One
Like all rainy nights, Daniel Hanson sat in his chair. His computer was in front of him as always along with the freshly made coffee he made a few moments ago. He was a five foot eight middle-aged man no older than thirty with brown hair that had barely any gray. His bangs swept to the side and didn’t care which side it was swept; sometimes he would brush it to the left and sometimes to the right. Either way, his bangs always looked about perfect, not that anyone really cared for it. Besides his writing, people really only cared for his eyes which were bluish green that seem to know exactly what one was thinking. People called those eyes the “Truth Eyes”, not that Daniel himself knew. He was a patient and calm man that would answer questions as well as end arguments with a gentle voice.
At the moment however, he was extremely frustrated.
Daniel groaned as he leaned back in his chair before straightened up again to stare at the blank document in front of him.
Nothing. He couldn’t think of anything.
He grunted and took a sip of his now warm coffee while murmuring cusses at Melissa, his editor. He slumped back against his chair.
“Ah!” he cried out when an idea popped in his head before getting a disappointed groan. “No, that wouldn’t work. Damn that woman, who can even put out a book in less than five months?”
He was silent for a moment, knowing that he was lying. Some of his most admired authors could finish a book in about two months and have it edited in a few weeks before it was released to the public.
His fellow writer, Sam who worked with the same publishing company patted him on the back a few days back, saying that it was okay that he was a slow writer and that everyone had their own pace. He just responded when a hesitant nod of his head. He knew that, but he still wanted to get close to the level of the others. He only got lucky when his first two works were published; they were already something that had an end to it. It wasn’t like that this time.
Geez, Daniel. You are being too depressed, snap out of it, he thought to himself. All you need is some inspiration.
As soon as he thought that he heard a loud knock. He frowned and got up from his chair before peeking outside his window to see rain dropping rapidly and dripping down his window followed by a few more drops. It didn’t look like it was going to stop; the news even said that it was probably going to rain until afternoon tomorrow.
I wonder who would come when the weather is at this state. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard more impatient knocking.
“Coming!” he called as he quickly put on his slippers and rushed downstairs. He looked through the peephole and squinted trying to see who was there. He could make out that the person was a man. He wasn’t able to see his face for it was hidden from him.
“Who is it?” he asked. He didn’t know who the man was, for all he knows he could have been an alien getting ready to replace him and send him somewhere else.
“Someone who has a wish before he dies,” the man said through the door after a moment. Daniel didn’t say anything.
“That is not answering my question,” he said finally. He closed the peephole and crossed his arms. “Who are you?”
This time the man on the other side didn’t hesitate.
“My name is Kaden and you don’t know me,” he answered. “I don’t know you either except you are the writer of Valley Glass and Dry Lilies. However we both have a friend in common who gave me your address. Destiny Ross. Ring a bell?”
The man’s tone was neutral, but at the same time bored. Daniel did know Destiny. Destiny had been his best friend since before he became a writer. She was a feisty redhead that did what she wanted and pushed Daniel toward his dream. He trusted her and if she could trust this person enough to give him the address. Then he should be able to trust this “Kaden” person too.
But still, Daniel couldn’t help, but feel doubt. What if this man was lying? What if he was just using the name as an excuse to get close with him and then killed him.
Daniel couldn’t trust people that well. The man on the other side answered his thoughts as if he heard him.
“You can call Destiny and asked her if you don’t believe me,” he said before letting out a sneeze. At that moment, Daniel felt guilty when it remembered how cold it was outside.
Even if he couldn’t trust the man yet, he could at least get him away from the rain outside. For just in case, he quickly dialed Destiny as he unlocked the top lock of his door.
“Dan?” A voice asked as soon as the call was connected. His fingers played with the bottom lock a bit surprised that she even answered.
“Oh hey Des, sorry for calling you so late,” he said, running his other hand through his hair. Destiny snorted.
“Dan, it’s only nine, what’s up?”
Daniel just wanted to slam his head against something. “Oh, yeah. I knew that…well, anyways, did you give this guy named Kaden my address?”
“Yes, I sent you a message about someone coming over. I thought he would help you get inspiration for your novel which I know you been stressing over.” She paused. “You didn’t him outside in the cold, did you?”
“Err, of course not!” he answered and hastily unlocked the bottom lock and then swung the door open. He flinched slightly when he felt drops of rain against his face as he quickly waved for the man to go in. The man nodded slightly, murmuring thank you before going in and drying the bottom of his shoes.
