ELECTRIC CHAIR

Welcome to The Jungle

Chapter Two

Primus sat in his apartment on the top floor of the brownstone, his electric guitar resting across his lap. The strings hummed softly under his fingers as he strummed absentmindedly, lost in thought. The apartment, like most of the building, had seen better days. The walls were a faded, peeling off-white, and the wooden floorboards creaked underfoot. The single window offered a narrow view of the street below, where the city's noise felt distant, like a memory.

The space was sparsely furnished—a worn-out couch, a small table with mismatched chairs, and a rickety bookshelf that leaned precariously to one side. But it was his, and for that, Primus was grateful. His guitar, however, was the most precious item he owned, its sleek, polished body standing out against the shabby surroundings.

The apartment had an odd charm to it, though. The slanted ceiling, which followed the roof's contours, made the room feel smaller, more intimate. In one corner, a stack of vinyl records leaned against an old turntable, a testament to his love for music. The walls were bare, save for a single, framed photograph of his family—back when things were simpler before everything fell apart.

But today, the apartment felt emptier than usual. Tammy was gone, and her absence was a tangible weight in the room.

He found himself thinking back to the day they first met. The memory played out in his mind like a scene from a movie, vivid and detailed. He could still hear Gemi's voice, as clear as if he were standing right beside him.

Flashback

"This is a mistake," Gemi had said, his voice dripping with cynicism. "You're letting yourself get too comfortable. Trust no one. Especially not her."

But Primus had needed a place to stay, and Tammy had offered him one, albeit with conditions. He could still remember the way she had looked him up and down, sizing him up, her sharp eyes catching every detail.

"Hakeem speaks highly of you," she had said, her voice firm and no-nonsense. "But I don't let just anyone stay in my building. This place has been through enough without bringing in more trouble."

End of Flashback

Back then, Tammy was just another wary face he had to win over. But over time, something had changed. She had softened, in her own way. Small gestures at first—a nod in passing - a brief conversation about the weather—grew into something more. She'd leave a plate of food outside his door when she knew he'd been working late. She'd check in on him when she hadn't seen him around, making sure he was okay.

Even Gemi, with all his dark humor and cynicism, had softened around Tammy. Though he'd never admit it, not even to Primus.

"She's alright," Gemi had once said, begrudgingly, after Tammy had left them a particularly generous helping of stew. "But don't get too attached. People like her don't stick around."

But she had. For a whole year, Tammy had been a constant presence in his life, someone who had seen him for more than just his mistakes and his struggles. And now, she was gone.

Primus felt a lump rise in his throat as he recalled the last conversation they'd had. It had been about something trivial—he couldn't even remember the details now—but the way she'd smiled at him, with that mix of affection and exasperation, was burned into his memory.

"You take care of yourself, Primus," she'd said, her voice gentle but firm. "You're a good man, even if you don't always see it."