[ PI ] A Breath of Ash and Sulfur - upvotedcontest

What a filthy little rock we live on. There was a time that the world felt brighter, ignorance painted my colors so vibrant, they hurt my eyes. Cognizance dampened them since then. All I see now are wet shades and charred hues, except when alcohol paints my world ablaze. My personal hell. 
 
 I slide the final drops of whisky down my throat and sift through the news headlines on my phone, scoffing at each as I go. 
 
 > * “ Fourteen slain in terrorist attack... ” * 
 
 Swipe. 
 
 > * “ Republican senator's sexual assault allegations… ” * 
 
 Swipe. 
 
 > * “ Search for escaped criminally insane continues… ” * 
 
 Swipe. 
 
 The bar is as expected on a Friday night in NYC. Most came to socialize, some to find a night companion, while others to drown their sorrows in the bottle. I ’ m at the center of the venn diagram. I catch one throwing misty glances my way, her black lace dress contrasted her light skin. Omber locks roll over her shoulders like a fiery cascade. 
 
 I take my wedding ring off and examine it. It was golden when Beth slipped it on my finger years ago but now it looks rusty. I stuff my past into my pocket and make my way toward the bar. 
 
 “ Hey. Mind if I buy you a drink? ” I ask. 
 
 She smiles, her emerald eyes do too. “ Sure. Martini, make it dirty. ” 
 
 I signal the bartender. “ Dirty martini for the lady and black label for me, on the rocks. ” I return my gaze to her. “ I ’ m Wade. ” 
 
 “ My friends back home call me Allie. ” 
 
 God, I ca n't get over her eyes. “ I haven ’ t seen you around here before. ” I say as the bartender returns with our drinks. 
 
 “ I moved here a few weeks ago from Cali,'' she says swirling her drink, ``... new job. So. What do you do, Wade? ” 
 
 Before I can answer, I see *him*. My words turtle back into my throat. He was on the other side of the bar, hands folded, bow-tie, head shaved. 
 
 “ I ’ m really sorry, ” I say without tearing my gaze from him, “ I ’ ll be right back. ” 
 
 I slice through the crowd and make my way toward him. “ Aaron? ” 
 
 “ Wade, ” He says looking straight ahead. “... she's bleeding. I see it on the walls. ” 
 
 “ What... the hell are you talking about? Who's bleeding? ” 
 
 He looked up at me, eyes swimming in tears. “ Beth. I see her behind my eyelids. I see her in my visions. ” 
 
 He ’ s worse than I remember. The three of us were inseparable in youth but love corroded our relationship. The heart chooses who it wants. Aaron chose Beth but she and I chose each other. It destroyed him. He crumbled in body and soul like burnt charcoal and became a shadow of the man we remembered. Then one day he was gone, no goodbye, no trace. “ Aaron. You ’ re not making sense, what visions? ” 
 
 “ Do you love her? ” he asks with a quivering lip. 
 
 The truth is that love decays fifteen years and two kids in. I ignore his question. “ Aaron, where have you been for the past twenty years? ” 
 
 `` Save her,'' he says. Then Without warning, he grabs my tie and yanks me toward him, “ Stop the bleeding. ” With that he releases me. Agony streaks down his face as he paces backwards until the crowd swallows him up. Gone, just the way he came. 
 
 The alcohol must be playing games again. He ca n't be real. 
 
 The rest of the night was a blur of smoke and ecstasy. Blazing locks cling to moist skin as beads of sweat dribble down Allie's chest collecting at her naval. I taste the salt. Her flesh against my flesh, I feel her heat. Her lip to my lip, I sip her fire. But my mind is opaque. All I can hear is *'Do you love her?'* 
 
 The death of passion and resurrection of guilt meant it was time to complete my ritual. I reach for my phone and re-read the headlines from the bar. My world grinds to a halt. I read it once, then again, then ten times more. 
 
 > * “ Search for escaped criminally insane continues, Aaron McLean whereabouts unknown ” * 
 
 * “ Stop the bleeding. ” * 
 
 I repeat Aaron ’ s words with a breath of ash and sulfur.
