Book of my short stories, which include
Cruisin', Kwelanga of Days, Arguments,
Three Weeks Into an Era, 24 Hours, Finger Rings, Baby Fever, On the Hotline, Can You Handle It, Strawberry Shortcake, Open Auditions, Mirror Mirror, Crowning Glory, Catf...
Where was this place located? Was it in Los Angeles? It was empty and Erik could hear the sound of trains as though her were beneath a subway system.
Erik found himself standing in the center of a odd train station lit purple. There where two exits. He looked left, seeing an escalator going up and there was another to the far right going up as well. He couldn't recall how he'd gotten there or where he was supposed to go. He'd never been there before and there were no signs or maps.
A man appeared from nowhere suddenly causing Erik to be on high alert.
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(Tumblr hating on these gifs sorry it don't move. It does on Tumblr.)
"Easy bruh' man," the man smirked. "I'm the maitre d."
He was dressed in solid black, clapping slowly while Erik held his position ready to fight. He hadn't been in a physical fight since his rougher college days, but he still trained physically just in case that moment came. He had a little to protect.
"I do declare. That was a stunning show of affection. Might I say spirited... Do you know who I am?"
"Nigga, do you know who I am," Erik countered. "I'm the CEO of UsTube worth 2 Billion and steady growing."
The man stepped forward to reach out and Erik squared his shoulders in a stance ready to brawl.
"Easy..," the man pulled back humored tucking the white filled ball in his hand into his robe. His eyes traveled up and down Erik's physique in an instant. Erik knew that look and if the guy was sizing him up they were an even match.
"Why am I here?"
"You want answers? Let me show you.."
He held out his hands showing that nothing was in them and waited for Erik to be open to it before he reached out again. This time Erik remained still, allowing the man to slowly place a hand on his shoulder.
The moment the man made physical contact Erik was transported back to the hospital room that Maleah almost died in as if time had rewinded. He was standing there watching himself in the past. The past version of himself stood anxiously at Maleah's bedside, afraid, but trying to be strong for her sake. He was doing everything he could, threatening the doctors’ jobs and the hospital itself. Suddenly the man in black left his side to go to Maleah. It was like Maleah could see him. Her eyes looked back and forth from him to Erik who was at her side as the man in black touched her shoulder and laid a baby in her arms.
Her breath hitched and she kissed him gently on the forehead, embracing him with tears in her eyes. Erik remembered those tears. He’d chalked it up to physical pain and it had hurt him then to see, but not like it was hurting him now.
"No. Don’t take him," she begged gently while the man in black wiped her tears with his knuckle.
"It's time to go luh' baby.” Despite her tears, he took the baby back from her arms. “No more pain. No more suffering."
