52nd Short Story Competition- (Topic) The Long and lonely Road
This was a stretch for me I went way out of my comfort zone for it, but I really liked how it turned out.
10. One Knight
I looked at the bottle of beer in my hand with a sneer. It was the time of year of fucking holiday cheer. I despised everything that went with it especially those Parties. I hated the obligations that came with the parties when it came to my job.
I had over fifteen years with the company, and it was expected that I be there. I hated being around people. I tightened my grip on the bottle and gulped it down. I looked around the crowded room. People wearing their finest clothes, women wearing clothes too tight, make-up too dark, too low…
‘God I need to get laid!’
I snatched another bottle before walking away from the bar. Someone was viciously murdering a Christmas Song via Karaoke. I glared at the office administrator nervously clutching the microphone. I had only been there five minutes and I knew I was in hell.
“David!” came a chuckle from behind me.
I cringed, it was the owner of the company, great guy, but a fucking moron. I took a swig from the bottle as I turned to face him. I gave him a smile.
“Hopefully the head of my security team is enjoying himself.”
“Of course,” I managed as I glanced around the room again looking for an escape. I learned long ago to avoid eye contact if I didn’t want a long conversation.
“Did your wife come?”
“She’s at home sick.” I managed despite being filled with rage that she skipped out on her obligation. I hated that fucking bitch. After 20 years of marriage I knew she was the reason I hated the holidays. The first five years were great...no perhaps the first year… fuck I can’t remember the last time we were happy together.
“Oh sorry to hear that.” he shrugged. “Oh, I see Michael, I will see you later Dave.”
I gave him a salute with the bottle before he walked away. I turned slowly and walked back to the bar returning the bottle.
“I need something strong.” I muttered to the bartender.
“I know exactly the thing.” he said and turned his back to me.
I let out a breath of frustration as I looked back over the crowd. In the corner there was a young woman sitting away from everyone else staring down at a notebook. She tapped her lip with the pen cap and had a dreamy kind of look in her eyes. I was captivated. She wasn’t dressed like the others. Besides the color, pale blue, the neck line did not plunge into the valley of her breasts. Although it was scooped revealing the roundness even at the distance I watched the creamy rise and fall of her breath. She glanced up and in my direction.
I turned my head quickly away looking back in the crowd. I felt like such a creep that I had been staring at her. I heard the bartender drop the glass behind me. I glanced at the shot glass grabbed it and gulped it sneaking a glance back at the young woman. She gave me a pretty smile as she folded up her notebook. She walked toward me. I felt like a nervous teenager, and not a man in his mid-forties.
She tapped the bar lightly trying to get the bartenders attention. But she was looking at me. I was instantly captivated by her eyes. They were the same color as the dress.
The bartender asked her order.
“A Reisling.” she replied. I noticed instantly the huge diamond on her ring finger. My heart sunk but I was uncertain of the reason.
She extended her hand toward me. “I’m Phoebe Blythe.”
“David Murdoch.” I shook her hand, “Blythe, are you related to Michael Blythe.”
Her smile faded then was replaced with a plastic kind of smile. “That’s my husband.” She managed.
“Is everything okay?” I asked knowing everything was not okay. I didn’t even know Michael Blythe was married. He made my job difficult with his late nights occupied with something other than work. I was suddenly angry as I looked at the vision of beauty standing next to me. How could he be unfaithful?
She licked her lips and they shimmered perfectly. “Of course,” she said softly as she lifted the glass of wine to her lips. “So you know Michael?” her eyes wandered to the top of the bar.
“I’m head of security.” I managed then realized I was clutching the shot glass. I released my grip and chuckled. “I haven’t seen you before. Are you newlyweds?”
She made a snorting sound before she gulped down the entire glass of wine. I blinked in amazement. She gently sat the goblet on the counter and stared at it for a long moment. “We’ve been married eight years.” She said in a tone that was far off and distant. She blinked before looking at me. “Are you married?”
I just nodded.
“Are you happy?”
I didn’t like how she asked her question. “Yes.” I managed to say.
She gave me a crooked smile, she knew I was lying. She looked at the bartender. She pointed to her glass and he filled it for her. She opened her notebook and tore out a page. “If you are head of security then you know about my husband.” She picked up the glass and gave me a smile. “My husband is a prick.” She said softly.
I managed to nod.
“David,” she said with a frown. “where is your wife?”
Suddenly I was babbling about my life and how I only got sex twice a year if I was lucky. I told Phoebe more about myself than I ever told anyone. She listened intently. She said things with a wisdom that surprised me. I wondered what her true age was. I also realized that I could smell her perfume and it was alluring. I was feeling aroused by her closeness. I could not remember I time I had felt so complete.
