A Nightmare's Fate

Drunk on Emptiness

Chapter Fifty-six: Drunk on Emptiness

The moment Periwinkle leaves, I grab the laptop out and begin writing. I write about the beginning about Kenton, of how he died and how I ended up in a terrible position. And the parts of how I was isolated and alone for a long time, then to how I met Errik and the bonding that took place.

I don’t know how long I’ve been writing for, but it feels like it’s been forever. I try to cover as much information as needed and when I do, I look back at how many pages I’ve written: Sixty.

By the time I’m finished for the day, I stay seated and I observe the place. What am I supposed to do now? Quickly picking up the cell phone, I almost dial his number. But before I press the call button, I throw the phone onto the side of me to the other end of the couch. Rolling my eyes, I get up and head straight to the kitchen. Looking around his cupboards, I find a tall bottle of whiskey under his sink.

I think of a glass to pour it in but I shake off the thought and head to the couch as I open the cap. Taking large gulps of the drink, I feel the burning sensation going down my throat and meeting my stomach. A couple of times, I hiccup and a couple of times I don’t. I just keep drinking until . . . until I don’t know what happens. Maybe until everything I see is black? Maybe until everything that surrounds me turns into clouds and sky? I don’t know. I don’t care.

 When I run out of alcohol, my taste buds begin to crave for more. But I’m in no shape to go buy some, so I head towards the bedroom and crawl into the sheets. I have no idea what I’ll find in the bed, but once I’m snuggled inside the blankets, everything around me blacks out.

*~*~*~*~*

I wake up with a pounding headache. The sun blinds my eyes and I feel like everything around me is death, like all objects are my worst nightmare and enemy. But without being so absurd, I get out, groaning.

When I stand on my feet, a knock on the door echoes through the apartment and I try to gain balance on my own weight. Even though I shift back and forth on each side of me, I count the steps I take behind my heels.

One step, two steps, three steps. Balance yourself. Okay—one step, two steps, three steps.

Opening the door, my eyes squint to try and make out of what the person is without the sun beaming its strong light through my pupils.

“May I come in?” a familiar male voice questions.

I nod and welcome them in.

When I shut the door behind both of us, I get a good look at the person. It’s Freddy. “I don’t see why you’re living here. I mean, you got no money, so there is no reason for you to stay.”

“I know,” I say, poising my palm to my throbbing head. “I don’t understand it either. Errik is a confusing guy—I mean, this is his apartment, so I don’t know why he left and had me stay here.”

“Look, Raven . . .” he begins, his voice sounding serious. The type when he’s ready to give a speech. He shows me over to the sofa and we sit side by side. “I understand what you’re going through.” He sighs. “Before you guys came into my life, I had a girlfriend in college. She had left the states and is now living somewhere across the globe. But when I met Periwinkle about a couple weeks later, I was so depressed. Just like you and Jessie, my friends made me go to a blind dating service and yes, they did make fun of me for it, but I did what I was advised to do. Anyways, I met Periwinkle and the first time I kissed her and slept with her, made me think of my ex-girlfriend. I wasn’t able to stop. I guess you can say I was using Peri to help me cope with my problem and it somewhat worked. It wasn’t until later on in our relationship, that I finally got a wakeup call and I realized that Periwinkle was the one. I was in love with her way before I even recognized it myself and so with that, I proposed.”