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From what seemed like a million miles away, Joseph heard the buzz and high-pitched chime that meant someone had sent him a text message. He reached his hand out, groping around for the messy desk next to his bed only to realize he'd fallen asleep on the floor. Or passed out on it, he wasn't quite sure which. Either way the phone was too far away to get right now. It was easier just to fade back to sleep, which he did, ignoring the urgently blinking light flashing at nothing.
He awoke several hours later with a hacking cough, pushing himself off the dirty carpet to breathe easier. Finally getting to his feet, he stumbled to the desk, collapsing in the chair as he rummaged through the drawers for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. His head was swimming, a combination of an erratic sleep pattern and the lingering effects of the heroin he smoked with people he couldn't remember. Lighting a cigarette, he took a long drag, savoring the way it overpowered the myriad of questionable tastes left in his mouth. Letting the cigarette hang from his lips, he started up his laptop, determined to get through at least one chapter before the day was done.
That's when the cellphone caught his eye, little red light still dutifully blinking away. He picked it up and called up the message that had woken him earlier. As he read it, the cigarette fell from his mouth.
Ana Louise Gray.
He was a father.
He awoke several hours later with a hacking cough, pushing himself off the dirty carpet to breathe easier. Finally getting to his feet, he stumbled to the desk, collapsing in the chair as he rummaged through the drawers for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. His head was swimming, a combination of an erratic sleep pattern and the lingering effects of the heroin he smoked with people he couldn't remember. Lighting a cigarette, he took a long drag, savoring the way it overpowered the myriad of questionable tastes left in his mouth. Letting the cigarette hang from his lips, he started up his laptop, determined to get through at least one chapter before the day was done.
That's when the cellphone caught his eye, little red light still dutifully blinking away. He picked it up and called up the message that had woken him earlier. As he read it, the cigarette fell from his mouth.
Ana Louise Gray.
He was a father.