Rest Your Head, I'm Permanent - Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Some real people, fake story
David's POV
"Thanks Mom," I said, shutting the door of her SUV and resting my body against it, I felt as if I could fall asleep right here. "I'll call you tomorrow. Now you can go home and call everyone we know and tell them the exciting news." I teased her.
"You know how much I would love that but we can't tell anyone until the show starts in January." She reminded me, as I counted in my head. I couldn't tell a soul about this for another five months, and I was horrible at keeping secrets.
"I was only joking Ma, night." With my keys in my hand, I turned around and headed toward the mailboxes. Junk mail, junk mail, and more junk mail, as always. I noticed the last one was thicker, so I took a peek at it. It read "URGENT" on it and I knew right away that it was about someone, somewhere, from some company wanting their money back. Stuffing the mail under my arm, I slowly climbed two small flight of stairs. Halfway up, a sharp pain jolted through my knee, making me stop dead in my tracks and wince a bit but, I thought nothing of it and kept moving. I didn't want to stop, I was on a mission I wanted to return to my bed, my dream to my mystery girl from this morning. I wasn't sure how I would do it but, after today's events I was starting to believe anything was possible. I even tried reenacting my own actions from my previous fantasy, hoping for it to become a reality. I forced my door open with my body, laid my jacket on my couch, and waited for that beautiful sound, her voice. I lingered in the middle of my living room, but all I heard was a fight coming from above me, the Conan's were having a screaming match for the third time this week. Looking at my watch, I remembered it was 3:01am in my dream, and it was only 8:37pm now. Realizing that I was being completely ridiculous, I went to my fridge, hoping that something would have magically appeared while I was gone. I was sadly disappointed as I peered into the fridge, only to find two beers, leftover Chicken Lo Mien, and a half-eaten piece of pizza. I made a sloppy note for myself to go to the store soon before I start to waste away to nothing. Bereaved by my discoveries, I sulked down the hallway into my bedroom, deciding that I wasn't really that hungry to begin with. I told myself that I needed to clean my room up, remembering my mother's nagging.
"Tomorrow." I said, looking from one mound of clothes to another, I couldn't differentiate between the clean and dirty. It was becoming harder to open my eyes, they just wanted to rest. Turning off my light, I stumbled to the side of my bed, losing my shirt, shoes, and jeans in the process. As my skin hit my sheets, I knew it was only a matter of seconds before I would be knocked out cold. I tried to concentrate on her, wanting to be pulled into that dream once more.
I opened my eyes, recognizing the small, smoke-infested room I was in, I was once again at work. I suddenly felt smothered by the four dark walls that surrounded me. I couldn't really remember getting here, or even getting up this morning, which was strange, but I pushed the though aside when I was brought back into reality.
"Keep 'em comin', Dave" I heard one of my usual patrons, Paul shout. Pulling a random bottom shelf bottle from the bar, I poured the liquid about half way, filling the rest up with water. As a bartender, these people's lives were in my hands. If they got totally smashed and then ran someone over, it was in a round-about way my fault. So, I had to keep an eye out and remember who has had what and how much, it was a pretty nerve-racking job. The bar wasn't too full tonight, only about 9 customers, if I counted right. I blinked over and over again, trying to focus in on the people, somethings were just blurry for no reason. I figured it must have just been the mixture of liquor, hunger, and fatigue. As I filled another glass with cheap alcohol and water, I caught a swift movement out of the corner of my eye. Of course, I thought. There was always a fight that I had to break up between sloppy drunks, it never fails. This would probably be the highlight of my night, as things at the bar top seemed mellow.
"Be right back, fellas" I said as I ran out into the parking lot, looking for the flying fists. The cool September air stung my lungs, it felt too brisk for it being so early in the season, it just didn't seem to fit. I walked out under a street lamp, listening to the gravel crunch under my feet, everything seemed odd. It was too peaceful, too quiet and cold, even for a small town in Oklahoma. I just stood there, with my hands shoved deep in my pockets, waiting for something, but I wasn't quite sure what it was. A gust of wind hit my face, making me shiver slightly.
