#justastart

TheUnfinishedCollection-An Excerpt

He had hoped news of the incident hadn't made it to the sleepy town nestled in the trees. Inside he knew that it had, it was the biggest story anyone could remember. A familiar naseous feeling entered his stomach at the thought of the way people crave and thrive on the tragedy of others. This truth about human nature was undeniable to him. It was clearly written all over their faces, neatly tucked away behind their counterfeit affections. James nodded at the woman, never making eye contact. Her gaze, undoubtedly sharpened and spiked by preconception, this way it was easy for him to blatantly ignore.

An air of self-righteousness emerged from behind the soft voice which now seemed belittling. As if I was a small and fragile needing some special guidance that only she could provide. I wonder what gave her the idea that she was well equipped to do anything of the sort; she really had no idea. As she slowly ran her long, skinny fingers through the file I noticed her fingernails were unusually short. The skin around them was red and inflamed as if she’d spent half her life trying desperately to chew them off. I wondered what demons in her own world would result in such an impulse. I was after all, no stranger to itching remnants of evil that linger within...

"Let me show you to your room, James." I forced out a kind smile in the interest of maintaining a sense of control until I learned her motives. If she were to be an agent against me, I would need my faculties intact to aptly present myself. Her heels tapped against the hardwood floors with each commanding step. (Tap- Click-Tap-Click)..The clicking abruptly ceased when we reached the carpet lined staircase. I willed it to return, something about the consistency of the noise had put my brain at ease. "Here we are, James!" Startling me as her long skinny fingers turned the chipped gold-plated knob. “I let you get settled, call if you need anything." I nodded and forced out another smile as she exited. My mind felt instantly free again in her absence, as if she had been trying to break down my mental barriers. She was no match for the guardians of my subconscious. Of this, I was sure. My psyche was locked securley, and not even I knew where to find the key. Invisible forces beyond my control had forced me into this sequestered existence. No longer would my true weaknesses and insecuries be visible to outsiders. The playlist of my mind would be forever stuck on shuffle; never spitting out the same thing twice, never predictable, never penetrable...

  I can still see her standing there near the shore, a giant beach towel wrapped around her. Her hair was blowing in the wind as she anchored her toes in the sand to help her stand steadily. It was the end of summer and just as the cold weather was about to come through, so was she about to blow out of this town and head back to wherever she called home. She would be gone forever and things would go back to the way they were before... Before she came in like a hurricane. It may be cliche to say, but she truly came in and wrecked my whole world. Here I was, a small-town boy in southern Georgia planning to spend my summer on the beach. A little work here and there with my dad at his landscaping business. You know, trim a few bushes, mow a few yards, keep it simple. Easy-peasy. Never did I expect to meet a beautiful red-headed angel dressed in lace and pearls. 

She was a walking natural disaster, according to her friends. They tried several times to convince me not to get involved.     

"She's just a heart-breaker." One would say.    

"She will eat you alive." Another chimed in