The Mad Hatter

Ronnie Watson woke to find himself on the floor. He rolled over and slowly sat up. Man oh man the beer on an empty stomach was a bad idea. He looked at the clock and saw it was 10pm. He was hungry damn it. He moved to the window and looked out. The snow seemed to have diminished he thought. He put his jacket on. He needed cigarettes and some kind of food! There had to be some kind of corner store around here.

He moved out into the street and found himself hit by a high wind that bit right through his jacket and the snow struck his face with force that made him gasp. He had no gloves and no hat. Who could have known he'd need to run when he did? He hadn't planned on any of this damn it. He didn't deserve this crap! He saw through the snow the light of a store about a block away. He made his way toward it.

Arriving some 5 minutes later he found the owner just getting ready to close up. He was surprised to see Ronnie.

"How in the world did you get yourself out into this mess!" The man said throwing his hands up.

"I wasn't prepared for this." Ronnie said while grabbing everything he could see, from dried sausage to milk.

"Oh yeah. You aren't the only one to come in this evening. That's why I told the wife I was gonna stay open til 10 o'clock. You just made it young man."

"'Preciate that sir. I really do. How much do I owe you?" Ronnie said reaching for his wallet.

"Comes to $45. I'll throw in some chips." The elderly man said with a smile.

"How're y'all gonna get home?" Ronnie asked out of curiosity.

"We live right up the stairs. Don't you worry 'bout that. Just be safe. OK?"

He smiled at Ronnie.

Ronnie made his way back slowly to the apartment. Everything looked the same in this snow. He was frozen stiff, his fingers so numb he nearly lost the bags of food when he stumbled off the curb. Looking around he didn't see the red light. He was sure there had been one. Finally he found the number of the building and made his way inside the entry and up to the apartment. Once inside he began to shiver uncontrollably. He wanted coffee but found Walt didn't have a coffee maker. Ronnie ran hot water over his hands and moaned as he felt pain with the returning sensation. He was frozen. Pig shit!

He made his way into the bathroom and turned the shower on. He stripped and got in letting the hot water pound warmth back into his body. Once out he found clothes in Walt's room. They were to big but they were dry! Ronnie went back out into the kitchen and grabbed another beer and the chips and smoked sausage. He turned to go back to the sofa bed.

"Well ain't that just too sweet."

Ronnie whirled and Ivy was standing there near the bathroom door. He began to shake.

"I can't be seein' you Ivy. You ain't here." He stared. She looked so damn real. He began to doubt what he had seen in the coffee shop. She looked natural.

"Oh yeah I am Ronnie baby. And I got a plan for you. It involves us being together forever. Forever and ever." She smiled at him then and it turned his blood cold. He was colder than when he came in out of the storm. Ivy moved toward him then.

"You stay away from me!" He cried and backed up toward the kitchen. Ivy just kept smiling and held her hand out to him. Ronnie dropped his food and beer and ran toward the door. He couldn't open it. He grabbed the handle with both hands and twisted as hard as he was able. The door didn't budge. Looking over his shoulder he saw Ivy coming slowly toward him still. He screamed and ran to the bathroom slamming the door. Panting frantically he pushed hard with his body against the door. He was mumbling words, prayers, imprecations. He grabbed his gun from his jacket and checked the load.

"Ronnie baby. You always wanted me to play dead for you. You liked it when I was all limp. Well it's real now Ronnie. It's real and it's cold here. Really cold.

I want you to warm me up baby. C'mere."

Ivy's voice seemed to be all around him. Whimpering Ronnie slid to the floor holding the gun out in front of him. Suddenly she was there leaning over him.

"Kiss me baby."

She puckered up her lips. Screaming, Ronnie fired. Ivy began to laugh then. It echoed all around him.

"Can't shoot me Ronnie. I'm already dead. I had a cop tell me to come to you. I had a little trouble finding you ya' know. But I remembered about Walt. I told him. That cop from the coffee shop. He told me I could come get you and he couldn't because of the storm. He was right.

You hurt him too Ronnie. He got shot in the head like me. He's a really nice guy. Sweet and loving. I met his wife. He loves her. They have more passion and love in their lives than you an' I ever had. You could' a been like that too. You could' a treated me right. I think maybe you need to make amends."

Ronnie yanked the door open and ran into the living area. He fired twice more at her as she moved implacably toward him. Her smile never broke and Ronnie realized he was hearing her but her mouth never moved. He screamed again and tried the front door.

It opened this time and he ran frantically into the hallway. As he headed toward the stairs, suddenly Ivy was there in his way.

"Amends Ronnie. To Ricky, to Gary. To all the rest of the bodies you left all over the South. But especially to me Ronnie. Especially to me. I did it all for you Ronnie…" She moved toward him again, both hands outstretched.

"I made myself a whore, a thief, a liar, a victim. And I'm tired of it all. I'm mostly tired of you having it all. You always ended up with it all. No more now, you hear? No more."

Ivy had moved him back until his back was against the fire escape window.

She reached again. Gibbering in his terror he turned and forced the window open. He climbed out. Emptying his pistol at her, he threw it. It passed through her. Turning to climb down, his left foot slid on the frozen surface. As he found himself falling, tumbling over the 10 stories toward the ground, Ronnie cried out.

"I'm sorry!"

"Not enough." Ivy said watching him. "Not good enough."