“ OUI!!!! “ shouted the angry salesman behind the stand as I took an apple from his cart. “And what do you think you’re doin’ there? Uh?”
I say nothing at first thinking of something to say
“ I’m waiting for an answer here boy.”
“Hmmmm?” I ask slyly, “What do you think I’m doing?”
“I think you're trying to rob me blind here son, but I’ve got eyes in the back of me head!”
“Okay so if you turn around and hold up a hand full of fingers can you tell me how many I’m holding up?”
And I know I have him there as his face turns a bright red and the shopkeeper turned away ashamed that he got outsmarted by a kid. Especially me. Carl Mcallister. Known all throughout the town as the trickster who lives and the bar. I might not have a place to call home but the bar is open all night and has some beds for travelers along the walls that I use. Plus the bartenders and waitresses understand my problem and are super nice to me most of the time. And one of the waiters there, Mark, will sometimes give me some of the tips he gets from the customers. At first though I didn’t dare take his tips from him seeing as he had to work hard to deal with the really mean customers we sometimes get around the shop. But only after I realized that I was running out of money did I start to accept them from him. As I walk from the cart of apples with the still flustered cart owner I toss the apple up in the air, catching it in one hand with a quick little swish-swash through the air making a quiet noise. As my hand makes contact with the apple I hear a huge commotion behind me and as I whip my head around to see what the big fuss was about. As I turn my head my eyes instantly settle on the bright flame dancing on top of the hay roof of the building next to what I call home. I rush over to the burning building, the apple…once in my hand…is now completely forgotten about lying alone on the gravel sidewalk.
I can smell the smoke as I run towards the bar to see if the fire has spread or if I could find anyone in there to tell me more about what was going on. You’re so stupid of course no one is going to be in the bar. The building next to it is on fire! But my legs keep carrying me at full speed. The doors swing open at a large shove from my arms and I’m filled with relief that nothing is on fire. Yet says the voice in my head, but I can’t hear anything over the loud pounding of my heart and shaking in my breath. I rush over to where Mark is standing in less than a second. “Mark! What in the holy pigeon are you doing just standing there? The building to the right of here is almost a pie of ash! Move it!” To my horror Mark turns with tears in his eyes and says in barely a whisper “I can’t go. I just can’t”
“W-w-what,” I stammer “what do you mean you can’t leave? Mark, you have to go now!” But no matter how much I said we had to leave Mark just stood there as if I had been saying nothing the entire time. “You. Don’t. Get it. I. Can’t. Leave. No matter what happens.”
“This really isn’t funny anymore Mark” I yell over the now roaring inferno around me. Thick, black smoke fills the room almost as fast as it fills my lungs, making me choke as my eyes start to tear up.
“Look kid, this was fun, really it was but I can’t go with you. Now go before you choke!” As Mark grabs my shoulders I can’t fight against him because I. Can’t. Breathe.
We’re almost to the door as I swing around so he goes out the door frame at the same time I do. As I fall out of the door I watch as his arms start to burn as it hits the threshold of the door. He looks down at his hands and stumbles back into the smoke with a mix of fear and resolution in his eyes.
I watch in horror as he stumbles back into the smoke and disappears…just a silhouette. I feel hands on my shoulders pulling me back away from the big blaze that was my home from someone in the growing crowd. I don’t feel them or the sting of fresh air hitting my lungs or the feeling of the gravel under my hands and knees. I feel empty and alone not knowing where I would go tonight, who I would be with, or what I’m going to do at all. And then it hits me.
I’m alone.
There is no one in the world with me.
No one.
It was only Mark.
And now even he’s gone.