Alone In The Darkness Read online

  “Yes.”

  Steven's phone buzzed again, his eyes glanced to it and the name sucked him in, Juan.

  Hey amigo, working hard to get the money? 11 Steven. There was an image attached. He swiped to open, it was of his house with the lights on in the upstairs rooms. Steven shot to the window and opened the curtains. Ryan stepped back against the wall.

  Steven looked out the window and saw a black mustang with blue under lighting driving down the street. It hit the corner and the backend swung around. The neighborhood was shaken as the car accelerated down the street.

  “Was that them?”

  “Just make sure you're out of here tonight. Go to a friend’s house or something.”

  Ryan stood there staring at his brother whose head fell down. He could see the weight of the moment on his shoulders. “Alright.”

  “Make sure you wear a hood and leave out the back. Don't take the streets, slide out via the alleys and keep your head down.”

  Steven turned and dug through the small tin. He pulled out a small bag of old weed and tossed it to his brother, “payback for the blunt.”

  He pulled out two bags of Coke and put them into his jacket.

  “I’ll text you tonight around 11 if things are good.” Steven pulled up the money, rolled it with a rubber band, lifted his foot on the bed and tucked the cash into his sock. He walked past his brother and down the hall. Ryan stood in the room looking out at the window.

  Steven slid down the stairs and hit the floor below. To his right he saw his mother and her boyfriend swaying in the center of the room, their arms draped over each other's shoulders and their eyes rolled back as Chinese music playing on the stereo. They were both miles away and never saw him leave the house.

  He left the front porch and crossed the yard. He walked up to the neighbor, “Do you need some ice tonight. I've got quarters. 200?”

  The man on the porch reached into his pocket and pulled out cash, “I've got only 150.”

  “Deal.”

  Text me if you know anyone needs a hit tonight. I'll be free until 10:30. Steven took the cash and slipped the man a small clear bag. He walked down the sidewalk and got into his car. He pulled away towards the hospital. There's always customers near the hospital.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Steven spoke into the phone, “Hello.”

  “Hey,” A muffled voice spoke. “I got, I got your text message. Do you still have some left?”

  “Yes. Are you still located at the same place?”

  “Yes we’re in that same house, but we’ve moved to the unit on the right. Number 334. Just come in when you get here.”

  Steven glided down the grass. He knew the man on the phone had been a good buyer in the past. But he was an odd buyer, someone who was on the tail end of the meth curve, someone that used more than they should and looked it. He could remember scabs, lots of scabs, and a twitch in the eye, always moving never sitting still. It was a side effect of too much high quality product or something homemade.

  “Alright man, I’ll be there in a few minutes. I’m only taking cash tonight. No swaps like last time.” Steven jingled the gold swap on his left wrist, he still had time.

  “Cash. No problem. I’ve got that. We’ll be here, number 334. Just come in. We will be here.”

  Steven could hear another voice on the phone, distant, but definitely a female voice. She seemed to be talking to the man but he couldn’t make it out over the street noise as he walked down from the apartment complex.

  “See you then.”

  He brought the phone down from his ear. It was dark now, only the city provided guidance. Lights bounced off the low clouds, street lights flickered, and traffic ebbed and flowed. He was getting to his goal, just over a grand away. A few more stops in the city and he would be free.

  Steven fell into the car. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the fresh cash. He reached under the seat and pulled a small lever. A money roll fell out into his hand. He pulled the rubber band off and wound in the new hundreds. He lifted it to his nose and took a long drag, a slight smile came across his mouth. He tapped the wad twice on the steering wheel, wrapped the band, and placed the roll back into the compartment.

  Steven paused a minute checking his mirrors. The road noise rang and an old homeless man pushed a cart along the sidewalk, bags hanging from the side and talking at the brick wall passionately conversing with the graffiti. He seemed upset and Steven could hear him talking about something that was his and not to take it from him. Steven smiled, “I got you old man.” He pulled away down the street.

