RUN

Chapter One

Alex is sitting alone at the kitchen table, putting on shoes. All the lights are off. The apartment is dark.

He ties the laces slowly, eyes wincing, hands and arms moving delicately. Every move is slow and deliberate. Making the laces into bunny ears ... folding ... pulling through ...

Slow and simple.

The kitchen is dark in the night. There are damp shadows crisscrossing the floor and walls, layered shadows – grey on grey. The fridge and stove are like hallucinations of themselves, black shapes, sleeping figures. The only semblance of colour is a cone of grey light, crawling through the window over the sink, made by the misty night sky. The wan light is falling across Alex's shoes while his fingers work.

But suddenly Alex stops.

He winces.

His hands go to his head ... slowly, carefully.

Cradling either side of his skull.

The migraine is unbearable. Like a head full of glass, shaking and shaking and shaking. It's been like this for days. He can't remember how comfort feels. How the day looks. He wants to go back to bed, curl up, sleep it off. He wants to go to sleep. That's all he wants. Christ, that's all he wants. But he takes a slow breath instead. Waits for the pain to ease off. Then finishes tying the second shoe.

His car keys are on the counter in a pool of dark beside the Keurig machine. Alex stands slow and then puts them in his pocket. The ruined MXCM watch on his wrist declares 11:30 PM.

Shit, he thinks. He needs to leave immediately.

Maybe it's already too late.

He refuses to think like that.

But what if he's dead.

Alex looks for his jacket in the dark.

It's hung beside the front door.

He goes towards it, reaching, when someone is suddenly behind him.

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Hey there reader!

Short chapter, I know lol. But thank you so much for taking the time to read my work! It really means a lot 🥰

And if you want to see the story continue be sure to leave a vote so I know people want more!

Thanks again
Dom