Presents at his apartment. Flowers at the cafe. Knocks at the front door. Stones thrown at windows. Phone calls late in the evening. A ghost haunted his every step. Knowing where he was, knowing what he was doing. Always there, not just watching him from the shadows but everywhere. Every person who looked his way was him. Every person who walked in the shop was him. Every person he knew was him. Every face in the crowd was him.
Staring deep into the eyes of a stranger, wondering, are you the one who knows so much of my life?
Sleep had become a vacant memory, a mere wisp of a life that had once been. As much as his ghost haunted him, he haunted the walls of his apartment, finding comfort in the semblance of safety in his four walls.
He hears the ringing of a phone. Its pass midnight, he knows it can only be one person and yet he still answers. "Hello," Mike whispers, voice hoarse from misuse. He listens, waiting for a reply, knowing that none will come. The breathing on the other end got deeper. The quiet was deafening. He should have hung up, he used to, he never did now. Let the other person do it, he was too tired to try. It wouldn't make a difference anyway,would it, he would always call him back.
"What do you want? Who is this?" Old habits die hard, the question being asked before he even had time to formulate it mentally.
Silence. He expected silence. Expected nothing out of this except silence.
"Do you really want to know?"came a deep, distorted voice.
Did he really want to know? The question played itself over in his mind. Did he?
"Do you really want to know?"the voice repeated." If you do, meet me at the pier tomorrow night, nine thirty. You know the one, come alone."
Then the silence he mind,,expected earlier. Dial tone filled his ears signalling for him too to place the phone down.
Anticipation filled his every second of that next day. Anticipation resided in every corner of his mind, filling every inch of his skin. But there was a fear too; fear that Mike would not remember, that he would set eyes upon him and not see the truth, or worse - that he would see it and would deny it.
He burrowed his hands deeper into his pockets, inhaling the saltiness of the ocean. At this time of night, in this part of town, the pier was almost empty, just as he had known it would be.
He walked leisurely, enjoying the violent crashing of the waves contrasting with the quiet noise of the night. To anyone watching he was just another naïve tourist looking for a good view. In one point they would be right, he was looking for a good view. A good vantage point from which he could see everything and not be seen.
He found the perfect spot and settled in for the short wait. His well trained eyes kept watch over the surrounding area, knowing Mike's car better than he knew his own. Mere minutes passed before he saw it pulling in. He glanced at his watch, smiling to himself. Perfectly on time, like always
Mike stepped out of his car, the wind blowing back his hair and leaving his watcher breathless. It never failed to amaze him that this man belonged to him. That, in fact, they belonged to each other.
Mike walked to the end of the pier, inhaling deeply just as he had done earlier.
Now was the perfect moment, he knew, but couldn't bring himself to take his eyes off of the man. Now do it now! While his unprepared. While his back is too you!
He stepped out of the shadows, lightly walking towards his beloved. The other man sensed him coming, he could tell by the way his back and neck tensed. He didn't turn around, and he didn't urge him to.
When there were less than a few feet between them, when he was close enough to touch him, he opened his mouth.
"Mike."
He saw the tensing of the mans muscles at the sound of his name. Don't hesitate. Saw the bewilderment in his eyes as he began to turn. Do it nnow.' Saw the dawning of realization as he came face to face with his torturer. 'Now! He tightened his grip around the object in his pocket