Encounter Unwelcome

Quiet. Quiet was wonderful.

Lately, classes had been hectic, her head spinning with noise that seemed to permeate the entirety of the campus on a daily basis. Thus, when Juri arrived home to the peace of her strangle silent apartment building, it was a relief.

Throwing her jacket and bookbag haphazardly across a chair, she all but collapsed into her favorite pieces of furniture: a plush, if not beat up, old couch with recliners on either end. Three years ago she had found it out on the streets for the garbage and had forced several of her friends to help carry it up the three flights of stairs to her apartment. It was the ugliest color she had ever seen — somewhere between forest green and chocolate brown — but the fabric was microfiber and the cushioning superb. Some people simply did not appreciate quality, even if it was the color of puke.

Popping one of the recliners, she leaned back and closed her eyes, sighing heavily in the silence. In the normally rowdy building, this was heaven. Thank God for home and junkies for neighbors that only slept during the day.

THUNK

Opening her eyes, Juri looked upwards towards the ceiling and the source of the sound. Said junkie had most likely fallen out of his bed… Closing her eyes again, she settled into the chair, prepared to take a nice, long nap.

THUNK

…

THUNK. THUNK.

A tick began to jump beside her eye.

THUNK. THUN–CRASH!

Plonk. Plonk. Plonk. Plonk.

…

THUNK

“God DAMMIT! Shut the FUCK UP!”

…

…

…

“Thank you!”

Grumbling viciously to herself, Juri forced her body to settle once again, her fingers white where she gripped the armrest like a vice. Sighing once again, she shut her eyes tightly and tried to ignore the irritation from the momentary interruption. Could she not just have one moment of peace without stalkers and students and stoners?

Krrrrr….ck

Apparently not.

KRRRRR…..

“WILL YOU JUST—”

One grating sound of splintering wood later, Juri found herself staring at a gaping hole in her ceiling, the words dying on her lips in the face of absolute dumbfounded, I-can’t-believe-that-just-happened shock. Above, a sheepish, startled face peeked down at her through the massive, jagged hole, a large sledgehammer hanging in one nerveless hand. He smiled awkwardly, the smell of pot drifting down between floors. Even from a distance, his bloodshot eyes stood out like a beacon. She could take a wild guess at what exactly had happened.

There were no words.

Throughout it all, Juri failed to hear the knock and subsequent opening of her door.

“Juri? What’s going on? Are you alright?” Grey eyes, black hair, looking so damn handsome and innocent all at once…

RAGE.

“Out.”

“But, I–” Puzzlement and concern flashing across rakish features.

“OUT!” Gone Like the Wind.

Now to deal with bastard number two. Redirecting her gaze, she watched in satisfaction as the color drained from her neighbor’s face.

Revenge would be sweet. And profitable.

~ by eeratka on January 25, 2008.