One Chance

Sal

Half an hour later, I'm still staring restlessly at the ceiling. I glance over the walkie talkie sitting atop my dresser. As quietly as possible, I get dressed and head downstairs to the basement. When the elevator doors open, I see Larry standing there.

"Couldn't sleep either, eh Sally Face?"

"Nah, your snoring kept me awake."

" Haha, very funny." He lightly punches my shoulder and then slides his arm across my shoulders and leads me into his apartment. We spent the rest of the night fooling around. It's these early morning hours that help me maintain my sanity. Me, Larry, his Nintendo, and an endless supply of pizza rolls and spaghettios.

I sit on his bed with my gear boy while he paints a stunning depiction of Wendigo Lake. I'll never understand how he does it. He blends the paint together effortlessly, casting a mysterious myst over the surface. Something seemed different tonight though. He didn't seem quite himself. I'm so absorbed in my console that I don't notice him staring at me. I set my game down.

"What? Do I have a red-eyed demon behind me or something?" I joked, trying to break up some of the sudden rising tension.

"Sal, I love you man." He says with a solemn undertone in his voice. His voice doesn't feel right.

"I love you too, Larry Face. Is something wrong?" I ask. After a few moments of hesitation he shakes his head and smiles a shallow smile as he reassures me that everything is fine. I can tell that something is wrong, but I don't want to pry, so I let it go.