The Vampire's Throne (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER THREE

It was shortly after midnight when my shift at the restaurant came to end. Jessica was kind enough to give me a ride home but not before stopping by a place that sold packing material and a roll or two of bubble wrap. I paid at the counter using a credit card instead of the thousand dollar tip left by His Royal Highness, Prince Alexander. I didn't feel right using it much less accept it, seeing as how it was just too much money. I thought it would be best to try and return it to him after he left, but I didn't want to disturb him.

So I decided to keep it in my backpack for safekeeping until I saw him again in London on Monday. But the truth of the matter now was worrying about finding a new place to live. Things in London were completely different than here in the States. Currency, terms of law, road signs, driving on the other side of the road, taxes. With all these things considered up to this point, I was starting to get a little nervous. Yet there was one thing I knew for sure was going to be the easiest of them all.

My apartment. A one bedroom studio apartment overlooking the city's oldest and most prominent fire station. It was everything a young buck like me trying to make his way into a new city could ever want. Decent transportation, walking distance to and from local restaurants and let's not forget the corner store mall. Plus the rent for this place alone wasn't bad either. Between the good memories and the bad, deep down a little part of me was going to miss living here. Guess all things must come to an end sooner or later.

I set the boxes inside near the couch as I flipped on the lights and scanned what was necessary to try and take with me. Not much had changed since the day I moved in. Everything in this apartment was exactly the way I found it. From the original hardwood floors to the classic 90's cabinetry and cracked walls with white paint. Nothing in here seemed valuable enough to try and take with me. Except for the bed. That one was mine. I kicked off my boots, took off my coat and went to the kitchen to grab a cold beer.

The top came off with a clatter, the beer spilling into my mouth as I took a gentle sip and leaned against the counter. Books, movies, video games, clothes, the works. All those things I decided were coming with me. As for the rest of the stuff, it could all just stay here or perhaps I could give it to Goodwill and be done with it. Decisions, decisions. Not tonight though. I felt a headache looming and I was in desperate need to start packing things up. I took another sip as I went to the tool drawer and pulled out a roll of packing tape.

Once the first box had been properly fastened, I went to work starting with the books that sat on a tiny bookshelf near the window. My love for books quickly turned into a hobby rather than actually reading them over the years. I'd buy books but as soon as I read the first few chapters, I set it off to the side and that would be the end of it. At first glance, nearly eighty-five percent of the books on my shelf each had a bookmark in the form of an iTunes gift card in them. That's how I knew they weren't finished yet.

One by one the books came down and into the box beside me as I stacked them up neatly based on their genre. Vampires and werewolves went in first, crime fiction and young adult in the middle, and last but not least a textbook on the human body sat nestled on top as I folded in the flaps together and taped them securely shut. Then I placed it off to the side and started work on the second box which consisted of my movies and video games. And speaking of movies, I put in a copy of MEAN GIRLS to listen to while I worked.

An hour later, my mind was exhausted without thought. My stomach growled an aching hunger that would not rest until I gave it proper food. Food that sat on the counter smelling of fried rice, french fries and a classic all-American cheeseburger in a styrofoam container. Just a simple dinner for one. Never for two, always never for two. My last relationship seemed like a lifetime ago. Back when I was truly happy during those first few months of what I assumed to be true love. But I was wrong.