Smile

Part 2

Beep! Beep! Beep! Bee-

Alec's hand slid from his phone and draped from the edge of his bed. He took a long breath, then slowly forced it out as he stirred.

There was something so depressing about waking up. Not that life itself was bad. More like the lost world of unconsciousness had so much more to offer. A lingering peace always hung in his fleeting memory when he woke, a coveted taste that he couldn't help but want to return to. It seemed like torture to be torn from its warm embrace, only to face another day of work and traffic and taxes.

He rolled over. The world fell dark again, the weight of sleep settling back on his mind. He had time, right? Just a few more minutes. It was Saturday, after all.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Ugh..." he croaked, fingers fumbling, trying to hit the stupid button on the screen to shut the nightmarish screeching off.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Motherfu-" his hand slapped the phone, which managed to shut the infernal thing up. He grabbed and slung it across the room. The dull thump of his phone hitting the pillow at the corner of his room caught his ear. It was a good thing he'd put that there.

"I guess I'm up," he said, tossing back the covers and taking in the icy bite of his room.

He shuffled his feet, grumbling and grunting his way to the bathroom. He yanked back the curtain and fiddled with the shower knobs. The familiar knocking of ancient pipes rattled throughout the apartment. The gurgling told him that the water heater was churning up, working for another day yet.

He stepped to the sink, toothbrush in hand, bristles lathered with paste. A benefit to having such abhorrent pipes was that he could handle a few tasks while waiting for the shower. That's what he told himself at least. It made him feel more productive, and that's what was important.

He stared at himself in the mirror as he brushed. Grey eyes, sunken and heavy. Sandy hair, matted from sleep and needed a trim. A pitiful excuse for stubble, barely growing even with it being a week since shaving last. He looked as if he were still in his second year of high school, though he was far past that now. All things considered, the man he saw in the mirror was not remarkable, he wasn't even beating the average.

He was an underachiever and a cynic. He was lazy and scrawny and never prepared for anything. All traits people simply loved in a person.

He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been happy. Was that even possible? Were people actually happy, or did they simply lie? He hardly could even think of a time that he had smiled without the aid of alcohol or in the pretense of keeping up appearances so people would leave him be. The last thing he wanted was more unsolicited phone calls from overly concerned family and friends.

He sighed, then leaned over and spat out a mouthful of frothy mint paste. As he did, he heard the shower grind into second gear and start pouring in full force. With all the bubbling and gargling over, the water would finally warm up to a tolerable mark.

He glanced back to the mirror.

"Agh!" he jumped, nearly choking on, then spitting the toothbrush from his mouth. "What in the fuck?"

His reflection stood staring at him, but not as he stood. The man in the mirror watched him, brush in hand, a menacing grin curled on his lips. Alec blinked and rubbed at his eyes. The man was gone, or rather, his reflection was once again normal.

For a long time, he didn't move. Had that actually happened? A thick sludge of minty spittle hung at the top of his dry throat. He swallowed, then winced, realizing he'd just downed what felt like a whole tube of toothpaste. He hacked and coughed, but it was too late. The deed was done.