Full Moon

New Moon

Dec 13, 2016

    “Come on man, one drink. Take a break from work for once. It’s not like you’ll get fired,” Axel says sardonically. If it wasn’t for Axel being basically like a brother to me, I’d have to remove him from my inner circle like everyone else lately. “It’s just a birthday,” I say nonchalantly. “The only excitement I have regarding my birthday is that I will be 30 and finally able to take over my father’s company, Harrison House, an advertising agency.” Axel gives me that look he gives whenever I bring that up. It’s not my fault. I do feel bad that his father passed away when he was young. He’s never been the same since. Especially toward me. I’ve let the looks and comments go out of sympathy but sometimes it does make me uncomfortable. There is always something wanting about him. “Like I said Theo, you only turn 30 once. It’s a milestone, let’s celebrate.” Axel says convincingly.“I’m not 30 for 3 more days,” I say annoyed this time, but giving in to the peer pressure. “Fine, I’m about to finish up anyway.” Axel looks frighteningly too happy. We leave the office late. “I’ll drive, of course.” I say with a bold gaze, still upset with Axel over his DUI from a few months ago. Since his license is revoked my comment was a patronizing one. I always feel I need to treat him like a younger brother. Maybe because he is for the most part reckless and self -sabotaging. Quitting Harvard after 3 ½ years. I will never understand that one.

    We pull up and I’m already ready to go. I immediately regret giving in to Axel. I feel like I do this more for him than me. I’m kind of all he has, and most times his intentions are good. “Axel! Back so soon?” the doorman jokes to him. Axel looks at me to see if I caught that. I pretended I didn’t. When we get inside it’s 90’s night and “Whoot, There It Is” is playing. “2 Tom Collins,” Axel says enthusiastically with a huge smile on his face. Ok, I’m glad I came again. In the next hour we both have had a couple drinks by now and I’m starting to enjoy myself. I take that back, I’ve had a couple drinks but Axel…” “Another one for the birthday boy,” Axel says proudly. “No, no we have work tomorrow,” I said sternly. I finally get myself together and remember who I am. I can’t afford to be seen drunk or walk in hungover to work. I will run my father’s company soon and I don’t want him to regret his decision to choose me to run it over my older brother August. August is an art dealer and wants nothing of the corporate America life. Although he would have done it for my father, I knew he wasn’t happy and well, let’s just say it’s in my blood to be a boss. All I’ve wanted to do since I was in grade school is one day work for the family business.

    “Let’s go down to the beach like when we were kids, Axel says drunk and animated. I look at my watch and it’s close to midnight. “We have a meeting at 8 am,” I said sleepily. “Come on, it’s a full moon and the city is lit up tonight.” The view of the city from the beach is spectacular. We would sneak out at night and come here as teenagers. It would be nice to go for old time sake and it’s just walking distance. “Alright man 15 minutes and we have to head back.”

    We jump the fence. I go first, then Axel comes almost falling from the top as drunk as he is. We both laugh so hard I can’t breathe. We sit down and talk about the party my family is throwing me Friday. “Do you ever wonder what would happen if you were born into a different family?” Axel asked taking the conversation in a new, dispiriting direction. “What the hell man, why the heavy?” I asked puzzled. “I think about it a lot.” Axel was dead serious now. “Why you man? ”Axel asked. “Excuse me?” I muttered. “Well we are all a product of our circumstances, right? Had my father not died I would be the head of my own company. He never put it in his will and the company fell in shambles and here I am, working for you now.” Axel looked mad, or sad, or terrifying. I can’t tell which one. “I’m just saying, why you? What do you have that I don’t have? You have it easy. You’ve had it easy your whole life.” Axel was more than terrifying now. He’s always had this jealous streak in him but he looks as if he could kill me. “Let’s just go home and sleep this off. You’ve had too much to drink.” I go to stand up and start walking away. “Theo!” Axel calls. I turn around and he’s standing there with a gun pointed toward me. “Whoa, Axel! What the hell man!” “Maybe if you die I’d get to write my own story. I’ll make my own way in life from now on.” Axel is more than serious, yet trembling and almost teary eyed. “You don’t have to do this. I will give you anything you want, any title you want. We are friend’s man. What are you thinking?” I said boldly but have never been as scared as I am right now in my life. “It was too easy to get you here.” Axel said surprised by his own plan. “So, this was premeditated? You’re just going to off me and think you can get away with it?” I say patronizingly. “No,” Axel says quietly as he lowers his gun. “They will.” I look around and there are 3 men with face coverings dressed in all black. It went black after that.

    It’s dark. Why is it so dark? I can barely open my eyes. Where am I? I muster enough strength to sit up and wipe my eyes until they finally want to open. Why am I still at the beach? I know Axel didn’t leave me he…Axel! My face falls in shock and I feel like I should feel a pit of doom in my stomach remembering the events from last night, or this night, but I feel nothing. Was this a prank? I remember other men approaching me and then…nothing. I knew it was a bad idea to go out with him last night. My meeting! I look at my watch. Of course the batteries would run out now. I head back to my car. As I go to jump the fence I fall before ever grabbing on to anything. I look back and I am on the other side of the fence. What the hell just happened? I reach back to touch the fence and my hand goes completely through it. How much did I have to drink? I know I didn’t have but one drink because I was good enough to drive here. My car, where is my car? Am I hallucinating? I look around for my car and it’s not here. Damn Axel! I’m tripping. It’s a good thing I’m in walking distance to town I will just get a cab.

    I've walked about a half a mile and I’m back to the bar. It’s so late I’m lucky to get a cab. I signal for one approaching and he doesn’t even look at me. He drives right past me. His light was on and no one is around. What am I invisible? You know what, forget it. My parent’s house is only a mile away I’ll walk. I approach my parent’s house. I go around back and find the shell shaped teapot my mom keeps the house key in. I reach for it and my hand goes right through it. Ok, I must be really tripping. Did Axel give me something? With that theory I should be able to walk right through this door. “Theo what are thinking right now?” I say to myself out loud. I put my hand on the door, and even though a part of me knew beyond logic this would happen, I am still in shock. I run upstairs to my old room as fast as I can and get into bed. I was able to lay in my bed without falling through. I am also able to walk on the ground. I’m not sure how this works but I’m going to lay here and sleep this off. I’m not sure how this works. What is this?