The Weepings of the Moss: The Balcony (Chapter 2, Part 1)
Smoke, ash, and embers floated into the air from the fire pit in the middle of the courtyard. The orange flames danced, the people standing around it idly chatting had their shadows cast long from its light. Earlier there had been string lights lit to illuminate the courtyard, but the hour was late and they had long since been extinguished. Now their shadows melded with the darkness of the night, beautiful people betrayed by their gangly, wavering shadows, spiraling from the center of the fire like black points of a crown for the king of a midnight mass. All the spirits of the night were in attendance, the cool wind off the ocean, the cicadas were beginning their late night chitters and chirps, the distant amber streetlights, and hushed conversation.
Gabriel’s face illuminated for a brief moment as the tip of his cigar burned like a smoldering coal, his normally blue eyes lit orange like Beelzebub’s. A lone candle next to him on a small table would have been the only other thing to let one of the persons below know Gabriel was in the rocking chair on the balcony of his king suite at The Beaufort Inn. Hedges enclosed this courtyard area, which was filled with blue and black outdoor furniture that spanned the distance between the main house and the garden house. Blue palmettos and live oaks adorned with Spanish moss dotted the courtyard, some small flowers were already beginning to bloom with the warming of the weather. The rooms had been a little pricey for Gabriel’s wants but when Mr. Walker had cut the price so much it a made a cheap deal even cheaper, and Gabriel did not really care for money at the moment.
I’m such a hypocrite. He thought, blowing smoke into the air. He normally never smoked, but he would get a cigar on a rare occasion to celebrate. Even if he didn’t feel much like celebrating, he felt he needed to do something to break the monotony of working remotely and laying in bed, watching the sun rise in the east, and set in the west. Occasionally getting up to eat. It felt like years since he had really slept. It was all he wanted to do. But it was also what he hated. My devils like to play in the day and in the night. Awake is a living nightmare, sleeping is no shelter either. Suddenly his smell of earthy, burning tobacco was interrupted by a sweet, cotton candy smell.
“Classy.” A voice as smooth as whiskey said from the balcony just next to him. Gabriel cast his eyes without turning his head to see a petite blonde blowing smoke from a vape. Her sheer black shirt showed a slim figure with large breasts, tight black leather pants and boots accented her similarly.
“People watching?” Gabriel said, nodding his head down towards the mix of fellow guests below all cheerfully communing.
“The cigar.” She said, taking another drag off her vape, the LED on the end lighting up before she blew more out.
“They’re good for certain occasions.” Gabriel said, not sure what she was getting at. He did not meet her eyes, though he still watched her figure from his periphery. He could see her smile a bit, revealing perfect white teeth.
“And what kind of occasion is this?” She said with a tilt of her head, her blonde hair cascading over her bare shoulder.
“A celebration, sort of. For a new beginning.” He took another long drag. He hated how it felt, it felt like death was pulling at his lungs. It can’t be fast enough.
“That’s definitely something to celebrate.” She said with a chuckle and a shake of her hair. She pushed some of the golden fleece behind her ear. “You moving out here or something?” For a moment Gabriel chewed on her question.
“You just visiting? Where are you visiting from?” He said, now looking fully at her, the orange glow of the candle dancing across his face. She let out a small laugh and let her head hang a bit before meeting his eye again, her tongue pressing against the inside of her cheek.
“So interested all of a sudden. That’s a great way to avoid a question.” She gave a giggle, Gabriel only gave a small half smile in return. “If you actually care, I’m from Nashville, coming out to go to school at the College of Charleston. Just stopping here for a short trip with my parents. Before I start the summer semester.” Gabriel nodded, the cicadas and the low chatter filled the silence between them. “Why don’t you want to tell me about your new beginning?”
“I just like to share with people I trust.” Gabriel said, shifting in his chair some with a sigh.
“Oh I see, want to keep things anonymous. So this is where you’re staying?” She said with a nod towards the doors to his room. “Well, if you’d like, we could keep it anonymous in there too.” Gabriel gave a small chuckle, then put out his cigar on the iron table. I could. It may even make me feel something. He thought to himself. Suddenly his smart phone lit up, vibrating on the table, it read ‘Mom’ across the top. “Who’s that? Your wife?”
“My mom, actually.” Gabriel said, holding up the phone for her to see.
“Coming to save you from a girl like me I suppose.” She said, blowing more candy scented smoke from her small nose. “You gonna’ answer that?”
“I don’t mean to be rude, but I probably should.”
“It’s alright, I like a boy who’s good to his mama.” She took out a little piece of paper, folded it into a paper airplane, and flicked it his way. “Just in case you want a little company in your celebration.” The little airplane flew through the shadows cast from the white pillars that fronted their two floor house and skidded to his foot. He picked it up and unfolded part of it with his thumb to see the last half of a phone number on it. Next he looked up the darkness had taken her, she was gone. His phone stopped vibrating, he watched missed call notifications from his mom increase from twenty six to twenty seven. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
Gabriel's past is calling. Follow the blog to find out what his parents have to say in the next installment of the story.
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