A Quarter Life

A Quarter Life

The morning was without chirping, without morning breeze.

Mike woke up, half sitting in the front seat. The head was somewhat spinning from the mispositioned sleeping. But, he wouldn’t care, ever.

He felt dizzy. Well, it was obvious. He never slept like this. He would never, but there was Bruno.

He looked at the back seat. Bruno wasn’t there. Where did he go? Maybe home, maybe sitting in the waiting room.

He tried to find the cigarette. But the case was empty. He remembered, he finished the last one already.

He slowly tried to get out of the car. His head was aching, quite badly. He always ignored them. But this one was quite painful, distracting.

He somehow got out of the car. The parking lot was looking more yellow. He locked the car, he needed some rest.

He saw someone coming. It was Bruno.

He came near the car, 'Hey, you got up? I got some sub sandwich, and cigarettes for you.'

He saw the cigarette packet in Bruno's hand. He got hold of that, in slow hands. He pulled up a cigarette from it, and lit it up as messily as possible.

He took a big puff. He felt the smoke going around his head instead of his lungs. He felt quite normal. He knew it was temporary, but the quickest one.

He asked, 'When did you get up?'

Bruno laughed, 'Quite early, felt hungry. Went to take some sub. You want some?'

He took the sandwich. It was more like a fish fillet. He took a big bite. It was quite tasty. He could feel the fish, crispy skin with a sour salt, it was nearly perfect.

Bruno said, 'So, got any plans today?'

He gulped down a small bite, 'Well, not exactly, was planning to be in the hospital.'

Bruno smiled, 'Let's go for a ride.'

He thought. Maybe it was a good idea.

The car went fine, like an awaken horse. Mike could feel the breeze again.

Bruno was driving. He looked at him. Bruno could drive the car pretty smoothly. He noticed, Bruno rotated and controlled the stirring with just one hand. He was cautious already, by his instinct. Army taught him that, Mike knew.

The car ran down to DC. Mike could see the wheat fields, waving at them in the breeze.

Mike lit up a cigarette, 'So, where are we going?'

Bruno replied, 'You know. I know a guy.'

He laughed, 'For what? Cheering up?'

Bruno didn’t laugh, 'Not exactly, he once worked with a senior officer, you know. The name was Ruth Rallaway.'

He said nothing. Ruth? Like Ruth in the manuscript?

He asked, 'Who is Ruth?' He couldn’t disclose anything about the manuscript.

Bruno said, 'Ruth once was a camp mate of Charles and Reeve.'

Mike asked, 'So, are we going to the guy you knew?'

Bruno laughed, 'Bingo. Quite late though.'

He took a big puff.

The journey wasn’t quite long, and not quite worth remembering. Just the wheat fields, and the breeze.

The car stopped in front of an apartment. The apartment was quite old, had a different smell. He got out of the car.

The house was on fifth floor. The stairs were quite long, not quite high.

They reached onto the door. Bruno pressed the bell. The bell made an awkward sound.

He was quite impatient. Why was it taking so long, to open a goddamn door?

The door opened. He saw the guy. It was that guy, Robert.

“I thought Reeve was joking. He was sometimes a funny guy. But the looks weren’t like that.

I asked, 'Are you all right?'

He laughed, 'Better than never, we won a war.'

I laughed, 'I know that already. But you know, how can you give a weapon a brain?'

He was shocked, and laughed to the fullest, 'Wait, what the f**k? I never meant that, you p***y. It was just a metaphor.'

I scratched my head, 'What the f**k is a metaphor?'

He sighed, 'Never mind. Okay, let me explain.'

I was ready. Reeve loved to explain.

He started, 'Hitler did what? He used his order to-'

I said, 'You already said that.'

Reeve laughed, 'Oh okay. Then let's move on to the next one.'

I was eager, as always.

He continued, 'So, I planned if a thing. If Hitler wasn’t there to control it, the biological weapon would be a deadly thing, foe them also. A nursing, a continuous nursing is important.'

I agreed. Nursing was important.

He said, 'So, I thought, why not make the mastermind a weapon?'

I was confused, 'Elaborate thoroughly.'

He laughed, 'I mean, if we can implant the weapon in a human body, without harming the body, then he can be a weapon. He can, like infect the enemy temporarily, to weaken the base. We can use him as a infiltrator. He could be the one, the savior.'

I laughed, 'Sounds good, but like a fairy tale. Real world can be way more different.'

He sighed, 'I know, but there’s the problem. I don’t have enough knowledge about the biological weapons. US army archive has it. But there are restrictions.'

That was sad, maybe it could lead the army to a whole new level.

He said, 'But there's a way.'

I was curious as hell, 'What?'

He replied, 'I saw some files related to x graded weapons in Lieute's office. And biological weapons are x graded.'

I was silent for a second, 'So let's talk to Lieutenant about this.'

Reeve sighed, 'He would fire me alive. He wouldn’t take risk, even if it was for greater good.'

I was confused, 'So, what should we do?'

Reeve lit up a cigarette, 'We break into his office.'

I was in shock. Was he insane? Maybe. The win, and Hitler was over his goddamn brain.

I asked, 'Are you nuts? He will eat you alive if he finds out.'

He took a big puff, 'That's why I need you.'

Me? Why did he need me?

He continued, 'You have to keep Lieute distracted. I will get in the office, will replace the files with some identical ones, however he doesn’t read them often. So we could keep them back tomorrow.'

It was legit, but risky. I wasn’t sure if we could pull it out.

He added, 'You said I owe you one for saving your life. Consider it that favor.'

I couldn’t disagree.

I asked, 'Are you sure?'

He laughed, 'Sure as a priest, baby.'

And there I was, walking downwards. I could see the happy soldiers everywhere around the field. I kept searching for Lieutenant.

I found him near the bonfire.

I took a bottle of whiskey for him. Getting him drunk would be a proper way of distraction.

I sat beside him, 'The day was hectic, right?'

He looked at me, 'Ah Charles, where were you?'

I said, 'Was with Reeve. Got to give him some steaks.'

He looked around, 'Where is that bastard?'

I got one, a single hiccup, 'In his room, writing something.'

He laughed, 'That prick is writing now? Nice.'

I gave him the bottle. He took it, 'You know, I hardly drink. I never get drunk. But tonight, it should cross all the limit.'

He gulped down a big sip. The bottle was a quarter empty.

He laughed seeing that, 'You know Charles, our life is like this bottle. A quarter of it is empty, to be filled. And the rest, is filled with all the unnecessary things in this universe, job, love, life, family, everything. You only have a quarter of it, for yourself. How would you fill that?'

I was surprised, 'I don’t know, you tell me.'

He laughed, 'That's the catch. No one can tell anyone how to fill it. Either you fill it yourself, or you keep it empty.'

I laughed, also.

He shouted, 'So Mr. Charles Mc-something, whatever, how will you live a quarter life?'

I couldn’t say anything. I didn’t know how to live it, or whether I have lived it.

I thought of giving a check on Reeve. Was he finished?

I quickly went to Lieutenant's office. It was dark.

I looked at the door, it was closed.

The side window was open, I looked through it.

I could clearly see Reeve, reading the files.

I slid through the window. Reeve looked at me, 'What are you doing here?'

I whispered, 'Checking on you. Got the file?'

Reeve said, 'Yeah, babe. Read them thoroughly.'

I was angry, 'What the f**k! You said you will borrow them, not read them here and risk yourself.'

Suddenly I heard a voice, 'I thought I told you I never get drunk.'

I swear I could never forget the voice.”