Sleeping With Calamity

Before

Wisps of hair fell over her face as she

moved through my room like an angel. Music filled the air while she laughed and twirled around. Black mesh covered her thighs, rising with ever spin and jump. Bare skin pushing through the laughter, scream and pain left in the room. Lilac raced under skin, ribbon wrapped her ankle tied in a bow. “Cal, why do you have that?” Stopping she knitted her eyebrows together. I sighed and pointed at her ankle, “That.” Her feet barely skimmed the floor, as the bed dipped in her weigh she sighed.

“When I was younger, before dad left when things weren’t hell, I did ballet. It was only for a year and I was probably five. That was the only thing I wanted to do, the thought of being something truly beautiful and delicate. I can remember that even though I can’t be on a stage in front of hundreds of people I am still beautiful.” She traced her fingertips over the the bow. The roses on her shirt rose and fell with her every breath. “Blaise, please understand I’m not who you think I am.”

    “We all have secrets. I love all the pieces of you, even the ones hidden in the shadows.”

“Blaise, no. You can’t. I’m sorry. You’re blind.”

“No.”

“Fine. It’s a mistake. I’m warning you. You don’t have a future with me.”

I pushed myself off the bed and walked towards the door. “Calamitatum Rose Winter, I don’t have future at all. All I have is present and past, stay.”

“Blaise, you’re going to be hurt. I can’t save you, only hurt you. I’m done with conversation. If you aren’t going to listen, I can’t help you. Goodbye.”

***

Smoke filled the world as fire rose higher from the house as screams cried out from inside. Turning around I walked into the woods behind me and walked till I came to my car. Flashes of her leaving me crossed my mind. She asked for one thing and I knew I had to do it. “Burn them, incinerate the pain.” Sirens filled the air as I drove farther away from the problem. Karma is a bitch, right?

Mom stood in the door, “Did you hear about the fire?”

“Yeah, I say smoke when I left home but it didn’t look that bad when I saw it.”
    “Wasn’t that Calamity’s house.”

“Mom’s house, she doesn’t live there.”

She nodded as I pushed my way through the door, “Her parents were in there. Blaise, she doesn’t have anyone now.”

“She won’t come here if that’s what you’re asking.”
    Before she could answer I went downstairs and dropped to the floor. The smell burned my nose as the image broke through my mind. Gasoline and matches burned into my mind as I remember the sounds. But now she won’t leave.

I stared at my phone while it rang, Private Number. Watching as the words glowed on my phone, I got up walked across the room. Moments later it rang again, Private Number. If you want me to answer don't be private, I'm giving you privacy. “Hello?” Heavy breathing filled my ear as I waited for a response. I was about to hang up when a small whisper escaped the phone. “Blaise, Blaise it's me. Thank you. You really are the fire in my life.”

“That's not, this isn't funny Calamity.”

“Oh? Big man, huh? Call me by what I am to get your point across. I know I'm a disaster but your a fire.”

“Where are you?”

“Ooh, around. For you I'm everywhere.”

“You wish.”

“No, you wish. You know fire and disaster go together, it’s kind of like we were meant to be.”

“Stop, Calamity no. Where are you?”

“I can't tell you. But I'm safe. I mean now that they're gone, everything will be better.”

“Come here, now”

“No.”

The line went dead and I threw my phone. Where was she? I went upstairs and noticed mom asleep on the couch. Looking around I found the old quilt grandma made her. The floral patterns ran together like they were meant to be, pastel colours filled with black and white wonders. I placed it over and turned off the TV before going outside.

The smell of coffee and tea filled the air as soon as the bell ringed over my head. Heading towards the back I heard my name, “Hey, you want the usual?” With a quick nod of my head and smile I made my towards my seat. Everything felt wrong, I was surrounded by glass wanting to escape but never hitting hard enough, so close to everyone but still too far away. Glass becoming tinted, stained, shattered at the wrong times but fixed itself when I wanted out. Yet, no one noticed.

Pictures came to life as I stared at Cal’s art on the wall. Pictures and words overlapped each other, fighting to let the world know them. Cal always said this was her corner, I'd never seen anyone else sit here so maybe it was. Opening up my bag j pulled out a black marker and looked for an empty space. Right beside where head would be, a small piece of empty wall stared back at me. Moving to the other seat and stopped for a moment before writing. Fuck Life, Blaise J. The ink bled a little into the wood but I knew she would notice it. Eventually she would come in here and sit in this seat like she always does and know. Throwing my bag over my armand grabbing the empty mug I walked to the counter and left my cup. The glass started to tint as I pushed open the door and crossed the parking lot.

***

Private Number flashed across the screen again, 4:27. “Cal? Is everything okay?”

“Fuck Life, Blaise.”

“It all just sucks, Cal.”

“I like that, I'm remembering that one.”

“Calamity, it's 4:30 a.m., can I help you?

“I liked your message. I think I'll leave it uncovered. No words or pictures could truly mask the truth of it all.”

The silence on the other end as the line ended left her in the mystery she was.