'turn it up so i don't have to think'- someone take the wheel
he walks into the nightclub, (this was back when they used to have nightclubs) alone, and spots his phantom hovering above a vacant table. not dressed in a white cloak, but a simple dress. she smiles, but looks nervous. he tears up immediately, with anger and love. she waves him over.
he orders a shot and a short beer. and another for his phantom, which, for obvious reasons, he will have to finish.
the third wheel is the history.
the past is mulled over. the phantom speaks of it like a movie she's seen. a movie she enjoyed but hasn't watched since. he lives every memory over as he speaks it. face twitching (as it does), fingers locking and unlocking, eyes welling.
you are all extras in my movie, he thinks. even you, now...
the phantom flickers like she reads his thoughts. she flickers and disintegrates. he is left alone, reaching for her. the other patrons see a man out of control, or possibly, swatting at flies. it is not out of the ordinary and they leave him alone.
and he lingers on at the nightclub, waiting for his phantom. for years. then one day he sees a girl, sad and beautiful, at the end of the bar.
and the phantom reappears..no...no...not for you...
and disappears again.
so he leaves the nightclub. head like a film projector, and he doesn't remember getting home, or where he stopped along the way...
when he gets home he stumbles through the front door. throws up, miraculously, in the toilet, and staggers to his room.
and his phantom is there.
welcoming him.
he takes his clothes off and crawls, i mean, crrrraaaaawwwwwllllssssss, under the covers. and phantom fingers run through his hair. and four phantom limbs wrap themselves around him, and rock him slowly...to...sleep....
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