GAO Prompts - 1. Prompt 355

“Here let me get that for you sir.” A young man said cheerfully.

The heavy door Richard had been struggling with easily swung open and he hobbled into the store. All the while fumbling to put away his umbrella with his cane tucked under his arm. He glared up at the man who still stood holding the door.

The young man’s smile twitched to an uncertain frown and Richard’s eyes dropped to the name tag. The overenthusiastic air he gave off virtually screamed “new guy” but Richard’s eyes weren't what they used to be. He had forgotten his glasses and couldn't read the name.

“Thank you Williams.” Richard muttered the first name that came to mind.

“Um, no problem sir. Please watch your step.” Newly dubbed Williams said.

Richard was aware of the impatient grumblings aimed at his back by a couple teenagers as he held up the entryway but he didn't give a damn. Without his cane his legs felt like jelly and he could see the puddles of water this employee had been in the process of cleaning. They would survive with an awning over their heads. They should have all been at home instead of out in this god forsaken storm anyway. Exactly where he should have been instead he was returning a book.

Richard didn’t need a book recounting his life’s history. About the grandchildren who most likely thought him dead since he never introduced himself. Or how well his own brats had done in college or who they had married. It had all been his hard earned money putting them through school without a damned “thank you”. The check he sent to their weddings had been to temporarily satisfy the “money grubbing ingrates” off his back. He never did get an invitation in the mail either. If he had he would have tossed it out with the garbage.

They were his personal hell on Earth. How ironic. It wasn’t until recently that he thought he truly deserved them... a long and painful life derived by the devil tormenting him so. He deserved this after what he had done in the past. A man couldn’t live with half a soul after all. The reminder now in his back pocket. A few pieces of paper so achingly precious.

The first taste of freedom he had from his overbearing and abusive parents were written on those pieces of paper. Those too few years with the only man he had ever loved and who had returned that love. Unfortunately, after he graduated, his dreamy little fantasy had been dashed. Crushed. Gone in one foolish argument that he couldn’t take back and now haunted him. For years he had done his damnedest to forget about those college years and he had succeeded becoming unfairly angry with the world and not understanding why. No one could help him figure out until the book... those memories resurfacing.

“Do you need a hand with- ?” Williams started to ask.

“No!” Richard snapped unkindly. Taking his time he eventually set his umbrella in the crook of his arm and made his way further inside the bookstore. The rich warm scent of coffee, chocolate, and cinnamon in the air from the cafe and lounge.

He soon found himself heading off towards the book shelves. It took him awhile to get to the-

“I’m not that old!” Richard said in a huff as he found himself scanning through the book again. For some odd reason he hated this book yet couldn’t put it down. There was something appealing about how it’s text flowed as his eyes roved the pages. If he wanted to he could go to the end where the blank pages were and as he watched the words would start to appear before his eyes. As if teasing him to read on. He never did though.

“I must be losing my marbles.” Richard grumbled, reading about himself reading about himself. He looked up in time to see the same employee turn from a satisfied customer.

“I’m sorry sir, what was that?” Williams asked with a smile before realizing who he was speaking too.

“Nothing Walter.” Richard said wondering where the hell Sherry the manager could be.

“Er- uh… do you need help with anything…?” The newly dubbed Walter said hesitantly.

Think I’m senile do you? Richard thought to himself with a twisted grin. He thrust the book under Walter’s nose.

“I want to return this.” Richard said.

“Oh well... The front desk is right over there I’m sure someone can help-,” Walter started to say as he turned away before Richard cut him off by a cane pinning him effectively against a shelf.

Walter sighed pushing up his wire framed glasses and took the book proffered to him by the elderly gentleman. “May I ask what was wrong with it?” he inquired.

“It’s a piece of shit.” Richard stated. “Absolute, total garbage. It doesn’t even have the author’s name on it for Christ’s sake.” He noticed Walter wincing at his use of language. Richard’s vision might be blurry but he could see well enough to tell that the young man had unimpressive features with his shaggy brown hair and brown eyes.

“Do you have a receipt?” Walter said.

“You shouldn’t wear glasses they don’t suit you.” Richard said instantly disliking Walter. He knew there was something off about this young man. “You trying to impress someone boy?” He handed over the receipt.

