Beyond Good and Evil

Chapter 13: Luleå

Robert lowered Alicia gently onto the left side of his king sized mattress, drawing the blankets over her lean figure. He would have let her stay asleep in his lap all night, if he himself wasn't so tired, barely able to keep his eyes open long enough to finish the song.

A few times he'd found himself leaning forward, half-asleep. It took the sound of his guitar head hitting the wooden floor to realise that he should probably go to bed, and call it a night.

It'd been years since he had gotten himself into a fight. He had been reluctant about the idea, but how else would those brutes learn to fear him, and leave Alicia the hell alone?

Inhaling a deep breath, he kissed her forehead, before drawing his keys from the bedside drawers. He needed air to clear his mind of what he had done. He could still see the blood snaking its way down Alicia's pale arms like crimson ribbons, slipping over her knuckles and between the gaps in her fingers.

He shuddered, pulling on his favourite jacket that hung from the coat rack. He'd had it since 2006, and had worn it during the band's photoshoot. It was a simple black hoody that revealed his figure. Small silver studs lined the contours of the front pockets, separated by a silver zip. He made sure to lock the door behind himself, and set off along the street into the night.

Stockholm was bitterly cold. It made him miss Luleå even more, where his mother was currently looking after his children while he attempted to piece together his love life. Now that he had achieved closure between himself and Alicia, he was hoping things would look up from hereon.

Around this time of year in winter, Luleå was blanketed with a thick layer of snow, transforming the trees into pillars of white amongst the strawberry red sky. It was a nine hour distance between Stockholm and Luleå, so it wasn't like he could just hop into his car and drive there within twenty minutes or so.

He had only stayed in Stockholm because of Alicia. He considered taking her back to Luleå with him, but he would have to ask her first. Right now she was in the middle of university, and could not simply drop everything to go with him.

A loud noise startled him into reality. He followed the direction it had come from, trailing one hand along the cool brick wall. He was heading into the heart of the city, where the glistening steely-grey river snaked through the buildings beneath the old architectural bridge. Most of Stockholm had an olden day feel to it, and those who visited said it was like being in one of Shakespeare's sonnets. He had gotten to know the place well, of course, after performing here many times.

He turned into a narrow street, and found Andreas pinning Elsa to the back wall, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the back of his head.

Robert ducked back out quickly, bumping into someone's chest.

"I've been looking all over for you!" Tomi exclaimed, throwing his arms up. "Where have you been mate?"

Robert turned fully to face his friend. He wore a black sleeveless top and a pair of knee-length cargo shorts, similar to Robert's attire. His chestnut hair was pulled back into a neat bun, leaving two thin strips to dance against either side of his jaw.

"I've been busy lately," Robert replied, digging his fists deep into his pockets. "It's freezing. Let's go for a coffee."

Tomi nodded. They both walked in silence along the dark streets, until they reached their favourite café where they usually met up on days off.

"How's Alicia?" Tomi asked, leaning against his forearm on the countertop, chewing gum. "It's been a week or so since I heard from her."

"She's alright," Robert shrugged, picking up his coffee from the counter and turning to the dining area. "Where do you want to sit?"