Apartment 4B

Chapter 1 - Brooke

Holy cow, this damn box is heavy.

The corner drops a little more from my grip, and I basically sandwich the thing against the wall in a mad dash to keep from fully loosing it.

Whoever broke the elevator I will personally murder… Slowly, and painfully.

My phone dances away in my back pocket, and I let string on a series of curses that would make a sailor blush as I smoosh the box further into the wall, while I make a grab for my phone. Her name’s illuminated on the screen, and I bite my lip for a second before swiping it off, mentally reminding myself that I need to send her a text as soon as I get this box down. I know she’s full of excuses on why her ass isn’t here helping me, and right now I don’t have the spare hand to give her the courtesy of listening to them.

It ain’t her fault, but if I stop too long, I will loose this thing...

Taking a deep breath and preparing myself for the two flights of stairs I need to climb, my hands round the box once more, before hoisting it into the air. My steps are heavy, as I half drag myself up the stairs, huffing and puffing immensely by the time I reach the top.

That damn elevator jerk is mine…

It’s not that I’m unfit, although I could definitely benefit from lowering the beer, and pulling out my workout wear that has barely seen the light of day since I brought it. However being the smart person that I am, I picked the damn box containing kitchen pots, pans and small appliances to be my first box that I hauled up to my new apartment.

I am a fracking genius some days…

The box hits the wall hard as I half crumple it to the wall again, full well knowing that if I keep this tactic up, all my breakables are done for. I manage to get the door at the top of the stairs ajar, half using my butt to prop it open, and shimmy myself through. Irrationally cursing my bestie who annoyingly chose working, and not loosing her job over helping me, the whole time I walk. My key finds the lock while I kick out at the door with my boot. It sails open, crashing into the wall behind it, and I have to do an Indiana Jones run through the thing before it can slam back into me. Dumping the box on the floor, I smile as I scan my new place.

A fresh start Brooke…

The sun shines gently through the large window in the bare living space, lighting up the pale wooden floors, and large built in shelving unit. The space absolutely gleams, and my lip comes into bite so I don’t start squealing. From the moment I laid eyes on it online, I have loved this place… I know the kitchen is just up to my left, the large entryway easy to see even from here, and that the bedroom is through the little corridor in front of me. A smile grows as I think about the large island bench I can’t wait to cook on, and the bath in the bathroom, just off the bedroom, that looked like it could easily swallow me. Fishing my phone out of my back pocket, I send Penny a text, telling her I expect her here as soon as she finishes. Accompanied by several beers and, or a bottle of wine already in hand when she arrives. Taking one last look, I shove the box further into the room with my boot, before closing the door and heading back down stairs to the truck outside.

It ain’t going to unpack itself..

    
            

I’m on my fourth trip up, my legs burning under the weight of the box of clothes I’m attempting to carry up the stairs, when it happens. The moment the box hits the wall as I try desperately to reach for the stairway door, it bursts open. Multicolored garments fly out in an array of colours. I watch as a pair of cute undies with little cherries on them, sail over the rail and down to the bottom floor, floating lightly along the air.