  His phone rang, he could hear it buzz to his right and his right eye could see the light coming from the bucket seat. Steven waited and thought twice about looking down at the phone. He was fresh with cash, a couple thousand dollars. He could head down the street, merge onto the freeway and drift off to a new place. He could set up east of the mountains or maybe head into Idaho. Thoughts of running away always filled his mind. From an ocean front condo in San Diego to an isolated cabin in the Bitterroot mountains. He craved the feeling of a fresh start, leaving open wounds behind. Life had become stale and one of these days he thought, he would do it. He blinked and looked down, Mark. It was better than he thought.

  He pressed the accept button on the steering wheel and he spoke to the road ahead of him, “Mark what’s up?”

  “You’re on tonight.”

  “On for what?”

  “You’re cooking with Tyler and the crew tonight.”

  “No, no, I’m not scheduled for this week, I have it off.”

  “We’ve had a dropout tonight and we need you to swap in.” Steven shook his head.

  “Don’t shake your head.”

  “I’m not.”

  “I know you're shaking your head. “

  Steven slowed to the red light. “When am I needed?”

  “At 11. You’ve got some time to get your shit together and head out.”

  Steven bit his lower lip and gave the steering wheel a palm smash. He pulled away from the light.

  “I’ve got some errands I’m trying to finish up and I won’t be done until after 11.”

  “Fine. I’ll tell Tyler you will be a little late. We’ve got a large processing run to complete tonight. The Boss has requested we refill inventory for the North end and East side. You'll be at the valley house east of Arlington. One of the regular homes.”

  “That house is garbage, I hate working out there.”

  “I've taken that note, we’ll see you after 11. Later.”

  The phone clicked as he pulled up to the red light. A woman in a black Ford Explorer rolled up next to Steven and looked across her shoulder. The rapid movement and the screaming drew her attention as Steven pounded his fists on the wheel. Her eyes opened wide and she couldn’t help but smile. Her face turned a green hue and she left the man in his misery.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Steven stood in the living room carefully avoiding the filth around him. The walls were a dirty yellow color from years of captured smoking. The corners of the room contained pockets of mold peaking in from the long Pacific Northwest winters. The room contained a couch with torn cushions and stained pillows. The sole light was a shade-less lamp in the corner pumping out a dull orange light that extended gangly shadows onto the walls. The dark corners and lines provided ideal hiding locations for nightmares to fester. He fought the musty smell that permeated the air, but there was no giving in. His lungs burned as he inhaled. He knew this smell, the last few years of dealing baptized him to this. It was the merging of neglect and lack of human hygiene. More than anything else Steven hated meth dens. These were the worst places to go, filled with the lowest of the low. The poor souls resting inches from the edge, peering over a needle or pipe into the abyss below. Steven needed the money and he needed it now. His clock was ticking and palms were sweating. His fingers rubbed together anticipating the soft feel of new money.

  “Hey man, the cash is in here, I’ve just got to
dig around a little,” said the voice from the room.

  Steven knew the man from earlier sales, but the woman in the kitchen was new. She swayed at the entry with both of her hands raised to her mouth. Steven tried to ignore her, but he knew she was just some broken women turned into a dirty whore. Why did they always have to come in pairs? There was always some thin guy who ran the show and some woman hanging around like cobwebs. She was trash and he wanted her out of his mind. She was chewing her fingernail with a reckless abandon, moaning to the crunching rhythm. She was thin, too thin. Her clothes hung loose on her bony shoulders and he could see the sores on the legs and arms. Wounds picked, dried and picked again. Her hair draped across her face and into her eyes. He could hear her sniffing as she chewed and chewed.

  Her voice was raspy, “What you lookin at hon?”

  Steven glanced at her vacant face, “Nothing, just waiting here.”

  She slowly ran her hand over her chest, squeezed her empty breast, before continuing down into her shorts. He could see her hand pulsing, “You like what you see?”

