Whiskey Poison

i

work. If I wasn't so sick of hearing my own voice, I'd laugh. Or maniacally ca

flash of lightning? The patter of raindrops turning into a steady downpour? Sur

. I'm not sure what I expect to see. Maybe a countdown clock in the cloud

othing, o

rvices office is still burnt out, so it's eerily dark. I registered a complaint with the city f

that means it'

," I quip qui

n all of my wonderful qualities. My self-d

today wouldn't find my joke especially funn

re like a sto

you're the face people associate with th

e child in question is filthy, scrawn

the parent in question are studded

hink you're

a bear trap for a coochie." As far as things go, that one was pretty good. I rated it a te

ating profile," my boss, James, res

. But at some point, the self-deprecati

them post-break up. Hence why I am standing on the doorstep of work tryi

e is no one

compact of compacts. She went on a "save the world" kick last year when she got out of rehab and bought a used Sm

phobia starts, it

o psych myself up. "Here we go. Make it home and you can take a shower and

die

shoulders. "It's just a ten-minute ride. Then th

brain, I skip "go" and

the bottom drawer of my desk for occasions like this. Because this is a soaking

protection

puddle. Looking around is pointless, anyway-no one is out in this deluge. Even if they were, I wouldn't be able

ange security light attached halfway up the brick facade, but it doesn't o

n orange puddle t

to rain, I would have carri

e with the lock chain in the dark. My fingers are slippery from all the water, and when they slip and I a

Pajama

pop the lock free, loop it around the base of the s

world tip

eone tips my w

verloaded with things to notice, so when I'm yanked to my left and thrown unceremonious

at

unt," a deep

tely not the wi

me to my feet like I'm a sack of potatoes. I look back over my shoulder, but r

safety-I can

me against the brick wall. The ai

ns me in, crowding so close t

ime, I get a good l

u," I whee

h. Then he lets out a deep, bitter laugh that isn't mi