Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Dark Night of the Soul, Issue 5

As I tossed and turned in my bed, my brain couldn’t shake the image of her piercing blue eyes. The scent of her perfume still fresh in my memory and the sight of her stark white teeth framed by her bright red lips was keeping me awake. What was it about her that gripped me so damned hard? I had never fallen so hard for some dame I had just met, and now this woman was invading my every thought.

It was time for another scotch. Or three.

I awoke the next morning without thoughts of the intoxicating beauty at the forefront of my every thought. I knew I had a long night headed towards me, so I took my time headed to my office. I fried a couple of eggs and chased them down with – what else? – a scotch.

As I left my rundown apartment building I stopped to get a paper from the boy at the corner. His dirty hands extended to take the nickel he was owed. I read the morning’s headline. “Mayor’s Son Missing.” Upon reading further a startling conclusion hit me like a prizefighter.

That blonde was going to be more trouble than I thought.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Dark Night of the Soul, Issue 4

I've picked this story back up by request from my dad. Here are links to parts Issue 1, Issue 2, and Issue 3. I'm doing these as 200 word segments to a greater cohesive narrative, so ideally they'll all read together pretty seamlessly. Enjoy and check back soon for Issue 5!



I stumbled back to my tiny apartment on the west side of town and, for the first time, I felt the walls closing in on me. I was too proud to continue my jobs on the streets because of the corruption on the force, but I was too inexperienced and my reputation was too tainted from being a cop to get hired by any respectable private investigation firm. This dingy apartment was killing my soul and I never realized until I met that strange blonde. My life for the last few months was completely forgettable up until the moment she walked into my 
cluttered and confined office.

I’m not even sure how she found me. I wasn’t well known in the city, and the people who did know me, didn’t much care for me. In my time being a cop I had tried to singlehandedly bring the honor back to the department by playing by the real rules – not those designed and enforced by the crooked cops and ruthless mobsters that infected this town. I had made some powerful enemies, both inside and out, and at that point I knew it was time to retire from the force for good.