BEER-CRAVING ZOMBIE

by Bradford Middleton

As the clock counted down at work, typical

Of my luck of late it was the first day we

Stay open late, I stood counting the seconds

Until I could get out because tonight wasn’t

Going to be just another night of smoke and

Losing myself in some soap opera. It was

Going to be the night I had grown desperate

For during the whole prolonged nightmare

Of drinking out on the pavement battling all

That goddamn wind and rain, hence only

Venturing out a couple of times but trust me

There was almost temptation every single

One of those days counting . . .

Counting . . .

Counting . . .

Until that moment when they’d let us back

Inside and tonight, well tonight, was that

Night and almost instantly, upon walking

Back through that hallowed door I felt myself

Grow calm and like a King returning to take

Up his throne. I found an empty table looking

Out on the street of ill-repute and as my drinks

Came over I saw her. One for the age

A green-haired creature of dizzying size and

Shape, and suddenly I was back living the life

Of the bars’ living dead.

TEASING IN THE LIGHT

by Bradford Middleton

That night, oh, boy, what a night, it had all seemed like a dream, a dream made real on a night of worm-induced tequila madness at the Saint Mark’s bar as Melody fell into Jack’s warm embrace for the first time and, at last, Jack had something to live for beyond his crappy little job and his shitty little room as he had her. 

From the very first moment he had said “hi,” it had all moved so quickly. Within a week, he’d practically moved in; that first week, that magical time of never-ending pleasure, went by in a flurry of sexual adventure and they’d barely left her room, their boudoir of delight, and Jack couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt happier. 

She told him everything and he did the same, and when he admitted he loved being teased, she took that as a personal challenge.

The next night, Jack returned from work and there she was, stood in front of their floor lamp gyrating to some wild ‘60s song wearing a dress almost transparent. She looked astonishing, or at least that’s what he thought, as he began salivating before moving in tight and taking her in his arms. 

They went to bed and made love like they’d never done before, with feeling, with soul, but most of all with love and again Jack fell asleep dreaming of a life that he was currently living. 

Again, he couldn’t remember a time when he’d been happier; hell, not in this lifetime anyway, and the next morning she went off to work and he simply sat around getting high and watching daytime TV.

That afternoon when Melody had returned from work Jack was so high, he barely noticed as she changed into a pair of her darkest jeans and a long baggy jumper that showed off absolutely nothing at all but as the evening came into view she turned to him.

“Jack,” she says, making sure he’s firmly back on terra firma after his intergalactic odyssey, “Jack, I’ve got something I need to do with work tonight. . . .”

“Oh sure,” he responds, not having any idea that this, well, this was to be the end of the happy life, at least his. 

She started going out and a lot as well and soon Jack is sat in the armchair in their living room, struggling to remember the last time he’d seen her until, at last, he hears the shuffling of a key in the lock.

“Oh, Jack,” she says, as she stumbles into the living room with a new friend in tow, “Oh, Jack . . .” she says unwilling, or possibly unable due to drink, to complete her sentence.

“Look,” the other woman suddenly says, “we’re in love, me and Mel is where it’s at now, you get it? Good,” she says before he even has a chance to respond, “well, you know what to do then, don’t you?”

“But . . .”

“No buts, fucker, just get the hell out of here . . . understand me?”

“Mel???” he drawls, wishing he could sit and roll another big fat joint as tears begin to pour from his eyes.

“Ah, now, come on man, get with it,” she says, as she begins throwing some of his clothes into a bag. 

Melody simply ignores what is going on and disappears into the bedroom and before her head even hits the pillow, Jack is out on the street and that first raindrop sobers him up better than anything had done in years.