Waters Edge

Chapter Eleven: Empty on the Inside, Solid on the Outside.

I stay there for what feels like hours but there is no sign of him coming back. I peel myself off the ground and stumble on quaking knees back into the house. I don't make it to the bed instead I collapse on the floor just inside of the entryway. I didn't realize I would feel this way when he left.

He is the only one I let in after all these years of being alone, sure I have casual friends but Patrick... He is so much more than that I opened up I shared my thoughts and my bed with him. I like him, I kissed him my first kiss in years the last time being before my family...

I gaze at the wall and take in just how beaten down this place actually looks. But Patrick never complained about it he accepted it with a smile. That's because he didn't know any better you idiot. I close my eyes and try to will away the thought that Patrick leaving me was probably the best thing he could do.

I am like a boat anchor I drag people down and stop them from getting away, and slowly pull them down with me in a storm until they don't realize they are underwater. I lay there for a while and the sun hangs low in the sky by the time I stand up and leave. I can't look at the house anymore and I might as well go visit Brendon like I told Patrick I was going too.

The walk to town feels like it takes a lifetime, as I was dragging my feet the whole way. When I finally arrive outside Brendon's shop there are men inside and he was wildly making gestures to things around the room. That kid is a hand talker always has to punctuate his words with whole-body movements. I walk in and everyone turns to look at me. I probably look like a mess after spending the past few hours on the floor of my dusty ass house.

"Pete! The man of the hour, these are the guys from the Titan company." Brendon smiles and gestures to the three men in the room I look them up and down. They all have black hair and tattoos up their arms much like myself but they are wearing leather when it is hot as balls outside and have piercings, and great fashion sense. It is a little off-putting.

"I'm Andy Biersack." One of them states stepping forward "Owner of Titan industries I am very interested in the story behind the discovery of your piece here." He gestures to the necklace and looks back to me giving me a hard stare he quirks an eyebrow. "Where did you come across such a thing?" His words hold an edge of warning to them the kind that says 'try to lie to me and I will kill you'. I swallow thickly.

"I got caught up in a storm a few days ago, I found it then." I lie through my teeth and notice how Andy's eyes narrow slightly.

"Interesting, you know considering it is practically an item of legend. Many people have been trying to prove the existence of Atlantis for hundreds of years, and you just happen upon such an amazing artifact."

"Yeah, it's funny how lucky I was." I laugh nervously. "So now that you cam to get it you will be out of town soon then yes?"

"Well we might stick around for a while, if one can just happen upon a treasure like this so easily we might go out and see what we can find right boys?" He turns to the other two men and they just nod. He turns to Brendon reaching in his pocket and handing over an envelope. "Here is the amount promised. Pleasure doing business." He takes the necklace and places it in a box one of his goons is holding he smiles at me and they all walk out of the store.

When the door shuts behind them I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. I notice Brendon digging around in the envelope with wide eyes. "Hey man, that's mine," I say grabbing the envelope away. He pouts as I take it, I open it and gasp. Inside is a check and I gasp when I see the amount written on it.

"Pete you could live off that for years.: Brendon nearly whispers. I look at him wide-eyed and then back to the envelope.

"How did you get him to agree to this amount?" I asked pulling out the check for three million dollars.