A Month To Live

A Month To Live (8)

Friday morning at last. Thank, God it was the end of the week. I was pretty sick of getting up early. And I was pretty sick of this apartment - this gross, dirty apartment.

As I brushed my teeth, I decided to clean out the apartment like I'd planned earlier in the week. It was too dusty to keep living like this. I should have done it the moment I rented the place but I got too excited and wanted to check the city out. Maybe I wouldn't have been picked up by the cops if I'd cleaned instead of getting lost in a rough area.

I tossed my toothbrush back in the glass at the sink and frowned into the mirror as I adjusted my hair. I looked slightly paler than usual but otherwise pretty normal. Not like someone who looked like they were dying.

I still had a little time before I had to leave. School wasn't actually that far from my house anyway. I wasn't sure how I had even struggled to find it. If I could get a television or a radio in here that would be good. It was kind of quiet in here when it was just me alone. But there was no point in wasting my money on a TV when I wouldn't be needing it for very long. Maybe the landlord would let me rent one out?

I sighed, grabbing my bag and locking the door behind me.

I made my way down the stairs but instead of heading to my car I walked in the direction of the landlord's place; he lived in an apartment the same as all of our ones, but his looked a lot more modern. He even had a pretty little garden with rose bushes.

I hesitated before knocking on his door. I wasn't sure if he'd be awake. He wasn't exactly the friendliest of people so I wouldn't want to get on his bad side by waking him up.

'Yes?' he asked, swinging the door open and peering out with suspicion on his face. Good, he didn't look too annoyed. Maybe I was the first person to speak to him today. He was an older man - go figure - with a bit of stubble around his chin and watery blue eyes.

'Good morning,' I said, trying to be polite. My manners were kind of rusty. 'I was just wondering if there was some kind of TV renting service?'

He nodded slowly before looking around the front lawn in an oddly suspicious way. I glanced over my shoulder trying to see what he was looking at but nothing seemed out of place to me.

'There is,' he said before explaining briefly what options he had for me.

'How soon can I get it?' I asked, glancing at my watch.

'I can have it in by tonight. You're in apartment five, yes?' he asked in a business-like tone. He may be slightly odd but I think I liked him. He got straight to the point.

'Yeah apartment five. Is there any paperwork I have to sign?'

'Let's sort it out tonight or else you'll be late for school and that boy will come over and start beeping his horn again,' he said with an eye roll.

I grimaced slightly at his reference towards Bradley. He really did make a lot of racket the other day. Why couldn't he just knock on my door like a normal person?

I forced a smile at the landlord once more and thanked him before rushing off to my car.

I parked in my usual spot and realised I was actually on time for once. I used to be be punctual before I came here. Or well, before I found out about my condition. I'd lost a lot of motivation the past few weeks. I think it was understandable. I only wanted to spend energy on things I actually cared about.

'Hello there,' a voice said from my left, distracting me from my thoughts.

It was that guy hmm... Liam, that was it - from the library yesterday.