“I write poetry, but I think you would like this.” She said softly looking down at the paper before handing it to me. “I think you will, David?”
I looked down at the paper. There was no poem just numbers, ‘Christ!’ I thought. I looked at her with surprise. She smiled then left.
I watched the way she moved completely aroused. Even though I knew I shouldn’t I was already moving in her direction. I was two steps too slow and saw the elevator close on her. I pushed the button impatiently looking at the paper in my hand.
“Room 506,” I muttered before shoving the paper into my pocket. ‘What the hell am I doing?’ I thought then knew better than to answer myself.
The elevator dinged I looked at the door open pushing aside my second thoughts. I quickly turned and pushed the floor number. I let out a slow breath as the doors began to close.
Just before it could slide shut a suit arm thrust through the opening. I back slightly feeling a strange panic as Michael stepped into the small area. He gave me a slight nod then glanced over his shoulder. I was fucking furious. He held out his hand and pulled one of the girls from the mailroom onto the elevator and took her into his arms. She tried to resist his kiss with a timid glance at me.
“That’s just Dave, it’s okay, he’s discrete.” He said as he herded her into the corner and began dry-humping her right there in front of me.
If I had my gun I would have shot the bastard. Instantly I thought of the woman I just met and her mysterious blue eyes. The fucker had no idea what a vision his wife was. I was sickened knowing of all the lovers he had had in the last ten years. He made me sick.
The elevator dinged and I stepped out. I glanced to see if he was going to follow with the girl, but he remained in the corner in play. I jerked the paper from my pocket again and stormed to the room. I took a deep breath she deserved better than him, better than me, but I still gave the door a gentle knock.
Phoebe opened the door still wearing her beautiful dress. She looked at me timidly and I saw the color in her cheeks as she looked down the hallway in each direction. She stepped back and invited me in. She ran her fingers nervously through her raven hair obviously she was having second thoughts.
“I can go—“
“I am sorry to be so forward, Mr Murdoch—”
“David, please, Phoebe.”
“All right, David,” she said softly before looking at me. “I don’t care what you really think of me, but after talking with you, I know you are tired of being lonely too.”
She closed the door and bolted it shut. I felt overwhelmed that she was committing to me. I was a stranger. She faced me with a smile, and I had no doubt that we were both going to find a freedom we needed and wanted.
Without hesitation I took her in my arms and kissed her gently. She was responsive and sweet. The way her body pressed against mine reminded me of what it I had really been missing. Passion.
I looked at the bottle of beer in my hand with a sneer. It was the time of year of fucking holiday cheer. I despised everything that went with it especially those Parties. I hated the obligations that came with the parties when it came to my job.
I had over fifteen years with the company, and it was expected that I be there. I hated being around people. I tightened my grip on the bottle and gulped it down. I looked around the crowded room. People wearing their finest clothes, women wearing clothes too tight, make-up too dark, too low…
‘God I need to get laid!’
I snatched another bottle before walking away from the bar. Someone was viciously murdering a Christmas Song via Karaoke. I glared at the office administrator nervously clutching the microphone. I had only been there five minutes and I knew I was in hell.
“David!” came a chuckle from behind me.
I cringed, it was the owner of the company, great guy, but a fucking moron. I took a swig from the bottle as I turned to face him. I gave him a smile.
“Hopefully the head of my security team is enjoying himself.”
“Of course,” I managed as I glanced around the room again looking for an escape. I learned long ago to avoid eye contact if I didn’t want a long conversation.
“Did your wife come?”
“She’s at home sick.” I managed despite being filled with rage that she skipped out on her obligation. I hated that fucking bitch. After 20 years of marriage I knew she was the reason I hated the holidays. The first five years were great...no perhaps the first year… fuck I can’t remember the last time we were happy together.
“Oh sorry to hear that.” he shrugged. “Oh, I see Michael, I will see you later Dave.”
I gave him a salute with the bottle before he walked away. I turned slowly and walked back to the bar returning the bottle.
“I need something strong.” I muttered to the bartender.
“I know exactly the thing.” he said and turned his back to me.
I let out a breath of frustration as I looked back over the crowd. In the corner there was a young woman sitting away from everyone else staring down at a notebook. She tapped her lip with the pen cap and had a dreamy kind of look in her eyes. I was captivated. She wasn’t dressed like the others. Besides the color, pale blue, the neck line did not plunge into the valley of her breasts. Although it was scooped revealing the roundness even at the distance I watched the creamy rise and fall of her breath. She glanced up and in my direction.
I turned my head quickly away looking back in the crowd. I felt like such a creep that I had been staring at her. I heard the bartender drop the glass behind me. I glanced at the shot glass grabbed it and gulped it sneaking a glance back at the young woman. She gave me a pretty smile as she folded up her notebook. She walked toward me. I felt like a nervous teenager, and not a man in his mid-forties.
