“Hey, Andy, can I get you a drink? How ‘bout something to grub on?” “Nah, I’m cool, man.” I replied. Even though I have been eyeing the cookies on the table, I still refused. He insisted, almost pushing as if it was needed for me to accept so that the awkwardness of this scenario would be diminished. “There’s chips and somebody brought cookies and stuff. You sure?” “I’m fine. I appreciate it though.” Said with a smile. I had been sitting there to myself since I had arrived so I understood that he was trying to break the ice.
As he went back to mingling I remained sitting in the chair and resumed my staring contest with the TV. Five of us were watching the game and there was no conversation being had. They didn’t know me and I didn’t know them. Just blank stares. Sudden motions caught my eye every now and again because of my anticipation of one of these people spilling their drink on the carpet I was about to own. I wouldn’t care about the spill happening on the couch, but the carpet stays behind and so would any stain. I was already bothered with everybody leaving their shoes on. Don’t they have even the slightest courtesy to ask if they should take’em off when entering the house? Well, I just had to forget about it because even the thought of being “that guy” and the downer of the party was embarrassing. The whole scene of my disappointment being expressed was clear in my head and I wasn’t about to make it a reality.
This night seemed like a waste of my time. I was a fly on the wall. Aside from the couch dwellers, there were clicks by the door and in the dining room laughing and having a good time with each other. The others on the couch would yell and high five when their team scored as I was forgotten. How was I supposed to get involved? I won’t even see these people again, probably the rest of this life. The conversations, that I suppose I could initiate, wouldn’t matter at all. It would be only small talk.
“I have no idea why I accepted the invitation to his party. I knew there were no mutual friends between him and me. Before buying his house we hadn’t even met. Did I come here to make sure they don’t destroy my new residence because of negligence of the new ownership? What if something did happen? What am I gonna do about it? Yell? Would he even do anything about it? I mean, this is the last time he’ll have any function here. He doesn’t care. Ok, stop worrying and get your butt off this chair. Socialize, quit being the weird dude who doesn’t know anybody, and go to the table for a cook…” DING DONG. My thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. As was everybody’s conversation for a split second. Then loudness again. Everybody went back to being social. He yelled to the people standing on the other side,”Alright I’m comin!” and made his way to the door.
Before he could even swing the door all the way open…BAM BAM BAM! Bullets came through the door pushing it open faster and one of them hit him in the chest. The loud shots from the gun startled everybody into silence for a split moment as they held their ears. Then, screams overpowered every noise in the room as two men in ski masks came in opening fire on the house filled with causal partiers. I didn’t hesitate to move when I saw them. I frantically jumped behind the wall connecting the storage room and living room. It was a quick move, especially being in the chair closet to the kitchen. With my back against the wall, my heart was a jack hammer as a listened to clips being emptied on these people I didn’t know. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t go deeper into the house because of my shock. I couldn’t get my body to obey the need to hide in the dark storage room. It happened so fast. The gun fire was so loud I had to scream in my mind to hear my own thoughts. “Why did I come here?!”
.....TBC
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