“You left him outside didn’t you?” Destiny scorned as soon as Daniel shut the door. He didn’t say anything and looked at the man who stopped the bottom of his shoes and pulled down his hood to show blond curls slightly wet from the rain. The man gave another sneeze, before looked up. Daniel froze when he saw the man’s eyes.
They were nothing like anything he had ever seen before. It wasn’t the color, the man’s eyes were a dark green, but it was how sharp his eyes look. One look at those eyes, he felt a chill. There were almost as sharp as cat’s eyes. He couldn’t look away. Those eyes were fascinating.
He was so focused on the eyes that he didn’t even see the man coming closer to him until he felt his breath near the phone in his hand.
“Destiny, I thought you told him I was going to come over,” he said almost emotionlessly. Destiny sighed.
“I did. He was probably moping around in front of a blank document again,” she replied. Daniel scowled and was going to open his mouth to protest before closing it knowing that Destiny was right as always. Instead, he turned to the man who was dripping from head to toe. It seemed like he didn’t even bring a umbrella. He quickly murmured Destiny to wait for a moment.
“The shower is right over there if you would like to use it,” he told him, pointing to the third door which was nearest to the stairs and had a golden knob instead of the silver knobs on all the other doors. The man nodded.
“Do you have any clothes?” Daniel asked the man. The man held up the bag that Daniel didn’t know he was holding and nodded again. Daniel ran another hand through his hair, not knowing what to say.
“Are there extra towels in there?”
“Huh?” He was a bit surprised that the man even spoke before quickly answering his question. “I mean um, yeah. There are guest towels, the blue ones.”
The man nodded.
“Thanks.” And without another word, the man made his way to the bathroom. Daniel waited for the man to shut the door before putting the phone back near his ear.
“Well…that was awkward,” Destiny said before he could say anything.
“Oh shut it, Des.”
Destiny chuckled at that before clearing her throat. “It wouldn’t have been awkward if you read the email.”
“You know I only check my messages at night,” Daniel grunted in protest. Destiny let out a “tsk”.
“It is night. It’s almost nine fifteen actually.”
“Whatever,” he murmured, ignoring how much he wanted to slam his head against something once again. “Why is he here?”
“Well, if you check your email, you would have known.”
“Well, I didn’t. So talk, woman.”
“Well isn’t someone overdosed with stress,” she replied before quickly going to what Daniel wanted to hear. “Well, since you were bitching. You know you are bitching, don’t even try to say anything. You were complaining about how you couldn’t get any inspiration, so I send you some inspiration.”
“How is some random guy that you know an inspiration?” Daniel asked, brushing some hair from his eyes.
“His love story is what I think you would be interested in. It might help you get some inspiration,” she answered. “Or even better, you might even write his whole love story as the novel.”
“What do you mean?” Daniel was confused again when she said the last part.
“Kaden’s wish is to have someone write his love story before he dies,” she stated. There was a pause; the pause was long enough for Daniel to sit himself down on his couch. Then he realized Destiny was waiting for his answer. He cleared his throat.
“And so?”
“Guess, smart guy,’ she replied. Daniel furrowed his eyebrows and before he could say anything. The bathroom door was creaked open to reveal the man now dressed in a long sleeves and sweatpants; the bag hung over his shoulder. He was still drying his hair with a towel as he turned his sharp eyes toward Daniel.
“Sorry. I feel like I should be I should introduce myself again,” he said to him. The man put the towel around his neck and walked near Daniel. He didn’t held out a hand, he just stood back him before answering indifferently,
“My name is Kaden Storm and I would like you to write my story before I die.”
Daniel gaped at the man, just stared at the man for a moment.
“Destiny, what is he saying?” he asked his best friend when the shock was overcome with the feeling of confusion. Destiny cleared her throat.
“It is just as Kaden said. You wanted inspiration, right?” she answered. “There is a man with a love story that you would love to hear and he even let you write it. Don’t worry, Dan. His story is definitely something your perfect memory would love to have.”
Then without another word, the call was disconnected. Daniel got the phone away from his ear and stared at it, just stared before looking up at the man named Kaden.
“Okay then, did she tell you that you could stay?” he asked him and was answered with a nod. He sighed and got up from the couch.
“Well then, you can use my brother’s old room. Follow me.” Kaden answered with another nod and readjusted the bag over his shoulder and followed Daniel up the stairs.
Daniel at the moment as he walked up the stairs never thought he would want to kill his best friend so much until that very moment.
The two just went up in total silence.