Chapter 3

Once in his room Chris dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. He put the chain around his neck that had Emily's ring on it; it was a ring that Undertaker had given her when she turned twenty-one; he'd had her name engraved on it.

Chris looked around his room. It wasn't untidy; he kept the place as clean as he could. He wasn't as obsessively compulsive as he used to be, after the amount of psychological damage he'd suffered, things like that just weren't important anymore.

Chris made his way into the kitchen so he could get some breakfast. He searched the cupboards for something to eat and found some Pop Tarts. He put them in the toaster and prepared himself some coffee. He returned to the living room and clicked on MTV. The daily news was on and some guy was introducing himself.

"... and welcome to Daily Edition on November 9th 2008," the guy smiled

Chris laughed out loud. "Happy Birthday, Chris. Happy thirty-eighth fucking Birthday." He'd managed to successfully forget his own Birthday. Again, he laughed out loud at his inadequacies.

A noise alerted him that his Pop Tarts were ready, so Chris returned to the kitchen to make breakfast. He got his Pop Tarts, managing to burn his hands as he retrieved them. Chris poured some coffee and made his way back to the living room to watch MTV and devour breakfast.

He sat down, making himself comfortable on his worn couch. Taking a bite out of his Pop Tart he cried out as the steaming contents burnt the insides of his mouth. He was even more startled when his phone rang. No one ever called him.

"Hello?" Chris picked up the cordless and spoke through a mouthful of strawberry and pastry.

"Hi Chris, honey."

"Mom! Hey, what's up?" Chris swallowed.

"Happy Birthday, honey," his moms voice entered his head.

"Thanks, mom," Chris replied, drinking his coffee.

"How are you doing?" her voice was ripped with concern.

"I'm as well as can be expected," Chris explained.



"Well, honey, you know there's always a place for you here," his mom told him, as she always did.

"Mom you know I'm not going to come back to Winnipeg. I can't leave Emily," Chris's eyes watered slightly as his thoughts turned to his dead girlfriend.

"Why couldn't you have had her buried here?" Chris's mom wanted him with her, in safety, with his family.

"Our home was, in Florida! I'm the only thing she's got to a living relative and I don't want to leave her. I want her with me. I'm sorry, mom, but I just don't want to live in Winnipeg." Chris was exasperated. He was fed up of having this argument and giving his reasons. His mom knew damn well that he feared for her safety, and so he wanted to keep his distance and to be alone so that he wasn't a danger to anyone.

"Ok, ok. Just as long as you know there's always a place here for you with me and your father," her voice sounded strained as if she was trying to calm herself and keep level headed. She was just as scared for Chris's life as she was.

"Thanks, mom," Chris really was truly grateful for her concern.

"Ok, hon, I've got to go. I love you, we all do," she reminded him that his family were still there for him.

"I love you all too."

"Bye Chris."

"Bye mom." He hung up.

The conversation with his mom had depressed Chris a little bit more. He missed his family, his friends, his life. He hated being alone and he hated John even more because of it. He gulped down his coffee and rose from the couch. He grabbed his jacket and keys and left his apartment to go and buy some cigarettes as he'd run out and he really needed a smoke.

Chris opened his apartment door and lit a second cigarette. He could feel the nicotine running through his veins and it felt damn good. He discarded his jacket and a flashing light caught his eye. He looked and managed to locate the origin of the light. His answer machine. He had a voicemail! Fuck, today must be his lucky day. He clicked play and slumped down on the couch.

"You have one new message. First new message," the mechanical voice told him.



"Mr Irvine, this is Detective Inspector Hill. As I promised I would only call when something came up regarding your case, well something has come up and it's imperative that you call me immediately."

"End of messages."

Thanks again to my reviewers!! You guys totally rock!

The next chapter will be up in an hour or so.

Angel
xxx