Glimpse of Us

Dealer

Please don't try to find me through my dealer. He won't pick up his phone. Please don't try my father either, he ain't been home for years. I know I'm no spirit seeker. I can't sleep through the tears.
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Chrissy:

"Welcome to my castle." Eddie says as we get out of his van.

He opens the door to his trailer for me, and I walk in.

"The maid took the week off," Eddie says, cleaning up some of the empty beer cans around his trailer.

"You live here alone?" I ask. "What? Oh, no, I live with my uncle. He works at the plant late, bringing home the big bucks." Eddie says.

"How long does it take?" I ask.

He looks at me, "What?"

"The-the drugs." "Depends if you snort it or not," he smiles.

"It should be around here somewhere. Wait, I'll be right back." Eddie walks down the hall and into a room I'm assuming is his bedroom.

I stood there and waited. After a few minutes he came back holding the drugs in a small bag.

"Found them." He says, smiling.

I smile at him, taking the bag from him.

"So wanna start?" He asks.

"Huh? Oh! Oh—yeah." I say.

Eddie showed me how to take the drugs.

After we took them together, Eddie handed me joint and lit it.

"I've never smoked before." I say, kind of dazed.

"Here, just inhale it, hold it for a few seconds, and the exhale. It's easy." He says.

The first time I inhaled I coughed a lot.

It was kind of painful the first time it filled my lungs, but the second time, it relaxed me and felt really good.

Maybe I could stop seeing things, now.

I hadn't heard the clock since earlier, maybe it would finally stop.

"How do you feel?" Eddie asks.

"Weird, but like, in a good way." I answer.

"Ask me something." I say.

"Okay. What's...your favorite song?" Eddie asks me, laying back on the couch as I sit right next to his feet on the other side.

It took me a minute to decide, "Angie, by The Rolling Stones, I think. What about you?"

He nods, exhaling more smoke, it takes him a minute to answer, "I love all the songs I listen to, but probably Master of Puppets by Metallica."

I nod, even though I've never heard that song by them.

"What's your favorite color?" I ask him, then taking another hit, coughing slightly.

He exhales again, "Red. You?"

I exhale, "Pink."

He nods.

After we finished smoking I hear the clock. I sit up straight.

"Eddie! Do-do you hear that?" I ask, frantic.

He looks genuinely concerned but also confused, "Uh...no. Are-are you sure you're okay to go home? You can stay over if you want."

I was relieved, "Please. That would be amazing. I really think I am going crazy, Eddie. But—but around you I feel...safe."

He looks into my eyes, forcing me to turn my head away from his gaze.

"That's-that's fine. You can sleep in my bed, if that's not weird for you. And I-I can sleep on the couch, or even the floor if you want me near you." He says.

"Okay, that's-that's good. Thank you so much." I say.

He gives me one of his t-shirts to change into. And I go into the bathroom to change.

When I get back I lay down in his bed, he made a small bed on the floor for himself.

I felt really bad, taking his bed.

"Eddie, you don't have to—you can have the bed, I'll take the floor." I say.

"No! No, guest gets the bed!" He says, smiling.

He shuts the lights off, only the moonlight shining through the window illuminated the room.

We lay in silence for a while until I finally say quietly, "Eddie. Can you just lay next to me?"

"Uh...yeah. Sure. As long as it's not weird for you." He says, getting up.

I move over, making space for him. He lays down next to me and we fall asleep.