"…"
I can't believe I asked him for help.
"Are you going to talk, or what?" He lights a cigarette. "Well?"
The small apartment walls are a sickly yellow, beer cans littered across the floor. The smell of smoke is the only thing preventing the rotten Chinese takeout from filling the room.
His elbow hits the coffee table. "You little shit… what did you come here for?"
I guess I can't blame him for being annoyed.
Still…
I can't believe this is the best idea you came up with, Felix.
"I… need your help." My eyes are locked to the side, I can't even look at him.
…
A beat.
Nothing. He doesn't respond.
I look over, and he's blank faced.
"Why should I help you?"
Tch!
"I'll pay you."
He tilts his head. "With what money? You're a broke student."
He's right…
"I'll… I'll owe you one!" I unconsciously lean forward.
He scoffs at me, and blows smoke in my face. I hold my first to my face, trying to prevent a cough.
Cough Cough
Asshole...
The ember rolls up the cigarette within his mouth. "A favor from you isn't worth much, kid."
Then what the hell do you expect me to do?!
Coming here was a waste of time. Standing up, I head to the door. Even the entrance way is filthy.
"Wait."
I'll figure something else out. I'll skip town. I'll—
He yanks my arm backwards. "I told you to wait."
The burn hole in his carpet stares back at me.
"Wait for what?" I turn my head. "I don't have money."
"Tch… what do you need help with?"
I stand there, thinking about how to explain my situation.
His brows furrow. "Well? Tell me." He looks like he wants to hit me…
Fine, let's see how this goes.
"Someone's… been following me."
He arches his brow. "Why would someone do that?"
I look over the floor, stains in the carpet, visible hairs around.
It's safe to say he's not bringing any guests over.
Seriously… how can someone live like this?
"I don't know."
With a huff, he steps back.
"You're a real pain in my ass." He scratches his head.
Maybe he has lice… his hair looks like a nest, so…
"Give me ten minutes."
What?
"You're… going to help?"
He ignores my question, and enters his bathroom.
***
His car really isn't much better…
There's trash all over the place, multiple take out bags from various restaurants litter the car floor. His carpet probably has its own biosphere, considering all the crumbs. There's some liquid stains too... I just hope it isn't pee... The bacteria live like the citizens of New York, a sky full of smog, and piss for water. I wonder if the bacteria city has a Lincoln Tunnel. Maybe that bag of chips?
...It's really hard to imagine that we're related, to be honest.
"What was that?"
His eyes are still on the road, but for some reason… it feels like he's glaring at me.
"I didn't say anything." I saw, looking out the window.
Is he psychic or something?
"What makes you think that you're being followed?"
Huh?
I shift my eyes back to his unpleasant face. "That's a sudden change in topic…"
I hear the sound of squeezing rubber as his grip on the wheel tightens.
"Do you want my help or not? Answer the question."
I don't want to think about it, to be honest.
"I've been… seeing the same guy around for the last few days."
He waits for me to continue. I don't have much else to add. I can't exactly say that he stabbed me, you know…
Unless I feel like meeting a psychiatrist, anyway.
"And?"
I also burned to death this other time.
"Whenever I get home... he's watching me." A subtle pain spreads through my palms as my nails dig into them.
He sighs, as if I'm a hassle. "I'm guessing you don't know who he is. What does he look like?"
Ugly, probably.
"I… don't know."
He clicks his tongue. "You're not giving me much to work with, are you?"
I'm sorry...
The crappy car is as silent as my apartment...
"…Stay at my place for a few days. I'll look into it."
My head shoots up. "You… believe me?".
"A freak like you wouldn't ask for help unless you really needed it. Especially not from me." He rests his chin on his knuckles.
I'm safe…
I'm going to be okay.
...Wait, what do you mean by freak?! I'm not a freak!
"...Thank you, Shawn."
…
That means…
I'll have to stay in that shithole…
...Maybe being stabbed isn't so bad.
***
I've been hanging out at my uncle's office. It's… really empty.
Stuffy too.
Dusty…
No wonder nobody's here.
Not exactly much to do here either, but… I'm probably safe here, so…
…
I'm bored!
Why'd you leave anyway?! You were supposed to protect me!
Looking around... the room is filled with multiple cubicles. It's a crummy place... just like the part of town we're in, I guess. The desks are different, some are a nice oak, and other's are the quick setup party tables you could get at a grocery store... do the workers have to buy their own desks or something...? Looking to my right, my uncle's desk looks... like metal, I guess? I see a fading filing cabinet, cluttered papers, an ash tray, and—
I jolt upwards as the door flies into the wall behind it.
"Murphy! What did I tell you about —" The woman's eyes land on me.
She looks… really normal, actually. Brown hair, about a head shorter than me, and she's wearing... a flannel? I see fashion isn't a priority in this building. Well... maybe that was a dumb observation, all things considered...
"…Did you get a haircut?"
I haven't seen you a day in my life, lady.
"Shawn isn't here."
Her eyes widen. "Oh! Are you his little brother or something? You look so similar…"
What the hell did you just say to me?
I bite my tongue. "I'm his nephew."
She looks me up and down, and nods.
"I see. Did he say when he's getting back?"
I shake my head.
She seems to take that as an invite to keep talking.
"That asshole… he's avoiding me…"
I would love to avoid you too.
Her eyes lock with mine. "Tell Murphy to call me when he gets back." She turns her heel and leaves, just as fast as she came.
…
I don't think I will tell him, actually.
***
It's been hours…
A few people have come and gone; I guess they work here too?
