Night and Day

Chapter 6: Delilah

The wind whistled through the trees as I approached my house, humming softly. Still songs from our school musical persisted in my mind, unable to be erased by the passage of time. Though our shows were concluded, the words were unforgettable. I shivered a little as I entered the house; there remained a slight nip in the air, even as the winter receded.

I threw my bags down carelessly before tossing a couple of Pizza Pops into the microwave. I watched them turn as my stomach growled and then they were done. Chewing them slowly a minute later, I found myself bored; with television looking less appealing as the weather improved, I decided instead to write, and to do so outside.

It was chilly, but the warmth was there, somewhat. Spring was tangible now. The snow had melted quickly and the chittering of birds reassured me that behind the cold there was life. Of course, peaceful as I was, I had a tendency to envision the worst. Taking out my tablet, I began to type away at one of my grittier instances.

She was still screaming at me as we stopped at the crosswalk, her arms flailing about like those of a madwoman. A bus passed us and I swore; the pedestrians swarmed the sidewalks, making a mockery of my foul mood. She seldom had anything good to say. I thought that it might be best if she were quiet; my concentration was ebbing. The road was turning red.

"Oh, I see. So now it's my fault?" Her eyes were daggers as she appraised me, cruel. "You are a right fool, Joe. You know that?"

I shrugged. "If you say so."

She chuckled. "Oh, I know so. You make an idiot look like Einstein."

"Clever," I retorted, sarcastic.

"You wouldn't really know, would you?"

"Claire, please." My hands were trembling. "I don't know what to say to you. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Tell me."

"I want you to grow up."

"I am grown up."

"You aren't. You're still borrowing money from your parents. When are you going to get a real job?"

I sighed. "You know I'm trying."

"You're practically exerting yourself with every Netflix episode you watch." She shook her head. "It must be so exhausting when you're required to hit the play button."

"Now, enough. I stayed up half the night searching for openings," I screamed, pounding the wheel.

"When I last checked, you were on EBay. Hoping to spend more of my money?"

I swore. "You don't care in the least."

"It's because I care that I have to get on you like this," she shrieked. "Honestly, Joe, I don't enjoy this!"

"Well, you don't have to be so mean about it, do you?"

Claire muttered, "I do. Sometimes. You don't listen otherwise."

"Whatever." I stared ahead.

"Pardon me? Don't you start that tone with me!"

We were taking a shortcut through a small street now. "Let me focus, woman."

"My name is Claire!" Claire snarled.

"And my name is Joe, damn it!" We caught on a clump of snow and our shouts turned to screams. The car was spinning, going upside down and sliding along. We crashed into a concrete pole and I felt my head snap back. The last noise I made out before I lost consciousness was Claire's strangled cry.