Finding Peace

Link: Finding Peace

The sound of the passing train brought the apartment to life, filling the air with ambient rattles and knocks. The rumble of the metal monster exaggerated the dire disarray of the apartment by rattling the ancient windows in their tracks. The beast’s heartbeat thumped rhythmically, “chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…” as each of it’s massive wheels met the separation in the track below. The mechanical lullaby lulled him deeper into a land of brighter days. The rain, not to be outdone, shifted it’s aim until it’s destination amplified the rattle of the cracked window. An empty glass walked across the edge of a shelf as if contemplating taking a leap and ending it all.

“chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…”

He stirred and left the dream stroking his psyche and reminding him of days long since past. He opened his left eye and spied the passing flashes of light as the street lamps below played out a melody of heartache through the gaps in the train cars. With a deep breath, he pushed up on his forearms and turned his head away from the sweat covered sheets to take in the full scene with stereo eyes.

“chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…”

He rolled back onto his side and stretched an arm above his head, willing it to wake up through the pins and needles. Once sufficiently stretched, he finished the roll to his back. Reaching across the covers to the bedside table for his lighter and the half finished cigarette butt, a slender hand found his chest. With knuckles arched, chipped green nails pressed into his flesh. She raised her head off of the pillow beside him and offered a smile that was meant to settle him back to his pillow. His hand dropped from it’s intended destination to find the cool skin of her shoulder instead.

“chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…”

Up on one elbow, she adjusted her position and threw a leg over his thigh, kicking the covers free as she continued the movement. HIs left hand found her hip below the sheets and brought her to rest, straddling him. The sweaty sheet clung to the curves of her figure momentarily before he slid his right hand down her shoulder, picking it up in his descent like an avalanche clearing the landscape in it’s path. The light through the window cast a film noir dance of shadowed rain drops running down her skin toward the inevitable union of their bodies.

“chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…”

He raised up to meet her mouth as she took his face into her hands. Their skin brushed ever so softly, lips parted and their hearts matched beat to the rhythm of the beast still racing by.

“chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…”

The glass walked side to side on the shelf, slowly, drawing out it’s last moments as it looked over the edge and took the final step. In that fleeting moment, the rain stopped, the train melted away and the glass twisted and turned until it’s fate met the knotted floor board below with a crash.

“chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…”

He opened his eyes, leaving the kiss behind, as the new sound interrupted the locomotive symphony. He stirred and opened his left eye. The rain on the window played shadows across the room. He sighed, rolled over and reached for his cigarettes, pausing for a second to stare at the empty bed beside him. The pain of her passing rushed back and hit him in the chest like a shotgun blast. Only seconds before he’d had her in his arms once again, now he was left with a fading memory ripping him apart from the inside.

“chuh-chink… chuh-chink…. chuh-chink…”

He took one last drag on the cigarette butt and flipped it at the rain soaked window. He closed his eyes, reached under the empty pillow to his left and brought the equalizer to his temple. The pain of her absence would haunt his dreams no more.

“chuh-chink…… chuh-chink………… chuh-chink………………..”

The whistle sounded one last time as the steam giant’s heart faded into the night, taking his agony along for the ride.