The Best Thing He Ever Wrote

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Johnny laughs again before taking another drag of the cigarette. Everything around me buzzes and I didn't know that there was so much that was funny about everything that's happened. I take another drink and I don't mind that my mouth tastes like an ashtray and that my throat still tingles from the straight whisky. I don't even care about my family, Olivia or Percy.

Johnny was right, everything is better.

After another long moment of laughter Johnny says, “You kicked in his counter.” And then laughs again. I have to think for a very long moment as to what he is on about and then I remember this afternoon, or maybe it was yesterday afternoon, when I found out about Percy. I wonder what the time is.

I lean back onto the lawn and the ugly pug cross trots over to me. What was her name again? I think hard... Then the dog begins to lick my face, I push her away half-heartedly, “What's its name again?” I say pointing to the dog.

“Um,” Johnny pauses, “I don't remember. Missy maybe... No that's not it-” He starts to laugh again and I join in. The dog continues to try and lick me over and over again, I push her away repeatedly as well.

“I forgot that we even had a dog!” Johnny continues, “It's ugly for sure.”

The sky isn't as dark as it was before, it must be early hours, “Want to know something else funny?”

“Go on.”

“I need glasses.”

Johnny laughs, “Like a four-eyes?”

“Ah-huh.”

He sits up, “Life must really suck for you, I'm glad I'm me for once.”

I take it on the chin, because everything feels so much better and everything is so funny.

We don't say much for a long moment and then the phone in the hall begins to ring. We don't acknowledge it for a couple seconds and then Johnny stands up. He's a little wobbly on his feet, he drops his cigarette to the ground and scruffs it with a rock. He makes way to the hall and my heart stops a moment. I stand, almost falling; I make way to the hall. I use the walls to hold me upright.

“Wait!” I say.

Johnny drops his hand that was about to pick the phone up, I glance up at the clock that says six-thirty. And then I notice that it's AM and not PM. Where did the time go? I look back outside to notice that somehow we got through one and quarter bottles of whisky, when did that happen?

Johnny's eyes are unsteady, “What?”

“If that's my mum or someone, I'm not here. Or the police.”

“The police?” He raises an eyebrow.

“I told you already.”

He considers, “Oh right you did too. Ha, the cops are after you as well.” He picks up the phone. “Hello?” A pause, “Mrs Mawbray, how are you?” Another  pause, “He is? Missing?” He chokes down laughter and then clears his throat, “Right, if I hear anything or see him, I'll let you know. Will do.... Catch you later.”

He hangs up the phone, “I'm going to go crash.” He says slurred.

We make way to the bedroom were Johnny throws me a pillow from the bed.

“Make yourself at home.” He says and I lay down on the ground. Its only minutes later that I hear Johnny begin to snore and I know that I'm not too far behind him.

“What do you think you're doing in my house?”

I roll over onto my side, my neck is stiff and somehow my back is even worse. I let out a grunt and roll back onto my stomach. Everything feels sick and for once it's an actual sick and not an emotional sick. I feel so sick that I can only think about being sick and nothing else, and in a way, that's good.