Coffee + Snow

Nail Polish and Nicotine Stains - Chapter Two

Michael was exhausted, he climbed the stairs slowly and dug in his pocket for his keys. His hangover was throbbing. The £400 Michelle had saved for a new washing machine had gone a long way to letting him forget about his troubles.

The coke had been clean, and the Guinness kept on flowing. He was paying the price now though, his body like an empty shell.

He almost enjoyed the feeling. Like his body had been put through a mangler. It made him feel alive and connected to the world.

He paused for a moment to look out the window in the stairwell. He felt broken but real, valid. As he put the key into the lock of the flat he let out a long breath.

Inside he could hear his sister in the bathroom, with all the gentle splashing it sounded like she was having a bath. He moved to the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table. He needed some kush.

That was decided. He awkwardly fumbled in his pockets and pulled out a few scraps of paper, catching his hoodie as he did. He shook off the fabric and laid the scraps on the table.

A few bus tickets, and lots of receipts but no money. He looked around the kitchen and wondered if Michelle’s benefits had been paid. She must have some money stashed for housekeeping.

He looked through some of the drawers but found nothing but kitchen utensils. He looked around the cluttered kitchen and soon spied the biscuit tin.

He reached above the fridge and grabbed the tin. He shook it and could her something light moving around. He twisted the lid off and looked inside. Two crisp twenty pound notes sat at the bottom.

“Score” muttered Michael as he dug out the notes. He zipped up his hoodie and buried the notes in the pocket of his jeans. Tossing the tin on the kitchen table as he did so.

He grabbed his keys and headed for the door punching numbers at his dilapidated mobile phone as he walked, he could hear it begin to ring as he slammed the door.

“Mind if I drop round? The café? OK, I can do that, see you in ten.”