tim's Fast n Flashy Fiction - 1. Courting Ruin

Courting Ruin

Joey opened the front door and found a ruin. Joey stared, shocked, but then Joey remembered he had court and he’d have to deal with this mess later. Better just to shut the door, but he had to get through his so-called living room to get his robes and notes.

As he picked his way through the mayhem that had been his front room it was a relief to get to the hall, where there seemed to be less devastation. Strange thuds and bangs came from the bedroom.

“Thank God the bedroom door was closed,” he thought. He stood before it with his hand hovering over the doorknob, and thought for a moment. “It had been, right? I mean it couldn’t have closed on its own? Oh, I don’t want to go in there right now.”

Slowly, he returned to the main room in his apartment, picking up a vase here, and one of his deceased mother’s gnomes there. After placing his treasures on the sofa table, he fanned himself with a stray notepad. He sat on the sofa and called Charles. “He’ll know what to do.”

“Charles Preston.”

“Charlie, it’s me.”

“You okay? Why are you breathing hard? You’re not … you know, are you? I have no time for phone … play!”

“What? No! The front room, the whole place is destroyed. I’ve got to get my robes from the bedroom. Did you close the door this morning?”

“Joey, first, calm down. What are you talking about? Go into the bedroom and get your robes.”

“Charlie, I don’t want to go in there … at least not alone. It may be in there …. I heard noises again.”

“Oh, my God … you are really calling me before I do this presentation I’ve worked on for three months to tell me you can’t go into the bedroom on your own?”

“Charlie, I ….”

Joey could see Charlie rolling his eyes as he sighed. “Joey, babe, you’ll be fine. There’s nothing in there. I’m sure I closed the door before I left. Have to dash. Love you; kisses for later!”

Joey stared at the phone before pressing the red button to hang up. He got to his feet, pulled up his jeans and walked with purpose to the bedroom. Without hesitation he turned the knob and threw open the door.

“Oh, my God!”

The room was awash with feathers; their antique comforter torn up and there before him, hanging from what was left of his shredded black robes, was their eight-month-old Siamese.

“Ruin! What have you done?”