LONG SHADOWS

The evening was turning out surprisingly well. When his sons had suggested that they take him out he had expected to be home again by ten o’clock. It was later than that and now and he was enjoying the evening.

There were lots of people coming and going and lights flashing. A hen party had burst in full of life and seeing an older man amongst this young set had made a big fuss of him. They were all dressed as nurses and he noticed some were middle aged but still willing to enjoy a rowdy girls’ night.

He chatted to them but was finding it difficult to speak; too much of something, he mused but ignored this burgeoning problem and drank some more. A pretty nurse offered him a fix but he refused it at first.

“Come on Richard,” she purred, “you will like it and feel great.”

He was really enjoying himself as though he was a teen and twenty again so he thought to himself; ‘yes, let’s do it’ and he let her put the pill in his mouth and she even tipped his drink to his lips to swallow it.

Consciousness almost left him, a dazed distant mood came over him and all he could do was watch the activities of the other revellers. The girl and another woman kept coming to him and tweaking his cheeks whilst smiling and asking if he was all right but something in the tone annoyed him. They were speaking to him as to a child and he wished that they would go away now.

There was no recollection of going unconscious but he knew that he must have done. Someone must have called his sons because both were before him looking worried behind their smiles. They moved either side of him holding his hands in theirs and gently squeezing. He squeezed them back to let them know that he was aware of his surroundings but he could not speak. The malady got worse, he was now only seeing in shades of grey; all colour had leached from his vision.

The hen party had gone now; in fact he noticed that everyone but his sons had gone. Summoning all of his strength he squeezed his sons hands hard and stood up and walked to the exit leaving the boys at the bar. Without looking back he walked out into the silent night and found a black cab waiting outside so he climbed in the back and settled down.

He felt wonderful once again and looking sideways he saw his sons standing in the doorway looking concerned and sad.

“Can you pay?” asked the pilot.

“I have this coin if that’s enough,” replied the old man, “will it take me to my destination?”

“It will be enough to cross the river.” Responded the ferryman.

Copyright ARMaid April 2014

Crossing the Styx