MOSAIC

Chapter 5: The Red Basement

 I twisted my neck around uncomfortably and rubbed my shoulder as I jogged up the creaking front steps of the house's porch. Kind of sore, although I hadn't done much. I must have slept unnaturally or something. Either that or the dream was real.

​I halted in front of the door for a moment and performed an exaggerated stretch as I surveyed the neighbourhood; a typical sleepy Sunday afternoon. Even the house itself was serene, a few glass bottles lined up next to the door like an alcoholic's version of garden gnomes. I could seldom ever remember being here during the day and I was taken slightly aback by just how peaceful and charismatic this old Toronto neighbourhood was when it wasn't plagued by the afterhours anarchy of the house.

​A damp breeze flailed weakly down the street, rustling the leaves of the old trees, which for the most part were all still green and silky, but they would likely be changing colour very soon. The scene was tranquil at the moment, but the air was charged, the way it gets when there is a faraway storm slowly rolling in.

​I sucked in a clean breath of air through my nose, rang the doorbell and stepped back, folding my arms over one another as I continued to scan the visually charismatic wealth of the neighbourhood. The area had an ominously stirring air about it, as though there were glimmers of ghosts everywhere.

​The door swung open and I was greeted by Lamar holding three boxes of pizza stacked one on top of another, wearing track-pants but no shirt, torso of tattoos melting into his dark black skin.

​"Kind of cold for no shirt," I said.

​"Still feels like summer to me man, I don't care what month it is," he replied with a smirk, flicking his head lightly in indication for me to enter the house as he retraced back inside. "I thought you were the pizza guy coming back to start shit with me over the tip."

​"Nah," I said as I stepped inside, closing the heavy door behind me with a click that echoed throughout the empty foyer.

​"Your jacket's right there by the way," he called to me as he paraded towards the kitchen with the pizza.

​"Where?" I mumbled, looking around loosely as I continued after him into the kitchen. I spotted it folded crudely over a couch, and I slung it over my arm.

​"What're you sayin' everything good?" he asked inattentively, as he set the pizzas down on the counter and rummaged through the fridge.

​"Yeah man. All good," I said reaching forward to take the cold can of beer he was handing to me.

​"You wanna smoke a bit too?" Lamar said as we cracked open our beers and he lifted the lid on one of the pizza boxes, the steamy scent of hot pizza wafting out and filling the air.

​"Nah, I probably won't stay too long."

​"All good man, up to you," he replied, his words muffled by a mouthful of hot pizza.

​"I'm just gonna throw my jacket in the car, I'll be right back."