We Remain » Places

         

Declan Brant Graklo

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"I need to get more shampoo."

He poured the remnants of the container into his hand and massaged it into his scalp. After foam started bouncing from his fingers, he dropped his hands, rinsed them, and put his hands over his eyes.

"Close your eyes, no peeking!" He heard Kena's voice through the shower glass.

"Who do you think you are?" He teased. He could hear the opening of the shower curtain, and the warmth of another presence.

"Open your eyes"

Declan opened his eyes to the sting of shampoo and such a real memory of what he used to enjoy so much. He washed the shampoo out of his hair and stepped out of the shower, pulling the curtain behind him and wrapping himself in a towel. After he dried off, he threw on a green t-shirt and camouflage shorts.

The bathroom had fogged up, the mirror was completely steamed over. He used the corner of his towel to smear away a circles worth, and it instantly began re-fogging.

Staring at himself in the small section of the mirror, he noticed his baggy eyes and stubble. He looked down at his hands, amazed to see so much dirt still caked under his nails. "I look like shit" He thought as he sat on the edge of the tub and scraped at the caked dirt with a pocket knife from inside his shorts pocket. He stood up, went to the sink, shaved his scruff, and left the bathroom.

He walked through the hallway, admiring the pictures on the walls. He stopped at a light pink door and put his hand on the door. He pushed open the door, staring at the empty nursery. Without letting himself cry, he turned himself around and headed into his bedroom, where he acquired his pistol, mk47, and ruck sack. He sat on the bed, pistol in his hand. He looked out the window and listened to the bitter silence, only interrupted by the air conditioner under foot.

"Soon, my love." He put the muzzle into his mouth, closed his eyes, and hovered his finger over the trigger. He put his finger on the trigger, painfully ready to pull it. A thunk in the other room made him jump, throw the gun to the floor and stand up. He grabbed it quickly and quietly, then made his way to the front door slyly.

He opened the door to find the newspaper, the paperboy dinged his bell and biked away. He picked it up hastily, noticing a folded up paper lodged inside of the rubber band.

Dear Declan Graklo,

We've been watching over you the past week. Your skills have attracted us to use you, along with selected others, for a mission that could change the outcome of your future. Meet at the brick building on Main Street, second floor, 10:00 PM tonight, and we will be waiting for you. We're counting on you, survivor. Don't let us down, or there may be dire consequences.

Continue to Look for the Light
- The Fireflies

Continue to look for the light the words rattled in Declan's mind, as he checked his phone to find that it was 9:30. He looked up to the sky and laughed.

"Not ready to see me yet are you?" He shook his head and went back inside. He grabbed a black jacket, his mk47, and through his ruck sack over his shoulders. Here we go, he started off toward main street.

When he arrived, he saw lights on upstairs. He checked both ways before crossing the street, and stepped inside, and took the elevator up a floor. the building was old, the elevator made him nervous. When the doors opened, he stepped out. He heard noises from a room on his left and paused before entering. He counted to three and pushed the door ajar.

"Declan Brant Graklo, reporting for du-service." He stood at ease, and offered his hand to shake that of his closest peers.