  Steven felt sick at the sight, “No I’ll pass.”

  She smiled, “You don't know what you're missing out on.” Steven did, he had sold to women like her before. Part of giving up on trades included these types of women. Mainly he feared getting something that antibiotics couldn't cure.

  “No trades tonight.” Steven called into the empty room, “Are you almost done? I have a few more errands to run tonight. A couple more buyers to see.”

  He could hear the man ruffling through papers and boxes, “You’re a busy man. I understand. Just another minute I almost got it.”

  A noise caught his attention and Steven turned his head to the right. Was it another voice? It was faint and distant, almost like a cry.

  “You guys are the only ones here? I thought I heard someone else”

  The man's head lifted up, “Yes it's just us. Might be one of the neighbors, they make a lot of noises. No issues, I almost have it here.”

  The woman shifted in the kitchen. She stood half hiding behind the wall. He could see only half her face, just one eye peering from behind the molding and sheetrock. Steven felt nervous and a sickness was rising up in his stomach.

  The sound came again. Was it just his mind moving through the end of his earlier hit? He swore he heard something, something distant. He thought, was there a baby in this house? He listened again this time keeping the woman in his view. He narrowed his eyes and strained to listen. Nothing. He was startled out of his focus.

  “All right I found it. It's in here. Can’t be too safe these days.” Steven walked into the room to see the man holding a locked tin. Using a small key he opened the box to reveal a fold of cash.

  “Do you have it all?”

  “It was, was it 250? Do you have change for 300?”

  Steven reached into his pocket, “Yeah I got a 50.”

  Steven was too focused on the deal to hear the girl move behind him. She glided through the doorway and raised her arms up. By the time Steven saw the shadow in the man's eyes, she lowered the bat across his head. Steven fell to the ground with his arms outstretched. The small wad of cash fell out onto the floor. Steven sprawled out onto strewn newspapers, knocking a tray of needles to the floor. Steven didn't move as his jacket flipped over his head. The man scrambled and picked up the cash. He hovered above moving his hands quickly along his body into his pants pockets. He checked his socks and shoes looking for more cash. He grabbed the bags of ice and cash and pressed them into his torn gray sweatpants. He leaned over and began to pull on Steven's leg with his butt in the air revealing his shit stains to the light.

  “Fuckin’ do me a favor and grab his other leg.” The bat fell to the ground and the woman reached for his foot and began to pull.

  They both strained to move him. The woman was breathing heavily with her back arched to the ceiling, “How much did you get?”

  “Couple hundred and some bags.”

  “Ice?”

  “Yep.” He heaved and pulled. They dragged Steven across the floor as his face ground in the dirt and carpet. Loose needles caught on his jacket as he passed over garbage, dirty plates and soiled newspapers. They entered the kitchen and laid him near the wall, next to the table that was piled high with clothes and pots.

  “Go get the plastic wrap.” The girl crossed the kitchen and began to open drawers pulling items out onto the floor. She spun around holding the plastic wrap up in the air. Steven began to stir on the floor, his legs softly moving as he uttered groans searching for consciousness.

  “Hurry, hurry I think he's starting to wake up.”

  The man lifted Steven to a sitting position and sat down behind him pulling both arms back. Steven's face was exposed to the kitchen. He let out a sigh and his eyes began to open. He could begin to hear the voices in the room. His mind fought to bring him back to reality and to warn him of the danger.

  “Quick pull out the plastic,” he cried to the woman. “Now wrap his face!”

  “I don't know...I don't know if we should do this,” The woman nervously said.

  “You better put that plastic on or you'll be next.” The man's eyes were wide and spit flowed down his lips. She knelt down and began to wrap Steven's face in the plastic. He slowly resisted, feeling the foreign material on his face.

