Suicide Room

Rain poured down Vitalijs‘ jacket, soaking through the material. Dark clouds covered the sun, making the alley even creepier. The darkness swallowed everything on its way, waking up the night animals. Vitalij saw a rat coming out of the bin, its nose twitching, smelling the air. Vitalij didn‘t care about the place he was in. His clients always chose a dark and unused location; they felt safe when people didn‘t see them. Mostly, they were wealthy people, hiding their dirty secrets from their families, their friends. They liked to show off their fortune, but Vitalij just wanted to go home. To see Melissa, to inhale her sweet scent, he didn‘t have the energy to deal with anyone. Minutes passed by, but the client didn‘t show up. Vitalij was getting annoyed, he took out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket‘s pocket and lightened one up. Melissa hated the stink of cigarettes as much as he hated her injecting the h****n. She didn‘t want to change, she loved the feeling of traveling through new dimensions. Melissa was too fragile to fight back, she was too naive to say no. Vitalij was her only rescue. ‘‘Two more minutes,’’  Vitalij mumbled to himself, throwing the cigarette away. He put his hood on and stepped out the alley. The evening‘s streets were empty, lightened up with street lamps. Vitalij could see his house from his spot. The old brick building, which was supposed to be demolished long ago. Only drug addicts and unemployed people lived inside. The government kept this type of building for people who lived off benefits. Why would they let them live in a beautiful place? Sometimes, Vitalij felt like a litter on the street. He knew that anyone could walk on him and he couldn‘t say anything. Vitalij didn‘t choose this life, he dreamed about a job from eight to five, in a small office with an annoying manager. All he had was the gun pressed to his temple, ready to fire the moment he made a mistake. His boss was the head of the mafia, he could never take a step back. Vitalij pulled down the hood, covering his hair from the rain. He checked the time on the watch and spat on the pavement. He was supposed to be home half-an-hour ago, but the client was nowhere to be seen. Melissa was probably wondering where he was. Vitalij knew she already found the plastic bag he was hiding from her. He planned to share, to leave the reality behind the closed door. Vitalij wasn‘t a fan of the stuff he was selling. He smoked a few joints with his friends and snorted cocaine, but he knew his limits. He would stop before going too far. Melissa was always on his mind, he was the only one to save her from herself. The beeping of the car caught Vitalij‘s attention. Vitalij nodded to the alley and turned the corner, hiding from the publicity. He listened to steps coming closer and closer. A familiar face came from around the corner. It was the same young boy, who always asked for weed. Vitalij hated the idea of selling the illegal drug to him, even if it wasn‘t the worst one on the market. The kid was young, probably just finished secondary school, but he had money, he had power. His face was covered in pimples, the skin on his neck covered in hickeys.             ‘‘Sorry, I‘m late. Girls, you know.’’  The kid winked at Vitalij, laughing with a stupid smile on his face. Vitalij ignored him reaching out to his backpack, wondering where did his parents go wrong. ‘‘No, bro. Could I get some MDMA? ’’  Vitalij zipped the bag and shook his head. ‘‘No chance.’’  Vitalij threw a bag of weed on the ground and left the guy standing alone.  ‘‘You won‘t get that s**t from me.’’  He shouted before crossing the road. Vitalij heard the kid swearing, sending threats Vitalij‘s way. He ignored him, he didn‘t care if the kid would call his boss. He would never let that boy screw up his life. Vitalij was too lovely to be a drug dealer, he cared too much about his clients. The dark red building welcomed Vitalij's home. He stood there for a moment, looking up at his apartment‘ window. He wondered what would happen if he would never come back, what if the police would decide to check them? Would they lock Melissa away, put her in rehab? Vitalij shook his head, chasing stupid thoughts away. He took out the keys and opened the metal door. The screech echoed through the stairway, welcoming him home. Vitalij rushed up the stairs, to the fifth floor, excitement filling his chest. Vitalij opened the apartment door and stepped in. The freshly smoked joint and turned tv noises welcomed  Vitalij home. The most pleasant feeling was seeing her, wrapped in a dark red robe, curly brown hair tied up, pink slippers with pompoms on the side of the couch. Melissa looked up, and a smile lightened her heart-shaped face. But she didn‘t get up as she usually did, just turned her gaze away and stared at the blank screen. Vitalij took off his shoes and wrapped his arms around her protectively.  ‘‘What are you watching?’’       ‘‘Our future!’’  Melissa‘s eyes sparkled in the faint light with love and care. So much love was hiding behind that stare, those green eyes, her pupils huge from the drug she took earlier. She‘s hallucinating. ‘‘Just look at my silly dress.’’ Vitalij followed her gaze and saw her in a long white dress, with a tiny rose bouquet in her hands. He‘s smiling at her, in a black suit with a white tie. They are getting married. The pastor nodded and their lips locked in a kiss, announcing they are bound forever.  Guests jumped from their seats screaming and crying, they held hands and run from the church.     The picture changed, showing them standing near the three-bedroom house, with a landlord giving them keys. Their first house, they bought together. Melissa in her blue summer dress, with her belly sticking out. Vitalij looking better, freshly shaved, without dark memories haunting him. They entered the house and jumped on the king-size bed, acting like kids, excitement filling the room. They‘re in the hospital, Melissa‘s giving birth. Vitalij was holding her hand, whispering how much he loved her, how strong she was. The baby‘s cry changed everything. They never felt like this before, eyes shining with pride, lips locked in a passionate kiss, baby hugged in between them. They had a nice luxurious life, the perfect family. Their daughter grew up, graduated, and left the house. She got married, had her own kids. Melissa and Vitalij get old together, love sparkling from the first day. They lay together in their garden on a cool evening‘s grass, looking at the stars, holding hands, and promising this heaven will never end. Pictures stop. ‘‘It will never happen, won‘t it?’’  Melissa‘s eyes were filled with sorrow and grief, tears streaming down her pale skin. Vitalij‘s heart was being ripped apart, he wanted to convince her that it would happen but he couldn‘t lie. Instead, he sat down on the sofa and kissed her warm forehead. He tried to give her the best life she could imagine, but he‘s in too deep in the drug business. It was also dangerous to create a family. He never wanted his kids to grow up without a dad, knowing that one day he could get shot in a dark alley. ‘‘I promise, all you just saw will happen. With or without me.’’  Vitalij hugged her tighter, feeling the warmth of her fragile body. He won‘t let anyone hurt her. She wasn‘t involved in the drug sale.