Prisoner #56

Chapter 6

"I remember that night, despite how hard I tried to get it out of my head.

Me and a bunch of my friends were going to the Alice in Chains concert in Seattle. We planned to stay in the city overnight, make a weekend trip out of it. The hotel was booked, we had our tickets ready, and we had waited a year to hear the epitome of grunge rock in the 90's. Of course, I was looking forward to it. Not only to hear my favorite band live, but to get away for a bit, spend some time with my friends.

You see, I lived a normal life, but not everything was perfect at home. Even though my wife was a beautiful, summit white Pontiac Bonneville like me, ridiculously smart and sharper than a tack, we were having some difficulties with our marriage. I spent a lot of time with our son, at work and with my friends, but not much time with her. She said I wasn't giving her enough attention mentally and physically, especially in the bedroom. That I always worked late to avoid being with her. She told me she didn't know what happened, where our old spark went, but it was gone.

Well, what she said was true; she had a reason for her anger. I wasn't giving her the attention she needed. She wanted me to be more emotionally available and as time went on, I simply wasn't.

She was always faithful though, she never cheated. She was always good to me, I knew that. Again, to what I said before, I was living a lie and it was only a matter of time before it all came crashing down.

The trouble for that weekend really started when my wife and I had an argument before I left. She didn't want me to go to the concert at all, she said that I should stay home. Spend time with her and my son. I always spent time with my son, so it wasn't him she was worried about not getting my attention. It was her. I had snapped back at her, saying that I bought the tickets a year ago, that I put money down to go and I couldn't just waste it all. The commitment was already made. Of course she was angry and when she realized I wasn't going to give in and stay home, she turned her back on me and drove away to our room, saying a very blunt 'Have fun, then.'

So, the weekend started on a sour note. However, when we all rallied and went to the concert, that made up for it. The music, the lights, the show. Oh, geez, Shiloh, it was every stroke of amazing. Every bit of it. It was me and my friends jamming out, screaming to the lyrics, knowing them by heart, being our truest selves. I had all my piercings in, three in my mirror, one on my lip, and one on my tongue. I lived the 90's grunge style of that time, that was me. Outside the bank I worked, I became the thing I could only truly reflect. I think that's why my wife fell in love with me, because I was a good man but had that slight bit of edge. I guess I still do? Anyway, we were all in the zone, just having a good time. I think that was the only good thing about that weekend, the concert, because after that, it all came crashing down.

After the concert was over, the night was still young, and we found ourselves in a dive bar on the outskirts of Seattle. It had pool tables, neon lights, you could smoke, and the beer was your standard Bud and Bud Light. Typical 90's dive. Well, my buddies and I were smoking and drinking beer, shooting some pool. I wasn't playing per say. I was mainly an observer, throwing in a ball breaking comment when one of my buddies would scratch or miss a hole.

I had finished my first beer and was ready for my next. I drove up to the bar to order a Bud off the tap. The bartender handed me my drink and as I was ready to drive back to my friend's pool table, something caught my eye.

Over in the corner of the bar was a 70's Mustang, sleek black, green eyes as vibrant as a cat's. I stopped and stared; I couldn't resist. I was drawn right to it, not able to pull my eyes away.

The Mustang raised its green eyes up at me, catching me staring. It gave me a sly smile as it drove away from the bar and over towards me. As it approached, I suddenly got nervous, that I didn't want this. I needed to get back to my friends, but it was too late. I already had its attention.