  “Wrap it tight this boy's going for a ride.” The man's knees dug into Steven's back stretching his arms and opening his chest. The woman lowered herself pressing the plastic into his face. Steven took a breath and felt only resistance as the plastic formed a hold over his face. His body tried to pull again and again but no effect. Panic set in and messages fired from body to brain and back again. His eyes open for the first time. Through the plastic he could see the cloudy face of the woman struggling and contorted in the light, gaps in her mouth where teeth should be. There was a tightness in his chest as his arms wrenched back, feeling as if they might break loose and float away. Bony knees pressed on his spine sending pain running down his back and through his legs. He began to choke as his body strained and his lungs heaved.

  Panic set in and Steven began to kick wildly towards the woman. He connected with a kick to the stomach and she crumpled to the floor. The pressure on his face relaxed and through the weave of plastic he pulled a small draft of air. It was enough to subside the need for oxygen. He gathered his strength and pulled his head forward. The man behind Steven fought against this new found strength as Steven launched his head back and connected on the bridge of the man's nose. Blood began to pour out across his face. He lost his grip on Steven and brought his hands to his face, cupping his nose. Blood poured through his fingers and each breath sent droplets out sprinkling the floor.

  In one motion Steven leaned forward removing the plastic and stood in the kitchen. Where moments before he was lying helpless at their mercy, he now reached into his pocket flipped the safety and pulled out his gun. He swung to the man whose eyes met the barrel. There was no pause in his mind. Steven’s focus was survival and he wasn't about to let two drugged out skeletons take that from him. He didn’t think about the future or the law or the lives of these people. Steven cocked his head as he pulled the trigger, the bullet ripped through the man's face releasing blood and matter onto the wall behind him. Steven turned to the woman who put her hands up to him in an effort to block steel with flesh and bone. He released the slug and took the woman's right index finger before grazing her right temple. Two more pulls of the trigger silenced her screams. He stood in the room smoke flowing from the bodies and the strong smell of powder in the nose. His face was shadowed by the light and dark lesions of wet blood dripping down his cheek. A silence flowed over the room as life left the two quivering bodies.

  Deep within Steven's mind reality bubbled over. You need to move. Steven stood there breathing heavily still shocked at what just happened. You need to move. He released another breath. Move!

  Steven dropped to the floor and pulled the cash from the ma
n's pants. The extra 250 dollars the man flashed was two twenties and a wad of ones. His need for money caused him to break his rules, he had walked into a trap. He knew never to let anyone get behind him in a deal. Steven collected the cash and bags. He pulled a cloth rag from the table and retraced his steps. He began to wipe down the railing and TV edge. He walked to the living room entry and ran the cloth over the entire molding. A quick look back and he opened the door wiping the knobs on both inside and out.

  The widowed woman in unit 335 had muted her rerun of Jeopardy, Alex Trebek's face was paused on the screen ready to correct the contestant's wrong answer. She was leaned over her couch with her thumb separating the blinds of her main window. She looked out and watched Steven carefully wipe down the door entry and railing with the rag. She had heard the yelling and noise and turned up the volume, but the gun shots proved a different distraction. She watched Steven cross the green lawn and walk down the street, he got into his car and sped off into the night. She reached for the phone.

  The ringer buzzed against her ear. “911 what is your emergency?”

  “I would like to report a shooting.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Officer Conners walked up to the townhouse. Red and blue lights flashed behind him and cruiser headlights lit up the driveway illuminating the path to the front door. He approached an officer standing on the porch vigorously writing in his notepad.

  “How long ago was the shooting?”

  The cop looked up. “Evening Officer. It was called in 20 minutes ago by a neighbor who said she heard some yelling and then gun shots.”

  Conners looked over the officer's shoulder and through the entry. He saw the state of the house. “Looks like a possible drug deal?”

  “We found some weed and meth in the kitchen. Lots of pipes and a hazmat level of needles in the rooms. We are assuming right now it was some type of deal gone bad.” Officers walked out of the front entry, their hands gloved in latex and blood.