"This is stupid." I said to myself. What was I thinking? I'm working, I don't have time to just stand around and wait for the sky to open and god to appear, I had a job to do. Turning around sharply on the worn-down heels of my cowboy boots, I felt it again. The same pain from earlier shot through my knee, but it was more intense this time, leaving me with a stinging sensation as I walked slowly up to the doorway to hell.
And then I heard it, I just knew, it was what I had been waiting for, a muffled laugh. Spinning around again, my knee still tingling.
"Hello?" I called out into the black night. I waiting again, only hearing the harsh winds wrap around the trees. "Anyone there?" I called out again, cupping my ear to amplify the sounds around me. The laugh, I knew it was hers, it was alluring. It sounded like she was right behind me, unless I was going crazy, and then I was just hearing things that weren't really there, that had to be it. It was all a dream, she was just a dream. I told myself, as I walked through the doorway and back behind the bar, my second home.
"Another one, Paul?" I asked, already beginning to fill yet again, another glass. I could tell that he was so dissipated that I could have given him water and he would have thought it was whiskey. In this business, I saw many people at their lowest, but it never made it any easier to watch, even giving them a hand. I always felt like I was just tying the knot in their rope, or kicking the chair out from under them, whenever I would serve them another drink. Since my brother's diagnosis ten years ago, I always was grateful for life, living every moment like it was my last.
"This is going to be the last call, fellas." I said, wiping down the bar top. I was ready to go home, I was tired. Anymore, just the thought of this place drained me. Doing my usual cleaning, I swept, mopped and wiped the tabletops down. The clinking of the glasses in the dishwasher was like a lullaby to me, I was afraid I was going to fall asleep right there, I wondered if I'd survive the drive home. Finally, I shut off all of the lights and locked the door, walking back out into the crisp air, stinging as much as it did before. I rushed out to my car door, trying to get in as quickly as possible, all I could think about was getting sleep.
The drive home was a little hazy, I remember passing the local movie theatre next to the Burger King, which I was half-tempted to go through the drive-through for a Whopper and some fries, but then I looked down at my gut and told myself no. I sang along as Innocent by Our Lady Peace poured out of my speakers.
"...Oh, Tina’s losing faith in what she knows
Hates her music, hates all of her clothes
Thinks of surgery and a new nose
Every calorie is a war
While she wishes she Was a dancer
And that she'd never Heard of cancer
She wishes God would give her some answers
And make her feel beautiful..." Thinking of Adam, I could feel a tear run down my cheek as I pulled in front of my complex. I wiped it away and entered the building.
I released a sigh as I turning my apartment key and opened my door. I noticed that it was 3:01am just as I set my jacket on the couch. I began making my way toward the hallway, I knew I was going to collapse at any moment.
"Wait, baby." I heard coming from behind me, I turned around quickly. There's no way. I thought. I remembered that voice, her voice. It was dark, I couldn't see anything. I tried to make my way back to the light switch, hoping I could finally see her face in the light. Then I felt her hand grasp mine.
"I missed you" She whispered in my ear, pulling me in some direction, I wasn't quite sure. She pushed me onto the couch. I felt her climb on top of me, pressing her sweet, soft lips to mine, catching me off-guard.
"You're all I've been thinking about lately." I confessed, and then kissing her back. I thought about asking her what her name was. Just as I opened my mouth, forming the words, I blinked and the sunlight surprised me. I wasn't on the couch with my mystery girl on top of me, I was in my bed.
"Really?" I shouted out loud, realizing that it was only a dream once again. I squeezed my eyes shut again, trying to slip back into the dream. I just wanted to be back there with her, even if it was just a dream, it felt like the real thing. I was happy with her, I felt safe and secure in her arms. I got up out of bed, remembering yesterday's events, a small smile spread across my face. Now it was time to think about the real world.