Sleep Magazine (Completed)

The Shoe: 1

AJ and Celia's next destination was no more than ten minutes up the road. The drive there was mostly quiet, save for the classic rock song that played softly over the static-y radio and the little fits of laughter exchanged between the two whenever they stole quick glances at each other.

The events that transpired in the purple room served to bond them and abrade them simultaneously, their blatant attraction to each other now hindered only by some embarrassment, evidenced by the hesitation in AJ's hand, knuckles raw and veiled in broken skin, as it reached out to graze Celia's thigh. 

A shock of static quickened her breath just as light snowflakes fell to dot the windshield and a flash of red and blue lights danced into view on the road ahead.

An accident had left one car crumpled and mostly disassembled, and a large truck significantly dented. The crash was recent enough that debris still laid scattered over the road, though it seemed as though an ambulance had already come and gone, no doubt with several occupants inside it. 

AJ drove around the debris slowly, allowing Celia to take in the damage from the scene, remnants of metal glinting in the police lights. One object in particular stood out to her among the wreckage. In the grass beside the road, stood up on its sole between a rearview mirror and shreds of rubber, was one high-top sneaker. 

Placing her hand on top of AJ's to halt his touch, Celia narrowed her eyes at the shoe to decipher its color, peering out past the snowflakes that were falling faster now against the window. Flashes of blue and red lights continued to cast tones and shadows over the pavement, allowing for a patterned break of cover over the shoe; as it was illuminated for a second by only moonlight, Celia could see clearly that it was purple.

She turned her head to watch the scene fade from view as they drove past, and immediately thought of Ava, her tall, lithe body crumpled against blood-soaked cloth seats. AJ's hand resumed its gentle movement over her leg as she pondered what it would be like to arrive home in a few hours and learn that Ava had died in a car crash. She imagined walking in through the large front door, the stained glass panels rattling behind her head as it shut with a thud. She imagined her mother and Grace sat down at the kitchen table, holding their heads in their hands while they cried. 

Something about the gruesomeness of it was comforting, almost poetic in its catharsis; an emotional, chaotic end to an emotional, chaotic girl.

Zhang's was the only house on the street with lights on at this hour. It was a house that Celia had visited a dozen times though she had never met the owner; a refuge for anyone in the area who had a friend who knew someone who had the wherewithal to know that acquaintances of all degrees of separation were welcome there. 

After discovering the front door was locked, AJ led Celia to the end of the long front porch and pushed at the rotting sash of the corner window. Succumbing to his force, it creaked and lifted, sending splinters of wood flying out toward Celia to catch on AJ's thick blue sweater that hung loosely over her body. AJ pushed the window up to open it completely and held Celia's forearm, helping her climb through it first before he leapt inside after her.

"Who are you?" A man spoke out from a small group of people sitting cross-legged in the center of the living room floor, their heads turned to eye Celia and AJ suspiciously. 

Something that looked like a board game was set up between them, along with a few lit candles, and in the back corner of the room stood a Christmas tree. It was of medium height and fully decorated, even though the holiday season was still weeks away. The colored lights were jewel-toned, an old fashioned feature of its decor, and many of the ornaments were glass birds sat atop short coiled springs and clamped onto the ends of branches. Piques of holly berries and sparkling icicles filled out any empty space between the boughs and in place of an angel or star, a rustic looking Crucifix adorned the very top. Though the topper appeared brazen to Celia, she was more bewildered by the tree being there at all. It was far too early for a Christmas tree by anyone's standard, though perhaps, she considered, it had never been taken down...

"Who the fuck are you?" AJ spat back as the lights on the tree flickered. 

He took Celia's hand, intertwining their fingers gently, and led her in long strides toward the kitchen, laughing when she turned her head to flash a smile at the strange people before exiting the living room behind him.