming, threatening to shatter straight through the grimy glass.
Taptaptaptap tap.
A middle-aged woman stood behind the cluttered counter, pretending to restock the already overflowing pastry jars. Every once in a while, she'd look over the top of her thick glasses, shooting an annoyed and slightly nervous glance at the ginger-haired man sitting in the farthest corner of the tiny restaurant.
Taptaptaptap tap.
His short fingernails struck at the outdated tabletop, over and over, with a ferocity that was slowly chipping away at his nails. The sound, being the only noise besides the pounding of the rain, echoed through the room in a quiet way that nevertheless demanded attention.
Taptaptaptap tap.
He'd been having a bad day. Old pain had slugged him over the head again, consuming him in a black shadow of inconsolable grief. At the time, alcohol had seemed like the best option to make him forget for a while...it always did. But four crushed and empty beer cans later, his head whirling as torturous thoughts spun through his mind, he realized much of a bad idea it had been. All that had happened, all that ever happened, was him just reliving the pain.
Taptaptaptap tap.
A cup of tea sat untouched in front of him, steam curling up from the hot water before it dissolved into the damp air. Propped against the plain white mug sat a small black-and-white picture, impossible to make out from across the room.
Taptaptaptap tap.
Somewhere in the distance, a church bell rang twelve times in almost eerie manner. Midnight.
Taptaptaptap tap.
With an awkward sort of cough, the woman spoke, "I'll-uh-just be in the back if you need anything." She paused, watching the young man drum his fingers on the plastic tile, waiting for him to say or do something. But he gave no recognition of having heard her speak, just stared blankly down at the gray-patterned table.
Taptaptaptap tap.
Another uncomfortable cough came out of her throat, but she didn't bother to say anything else. Taking a few steps forward, she paused with her hand on the old swinging door. Hesitating, she wondered if she should say something. The way his head hung low, red hair oily and sticking in all directions from constantly running his fingers through it, unresponsive dull blue eyes staring as though he couldn't really comprehend anything anymore. Shooting a curious look back at the man, wishing she could know what exactly was running so intensely through his mind, she decided her best option was to leave him with his thoughts. She disappeared into the kitchen without another thought.
Taptaptaptap tap.
Oh how lucky the woman was, not to be able to hear the pure agony running through his mind. Torture that had been plaguing his mind for the past few months, suffocating, drowning, pulling him under in a never-ending grip of misery.
Taptap tap...tap......tap......
Calloused fingers slowed and stopped their relentless tapping on the counter. He'd heard the woman's high-heeled shoes leave through the kitchen, aware that he was finally alone.
Alone.
The simple word ran over his mind like a stream tumbling endlessly through the snow-capped mountains, ripping him to shreds every time the single syllable repeated itself.
