Until the Day She Met Me (Teaser)

The Aftermath (Teaser)

        What the—? Who's ringin' mah doorbell at this ungodly hour? Damn solicitors...Go away! Whate'er it is, I ain't buyin'!

Huh? So you ain't here to sell me nuttin'? Either way, I don't wanna hear whatchu's got to say, now get offa mah property and leave me alone!

...

I thought I told you to let me be! Oh, I see, you's tryna get me t'give ya somethin', ain'tcha? Well go on, then, get! I don't give no money to no one, 'specially not stupid kids like you! 'Scuse me? What do you mean "I got it all wrong?" You callin' me stupid? Huh? Then what is you then, the mailman? The landlord? A Jehovah's Witness? Well, what the hell do you want then?

An explanation? For what? Jesus Christ, what the sam hell are you talkin' 'bout, boy? I said to leave me alone and if you don't imma call the cops on your sorry ass, ya hear?

        Oh, I get it now. You's her friend, ain'tcha? Well, then, you just—wait. Her son?! I don't recall her mentionin' no son! Boy, you best not be pullin' my leg, or I swear I'll—! Where did you get that from?

        ...

        Come on in, then.

        Have a seat, boy. So you came here for a story, eh? Well, there ain't much one to tell, uh...You know how e'ry town has that one street? The kind that goes off the beaten path and turns to dirt and rubble the farther down you go? The kind that you've seen the start of it, but have never seen where it goes. It usually winds it's way upward, up some hill or mountain, always disappearin' behind the trees or around the bend. Almost feel like the environment itself is hiding whatevah lies ahead of ya, making it look almost, uh...insidious, in a way.

        Now, you's always curious about this road, but more often than not, you simply glance at the shabby gravel and kinda give a little hum, ya know? Ya turn the other cheek, never giving it anothuh thought. Howeveh, there're some days when yer curiosity is more, eh, potent and you start to ask yourself: Ya know, what's up there? Where's that road lead? Why's it goin' there? What's up there anyway, some sorta factory or somethin'? Mansion? House? Hmm? Anyone livin' up there? They a serial killer? A billionaire? You have all these questions, but, see, you be askin' yourself every question on God's green earth, yet you don't even ask the most important one: Do you even want to know?

        You 'ave all these questions, but you nevuh act on that curiosity. You sit there and ponder, but you don't seek no answer. It's as though you believe you'll be happier with the fantasy rather than the real answer. Well, life ain't no fantasy tale. Not for you, me, or anybody.

        Anyway, to, eh, placate yer wonderin' mind, yeah. There's a house at the end of that street. And yeah. Someone lives there. I'm sure you've figured that one out by now, seein' as you jus' knocked on mah door. Great, one question down. Only a million to go from there. Well, I ain't no serial killer or billionaire or nuttin'. Sorry to disappoint you. Just a sad, ol' man; not worthy of your attention. I ain't even worth the dirt on your shoe or the shit underneath it. No need to trouble yourself with the likes of me.

...

        You know, I, eh, built this house mahself. E'ry inch of if. Nuttin' but blood, sweat, tears, and pure determination. And love. Lots and lots of love. Oh, wouldn't ya know it...Quit gawkin', boy, you'll catch flies with your mouth like dat. Anyway, I had love to spare. I wasn't all that good at showing it, though. Never was, really. Guess you could say that's part of what caused my losin' e'rything. It's the reason why I lost her. She had so much love to give and she gave it whenevah she could, wherever she could. Meanwhile, I just sat there and took it for granted. I never deserved her or anythin' she had to offer. I wasn't worthy of her anymore than you's worthy of me. This house reminds me of that e'ry day.

        I live alone, in case you's is too stupid to get that already. I have for a long time now. Got no family left, no friends, no live-in nurse to change mah diapers. That was a joke, boy, laugh when an ol' man tells a joke. It makes 'im feel good. Anyway, e'ry day is pretty much the same; has been for more than forty some odd years now. I wake up, go downstairs, sit in mah chair and sip mah coffee. I just kinda stare at the static in the TV, waitin' for the moment when that Reaper finally decides to pay me his only visit. No one would be here to bear witness when he puts that bony hand of his on my shoulder or a scythe at my throat.

Y'know, there come some days where all I can think of is where I'll end up after that happens. Will ol' Lucifer welcome me with open arms or will I just be stuck in limbo for the resta eternity? Maybe it'll just be dark. Cold and dark. You think I'm forgetting somethin', don't ya? You's thinkin' about heaven, ain'tcha? Will I go up to them pearly gates that e'rybody keep on talkin' 'bout? But, see, I already know the answer to that question: highly unlikely.

I may not've ever gotten mah hands all bloody, but that don't mean I 'aven't done no bad things. Saint Peter won't see mah name on that checklist of 'is. He won't be openin' that fine gate and lettin' me have that one glimpse o' the Lord Almighty. I ain't never gonna 'ave that and I've learned to accept that for what it is. So I jus' leave out the option of goin' up there entirely. Not that it really matter to me or the Big Man anyway. God forgot about me a long time ago.

...

So, you's came here for a story, right? Well, I'm pretty sure them newspapers already did a pretty good job o' that years and years ago, don'tcha think? Not sure what you's was expectin' from me; I ain't gonna be able to tell ya's much more than they did...oh, so you wants to hear mah side o' the story, eh? Well, that's a first. Gotta say, feels nice to have someone give a rat's ass about me for once but, boy, you can't be serious. What more is there to say? What could I possibly tell you that would make her leavin' mo' concrete than it already is?

'Closure?' How the sam hell am I supposed to give you that? Ah, I see, 'why she was here in the first place...' Y'know, I still wonder that myself sometimes. Well that's a long story in an' of itself, if yer willin' to stick around for it. And that wasn't an invitation for you to leave, boy, so sit yo' ass back down. Now, listen here, eh...uh...say, er, what's yer name, sport?

...

I-I'm sorry, son, could you say that again?

...

I see...

Well then, David...where do you want me to start?