100 Questions

Besides the rain against the window, I cannot see a thing. It’s too dark here, wherever here is. It feels like nothing exists in this place except for the rain, the shadows, and me. It suddenly occurs to me; how did I get here? I step closer to the glass watching the rain fall as if every angel in Heaven were weeping. “It seems like it could rain forever,” I murmur to myself as I watch raindrops race down the window pane.

                “It always ends eventually. Everything does.”

                I turn to the glowing doorway. A vague memory returns of walking through it. There a dark, hooded figure stands, blocking the only exit. The light from behind him obscures his hidden face even more.

                “Are you talking to yourself?” he asks.

                 “I was until you interrupted,” I reply

                “Yeah, well, it’s kind of hard to delay this, but I’ve come for you,” he says in a low voice, arms reaching out towards me.

                “You make it sound like this is a snuff film. A really bad snuff film. But, I’ll play along. Am I gonna die?”

                “Well, seeing as this isn’t a snuff film, no, but, for future references, they usually take sexy, voluptuous women. So...you won’t have to ever have to worry about being in one.”

                “Wow, thanks Ashton. I appreciate the sentiment.”

                He flips down his hood and smiles, blue eyes sparking with mischief.

                “Didn’t know I was so easy to identify,” he jokes. Ashton saunters over to stand beside me, resting his head on the side of the window. I have to tilt my head back to look him in the face. I forgot how tall he was.

                “Ash, no one is quite like you.”

                “Aw you—”

                “I don’t think anyone could be as flamboyant and dramatic as you.”

                He straightens and raises a black eyebrow. “I’m confused, was that an insult or a compliment?”

                I shrug. “That’s for you to figure out. But, uh, where...where are we?”

                “That’s for you to figure out,” he echoes “imitating” my voice. I roll my eyes. A cat-like grin stretches across his face. Knowing him, he’s going to try to keep me in the dark for as long as possible, but I will have none of that.

                “You had better tell me where we are this instant, Ashton!” I yell and stomp my foot.

                Ash bites the inside of his cheek, presumably to keep from smirking. “Or else?” he challenges with amusement in his voice.

                I open my mouth and close it. Open, close, and repeat. Clearly I hadn’t thought of that.

                He enjoys my suffering before finally responding, “Somewhere.”

                I growl. “Thank you, Mr. Specific. Your attention to detail is just astounding.”

                “I was rather eloquent, wasn't I?” he chuckles. “Almost poetic.”