Alone in the Universe

Chapter 1

The sun was shining through the tin curtain, but it wasn't the same. Joseph Vance Lee slowly drifted towards the curtains uncertainly, like he normally would. 5:01. He was late. He missed the pigeons who would fly every time his downstairs neighbour Mrs Sally would throw away the crust from her regular single toast. He could see them flying to the lamppost. The pigeons don't fly to the lamppost, they fly to the roof. Slightly disgruntled by that he looked down at the pavement. Nobody was there. But then again, it was a Saturday morning and nobody would want to wake up at 5:00 AM , well, 5:01, he was late. But Brian Cosby would, holding yesterday's paper and always forgetting that it was considered strange to bring your ceramic mug outside to work. Joey had a flashback on the first time he saw him, the first time he moved in and he saw Brian. Brian was a friendly bloke, always smiling always polite. He had moved in on a Friday evening and was invited over to a party in Brian's home. He remembered that night with fondness:

"Hey wasap mate! You alrigh'?"

"Yeah yeah I'm fine thanks. Uh-um thanks for inviting me!"

"No worries, hey. This, is my wife, Casey,"

"Hey Casey Cosby!" There was heavy laughter that didn't stop which seemed like forever.

"'E's got quick wit in he!" Casey had a hand-knitted jumper that became finger gloves with two eye-slits above her wrist. An infinity scarf had wrapped around her neck even though it was stuffy in the dimly-lit living room. She wore tight jeans and loose boots, each of them embroidered with mini diamonds and small sequins. 

Bill had turned around and let out a manly scream, "A' righ' mate. Haven't seen you in forever!"

Casey had noticed the confusion on Lee's face and introduced him to Steve. His name was actually John Ron Stevens but most people called him Steve. 

"He works in the Biology Department in Dundee but now he's joined St Stevens so youse two can chat all day! Take 'im under your wing will ya?"

"With pleasure!" replied Steve with a deep, growling voice.

Casey told to them about drinks and told them that I would help her whilst they catched up.

Casey spoke in the kindest of ways towards Lee. She had such a gentle loving voice. He asked how they all met and she said that they all went to the University of Manchester and that they all decided to go to Wales to live there and they rebuilt the town because people left of the famine.

"It was a terrible famine. But luckily we weren't there to wittiness it. Bill can't even handle not eating for a day, never mind a darn bloody year!"

 Joe had remembered all the food that was there. The roast chicken and the sweat peas with carrots and potatoes. The gravy that was mouth-watering and the red wine and champagne which topped of the whole thing. That was a wonderful evening. It was the best night of his life.

He physically winced, the pain was too much for him.

Casey had died 2 weeks ago. 

He had grown fond of her, despite her being crazy she was the nicest person he had ever met.

Vance had slowly walked downstairs where Mrs Sally should have been, but she wasn't there. Now he had his suspicions. Where would a 86 year old woman disappear to. The only  place she went to was the  Brook Green Commons Cemetery. He drank his hot beverage and placed it own in the sink, he didn't even finish it. Joey never put it in the sink, but this day wasn't an ordinary day. 

He walked out of the cottage, which was on a sloping hill, and gradually accelerated his speed. The morning air was more chilly and the wind less strong. His cheeks began to redden and his shoes were getting soggy. He through the crust away which frightened the pigeons so much that they didn't even stop flying until they were well out of the way of the man on a mission. 

He had reached his destination but there was nobody there, except for more pigeons. His brows frowned and his lips shivered. He sighed in frustration and went back to Old Little Cottage. 

He changed into a pink geometric t-shirt and a hand-knitted sweater that Mrs Sally had given to him and changed his shoes to massive boots that covered most of his dungarees. He marched down to Holy Trinity and jingled his spare change in his pockets to scare of the mice (a common practise for the citizens of the remote town) as the noise echoed throughout the church. He saw her praying silently in Latin. He tutted and sighed and laughed at the fact that he was so suspicious and paranoid for thinking of the crazy, insane hypothesis.

He strolled towards her and said out load to what seemed like nobody in particular, "I thought you were gone you know."

She didn't reply and as he approached her she was fading but he didn't seem to notice until he went passed her; she was gone.

Joe was confused. What had happened? Was he dreaming yet again? He was pained suddenly pf memories and flashbacks of his pass but he blocked them out of his mind to focus on what he just saw. 

Was it a trick? That Mrs Sally just magically disappeared. He saw her and heard her. He staggered backwards. His index fingers placed at the side of his temple. He tripped and banged his head on the side of the pew and slowly his vision was fading.

What was happening? Was he fading too? Like Mrs Sally. 

His eyesight was blurry but he managed to make out a face of a woman of Asian decent. Her skin so smooth it resembled porcelain and her eyes bright with green glimmers. He gasped and his eyes teared up and tried to brush her cheeks when a weight had pushed him down. An old woman's face was now in front of him, stern and strict she gently covered his head wound with some ointment and a lengthy bandage and lifted hi-