DISCLAIMER: "RENT", its music and its characters are property of Jonathan Larson. I do not intend to make any profits off of this story.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This ficlet was inspired from an assignment from my musical theatre class after watching the film version of "RENT", one of the options was to write a letter as a character to one other character and, well, that was the option I chose. This story is basically my assignment.
A Letter Never Sent
It was another relentless fall night in the East Village of New York City. Tom Collins was beginning to feel the wind's ice cold chills in the air intertwine with the dark, hollow emptiness of his heatless humble abode. He tossed and turned in his minimal bed sheets hoping to find a little bit of warmth that was currently missing in his life.
He had never felt more alone in all of his life. He had no one to turn to. The rest of his circle of beloved friends were constantly bickering and at each other's throats. His feelings of loneliness intensified as he turned to the right side of his bed to find a normally occupied spot missing. The reality stared into his face: Angel was gone.
Forever.
Collins did all that he could over the past week to forget the troubles of everyday life that was intruding his life. Late nights marking his students' papers, sitting by the window sill smoking a little cannabis. None of these were going to divert him from the pain, fear and insomnia facing him each day.
He shifted his weight off from the bed and walked towards the small chestnut brown couch in the middle of the room. He sat down on the couch and reached for a nearby piece of scrap paper and a pen and he began to write…
My dearest Angel,
This has been the longest week of my life and I wish I had you by my side. I wish you were still with me everyday. Ever since you were taken away from me, things have not been the same. Bohemia is dying a little more each day…
Maureen and Joanne have not spoken to each other since the memorial service. Roger has left for Santa Fe without a note or word of goodbye. Mimi is getting paler and thinner by the day and Mark spends his nights alone cold and freezing.
Everyday I keep expecting to see your beautiful eyes but I see nothing there. Storm clouds fill the sky and the hustle of New York City buzzes away at my head like merciless swarms of locusts. I miss the music you play on bins and pipes, your bright and colorful clothes and most importantly; your loving generosity, kindness and lively spirit. I feel we all need a loving spoonful from our beloved Angel. I thank God for the fact that you came to the rescue and saved my life that Christmas Eve and now I hope you can rescue us all from this insanity…
Just someway…somehow…
I also want you to know that I will love you forever and most importantly
I WILL COVER YOU.
Love,
Tom Collins.