Karaoko

looks

It'd been a long ass day.

-

-

-

-

I trudged in from the rainy cold outside and sat down at my favorite bar on Westminster street.

"Ey Vee - Same as always?"

I heard my friend Jerry behind the counter cleaning glasses.

"yea... Make it a lil extra this time Jer."

He raised one eyebrow.

"... Long day?"

I only replied with a heavy grunt. Impatient for my scotch.

I wasn't looking at him, but from my corner barstool, I could tell by his silence that he was concerned. 

I stared at my phone, even though it hurt my head to look at the light.

I was stressing myself out too much with work and being irresponsible, and I could tell it was gonna be the death of me.

My uncomfortable thoughts were interrupted by a golden glow in the corner of my eye and the hollow sound of glass hitting finished wood.

"Heeya go. Don't wear it out."

"Thanks, Jer..."

-

"Mmmm-hmm..."

-

-

I sipped as the sound of a deep guitar coursed through me, slowly soothing my aching muscles. Or it could've been the scotch...? I couldn't tell.

But...

There was something about the guitar that sounded familiar and kind, like a soothing touch of something long lost... or someone-

After what seemed like a long while, I built up the courage to turn around and see what the source of my sudden warm contentment was.

-

-

On the stage by the bar, the old and mighty drum set stood solid, like always.

The posters and paintings of angels and mechanical metronomes and music notes laid lazily on the wall behind the karaoke machine.

There was something that stood out though.

Something that was bright and long and captivating stood close to the objects I'd see on the stage every day.

My eyes blinked tired and the effect of my powerful drink washed over me, leaving me unable to catch any will to use my muscles.

But before I saw black. Before the world went dark around my body. The last thing I saw was a face, not only a face... but a beautiful one at that. Painfully beautiful. And looking at me with sudden agitation and fear.

All I wanted was for that face to be near mine, close to me.

There was something I recognized about the perfection in that face.

Something I had wanted for a very long time.

A very, very long time...