Walter’s lips thinned but he didn’t say anything. Instead he open the book and his frown deepened as he flipped to the first couple of chapters. His face spasming, his brows knitting. “They aren’t going to accept this after the condition it’s in. It’s ruined. There are pages missing from chapters six to eleven.” He strained to say.

Made the bookworm upset did I? Richard scowled. “I told you it was garbage, wasn’t even worth finishing. I’m doing you all a favor, you should shred every bit of it up. No one should have to endure the crap this author wrote.”

“I can’t give you anything for it.” Walter said shoving the book back into Richard’s hands. “You’ve damaged it beyond repair so I would suggest you take it home with you and just finish it. How can you judge it before you give it a proper chance?”

Richard became furious, “Proper chance?!” He turned his back on Walter and hobbled over to the cafe lounge where several people had obviously heard their argument. Curious wide eyes watched him as he went to the recycle bin and threw the book where it belonged. There’s your proper chance, become something useful like toilet paper!

“Have mercy, what in the world has gotten into Mr. Solomon?” Sherry said as she hurried over to watch old man walk out into the pouring rain. Not even bothering to use his umbrella.

“I don’t know.” Tony said from behind the cafe counter. “It sounded as if he were having an argument with someone-”

An ear splitting car screeched to a halt, a scream just outside the store had people bolting to the front of the store to look out the windows.

“Oh my god!” A woman screamed, “Someone call 911! There’s been an accident!”

******

“Finally.” Richard said looking sadly down at his mangled corpse. He had awoken to a slurred cacophony nightmare created by police and ambulance sirens. The flashing lights and people moving in slow motion through the rain like works of living art. Watercolors that slurred and dripped behind every motion.

It was all so beautiful no matter the tragic circumstances.

Yeah right, Richard thought snorting in disgust as he tapped the heel of his dead corpse with his toe. The broken body didn’t move and he knew that no one could see this ghostly apparition he was now. No one’s going to miss this asshole and I wouldn’t blame them. He thought.

A twisted sad smile tilted the corners of his lips. Raindrops spattering at a normal pace, unaffected by god’s sons and daughters who were inching around in a panic state. Those living still an integral part of his great work. A place Richard knew he was no longer needed. Richard laughed tears falling to mingle with the rain. So sure that these would be the only tears shed over his death until he heard another wailing in the distant.

“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” Walter sobbed where his legs had given out from under him. He sat at one of the far tables with his arms crossed over the book on the table. His head buried in his arms as grief overwhelmed him.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this, I don’t understand.” He cried.

“Like what exactly?” A strong masculine and familiar voice asked curiously.

Walter’s head jerked up in shock, face red and tear stained. For the longest time he had been wishing, craving, to hear that same voice directed at him. It’s why he had given in after all these decades to a nice cozy little bookstore he spied the man enter. His love. His Richard.

“W-Wallace?!” Richard said incredulously as he met Walter’s eyes. He looked like he’d been punched in the gut. “That was you the entire time?!”

“Richard.” The revealed Wallace said meekly. One look at the invigorated tall, strong, dark haired man as he had been in their college years had Wallace scrambling to his feet. In a panic he spoke first, quickly in a rush, explaining himself as he took notice of the emotions broiling inside those dark eyes.

“Y-you lo-looked so lonely when I ch-checked up on you it didn’t make any sense! You had the perfect family, just like you said you wanted.” Wallace stammered backing away from Richard as he started stalking towards him. A chair blocking Richard’s path was swept backwards. Oh god help me! Wallace thought much preferring the old feeble man Richard had been.

“When I got this book everything seemed perfect except for one thing. That you blamed yourself for my accident but that was all my fault. I shouldn’t have been driving, I couldn’t see the road- I was stupid and corrected it. In here.” He tapped frantically on the book.

“Please don’t hate me.” Wallace whispered shutting his eyes. “I just wanted to make things right with you and your family.”

He felt warm hands frame the sides of his face, thumbs wipe away the dampness on his face. Opening his eyes Wallace’s heart melted at the tears in Richard’s eyes.

“You were my only… Are my family.” Richard croaked.

For more:
http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/39501-prompt-355-creative/
Had to delete a thousand words to keep it short.  So hopefully it flowed and made sense.