None of them spare me a second glance.
…
They didn't confuse me with Shawn, did they?!
That makes too much sense…
If I thought I was Shawn, I wouldn't talk to me either!
No… there's no way…
That lady before… she just had bad eyes!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I clutch my hair in despair. It's so soft...
"Are you okay?"
I look up to the strange man talking to me.
Before me is… a rich guy? I don't know how else to describe him.
Neat blonde hair, blue eyes, nice suit. It doesn't look like he belongs in this stuffy place, to be honest.
"Yeah, what's up?"
He stares at me, as if trying to place me.
It's kind of nerve racking…
"Did Murphy leave you here for any particular reason?"
Ah…
"Well… I… couldn't go to school today, so he told me to stay here."
The man's eyes briefly harden before he nods.
"Want to play cards then? I'm pretty bored."
…I didn't expect that.
***
We're playing Rummy 500, house rules. He prefers counting the numbered cards as five, and he counts Jokers as fifteen.
I haven't exactly played many card games, but… aren't these games luck based?
So why…
WHY HAVE I GOTTEN A MIXED HAND EVERY DAMN TIME?!
His hands fly across the table while dealing.
I look down at my hand, a bead of sweat moving down my temple.
Seven of Spades, Ace of Hearts… and a bunch of trash.
He lays down several cards immediately…
He had three eights…
My hands thud against the table.
"YOU'RE CHEATING!"
He looks at me blank faced.
I can tell he's laughing at me behind that damn wall of an expression.
"You're just unlucky."
I'm going to kill him…
"Fine then! Let's redo this hand!" I collect all the cards. "I shuffle this time!"
***
I lost.
Even after I shuffled, I lost.
I got another mixed hand…
This game…
This damned game…
"Well, everyone has off days." He smiles at my sympathetically.
You bastard…
"Fine! We'll play Blackjack this time!"
He raises an eyebrow and shrugs.
I'll definitely win this time!
***
I hit at twelve, and got a queen.
"You're… not very lucky, huh?" I have a feeling he wanted to say something else...
I hate this game.
"I'm plenty lucky." I toss my cards into his. "You're just cheating."
The bastard smirks at me.
"I don't need to cheat to win against you. Your luck is terrible."
GAHHHHH!
"It's funny… Murphy— the other Murphy. He always wins against me."
Probably because he cheats too!
Also… my last name isn't Murphy.
"What was your name anyway?"
"I didn't say?" He stands up and offers his hand. "I'm John Smith. It's nice to meet you."
Seriously?
"That's your real name?" I shake his hand.
He smiles politely. "I get that a lot. What's yours?"
He doesn't know?
"Felix. Shawn didn't say?"
John shakes his head. "I didn't even know you existed before today."
That… makes sense.
I wonder if Shawn gets along with anyone…
"So… are you Shawn's boss, or…"
He smirks at that, as if the question is funny.
"We're colleagues."
I guess that makes sense.
Wait, no it doesn't! You look like some rich guy, what is some PI doing wearing something so nice?!
"You have my sympathies…"
John's smiles in response, and shifts to just behind me.
I turn my head to match his, and I see Shawn's ghastly face.
Seriously, you should compensate me for having to look at you.
You almost gave me a heart attack.
"You little shit… I've been running around for you, and that's what you have to say?"
He looks like a demon or something… his face could give a kid nightmares. No... worse than a demon. Some eldritch horror.
I smile at him innocently. "Welcome back! We were just talking about John eating something bad earlier…"
I look back at John, hope in my eyes.
"Yeah, I have a bit of a headache because of it…"
My dearest uncle points at me, unimpressed.
"Do you two think I'm an idiot? I heard the whole conversation."
I nod solemnly.
"Yeah… it's true. John ate your lunch. I'm sorry that you had to find out this way."
John shakes his head. "Yeah, that didn't happen."
I see. I've been betrayed.
I'll remember this, John.
He looks over Shawn's dumb face.
"So, this is your nephew, huh?"
Shawn raises an eyebrow. "Yeah. So?"
John smiles politely once again. It seems like it's his default expression.
"I'm surprised. To be honest, I didn't picture you as a family man."
…is this guy secretly an asshole or something?
My uncle lights a cigarette.
Indoors.
No wonder the walls are stained.
"Hm."
That's it?
"What a lackluster response."
"Well, it's true. I'm not particularly close with my family." He huffs his cigarette.
John's eyes widen. "I'm surprised you admitted that."
Shawn blows smoke in John's face "I'm surprised you're still talking. Get lost."
John nods, his eyebrow twitching. "I see."
Turning his head, he addresses me. "Well, Felix. It was nice to meet you. I hope you both have a good day."
Just like that, he's gone.
I can't blame him, I guess.
Shawn raises his eyebrow at me. "…Felix, huh?"
He scoffs before continuing.
"Whatever. Anyway, about that stalker of yours."
I cover my nose as he shoots smoke from his mouth.
"What about him?"
He smirks.
Did he find something?
He throws a thumbs up at me, my heart leaps.
"I found absolutely nothing!"
…
Is this guy seriously a detective…
"Why do you look all accomplished then?"
He scoffs, as if I'm the one being unreasonable.
"Listen here, I went out of my way to find some guy with NO information. This is all well within my expectations!"
He says that like it's bragworthy…
"I guess… so why are you so…"
He scowls at me.
"What? Is your uncle not allowed to be happy that he got to slack off? Haaaah?!"
This guy…
Is he seriously the biggest hope that I have…?