She tapped the bar lightly trying to get the bartenders attention. But she was looking at me. I was instantly captivated by her eyes. They were the same color as the dress.
The bartender asked her order.
“A Reisling.” she replied. I noticed instantly the huge diamond on her ring finger. My heart sunk but I was uncertain of the reason.
She extended her hand toward me. “I’m Phoebe Blythe.”
“David Murdoch.” I shook her hand, “Blythe, are you related to Michael Blythe.”
Her smile faded then was replaced with a plastic kind of smile. “That’s my husband.” She managed.
“Is everything okay?” I asked knowing everything was not okay. I didn’t even know Michael Blythe was married. He made my job difficult with his late nights occupied with something other than work. I was suddenly angry as I looked at the vision of beauty standing next to me. How could he be unfaithful?
She licked her lips and they shimmered perfectly. “Of course,” she said softly as she lifted the glass of wine to her lips. “So you know Michael?” her eyes wandered to the top of the bar.
“I’m head of security.” I managed then realized I was clutching the shot glass. I released my grip and chuckled. “I haven’t seen you before. Are you newlyweds?”
She made a snorting sound before she gulped down the entire glass of wine. I blinked in amazement. She gently sat the goblet on the counter and stared at it for a long moment. “We’ve been married eight years.” She said in a tone that was far off and distant. She blinked before looking at me. “Are you married?”
I just nodded.
“Are you happy?”
I didn’t like how she asked her question. “Yes.” I managed to say.
She gave me a crooked smile, she knew I was lying. She looked at the bartender. She pointed to her glass and he filled it for her. She opened her notebook and tore out a page. “If you are head of security then you know about my husband.” She picked up the glass and gave me a smile. “My husband is a prick.” She said softly.
I managed to nod.
“David,” she said with a frown. “where is your wife?”
Suddenly I was babbling about my life and how I only got sex twice a year if I was lucky. I told Phoebe more about myself than I ever told anyone. She listened intently. She said things with a wisdom that surprised me. I wondered what her true age was. I also realized that I could smell her perfume and it was alluring. I was feeling aroused by her closeness. I could not remember I time I had felt so complete.
“I write poetry, but I think you would like this.” She said softly looking down at the paper before handing it to me. “I think you will, David?”
I looked down at the paper. There was no poem just numbers, ‘Christ!’ I thought. I looked at her with surprise. She smiled then left.
I watched the way she moved completely aroused. Even though I knew I shouldn’t I was already moving in her direction. I was two steps too slow and saw the elevator close on her. I pushed the button impatiently looking at the paper in my hand.
“Room 506,” I muttered before shoving the paper into my pocket. ‘What the hell am I doing?’ I thought then knew better than to answer myself.
The elevator dinged I looked at the door open pushing aside my second thoughts. I quickly turned and pushed the floor number. I let out a slow breath as the doors began to close.
Just before it could slide shut a suit arm thrust through the opening. I back slightly feeling a strange panic as Michael stepped into the small area. He gave me a slight nod then glanced over his shoulder. I was fucking furious. He held out his hand and pulled one of the girls from the mailroom onto the elevator and took her into his arms. She tried to resist his kiss with a timid glance at me.
“That’s just Dave, it’s okay, he’s discrete.” He said as he herded her into the corner and began dry-humping her right there in front of me.
If I had my gun I would have shot the bastard. Instantly I thought of the woman I just met and her mysterious blue eyes. The fucker had no idea what a vision his wife was. I was sickened knowing of all the lovers he had had in the last ten years. He made me sick.
The elevator dinged and I stepped out. I glanced to see if he was going to follow with the girl, but he remained in the corner in play. I jerked the paper from my pocket again and stormed to the room. I took a deep breath she deserved better than him, better than me, but I still gave the door a gentle knock.
Phoebe opened the door still wearing her beautiful dress. She looked at me timidly and I saw the color in her cheeks as she looked down the hallway in each direction. She stepped back and invited me in. She ran her fingers nervously through her raven hair obviously she was having second thoughts.
“I can go—“
“I am sorry to be so forward, Mr Murdoch—”
“David, please, Phoebe.”
“All right, David,” she said softly before looking at me. “I don’t care what you really think of me, but after talking with you, I know you are tired of being lonely too.”
She closed the door and bolted it shut. I felt overwhelmed that she was committing to me. I was a stranger. She faced me with a smile, and I had no doubt that we were both going to find a freedom we needed and wanted.
Without hesitation I took her in my arms and kissed her gently. She was responsive and sweet. The way her body pressed against mine reminded me of what it I had really been missing. Passion.
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