(Notes and Warnings found at the beginning of Chapter 1)
Chapter Three
When Fin and Munch were five minutes away from Munch's apartment, Fin finally tried to talk with Munch again.
"Look Munch, I know you're pretty pissed with me right now, but you definitely had me scared today. Can we talk about this?"
"No, I will not talk with you. I do not feel that you are worthy of speaking to at the moment."
"Come on Munch, I've never seen you react that way to a body and before that you were sitting there muttering under your breath. You looked like you had seen a ghost and let's not mention the little show you put on in the lab. What the hell was I suppose to do."
"I told you it was something I ate. A partner who trusts me would have left it at that."
"Well that's just bullshit. What the fuck is going on with you?"
"I told you nothing. All I want to do is to go lie down and sleep okay. I'm probably just coming down with something."
Fin pulled up in front the apartment complex and parked. "Whatever, I'll walk up with you, okay?"
"I don't need a babysitter. "I told you I'm fine."
"Well just to appease your partner how about I walk you up."
"Why should I be appeasing you. You know what, forget it, I don't feel like arguing with you." Munch said and got out of the car.
"Now I know something's wrong," Fin muttered before following suit.
Fin and Munch entered the apartment.
The apartment of course looked nothing like the bachelor pad Munch made it out to be. It had a nice expensive Victorian look.
Munch walked over to a table stand in the hallway and placed his dark glasses on the top. He then proceeded to the mahogany bar in the living room and poured himself a dry bourbon and offered Fin a glass.
Fin shook his head no, "You know me, no drinking and driving."
"Fin you never drink regardless of whether your driving or not."
"We aren't here to talk about me."
"No, I guess we can talk about your alcohol consumption or lack there of at another time."
"You are no one to talk actually, you are kinda adding to my worrying here."
"Look I just want to relax okay. You wanted to talk, so talk."
Fin released a frustrated sigh, "okay Munch, look something is going on and I want you to tell me what it is. Something has got you spooked and I think you should talk to someone about it. If not Huang then me"
Munch set down on the couch and didn't speak for five minutes, methodically taking gulps from his glass. He then got up and went poured another glass and sat back down.
Fin sat and patiently, waiting for Munch to speak first.
"I can't believe you did that. As much as you know I hate shrinks. I still can't get over that."
"Look I'm sorry. You kinda scared the shit out of me I've never seen you rattled like that before."
"Sometimes things just get to me Fin, just like everyone else. I'm not completely heartless. I may be a wise ass but I'm not heartless."
"I'm sorry Munch, but we both know that there was a little more then that involved."
"Fine, Fine, drag it out of me. I don't know what happened okay. It kinda scared the shit out of me. It was kind of like I was in some type of fugue state. I remember pieces of a conversation but that's it. Some old childhood memory I don't know why I flashed on it. And to tell you the truth, I would like to stop talking about it, okay?"
"But, Munch…"
"Leave it Tuotuola." Munch pinned Fin with an intense stare.
"Fine, if you say so. I'm still worried about you I'll pick you up at seven in the mornin', kay?"
"Sure, later Fin."
"I'll let myself out," Fin said standing up.
After Fin left Munch set in and stared at the walls for a while, consuming almost a quarter of a bottle of bourbon before he decided it was one of the stupidest things he had done in a while.
But, he needed something to drown out the roar of his thoughts, because to tell the truth he felt like he was hanging on to his sanity by a thin thread.
Munch got up, and almost lost his footing. "Idiot," he thought. "Drinking on an empty stomach. God what's happening to me. I'm falling a part. Snap out of it," Munch thought to himself.
Munch walked over to the kitchen and fixed himself a sandwich, ate it without tasting it and went to his bedroom and lay down on his bed fully clothed.
Munch's Apartment
2:30 am
Munch shot up out of his bed and ran full sprint for the bathroom, and promptly proceeded to vomit everything that he had eaten that night including all of the bourbon he had consumed, which seemed to remind him of how stupid an idea it was drink it by burning the hell out of his throat. Munch rubbed his face and realized that there were tears streaming from his eyes. Then it hit him. He remembered the dream he had been having.
He retched again but his stomach was empty. So he ended up dry heaving for a few minutes.
He slid down to the bathroom floor and started sobbing as visions assaulted him; visions of pain and terror. One face stood out in the visions. He remembered that face. But the scenes flashing across his mind were alien to him. He realized after a moment he was hyperventilating he managed to start forcible calming himself down.
He finally was able to stand up on shaky legs. He briefly thought about calling Fin but thought against it and then he considered calling his brother and he thought this was odd.
"I just want to escape I don't know what the hell is going on…God help me."
Munch curled up into a ball, his body convulsing with tremors and eventually passed out.