I have nothing of personal substance to say and since it’s 3:25am in the morning and I have to work this weekend…I’ve decided to write some random fiction for your enjoyment. Yes, I am such a nerd/geek/whatever word you would use to describe such behaviour. Personal substance coming on Day 4!
The Darkness and the Light
by aaron deLay
The city breathed heavily through the breath of the wind, whipping the street debris around like a spiteful lover. Those that chose to walk the pavement of the destitute metropolis did so because it was necessary. The subways had long ago flooded and filled with toxic water. The streets were just as dangerous as the dark waters. The city of Coldstone lay sprawled at the feet of the Rocky Mountains. Once it had been called “The Mile High City”. A sparkling metro area with numerous cities, it had become one through several voter initiatives aimed at bringing it all under one large umbrella. They said it was fool proof. They said it couldn’t be stopped. They were half right.
Denver and the metro area soon vanished into an amalgamated metropolis. Whatever rainbow filled utopia had been planned crashed and burned as the financiers quickly realized whatever they had thought was going to happen…wasn’t even close to what the event horizon held as it bounded towards the city.
“Damn you! You’ve broken the code!” Gun shots rang out across the street as a body scrambled and then crumpled to the ground, unmoving. The man in the suit ran across the deserted street, pistol at the ready, pointed at the body. Beady sweat beat across his brow as the moody clouds thundered overhead. Balding and spindly he was hardly the image of a made man. And yet here he was, collecting on something for someone because in the end he might see some green.
Archibald wasn’t such a bad name. If he’d been heavier and with a little more muscle it might have been “Archie” and suave like a smooth wax job on a Corvette. But it wasn’t. And there was no Corvette. Just a beat up Oldsmobile from the ’80’s, adorned in Christian bumper stickers.
Reaching down, he checked the pockets of worn gray suit. Nothing. “Bloody hell!” Pants pockets were next. He had been somebody back in the day. A brilliant businessman. A innovator. What was he now? A glorified pickpocket! There was no justice in any of this, he thought. His spirit lifted upon finding his prize. A wallet? A quick check gave him momentary satisfaction upon finding five hundred dollars. He’d get at least fifty out of this job. That was food for two weeks!
Across the street and five floors up stood a man in a faded black suit slowly relishing a short cigarette. The yellow tie had become almost pale white through the years. Didn’t matter. It was his lucky…and only tie. The brown haired Englishman stood tall with broad shoulders that held muscles at the ready and a blue eyed stare to compare. His name was McCoy. There was a first name somewhere on the books in a far flung town on the coast. It had been forgotten. Beside him was a demure looking Filipina dressed in a similar suit and tie. She had a charcoal fedora pushed forward and a bit sideways into the wind, hiding her deep brown eyes.
They both were armed in various fashions. For the moment they watched.
Archibald hadn’t seen them and wasn’t looking. He was the kind of low level mook that took risks and didn’t pay much attention to the world around him until it was just about too late. Sometimes he got lucky. McCoy whispered to his friend, “Do we take him?” The exotic beauty considered for a moment. “No. Follow. Then take.”
A raised eyebrow was McCoy’s only response. A few moments later they were walking cautiously from alley to alley, furtively following their prey. For his part Archibald didn’t seem to notice. If he did, he gave no clue. He was focused on the green burning a hold in his pocket. The boss would like this. Very much.
to be continued at some point…
Sorry for the lack of real blogging, but the brain is fried. I’ll have something of substance on day 4 with some personal thoughts and feelings. And I know you can’t wait for that. Or something.
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nablowrimo is underway! 22 bloggers from around the world are united in blogging once a day! You should read them and check ‘em out every day! See more details at the site here or look at the list below!
NaBloWriMo Bloggers
- groovygrrl
- I’m Not Hannah
- The Kittalog
- Indian Food Rocks!
- Cooking and Me
- The Way I Always Was
- Jugalbandi
- Culinary Colorado
- Digging In
- Thistle Dew Farm
- Mimi On The Move
- Enjoy Indian Food
- Siri’s Corner
- Conch-to-be
- Nags of a Similar Ilk
- Damn Yankee, Vermont
- Aaron Delay
- Fun Climbs Around the World
- Seriously Wonderful
- Straight From Hel
- Use Real Butter
- Here it is!!!
